Up North

Every summer, we have the privilege of traveling to northern Michigan to spend a week with Josh's family at his parents gorgeous cottage in Bellaire. Family, sun, boating, jetskis, campfires, food, games, water. What summer is all about.... Wish we could spend so much more time there...but, in a nutshell...here was our week.

lovin' the jetski - avery even drove and loved it

4 awesome generations of olson

cowboy caleb

an attempt at a picture with grandma and grandpa and all of their grandkids (minus caleb, who was taking a nap)


tiaras and bacon


and dance parties in the morning

and more fun...






have i mentioned that my daughter likes to take her clothes off?

and now on the sailboat (later, josh and i would take that same boat on the lake and, yes, tip it over)






lots of love for grandpa and grandma





ah...Michigan...we love you. see you next year!

an event five years in the making

5 years ago, Emmitt Smith retired from the NFL. well, if you know my husband, you know he is a fan. as well as our brother in law, Devon. and i became one as well. so, the day he retired 5 years ago...we knew he'd be inducted into the nfl hall of fame 5 years later. and we swore we'd be there. together. it was fitting, since we were together at the game where smith broke the record to become the leagues all time leading rusher. so, 5 years later, we did it. me, Josh, Devon, and Jack (Devon's 7 year old son) went to the Hall of Fame induction ceremony to watch mr. Emmitt Smith be inducted. it was so fun to experience it together, finally!
and a HUGE thank you to Bob Wolf who very generously got us tickets for the induction ceremony AND the game. What a treat! THANKS BOB!!!

pre-ceremony hotdogs and burgers



our seats, in front of ESPN analysts, Tom Jackson and Trey Wingo

2 true diehards

Jack, our future dallas cowboys star


emmitt smith!

and last but not least, my flip flop broke right after we got there. so, we tied the flip flop to my foot using a shoelace (courtesy of josh) and created what i think is a very fashionable look.

nothing like a good ol' county fair

we ventured down the the OC Fair on Sunday and had a really good time. Avery loved the kiddie rides (as you will see in the pictures)... enjoyed her first funnel cake (or funny cake, as she called it)...rode a horse all by herself... and had a blast checking out the animals. and only 1 tiny meltdown right before lunchtime. so, you could say we survived.

pony rides!



and now, the rides


i wish you could see her face here - concentrating so hard!



this kid loves water

showing me the stuffed cow that mommy won for her. yes, mommy won.

one tired chica

later that day... :)

a day at the beach

have i mentioned how blessed we are to live less than 5 minutes from the pacific ocean? not too shabby for the olson's....

kite flying





this is caleb...the afternoon after the beach. i think it wiped him out
(not pictured - daddy, also cashed out from a long morning)

mclean! one of my oldest (not by age) and dearest friends. love this girl.