it's the holiday season

our first event of the holiday season is always harvestfest, the staple family get-together in lieu of a november thanksgiving. it is always a wonderful weekend, with everyone under one roof, good food on the table, bright orange leaves on the trees, and big waves on the lake. this year was no exception.

we spent the first day walking in the woods and resting after our long drive to michigan. david's parents live on a mature sand dune (making the whole building-your-house-on-the-sand a bit of a better bet than the new testament suggests), so there are tons of trees. the dune is steep in some spots, and near their house the city operates a little ski hill. we took a walk along the wooded dune ridge to the ski hill, then headed down to the park.

 

the view from the top of the rope tow


my big guy, just pleased to be standing around at the big kids' park.


the following day, we all converged for a professional family photo. our children, being the youngest, were the least cooperative. if there is a photo of both of them looking at the camera, and not screaming, it will be a harvestfest miracle. everyone wore white and denim, and looked sharp. here is james and his cousins, waiting for their close up.


after the big meal, we took a walk on the deserted, windy, chilly beach. ramona took the opportunity to risk frostbite by digging her hands in the cold sand, and spent some time chasing the sea gulls. it was a nice way to wake up after filling our bellies with delicious turkey, stuffing, and heavenly veggies.




the next morning, we headed home on the ferry. there were certainly suggestions that it might not be a smooth crossing (our friday morning ferry to michigan had been cancelled due to high waves, and our saturday walk on the beach gave us a close up view of the big waves), but we didn't take our bonine. instead, we hopped on the boat, got some coffee, turned on yo gabba gabba for ray, and settled in for a nice relaxing trip home. instead, ramona vomited on david, i had to break coast guard regulations to get to the car below deck for a change of clothes for everyone, james was held by a stranger, and a general sense of nausea and unease stayed with our family for the full 2.5 hour trip. it was quite the adventure on the open water. we love the ferry, but we love it less when it makes our kids cry. no more october crossings for the staples, that's for sure.

here we are, before we knew how bad things were going to get.



at least james had a bit of fun
 

happy harvestfest!