Got back last night from our overnight to Muskegon, Michigan. The dancing daughters competed there, but we stopped in Holland on Friday during the drive up.

We planned on stopping at the Dutch Village - but it was closed during the week. We ended up taking the kids to the Cappon House and Settlers House Museums - a great comparison of what life was like for the "rich" vs "the poor". The poor was a settlers house from 1871 which cost $500 for land and materials. The rich house was a mini-mansion just up the street built for $10,000 in 1874. It belonged to the first mayor who was married twice and had 16 children in a 45 year span. The mansion held all the original contents of both families. My kids got to see report cards from the 1880s all the way up to the 1930s. People assume we are homeschoolers when we turn up during the week with five kids. The volunteers were quite nice - as we were the only people there, they charged up only for the adults $5 and piece, waiving the fee for four kids at $3 a pop (the youngest one was technically free since he's still 5). Great fun for $10 - and historically interesting.

We then were going to picnic at Windmill Island Park - last time we were there price was per car (if I recall) this time they wanted $7 per adult, $3 per child). All we really wanted was a nice place to throw a blanked at eat our picnic. We forgot that idea and drove back to the park across from the original museums. Had a blast - very nice small boardwalk at Lake Machatawa and a nice playground area.

We got to the Holiday Inn-Muskegon by 3:00 our time. The kids swam for over two hours, while DH used the work out room and sauna. As we were wrapping up our time there, other Irish dancers and moms came in. I'm surprised that I was the only swimming mom - might have to do with the sheer number of kids to keep track of, but even the moms with one child had magazines. Kind of sad to see kids swimming alone.

We had pizza in the room ordered from Dominos. Delivery with tip $22.

The competition was Saturday - we had enough time to check out and not have to rush (making for a nicer attitude for all involved). We were close enough (five minute drive) that the girls could go in full costume (less stuff to carry in). My girls danced well - out of ten individual dances, they placed in nine of them with nothing less than a 4th. One proud momma here! My younger daughter needs a first in her hornpipe, and got a 3rd, but all the practice is good for the Mid-America championships in two months. $1.50 spent on waters here - but came from DH's cash.

We then headed to Grand Haven, Michigan - a bit further south on 31. We ate at Applebees, DH and I had the $20 deal for two entreees and an appetizer. Everyone had mini icecream sundays at $2 a pop. With tip price came to $67. Again, not bad.

We stopped at Lake Michigan, parked in municipal parking and the kids had a blast in the waves. Despite my telling the boys not to get wet, they did. It was a bit breezy and I was afraid of them getting sick. When I was herding them back to the car, I was accused of "robbing the joy" and "letting the dancers have more fun" and "but I'm not cold." Being accused of being a joy robber was just too much - so I sent them back and they maintained their level of water saturation. I got tons of neat pictures - great action shots of the boys running out of the waves - my daughter dancing the slip jig and I managed to get really neat pictures of them doing leap-overs with rolling waves in the back. Free parking in city municipal lot.

Great fun for the following breakdown:

Gas $50.85
Museum admission $10
Hotel $144.90 (taxes included)
Pizza $22.00
Dance comptition entrance fee $16.00 (paid in Aug)
Dinner out $67

Just under $300. I budgeted $350. I'm anticipating a low-spend week. I'm busy driving around kids and volunteering, but the menu is planned and light and I have enough stuff for lunches.

And I have a whole day of doing nothing ahead of me! A few loads of laundry and some homework review with the kids and I'll be calling it a day.