Last Days of Summer

As summer came to an end, we tried to squeeze in as many last minute fun things as we could.  Our annual Huron River clean-up couldn't be missed.  The local canoe livery provides breakfast, lunch, and free canoes to anyone who wants to float and clean the river.  We do it every year and the highlight is always the section of river that passes by the golf course.  We collect dozen and dozens of ball every year.

Christian and Peter weren't quite as into it as last year but they still managed to have a good time together. 

Benjamin and Kelly made a great team.  Kelly was able to keep the canoe in place really well even in the current and Benjamín was never shy to jump in and get the good stuff.  He found a gameboy, an iphone, and about 10 lbs of trash, including more golf balls and anyone would know what to do with.  Well, full disclosure, Christian found the phone and the gameboy, but Benjamin was the one to actually retrieve them thanks to my lack of solo-canoeing skill compared to Kelly and Christian's unwillingness to jump in the water.  He's got some amazing eagle-like eyes, though.

As I watched this big man of mine walk around in the river, I couldn't help but think of the young boy who was also always so excited to walk this same stretch of river and collect golf balls.

He and Christian would always collect so many!

Another annual tradition is the touch-a-truck event.  Peter loves being able to sit in all the construction vehicles and the school bus, jeep, etc.

I had to take the Jeep Rubicon picture again.  I love cmparing to old ones.

This year:

2021:

Studying the map of possible trucks while sitting on the school bus:

How about this jeep?  Historic Vietnam jeep complete with the gun.

Bella spent her last days of summer camping and hanging out with friends from scouts.  They reserved a camp site and stayed up all night having a blast.  Then the wanted to hang out again, this time farther away than she felt comfortable driving, so Peter and I took her up and spent the dat at the beach nearby.  It was perfect weather and a ton of fun.

That same day, Christian and Kelly decided to go motorcycling.

Before:

After: