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The whole clan got up at the crack of noon (a trip motif). We moved swiftly to the International House of Pancakes across the parking lot and feasted as if there were no tomorrow. Some culinary highlights include: an amazing suite of flavored syrups, Emily’s chocolate chip pancakes, Sam’s corn beef hash omelet, Zoe’s dubious popcorn shrimp platter and the communal stack of multigrain pancakes. Our waitress was just lovely. She joked about giving dad’s omelet the Hollandaise sauce infusion he so feared. IHOP gets four stars.

After breakfast, we traipsed about downtown Holland, stopping at a furniture-cooking-clocks-welcome-mat-novelty-plaque store called Teerman’s. Now we visited Holland, MI at the same last year, but without Mike. It was time to show him the Netherlands of the Midwest. The kids each picked from a slew of culinary supplies for their respective apartments (things like avocado slicers and rocking garlic crushers). Mom bought a device which ensures you get every ounce out of each tube of toothpaste.

After splitting up—some of us visiting a bookstore, others a clothing and athletics store—we rendez-voused at a local, independent coffee shop and ordered smoothies, iced coffee (complete with “coffee ice cubes” which won’t dilute), and chocolate-covered espresso beans, all while consuming free wireless internet.

Zoe found a tent she liked!

Make way for fanny!

Everyone piled back into the van so we could go mini-golfing (Zoe and Jack prevailed in their respective teams), batting caging (including a few rounds in the 80 mph cage—no problem for the big guys) and travel to Holland beach.

After all the fun and games, we returned to downtown Holland to enjoy our last meal at the New Holland Brewery, an establishment known for its variable-beer tackle boxes. Favorite beers if you’re in the area: The Poet, The Tulip and Sundog.

From Holland to London

After dinner, our venerable DD (designated driver), mama becker, took the reigns and drove us four hours, deep into London, Canada. We arrived at a Four Points Sheraton around 2am. Mike, Jack and I fell asleep immediately after catching game five of the men’s volleyball semifinal: US vs Russia. Jack got the cot as he was one night away from his Cornell bed. Next up, Ithaca.