Michigan - #4

Hokie Petes...yes, another Michigan post...it is the last one...promise!

One afternoon Chad's mom and the four of us went to Kollen's Park for a Carol Johnson concert.  Brielle had a really good time hanging out going along with the motions up on stage (until all the kids got kicked off...she sang kids song but wasn't crazy about kids being on stage...what?!)  Since we've been home, Brielle has been singing part of a Carol Johnson song while strumming her tennis racket...
"And I'm drinking...for no good reason...and I'm drinking for no good reason."  Hmmm...sounds more like a Country song...but ah well!  Anyway, it was great to see Brielle say "ciao" to us and go hang out with other kids since she's starting pre-school next week.

Chad's cousin Emmy was in town with her husband Kent and their daughter Addie so we had a Dirkse picnic to hook up with everyone.  This was the best pic we could get of all the Dirkse Great Grandkids.

And the best we could do with the Great Grandparents.

The next day we headed up to Crystal Mountain to spend a little vacation with the Carlson fam.

While the guys strapped the boys to their backs and hiked to the top of the "mountain" the ladies took the chair lift. 

Brielle gets her face painted any chance she gets!

And what's a Carlson vacation without a little dress up action with games!  Introducting the 2012 Carlson Olympics!

Here we have Kobe and his "cheering section"

And 1 gymnast, a mini gymnast, soccer player and field hockey player

And Team "I think those shorts are illegal in 48 states"

To start the events off, Beef and Brielle performed their gymnastics floor routine

Chad followed things up with his version of the "iron cross" as well as his floor routine.

Our Olympic official explaining the hammer toss event.

Brielle then participated in the equestrian speed racing event.

Shawna and Brookey performed a very moving, emotional rhythmic gymnastic routine

Jeff and Brielle had a rough time following up that spectacular routine, but also put forth a very solid effort.

Later at night, Chad, Brookey and Beef went down the Alpine slide.  Luckily we had a woman driver taking Brielle down the slide.  The other 2 male drivers wiped out going around the corners. 

While we were waiting for the Alpine sliders, Bryce was just content stuffing this wooden pole full of wood chips.

And vacation wouldn't have been complete without a huge cousin-filled jacuzzi tub bath at the end of it. (Sidenote:  I find it funny that I took NO pictures of Brielle and Bryce playing in the pool...and that's where she spent almost all of her time)

 After Crystal, the kids had one more night going for a wagon ride around the Grotenhuis "estate"

 ...and Bryce took his bud Grace around for one last Jeep ride. 

This is our sweet girl the last night of our time in Michigan...pretty sure all the fun tuckered her right out.