Michigan | 2017 Edition

It wouldn't be a trip to Michigan without the annual beach video.

My brother started this tradition years ago when Blake and Nash were little. He captured moments  on the beach and combined them into beautiful video compilations.

I loved this tradition so much that I took filming and video editing into my own hands when my brother started his own family and our time spent in Michigan hasn't necessarily lined up. 

Now there are two more boys added to the mix and each year shows how much everyone has grown. But even though the boys have changed drastically since that first annual video, the location and activities enjoyed remain the same. 

Video has a way of capturing the movement and sounds that still shots miss. I cannot watch our annual beach videos without being immensely grateful for the opportunity to weave a piece of my childhood into our boys' childhood.

Michigan | 2016 Edition

My brother started filming our annual Michigan video recaps five years ago, when Nash was just a baby and Crew and Finn hadn't joined our family yet. I love to watch them in order to see how much everyone has grown from year to year. I love even more that one of my favorite places on earth is forever cemented in my heart and in the hearts of my children.

There's just something about watching your memories in motion that helps you remember the small moments more than still shots do.

We missed out on our trip to Michigan last summer and one of the things I was most sad about was not having the treasured video to add to our yearly collection. 

When I found out my master videographer brother wasn't going to make it to Michigan this year, I knew it was up to me to capture the action. I certainly didn't want to skip another year, especially since Finn had yet to make his Michigan video debut (he was born three weeks after we returned home two years ago).

I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I'm comfortable using my camera for photography, but I was definitely a novice when it came to filming steady, interesting video clips. It took days upon days to go through the footage and edit down clips. As much as I wanted to finish this video when we returned home in August, life with our family of six took priority day after day.

I'm basically giddy that three months later, I'm finally publishing the final product. It may not be the same caliber as my brother's masterpieces, but I'm thrilled that we can now remember this particular trip.

Michigan seemed especially magical this year. Maybe it was because of the anticipation of flying on an airplane and carrying out Michigan traditions that the boys have come to love. Maybe it was because it had been two years since we had seen so many familiar faces and places. Maybe it was because of the excitement of staying up late to watch the Olympics each night. Maybe it was because the weather was perfect. Maybe it was because we miraculously made it two whole weeks with no one needing breathing treatments. But I think it was mostly because as life gets increasingly busier and busier, we appreciate breaks from being on the go every second more and more. Lazy summer days with no where to be but the beach were just what we needed before diving into a new school year.

Michigan | 2014 Edition

I look forward to the grand finale of our annual trip to Michigan all year; the video recap. 

Each time my brother finishes another one of these treasured masterpieces, I can't help but go back and watch previous years (2011, 2012, 2013). The boys have grown up so much and I love reminiscing about these snapshots in time.

We're so grateful to have another year of summer memories under our belts.

Michigan | 2013 Edition

I'm finally posting the grand finale of our adventures in Michigan.

As is tradition, my brother captured little glimpses of our time at the beach (previous years are here and here).

I'm so happy to have these recaps that freeze time. I love lining them all up and marveling at how much our children have grown from year to year. So, without further ado, here is Michigan | 2013 Edition.

Michigan | 2012 Edition

We are home.

Back to the familiarity of our own beds and routines.

I've been scrambling to get our fridge filled and never ending list of appointments and sitters scheduled. I've been playing major catch up on work responsibilities, not to mention trying to squeeze in some semblance of a birthday celebration for Troy.

Although we are so happy to have no more looming trips on the horizon, our minds and hearts are overflowing with summer memories that will last a lifetime.

Luckily I have hundreds of pictures of all those memories I haven't even looked at yet to help cement them into our minds.

For now, my brother made another one of his awesome recaps of our time at the beach. (Last year's video is here.)

I just have to preface this by saying that I attempted to mimic the Olympic gymnasts that we were watching every night during our trip. And my brother jokingly caught it on film. But I feel pretty cool that I still have it in me to flip around after all these years. Except I was sore for about a week.

It's been a summer we will never forget...and that we will forever be grateful for.

Michigan | 2011 Edition

I promise, this is it. But thanks to my brother, I saved a good one for last.