Collins Family Reunion and UP trip

We just got back from the Collins Family reunion in the UP (Upper Peninsula Michigan) . Pat and I met up with Grandma Mema and took the boys around the UP to see some of the amazing sites. We briefly visited several waterfalls and Porcupine Mountains then returned to the bluff to meet up with the rest of the Collins Clan. It nice to see everyone and the kids had so much fun with all their cousins.

And so their journey began...

Bond Falls, Paulding MI

Grandma Eddee (Mema) and Sean over looking Bond Falls

Sean and Andrew getting closer to the falls

another shot of Bond Falls

Sam was trying to get a closer view

Andrew on the rocks

At this point I am pretty positive that we will not leave dry

"Mom... I am only going to get my feet wet..."

family shot

After a brief and somewhat dry visit of Bond Falls we made our way up to Porcupine Mountain and Lake in the Clouds.

Then we stopped at a road side beach along Lake Superior (the coldest of Great Lakes) so the boys could really get wet. After they were done playing around in the freezing water and collecting beach stones I couldn't resist taking this pic of Sean in front of the Porcupine MT Wilderness State Park sign.

Me, Sam and Sean at the Summit Peak Over Look. Andrew and Mema went all the way up to the tower but Sam and Sean got really heavy after the first 200+ steps so we figured that the view was just as good from right here!

Pat and Sam at the Rainbow Falls over look.

We noticed the warning sign reading " proceed with caution: steep grades and rapid descending stairs" until after we reached the top again... but I have to give Pat credit for carrying Sam up and down so many flights of stairs so that he could get a peek at the falls and I am so proud of Sam for trying to walk up so many of the stairs on his own.

Back at the bluff around the campfire with the cousins

storm coming in over the bluff