Dancing and Daytripping

I love summer.  I love summer weekends, even more.  Summer weekends in Michigan...the best.  This weekend felt like the kick off to the summer season.  Myles is almost done with school and the end of the year activities are in full force.  The sunshine was out and things could not have been any better.

Jillian's dance recital was on Saturday.  She loved it.  She loves dance and I love seeing her joy in everything dance.  She was even dancing in the aisles at dinner after her recital.  Here are a few photos from the occasion...

Makeup time.  It took forever and it still wasn't perfect.  Putting makeup on someone else isn't all that easy...especially when that someone else is fluttering her eyes and wiggling around.  Seriously though, look at her eyelashes.  I'm jealous of my own daughter.  That was only a couple of quick swipes of mascara.

 My little "Devil in Disguise" ready to shake it on stage.  She loved her costume.

The start of her second dance.  She is the one with the ponytail down to her tutu.  ;)

Pure adorableness.

With 14 wonderful family members there to watch one little girl...she raked in the flowers.  They are now beautifying my house.  Oh - and she even had a little corsage on that wrist.  

 Family photo at dinner afterwards.

 And  she poses...

 What an awesome night.

And Sunday?  A trip to one of my favorite little Lake Michigan towns, Saugatuck.  A day of strolling around downtown, playing at the park in the middle of town, shopping, and walking the boardwalk of boats.  I snapped a few pics with my phone.

Here is Jillian with her new mermaid from the local drugstore.  I have a weakness for that store.  As a kid we would go there and admire the colorful kites, sand toys, and display of rocks with the little velvet bags to fill with your choice of colorful gems for a few dollars (my sister, Sarah was always a sucker for the rocks).  That store brings me back to ten years old every time I walk in.  Oh, and Myles...got the rocks.  I believe he calls them his magical gems.

 Myles in the garden next to my most favorite purple flowers.  I need to grow them myself...

Jillian chose her shoes for the day.  Cowboy boots from Myles's Woody Halloween costume a few years ago.  Why not?  I am thrilled I found a yellow jumper for her again this year.  Bonus - it was only $6 at The Gap in Chicago.  With tax.

 And...my favorite picture of the day that I happened to capture from the bench all the way across the playground.  Daddy and daughter in conversation.  Pure love.

 Hope your weekend was as snazzy as cowboy boots and rompers. 

Can't wait to see what next weekend holds.