Oh Sweet Summer

 

Short and sweet today.

With this rainy, wet, foggy, slushy, yuck outside I am wishing for this…

St. Joseph, Michigan… how I can’t wait for your sunshine!

Festivals & Fairs 2011

Do all of you enjoy festivals & fairs as we do? It’s been three weekends in a row for us now… and we have the opportunity for a fourth. I am not so sure though. They are my favorite summer activity after all, but it is getting quite repetitive. My favorite thing of all?

Shots like this…

These are the moments I will treasure for the rest of my life

Staycation - Michiana

 

As you can all see from my recent posts, I have just been in California recently. This being said, I will have to plan some things closer to home now that I have limited funds for a bit.

I have been noticing around the Blogosphere that lots of people have been posting about staycations just in the nick of time. This got me to thinking, I need to start thinking about what things I want to do this summer. Here are a few of my favorites around the area, but I am sure we will be doing new things as well. We’ll blog about them later!

 

     

Potato Creek

My family and friends like to go to Potato Creek and have day picnic/grilling out sessions. We also have been known to take a hike on the trails after, to burn some of those calories

 

 

Saint Joe, MI

We absolutely love Silver Beach, it might be a little chilly in the water, but it feels wonderful on those hot August days!  Once we brush the sand off our feet, we take a little walk uptown to the Main street, so that we can have ourselves some Kilwin’s. This ice cream place is like an old-fashion soda shoppe, they have fudge and chocolates too! YUM

 

                

Shipshewana

There are so many things about this town that I love, I really don’t know where to start. The amish all around make you feel like you are taking a step back in time.. I love the slow pace, it makes you appreciate the little things. The crafts everywhere make you appreciate the handmade. There are bakeries around every corner making it time for a cookie, all the time.

 

 

The South Bend Chocolate Company

Whether you visit the factory or just the café downtown, you are in for a treat (pun intended). I visited the factory for the first time last year, and believe me it is worth the small upcharge to get to make your own chocolate spoon! They give you a tour of the factory, give you free samples, and finish up with a movie. If you decide to go to the café, there is much to see there as well. They have an indoor jungle gym for the kids, a café with cheesecakes and mochas for the parents, and a old timey candy shop on one side for both. I don’t need a reason to go to this café, seriously.