June 31--Salem Bound

Our first trip to Salem (which you can read about here) was so much fun that we all promised to do it again yet this summer.  Some time in June Bryan suggested to Cheryl that we go down over the Fourth of July weekend since it was a long weekend where the working people would have days off.  It was a great idea!

Instead of driving down all together this time, Sally and I drove down on Thursday, June 31st, so we would have another day to enjoy Uncle Andrew and Auntie Cheryl.  Cheryl had Friday off so that would also give us a chance to enjoy that day with her.  Don and Bryan flew down Friday afternoon to join the party.

We left our house at 8:30am in "Bumpa's pick up" and arrived around 3:30 at Andrew and Cheryl's (aka The Hiemstra Resort).  Both were working at the time, so we unloaded and lounged for a bit.  Cheryl had left directions for a park not very far away and since the boys had done such an amazing job traveling for so long we decided some good run time would be in order.  So we climbed back in the truck and went to the park.  (The unfortunate part was that we left at about 4:25 and Uncle Andrew got home about 4:30.)

This park (our park for the week) was called Bryan John something-or-other Park (which is funny because my Bryan's middle name is John).  Anyway, it is fairly new I guess, but so much fun.  Half of it is for little kids and is pretty typical but the other half is all about balance.  Some engineers had a lot of fun dreaming this one into being.

Here are the pictures:

A "Cup" that is tipped so if you're on top your body weight will naturally swing you
around.  Micah thought it was the funniest thing!

"My Boat" as Brandon referred to it.

Exploring texture, one of his favorite things right now.

This was a fun "merry-go-round".  You can see how it is tipped.  Your body weight at the top
swings you around to the bottom.

I couldn't resist...see where Brandon gets his concentration tongue look from?

Brandon thought it was pretty cool to push it around too.

You stood on this thing and it just kept going in circles. 

We left Lynden in rain and though it was cloudy when we got there, it was warm and dry enough to enjoy laying in the grass for awhile.

These "skateboard" things were different!  There were several different ways to ride
them.  This was the preferred way.

Brandon's way...

For having had such screwed up feet, this kid has amazing flexibility and balance.

We spent the evening relaxing, catching up with friends, and goofing off with Uncle Andrew.  Auntie Cheryl came home around 7:30 from work, just in time to say good night to the boys.  The weekend of the Korthuis Invasion at the Hiemstra Resort had begun.

Blessings on your day.