Michigan, Uncle Curtis and M&Ms

This past weekend, Aunt Melody marked the one year anniversary of Uncle Curtis’ passing by having a celebration of life for him up in Michigan. Since Philip was off the Wednesday before we decided to split the drive up and stop at the Wright Patterson Airforce Museum in Ohio. Parker enjoyed the planes and rockets and really loved getting to go inside some of them. 

We drove a little longer, to a Skyline and then stopped at a hotel with a swimming pool of course. 

We split up boys and girls in twin beds and hoped for the best! Philip and i both took a few kicks in the night and Ainsley likes to have her face squished against mine, but for the most part we slept pretty well:) 

We finished up the drive and made it to our AirBNB in time for Parker to take a nap. It was a beautiful lake house, but a little weird staying in someone else’s home. And it kept us on our toes making sure the kids didn’t break anything. 

That night we went to Uncle Bruce’s and Aunt Debs for a bonfire. Uncle Ted made sloppy joes and when the rain came in we took shelter in his barn listening to the rain hit the roof. Uncle Bruce gifted Ainsley with a refurbished rocking chair of Ainsleys great great grandmother. It’s beautiful and Ainsley is in love with it. 

Friday was our lake day. Aunt Melody packed a picnic lunch and we went to South Haven Beach where they had a playground on the beach! Ainsley loved rolling around in the sand (we were shocked) and Parker cried over every grain of sand that touched him. 

That night we had pizza at papa and grandmas. I tried to keep Parker from tearing the house apart, but was unsuccessful as he knocked over a lamp. 

Saturday was the celebration of life brunch. Melody rented out the back room of a breakfast place. The food was delicious, the kids were contained, and melody had gift bags for each person. Everyone got one of Curtis’s amazing photographs, the boys got one of his knives and bungee cords, we all got bandanas and peanut M&Ms (his favorite as it incorporated two food groups). She gave a beautiful speech, and made a touching slide show and book. The kids were good, largely in part to the dinosaur cars and Barbie gifts Aunt Melody got the kids:) 

That night we went to Aunt Carols and Uncle Teds for a cookout and pool time. Parker loved their new puppy, and both kids loved playing in the pool with the other kids (and daddy). 

Sunday we stopped by Papa and Grandmas before we hit the road. 

You’ll notice there aren’t as many pictures of Parker. That’s because he was not at his best. He was recovering from a bilateral ear infection, and nasty cough and just plain tired. Philip and I tried to tagteam him which left us both feeling like we didn’t get to visit as much as we wanted to. Grandma tells me it will be better when he turns three; I don’t believe her. 

We loved getting to visit with everyone and share a house with Melody, Brian, and Lindsay. Missing was Uncle Curtis’s laugh and spunk, but his spirit was felt and will forever be in our hearts.