Hard to believe another season of VIP Camp is over as it seems like it just started. James had a wonderful time as usual and this year the camp celebrated its final day at the bowling alley.

Once again the day was filled with games and events and while James did not do as well at bowling this year as he did last year, it was still fun and that is what VIP camp is all about. One of James friends Mom (Nicks Mom) invited us to his birthday party which will be celebrated at a Tiger game at Comerica park so we have that to look forward to in the near future.

Dad was able to make this one because he had to take his car in for tires. He dropped the car off before the party and picked it up after so it was a great day all around. Continue reading “VIP Camp Party 2022” →

Fourth of July is always a great time in our family, we used to go to various firework shows around town but since they legalized fireworks in Michigan, there is no need, you simply sit on your porch and watch the show being put on by your neighbors.

This year was a gorgeous summer day in Michigan and James Mom went out and bought some fresh 4th of July decorations to help us celebrate. Usually we set off a few fireworks of our own but this was the first time in decades we didn’t do any. Thats because there are so many others doing the fireworks. Continue reading “4th of July 2022” →

This was our first trip to the Marshall Blues Festival since the pandemic. We started the visit by watching a magic show in the American Museum of Magic. Mom visited the many gift and antique shops on main street (which was blocked off for the festival). We did notice the crowd was not a large as the pre-pandemic crowds, but there was a chance of rain in the forecast and that might have turned some people off.

James and Dad made a quick visit to Colon while Mom was shopping and picked up a book on spook shows from the magic shop. It was actually a proof that was going to the museum.

We returned and met up with Mom at a small restaurant on main street where we enjoyed beverages, then we continued back to Jackson and ate at our favorite Mexican restaurant there. A very nice day for all. Continue reading “Marshall Blues Festival 2022” →

Fathers day arrived with plenty of gifts (including 4th of July decorations for the lawn) for Dad and a special football cake that has sort of become a legend in our family.

The legend of the football cake happened in the mid to late nineties when the cake was given as a joke to James’ Grandma. James’ grandma was not amused but instead of being upset with James Dad who bought the cake and instigated the whole thing, she got upset with James’ Aunt Peg for letting James Dad buy the cake in the first place.

We did have a nice cake already for her so it was not too big of a deal, but the family always remembers that her daughter got all the blame for the football cake even though she had nothing to do with it.

Happy Fathers Day

Continue reading “Fathers Day 2022” →

Trying to get back into the swing of things we went out to Michigan Memorial to put flowers on the graves. Grandma and Grandpa Kleibers grave was almost completely covered by grass so we had to do some quick landscaping just to pull out the vase. On the other side of the park the latest arrival, Aunt Peg, her grave looked fine but her vase did not have a bottom and would not hold water. We took a McDonalds cup and shoved it inside as a temporary fix. I am calling Michigan Memorial on both issues tomorrow.

The construction at the front seems complete and there was a lit flame burning in what can be best described as a pot or large vase (I am sure there is a more formal name for it). The weather was 90 degrees and beautiful. Continue reading “Memorial Day at Michigan Memorial Park 2022” →

It been a few weeks since we took our first pics of the spring, and you can see that the entire look has changed, thanks to a couple timely runs to the green houses and also to Mom and her work with planting the bulbs.

We picked up a couple ornaments on our trip up north, one in Mackinaw and another at Past Tense in Lapeer. They are not in their final positions yet.

Anyway with Memorial day coming tomorrow I think we are all set as far as landscaping goes for the rest of 2022, or at least till Halloween. Continue reading “Late Spring Landscaping 2022” →

This was the first time we went to Past Tense since the pandemic, and had a pretty good time. First thing we noticed in the door was 20% off all garden items so Mom took advantage of this to purchase some spinning items for the yard. Past Tense also has year round Christmas and Halloween decorations so we bought a little of both. Some skulls with peeling skins for Dad, and some Christmas ornaments marked 95% off for James. Mom bought some garden items and after it was over and we were on our way home we made our traditional ice cream stop. Continue reading “Past Tense 2022” →

Memorial Day weekend continued with a trip to Bronners in Frankenmuth. The first thing we noticed when we drove into Frankenmuth was that there was a dog show called “The Dog Bowl” and the city of Frankenmuth was packed with visitors to see this show. However Bronners was not crowded at all and we took advantage of it to enjoy a nice visit to the largest Christmas shop in the land. Perhaps the most exciting new thing we saw was that Dept 56 was putting out a new Munster and Addams Family ceramic houses. We already had the Hawthorne version of the Munsters but we really had nothing on the Addams family so we bought a small Addams family gazebo to go into our ceramic display of haunted houses. Continue reading “Bronners Visit 2022” →

After dropping off the family at Great Lakes Crossing, Dad went about ten miles down the street to Canterbury Village to check out the shops and see if new Halloween or Christmas items were in. Usually Canterbury was quiet but not today, the entire village had dinosaurs in it. These were high tech animatronics and pretty cool. Dad did a quick walk around the village taking these pictures, then went into the store to check on the gifts. Dad then headed back to Great Lakes Crossing to pick up the family.

This is one time for sure that Dad got the better part of the shopping deal. Continue reading “Canterbury Village 2022” →