New York Recap-Take Two-Family

We don't go to New York for just the beaches, we go to see our family. Mike's parents and sister's family still live on Long Island in the same town Mike grew up in. We also have to make sure we make our rounds to Mike's favortie eateries which are as follows:
1. The corner deli for a runny egg, ham slice and cheese with mayo on a hard roll. Which I usually exclaim, "now that's good for your cholesterol".
2. A "pie" aka pizza from the best pizza place around, which changes now that the resturant Mike grew up working in has changed hands.
3. A peanut butter sundae from Friendly's
4. Mike's mom's London Broil dinner
and
5. The girls' favorite-ice cream from Port Jeff.

The girls' just can't get enough time in with their cousin's. These are Michelle's kids Kyle, Amanda and Heather with the girls.

After favorite activity #1Family and #2 the beach, comes #3 the boat out on the sound. Mike's dad has a small boat that Mike and the girls' went out on at sunset and then Mike took out the next day to try and fish. The weather was really hot, so the fishing wasn't that hot.

Michelle and Steve have a great pool in their back yard that was part of everyday activities this year. This is Rae trying to sneak into the deep end of the pool.


Kyle was so great with Rachel. The only cousin younger than him.




Mike's dad loves to walk. On this particular one he was taking the girls to see a fish pond.

Mike's great aunt passed away a few months ago, but her family held a memorial service one day we were there. I know it meant a lot to Mike's dad for us to all go as a family. This picture was taken that day. This is Mike, his parents, his sister and her kids, Mike's younger brother Brian with Mike's cousin Heather.

Mike's parents have a jacuzzi in their back yard. This was used as a little pool when we weren't at Aunt Michelle's big one.



Mike's mom grew up in a town about 15 miles away from Rocky Point called Port Jeff. This is a place we love to walk around at night. We go on the docks and see the cool big boats, watch the Conneticut/LI ferry unload cars and have ice cream. This night was cool and it was great to be outside on the water. Mike's youngest brother from Philly stayed the week with us also.




We contemplated going into NYC this trip again. The weather was in the 90's the week we were there and I just didn't feel that the girls would do well in the heat walking around the city. But, we already have a plan for next summer. My niece's had just taken a trip into the city to see the American Girl doll store. They talked it up so much to Nicole and Morgan that the girls have already insisted we go next summer.

Thanks everyone for a fun trip.

New York Recap Take One-The Beaches

We traveled to Long Island last week to catch up with friends and spend time with the Nugent family. Our trip went really well. We started it off by driving straight through the night on Wednesday and pulling into Mike's parents house 12 hours later. Now that was with two stops only. One for food and one for gas. That is pretty amazing when you consider the three girls in the back under the age of eight.

Long Island is a great place to visit, but even better in summer when you can enjoy all the island has to offer. The weather was the warmest it had been there all summer long and we took full advantage of the great beaches. Long Island has this great set up (HEHE-God set it up), 20 minutes from Mike's parents is the Atlantic Ocean Beaches. But only five minutes away are the beaches on the LI sound. Now if you want big waves and sandy beaches you head to the Ocean, but if you want calmer waters and quiet quaint beaches you go to the sound where it is a little more rocky. I know all of you reading this are just saying to yourself, must be tough living there right. Yes, this is why Mike is so attracted to beaches. Many of his "Island" stories involve beaches.

So if we weren't at Mike's sisters pool, we were at the beach. Here is the first installment of our trip pictures and all of them were taken at a beach.

We were able to catch up with some friends from LI that Mike hadn't seen in a while. This is a picture of Mike-left, Mark-center and James-right. They started up right where they left off with each other. It was great to see them together again.

My brother in law, Steve, was helping the boys fly kites. These are Ethan and Kyle, my nephew.

The Long Island sound seperates New York and Conneticut.

Rachel swimming in the sound collecting rocks.

Nicole swimming in the sound.



Morgan had a rock collection before we went on our trip, she tried to increase it by 100% I think.


Grandma and Nicole at Smith's Point Beach on the South Shore of LI-this is the Atlantic Ocean.

I told the kids I was going to take a picture and as soon as I lifted the camera, they all started to run!

Rae trying to boogie board!

Kite flying. Uncle Steve was a little frustrated with the kites at first, but then we had two kites going strong.

Nicole was so brave on the boogie boards with the waves. At times she went further out than comfortable for me though. I just am not as secure in the ocean as Mike is.


Cousin Amanda and Nicole after being tossed by the waves.

James and his son Ethan.

My neice Heather with her board and googles, something never to leave home with for Heather.

The Fishler kids with Nic, Rae and Morgan and my neices and nephew. Wow, this shot took work.

My brother in law Steve took us "four wheeling" as they say down the beach. On the beach, if you have the right permit, you can take your truck on the beach away from all of the congestion of the public beaches. This was great, you just pull up your truck with all of your stuff and you minimize your walking. We had so much fun.

Snack time

Morgan and her board.

Here are Amanda and Nicole on their boards. They had "friends" all around them.

Heather, Nicole and I were in the way back of the hummer on our trip down the beach, so we made the most of it.


Our friends super cute daughter taking a break for her PB&J.

Stay tunned for our second installment of our NY trip.

What is my race?

Today, God used a sermon to speak to me. Our worship minister, Aron, spoke today about how Paul in his missionary journeys stayed focused on the race he was running for the sake of the Gospel. Paul didn't let his circumstance or his success get in the way of continuing toward the goal that Christ set before him.

Aron started his sermon by asking the question, "What is MY race?" We all have a part to play in the kingdom of God, we all have different talents and abilities, and sometimes it is hard to remember what we are all racing toward.
1. Seek first the Kingdom of God
2. Stay in shape by fellowship, accountability and loving companionship coupled with daily studying of God's plans and promises in His word
3. PERSEVERE

Sometimes we lose sight of the only race we should be running. The race that draws us closer to God, the race that proclaims Jesus as our only hope.
Hebrews 12:1a-2 "lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

I know my forever RACE, but yesterday I ran a different kind of race. I participated in a sprint triathlon with 18 other friends from church. This was up at Barnes Lake in Columbiaville, MI, near Lapeer. A sprint tri is a 300m swim, 13.5 mile bike ride and then followed by a 3.4 mile run. We had a blast. We had been training for 2 months and it was so great to see everyone do so well and complete the race. I had a blast encouraging friends to push themselves and accomplish goals they had set.

This is the second year in a row I have participated in a sprint tri. I was very glad to have last year's experience under my belt. I love to train outside. I love to run and ride my bike, however, I don't LOVE to swim. I especially don't LOVE to feel like I am going to drown. So the swim has been and probably always will be my worst leg of the race.

This course was a bit more difficult than last year's with more hills and less paved roads. The weather was perfect and the water was clear and warm. I managed to shave 4 minutes off my time from last year with a more difficult course and some longer distances this year.

To my surprise, I placed 1st place in the women's division, but my stiffest competition made a wrong turn on her bike ride, so the outcome could have been different. I was excited and surprised.

Here are a few pictures of the day(I am in the purple swim suit). It was wonderful to have Mike and the girls cheering me on as well as other friends and their families.

So I am hoping for some more racing in my future, but today I rest in the knowledge of knowing what I am racing for. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord , the righteous Judge will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing."