Summer Camping [Torch Lake]

Seriously, Torch Lake is like our second home. We have been spending every summer here for the past couple of years, camping at a tiny cabin in Elk Rapids. We picked up Mariah's friend Hannah Johnson - and she's quickly become a good friend to you as well... then we went directly to set up our campsite.

The first night, we all went swimming in Elk Rapids. The water was clear, clean, and quite warm. We all played with a skipping ball, and I enjoyed bantering with sassy pants... Hannah can dish out  just like a true "Annie"!

We went back to the campground and made s'mores around the fire, and played card games until we all got too tired to continue. We slept hard through the night...

The next day we loaded up everything onto a pontoon boat, and spent the day on Torch Lake! You girls took turns on the tube, and I did my best to flip you into the water... You laughed uncontrollably, and held on for dear life.  The water was cold, and refreshing. The sun was shining, and the magic of Torch Lake was evident.

We picked up our friends Dawn & Scott Heagle and their three kids for the afternoon. It was crowded, but always fun! The many bumps on the waves would lead to pretty sore muscles afterwards, and painful sleeping!

On our last day, we combed the beach searching for the infamous Petoskey Stones. This was a family tradition of Teresa's, and we've all grown to embrace it! Her mom used to help her look, and now Teresa shows you how to hunt down the perfect gem!

Needless to say, we had a tun of fun visiting the local shops and tasting cherries and bread and fresh fruit. Toes in the sand, wind in the hair. Dirty feet, campfire smoke... these are the ingredients of a perfect summer!