More of the cottage...

While we were at the cottage we got to see my Uncle and his wife and their two young-ish children (they are 10 and 8).  It was nice to see them and now that we have this cottage, I think we'll see more of each other.  Here are some photos of the family throughout the weekend:

Mete -- a cute kid (when he wants to be...).  At this point he was telling us the size of the TV we should have and where it should go.

 Me with Ece.  She was my shadow all weekend.

What Ross did the whole time -- cut wood, then creating a HUGE wood pile, and the using said wood to build a fire in the gorgeous fireplace.

Anyway -- that was out fun weekend.  It made me so excited for vacations there.  I am hoping to spend sometime there in late June with the family.  We'll see if it happens!

Cottage, Part V

This is definitely late in coming... but over Easter weekend we (the mom, the dad and the brother) all went up to Little Point Sable, MI and moved in furniture.  It was quite the adventure.

First, we drove up.  I followed the Penske moving van the whole way.  Want proof -- here is what I looked at. the whole time. in traffic. in rain. every moment of the trip (which took 24 hours -- about 7 longer than normal).

Then there was the tree that we needed to move so that we could get the truck down the dirt road to the cottage.  Ross ended up breaking out the chainsaw to cut it so that it would fall... remember, at this time we all were a little tired and cranky.  To say it involved some tense moments would be an understatement.  I just sat in the car.  My big mouth wouldn't help matters very much at all!

We got to the cottage -- and moved in the truck full of crap and spent the rest of the time unpacking, organizing and over all enjoying the beautiful cottage we can now call ours (well, the banks until we pay it off... but you know.)

We are thinking about naming it "The Kremers' Tree House," because with the huge windows, being on a bluff, etc makes you feel like you are in a tree house.  Do you think it fits this beautiful place?

Guess where I am?

not my picture... thanks Google images!

Little Point Sable, MI... moving in furniture for the completed cottage!  I'll share pictures when I get back!

Books!

I went shopping yesterday.  We are heading up to the cottage Easter weekend to move furniture into the cottage.  We have renters coming in as early as May -- which is exciting... but also means we have lots to do to get the cottage in shape!  I am responsible for providing the books, games, movies and puzzles for the cottage.  I am quite excited to... and so yesterday I went shopping.

It was quite successful.

Approximately 45-50 books for $100!!!

 This is just the top of one bag -- two bags, filled to the brim with books! :-)

Here is the list of books I bought yesterday:

A Midsummer Night's Dream	Shakespeare
A Tale of Two Cities	Charles Dickens
A Wrinkle in Time	Madeline L'Engle
Ambler Warning	Robert Ludlam
Beach Road	James Patterson
Beezus and Ramona	Beverly Cleary
Call of the Wild/ White Fang	Jack London
Catcher and the Rye	JD Salinger
Charlotte's Web	EB White
Fudge-a-mania	Judy Blume
Great Expectations	Charles Dickens
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets	JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows	JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire	JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix	JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban	JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Sorcer's Stone	JK Rowling
Henry & the Paper Route	Beverly Cleary
Here's to You Rachel Robinson	Judy Blume
Little Women	Louisa May Alcott
Much Ado About Nothing	Shakespeare
My Antonia	Willa Cather
Nancy Drew: The Clue of the Broke Locket (11)	Carolyn Keene
Night	Elie Weisel
Phantom of the Opera	Gaston Leroux
Pigs in Heaven	Barbara Kingsolver
Posionwood Bible	Barbara Kingsolver
Practical Magic	Alice Hoffman
Prayer for Owen Meany	John Irving
Ramona the Brave	Beverly Cleary
Reflex	Dick Francis
Scarlet Letter	Nathaniel Hawthorne
Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning (1)	Lemony Snicket
Series of Unfortunate Events: The Reptile Room (2)	Lemony Snicket
Series of Unfortunate Events: The Wide Window (3)	Lemony Snicket
Shattered	Dick Francis
Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas	James Patterson
Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing	Judy Blume
The Awakening	Kate Chopin
The Client	John Grisham
The Danger	Dick Francis
The Firm	John Grisham
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe	CS Lewis
The Notebook	Nicholas Sparks
The Rainmaker	John Grisham
The Wedding	Nicholas Sparks
Three to get Deadly	Janet Evanovich
Time to Kill	John Grisham
To the Hilt	Dick Francis
Turtle Moon	Alice Hoffman
Two for the Dough	Janet Evanovich
Under Orders	Dick Francis

Do you have any suggestions for good beach/cottage reads that I need to add to the list? What about games?  All recommendations are welcome!

Cottage, Part IV

We are getting closer and closer to having the cottage all completed!  To say I am excited might be one of the biggest understatements of the year.

Over Thanksgiving my mom and I spent six days painting the inside of the cottage.  And it was just as exciting as it seems in your mind...

Well, it wasn't all that bad.  Mom and I love music, movies and Harry Potter on Audio CD.  I have an iPod with a docking station.  Solution to what could have been a very quiet week (we were in the middle of nowhere after all)?  Listen to all sorts of stuff on my iPod hooked up to the docking station!  We discovered Harry could only be listened to while painting walls.  Why?  Because when we were painting the trim (yes, all of it in long slats- see picture below) the job was too tedious to listen to spoken words.  We needed music to jam to.  Unfortunately my jam music is slightly different than hers... we just took turns choosing the music.  We also watched listened to some Friends episodes, Sweet Home Alabama, and Miss Congeniality. 

Ok, ok -- enough of my written recap.  Here is the cottage in pictures.  Looks real now, doesn't it?

The front (back?) of the cottage -- this is the view from the street.

View from the living room -- you can see the lake, and we think it makes you feel like you are in a tree house.  Our house is on a bluff so we look out OVER lots of the land.  I like it!

View from the deck -- it is massive with a porch portion, too.  I think this excites me the most.  I can see myself relaxing out here each summer, enjoying the sun with a really good book.

This was how we dried the trim -- and just as a note, we filled that scaffholding four times with painted trim.  It was the worst thing we had to do.  Never again  I tell you!

And of course, the beach.  Even in the cold, Lake Michigan looks beautiful, don't you think?

December 11: Best Place

Little Point Sable, Michigan. 

Hands down my favorite place on earth.  That is where we are building the cottage my friends and just even getting a glimpse of it at Thanksgiving made me all warm and fuzzy inside.  I cannot wait for it to be finished so I can spend lots and lots of time up there.  There is something completely refreshing about being away from things, away from the computer and cell phone reception, etc.  Until the cottage is complete I leave you with this beautiful photo:

The Cottage, Part III

The cottage now has a roof! I can't believe how quickly it is coming along. It is supposed to be completely done the week of my birthday (Happy Birthday to Me!). My parents are thinking of beginning painting at Thanksgiving. I am thinking of using it this spring for a mini reunion with the girls I lived with my Senior Year of College.

Oh, it makes me do the happy dance just thinking about! Anyway, here are a couple more pictures for your viewing pleasure!

A Good Beach Read...

As we get closer to having a cottage (have you seen this post or this one?), my family and I are beginning to collect things for the cottage.

Mom is on Craig's List daily looking for good deals for furniture and for the kitchen.

Ross has said he is going to either buy the pool table for the basement... or the jet ski. Whichever, it will be good.

I have spoken up and said I'll provide the (used) library... and I am thinking of throwing in some games and such.

But, now I need your help. What books should be added to the library? As this place is meant to be for relaxation, I want some good beach reads. You know, where no thought is involved. Or little thought. I want a great "Cottage Reads" Library, for all ages! Here is what I have so far:

-Anne of Green Gables series
-Harry Potter series
-Dick Francis books (some of mom's favorites)
-plethora of Agatha Christie books

I want some standard pre-teen/teen books; I remember being at the cottage growing up and thinking "these are all adult books. what about me?" Here is what I am thinking for those:

-various Baby Sitters Club Books
-Judy Blume
-Ramona Quimby
-Twilight Series

And, because we want this to be a family cottage... how about these classics:

-Love You Forever
-Berenstain Bears
-Dr. Seuss

Now for games...

-Decks of Cards (notice the plural, you can't have enough)
-Uno
-Catchphrase
-Cranium

What am I missing? Feel free to add any ideas to any list. If there is a category you think I am missing, let me know.

Oh man... I am getting excited!

The Cottage, Part II

It is still going up -- these pictures were taken about a week ago. Still having a hard time believing this happening!

Who wants to go with me when the cottage is complete? I'll be spending a week up there next summer if I can help it!

It's Really Happening!

My favorite place on Earth is Little Sable Point, MI. It is about 30 minutes from Pentwater. And it is gorgeous.

It is right on Lake Michigan.

Surrounded by forest.

And there are sand dunes.

It is where I spent every summer of my childhood for a week. We got to stay up super late because the sun doesn't set until 9:30ish in West Michigan during the summer. We went horse back riding. We would climb the dunes. We would go for a dune buggy ride. We would build fires every night. We would fly kites, play bocche ball and crolf (yes, it is real). There was berry picking, bike rides to Cherry Point Market, and learning to drive on the back roads.

It doesn't get much better than a week a Little Sable Point, Michigan.

When I was in Middle School, Mom and Dad bought land up there. We have talked for YEARS about actually building on it. And it is finally, FINALLY happening! Want proof?

This is the first picture we have of the building going up.

OH MY GOSH! I squealed when I got the email from mom and dad. :-).

Next summer, I will be spending some time up there!