Day in Michigan

I always want to go to the beach.  Always.  But the only other adult in my family is a bit sunshine-averse, and so I'm always looking for other adults to drag along accompany me to the beach.  So, when my mother-in-law arrived yesterday, she got to be the lucky beachgoer. 

The cool thing is that we are able to cross not one, but two state lines in about an hour.  We skirted the coast of Lake Michigan, driving through Indiana and into Michigan.  My favorite beach in southwestern Michigan is about an hour and 20 minutes away. 

But it was so worth the drive.  The sand in Michigan is so pure and soft, and the view is nothing but sky and water. 

Here's Nathan eating his SpongeBob ice cream bar:

Here he is on the best raft, which I bought last year at the grocery store:

Still featuring dribble on his chin from the melted SpongeBob:

After the beach we stopped in New Buffalo, Michigan (home of I Love Toy Trains: The Store), to have dinner at the famous Redamak's:

Here's Nathan on the coin-operated fire engine before dinner:

Waiting for dinner to arrive:

Group shot before dinner, in which I thought I looked fat, but proceeded to eat that whole burger and fries anyway. 

What?!  It was a turkey burger.  And see how my phone is out?  I was waiting for text updates on my sister-in-law, who is in labor.  So far no word, and we don't know the sex of the baby.  Oooh ... cliffhanger!