Grand Haven Day 2

Water continued to be our vacation theme our second day in Grand Haven. The first one ended on a rainy note and we woke up to a downpour. We tried to make the best it and went for a leisurely breakfast that started off with a fifteen minute wait huddled under umbrellas outside. It seems everyone else was at a loss for what to do too and went to the same eatery as us. Brad took ER down the street for a ways and ended up in a kite store, but even that didn't mean they could evade the rain! There were buckets spread out all over the place, catching the water from several leaks in the roof. After attempting to eat the gargantuan sized pancake portions, we spent some time hanging out in the hotel's pool along with the other families who thought they'd be enjoying an afternoon on the beach. Luckily, it did finally stop down pouring and eventually stopped drizzling too. Around late afternoon, we were able to let ER run off some pent up energy at a really nice wooden playscape called the Imagination Station. It's really large, with a fort like feel, and close to downtown. She had a great time, climbing all over the different sections. It's scale is decidedly kid friendly, so it was a little tough to squeeze in and get through all the low spots for us adults. We had a hard time keeping up! We had to drag her off once her little cheeks were all flushed and red; she was not happy about it. She'd couldn't stayed there for hours. If you like the storyboards I used above, I got them at CoffeeShop. It's my new favorite blog, cause it's helping me learn neat tricks on Elements!) By then it was getting pretty muggy so it was time to head out to the boardwalk and a walk to the lighthouse. The breeze kept us cool while we walked ourselves all the way out there onto the pier. Notice the iron like grip everyone has on ER, my mom was nervous the whole time that ER would leap off the walk.ER's favorite part of the walk was ringing the big Coast Guard bell, we had to stop and give do it a few times both there and back.
After a LONG walk with a three year old in tow, we finally made it out to the lighthouse, and if my mom was worried by the walk that ER would tumble over she was a nervous wreck when she saw the pier. The sign noting the need for extreme caution didn't help. So she and I stayed with ER, keeping her firmly in the middle of the walkout, while my Dad and Brad walked out farther.There was quite a lot of activity by the lighthouse, on one side a bunch of surfer's were attempting to ride the waves in and we also watched a kayaker gamefully attempt to get out into the lake. The waves kept defeating him and pushing him back inland.

We thought it was too deep and the ground too slippery to take ER any further than a few feet out onto the walkway, but guess what Brad saw further on? A guy with his young child who was on rollar skates!? Geez, are we over protective or something? A big wave, a slip, and that kid could've been over the edge. What are some people thinking?For those of you who commented on my previous post that you didn't know the Great Lakes had such high waves, how do you like the white peaks in this picture? The waves were crashing in so high that further out, where the surfers were it as splashing above the walkway we were on.
My and my mom, look at that hair flyin'! Guess I found a couple more with me in them that I'm willing to share with everyone☺ While ER was a real trooper most of the night and did walk all the way out to the lighthouse, she did need a ride on Daddy's shoulders to make it back to the car. We really worked her out, because when we were at dinner she was literally falling asleep at the table. We though that she might end up facedown into her macaroni and cheese at one point! So while the day started out rainy, we still managed to have busy day out and about enjoying being on the lake.