We've been having a great summer up here in Northern Michigan and the time has been flying by. Toren has definitely loved camp life at the Biological Station. For the first two weeks my Mom was up here with Toren and I to help out with Toren during the day while Justin stayed back in Ann Arbor. Toren and Memaw (my mother) had a lot of fun hanging out together and exploring the station during the day. Toren seems to be quite the fish and has really enjoyed Douglas Lake. Toren took his first couple of steps right before Memaw got here and continued taking a few hesitant steps, but didn't really seem to enjoy being forced to walk. Shortly after Memaw left he became a full fledged walker. Between Memaw's departure and Justin and Dexter's arrival up north, I had one week to myself at camp while Toren stayed with Justin. It was kind of nice to have a bit of freedom for awhile (the most since Toren was born). I did miss him though and was glad when the whole family headed up north.

This year for the first time I moved off sight for the summer when the entire family came up. We're renting a little place in Topinabee just 10 minutes from the Station and across the street from Mullet Lake. Doggies aren't allowed at the Station and Justin spent a lot of time driving back and forth to Ann Arbor to deal with Dexter last year, so we thought it easiest to rent somewhere we could have the dog. It cuts down on the social aspect of camp, but Toren and Justin are making an effort to come over and join me for meals at camp. Justin has also brought his canoe and 2hp motor up from down south and has enjoyed having time to cruise Mullet Lake.

We've also had jam packed weekends since getting up here. We spent the 4th in Harbor Springs with our friends the Dilleys and got to watch the July 4th parade and go boating on their family boat in the Bay. We didn't quite manage to make it to the fireworks though. Life is definitely more exhausting when you have a child that wants to get into everything! The following weekend we took our first trip to Blissfest, a yearly music festival outside of Cross Village. I was a little nervous about how Toren would do, but he loved it! He's really into clapping and dancing right now and he got ample opportunity to do both at the festival. He also loved drumming on things in the kids area. This past weekend Justin's brother Jacob and his family came up from Whitmore Lake and spent the weekend with us. There was lots of swimming, biking (there is a great rail-to-trail path right across the street from us that is about 70 miles in length), and boating. It was a fun but exhausting weekend. I guess that really sums up parenting in general right now a lot of fun, but also very exhausting!