Last Hoorah!

Growing up, I remember Labor Day being really special. We would always be at our cabin in the U.P., soaking up every last minute of Summer before school started. Life was going to change soon and so we were going to make the most of it!

That cabin is now my grandparents' home and I still love to be there and re-experience it all with my own family now. I desperately want that place to be a special part of their life and memories too. When our plans to be there this Labor Day fell apart, I was selfishly upset. Now what were we going to do all weekend?

I still felt that weird pressure to make the weekend special- not because school was starting, but our life is indeed drastically changing soon. We are fully prepared to not be able to do special things on a whim soon, so we wanted to have one last hoorah together...which we also desperately needed!

So, we decided that since all the city folk are headed to campgrounds and cabins, that we would trade places and be touristy instead. Grand Rapids it was then, complete with Chuck E. Cheese, waterpark fun, and a trip to the zoo!

Cam was terrified of this Jeep, but refused to get off of it.

Lots of fun at our favorite hotel.

 

Up close and personal at John Ball Zoo.

In the hotel room that night, Bear was so excited she couldn't even think about sleep. She kept popping up from her pull-out couch bed and saying things like, "Mom, I love you...I'm just thinking about our fun!" When Cam finally fell asleep she leaned over and asked if she could come snuggle and talk about our day now that he was sleeping. As she recounted ever detail back to me, I was reminded that memories are made everywhere, all the time. They dont have to be what and how I plan, and they dont have to be the same as mine to be just as special.