The sound of the Lake Michigan waves crashing on the shore reached my ears long before I saw the water. They said the hike was “scenic,” but I think that might just have been good marketing because for all I could see, it was just longer, aaand hillier.

But when I reached the top of the last steep hill leading down to the water, I knew it was worth it. The vast blue water stretching to the horizon reminded me of my first trip to Lake Michigan and the way I caught a small glimpse of what the ocean might be like. I’ve since been to Hawaii and have seen the ocean but that memory is always nostalgic.

When Jaden was only several weeks old, we had gone swimming at a local lake and decided to dip his toes in the water to see if he would like it, (he didn’t!) 😉 But his reaction this time was quite different. The water was really cold, which is typical for Lake Michigan but he didn’t mind at all.

Aaron set him down and immediately he was heading for the waves. Ever since he’s been sitting up for his baths, he’s loved the water and today was no different. His enthusiasm was only slightly dampened when a big wave completely wet his pants. I’m sure he would have spent the rest of the day in the water if we hadn’t kept him in the shade to avoid his baby skin getting toasted.

We spent the day with friends and family, searching for pretty stones on the beach, sunbathing with an occasional splash in the lake to cool us off, and burying each other in the sand. After a delicious lunch of grilled burgers, fruit, veggies, and all the picnic fixings, we headed back to the beach until we were all “well done” and had sand in places we didn’t know we had.