icy beach etc etc

saturday night we met my parents and my grandmother at marcos bistro in grand rapids to celebrate my birthday.  we hotwired a deal on a plush hyatt hotel room and decided to hit the beach sunday morning since the snow has finally let up long enough for us to make it to the west side of the state.

we had hoped the weather forecast of 55 degrees would prove correct (i know, foolish of us right?) but we still had our coats packed and enjoyed the sun while the chilly wind swept over the beach.  steve tested the icy water, and decided we probably shouldn't try swimming (ahahahahah).

on the whole we had a very fun weekend catching up with pals on friday, stuffing our tummies with family on saturday, and braving the cold in the name of vitamin D on sunday.

and now that's it's monday we actually HAVE gotten some of that 55 degree weather!  happy week starter!

happy weekend recap

we have had the most beautiful weather imaginable lately. we had the whole weekend to ourselves and made the absolute most of it.  we're turning into old people or something getting up so early on the weekends, but we got a lot done and finally got a chance to have a minute to ourselves, which we've definitely been missing.

we had easy nights in, got some banking sorted out, got some engagement photos taken for our save the dates, and took a day to soak up the outdoors at oval beach on sunday.  i'm headed into winter kicking and screaming, but the weather's been nice enough to keep me forgetting that snow is a thing around here.  all things considered it was a pretty perfect weekend.  i'm ready for another one, but sadly can't forsee one for quite a while.  i think starbucks and i are going to be better friends.

hope everyone has a good start to the week!

word count: 31,103

that time we went to saugatuck

here's a few pictures from our labor day-day trip to saugatuck.  steve had never been to oval beach before and when we found a hiking trail through the dunes, we both decided it is lake michigan public beach #1.  at least in an accessible area south of muskegon.

happy thursday everyone!

word count: 24,890

this lovely place

this lovely place is the private beach on lake michigan my family visits every summer.

for the last three years steve has come up with us and every year i've told him my childhood fantasy: summer home here, winter home in disneyworld.

my parents are already there (lucky dogs) and steve and i will be joining them this weekend, and let me tell you we have not stopped talking about it for days.  we are both so excited for hours of walking the beach, swimming in the lake, laying in the sun, and feasting (because my family always includes hardcore feasting in our social events).

it's wet, rainy, and gross here today-- the kind of day when you just want to roll into a ball the minute your alarm goes off.  the kind of grossness that they invented tuesdays for.  unfortunately the forecast for this weekend is calling for isolated thunderstorms.  but this is a place even rain can't ruin.

this week should hurry itself along please.

what are your plans for the weekend?

p.s. i was featured in a "blogging 101" post over at the lovely meghan silva's blog yesterday.  do check out meghan's blog, she's always posting something beautiful, inspiring, or freaking delicious looking.  and she's a total dear to boot.

iphone vacation recap day 3