fun at the Hammer's!

We spent a weekend with our favorite friends Brian, Jill, Lincoln, Graham and Griffin recently.  All week long, Kate kept telling everyone that she was going to Lincoln's Traverse City on Friday.  She was so excited to play with her little buddy:) 

The girls and I packed up and picked Matt up at the hospital on Friday afternoon, to save time on the drive.  We stopped for dinner, but still made it to their house around 8:15.  Lincoln and Graham stayed up late to meet us, and it was the cutest little welcome ever.  Kate didn't hesitate at all; she went right in for a hug without a second thought.  Precious.

Saturday morning books

We went to pick blueberries Saturday morning once Griffin woke up from his nap.  The kids did pretty well in the August heat, and even picked a decent amount of blueberries.  Liv - my picky, picky eater who has never eaten a blueberry in her life - ate about a pound of berries while we were there.  

Kate and Graham heading out

post-nap snuggles

Kate kept asking to hold Griffin all the time...she really liked him (she's not the only one!)

After naps on Saturday afternoon, we headed to the beach for some swimming.  The kids loved splashing around and finding 'treasures' (aka rocks), and it felt so good to cool off in the water.  We were quite sandy by the time we headed back for dinner:)

Griffin

Graham

daddy and Liv

Kate and Lincoln

family pic:)

Sunday morning, we stuck around the house and played outside.  Brian set up the slip n slide and played in the pool with the kids.  They thought it was the best thing ever.  Liv got to spend some quality time with Aunt Jill, and both of them enjoyed it very much:)

goofy kids

goodbye hugs

Kate whined and cried for about the first hour of the trip home because she didn't want to go home.  She just kept saying she wanted to "stay and play with Lincoln for all the days."  Since being home, she asks me all the time when we can have a play date with her friend Lincoln:)

These kids are so special.  And they are growing so fast! We are infinitely grateful for friendship and time together.  It is such a treasure.