This story and photo come to us from Addy, who is entering in the children’s category. Addy is from Reed City, Michigan, and her mother writes: “We live in northern Lower Michigan and enjoy our lakes immensely. Addy’s story is about a trip our family took to Ludington’s Stearns Park Beach. We swam in Lake Michigan and walked out to the lighthouse, North Breakwater Light. A few weeks later we took a vacation to Chicago. Addy was excited to see the ‘other’ side of Lake Michigan, including a fireworks show over the lake at Chicago’s Navy Pier.”

Here is Addy’s story:

We drove to a lake to go swimming. For a little bit when we went to the deep end it got shallower and colder, but in the cold part it was deep — not too deep for a 4-year-old or a 5-year-old because 5-year-olds might be taller. It wasn’t too cold for me, but a little teeny bit. I was OK with it. I sometimes got too cold and went to the shallow and walked back, with no running. It was a little bit shallower and bumpier as I went to the shallow end. But I didn’t care, so I just walked back.

After I got wet I rolled in the sand. (And then — I think the day after — I noticed that some sand got in my eye.) After we went swimming we went to the lighthouse. It was pretty fun there. Except we didn’t get to go inside that day. We watched a guy jump into the lake. I guess he could swim. He looked like a teenager. I had to hold onto Mommy’s hand because it was deep there, but I followed the rules without even pulling away from Mommy’s hand because I knew I had to hold on.

Then we went to the park for awhile, behind the beach, beside the parking lot. It was so fun in the lake. Then I even knew how to do the monkey bars. I still do, but that was when I was learning. There was lots of other fun stuff there, but most of all I liked the merry-go-round. I didn’t do the see-saw because I didn’t think about it in the middle of it. I did want to, but my legs just didn’t want to walk over there I guess.

Then we had to go. It was a long time in the car. But I didn’t complain.

I got to see fireworks over Lake Michigan and I saw the other side of Lake Michigan from Chicago.

Thanks for your story and photo, Addy! Sounds like you had a fun trip.

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