mackinac island

We're home!  It was a great trip and such a nice break from reality.  The girls had fun and were good for Grandma and Grandpa, and though we missed them lots, we enjoyed a little time away from them, too. 

So here are some pictures from our trip....

We drove up to Mackinaw City, at the northern tip of Michigan, from Grandma and Grandpa's house on Saturday.  It's about a five hour trip.  We listened to "The Hunger Games" to pass the time.  (We didn't get to finish it, so now I have to get the book out of the library so I can find out what happens!)

When we arrived in Mackinaw City, it was super foggy.  You could barely see the huge Mackinaw Bridge (it's five miles across to the Upper Peninsula).  It slowly cleared throughout the afternoon, but you can tell that it was still foggy.

We visited a couple of lighthouses in Mackinaw City.  We went up in this one.

The next morning we woke to even more fog.  You couldn't see the bridge at all.  We got on the ferry and couldn't see a thing!

It was SO cold and windy.  I put my jacket on and had to hold on or I would've lost my hood.

"Taxis" lined up, waiting to take people off the ferries to wherever they needed to go.

Our hotel--The Inn on Mackinac

Looking down Main Street

We walked to the Grand Hotel.  I was so excited to get my first glimpse.  I've wanted to see it ever since I was in junior high school and watched the movie, "Somewhere In Time" with my friend, Andrea.  I've loved that movie ever since. 

We walked all around the hotel.

Then we had an elegant lunch in the huge dining room.

Next we walked around in the gardens on the property.

It would've been nicer if we had had better weather with a better view, but it was still lots of fun to see it.

Next we went to Fort Mackinac.  My husband enjoyed this part.

They fired muskets and cannons.

Views from the fort

We walked almost 11 miles that day!  (I had my pedometer on.)  I was exhausted!!!  Every time I walked by lilacs I had to stop and smell them.  I love them, and they're all over the island.

The next day was beautiful.  In the morning we took a carriage tour.  We stopped at Arch Rock.

We saw this street cleaner along the way!

After our tour we rented bikes and biked all the way around the island--8.3 miles.  It was beautiful.  I had a horrible headache that day, so I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I otherwise would have, but it was still fun.  Along the way we saw Arch Rock again, but this time from below.

My husband decided to climb this rock.

After riding bikes and shopping for souvenirs and fudge (can't forget fudge....there are 17 fudge shops on Mackinac Island!!), we got on the ferry and went back to Mackinaw City.  This time we were able to see as we were leaving.

Goodbye, Mackinac Island!

When we got back to the mainland my husband wanted to take more pictures of the bridge, since you could actually see it this time.

The next morning we drove over the bridge into the Upper Peninsula, because my husband really wanted to say he's now been to the UP!  While there, we went to this really cheesy tourist trap, called Castle Rock.  The guide book said it was worth it for the view, though.

It was pretty.

Here's my crazy husband.

Then we drove back across the bridge and drove back to Grandma and Grandpa's house, where we were greeted by two very happy little girls and lots of hugs and kisses. 

out to lunch

Actually, I'll be out to lunch, breakfast, and dinner for the next little while.  We leave tonight to take the girls up to my parents' house, and then my husband and I are leaving bright and early Saturday morning for a little getaway to celebrate our 12th anniversary (a week early) on Mackinac Island. 

After we get back I'll post an update with pictures, but now you'll know why I won't be around here (and why I haven't been around all week--too busy getting everything ready!)

father's day

Here's how my girls wished their Daddy a Happy Father's Day:

I made a photo collage with the pictures and a poem.

Here's how I wished my Dad a Happy Father's Day (okay, so I actually just put the second one on facebook, but I couldn't decide between the first and second):

Happy Father's Day!

birthday girl

For some reason I thought I already did a post with Rebecca's birthday party pictures in it.  Hmmm....there isn't one here, so either I accidentally deleted it, or I'm losing my mind. 

Anyway, here are pictures from her birthday party.  We were at Grandma's house for the weekend anyway, so we had the party there, which worked out great because the family was all visiting for the long weekend.

She decided months ago that she wanted a Mickey Mouse cake, but then changed her mind multiple times.  But I had already bought the Mickey Mouse decorations, so we went with it.

She adores her cousin Ethan....can you tell?

She almost burned her nose blowing out her candle.

So then Grandma had to help her blow it out!

Loving her musical card from Grandma, and another one from Great Grandpa

She had been wanting a scooter forever, so she was thrilled to get this.  She's already gotten a little bit better on it since she got it that day.

She also got two more guitars (one with strings this one that blows bubbles, so it's an outside toy).

If bubbles get in your eyes, you just put on your new swim goggles!

And she got a violin (she likes to pretend her guitars are violins, so Grandma thought she'd like this actual toy violin.  She does!).  Here's Ethan showing her how it works.

It was a fun day celebrating our big three year old. 

The next day was her actual birthday, and we had talked about lots of different things to do for fun, but it rained all day, so we didn't do much.  She didn't care, since she didn't understand that it was really her birthday, since she thought the party day was her birthday.  But it bothered me.

We did drive out to the lake and the girls walked on the beach a little in between rain showers.  She got to choose where we ate lunch, and she chose a Happy Meal from McDonalds, and decided instead of her usual chicken nuggets, she wanted a hamburger.  It's the first time either of our girls has EVER ordered a hamburger anywhere.  And she ate it.  And LIKED it.  We were in awe.  We have a child that likes hamburgers!  Unbelievable!  We have the pickiest girls on earth, but one of them actually likes a normal American food like hamburgers!  Wow!

That night we went out for ice cream to finish off the celebration.

summer!

This week I finally feel like it's summer vacation.  When Rachel first got done with school I was busy getting ready for our trip, so it didn't seem like summer.  Then we went on the trip, then we recovered from the trip, and here we are.  Summer vacation!  

Yesterday really felt like the first official day.  I had Rachel start working on her chore chart (which really is a list of things she needs to do everyday, some chore like, and some not....).  On her list?  Get dressed, brush teeth, make bed, unload dishwasher (I had to show her where everything goes yesterday, and some of them she can't reach, but she can do most of it!), read 15 minutes, practice math fact flash cards, do a page in the math workbook she brought home from school, and write in her journal, which she also brought home from school.  Yesterday she wrote in her journal (and drew accompanying pictures) for at least 30 minutes.  She gets really into it.  I had no idea it would take her so long.  But she enjoys it.  Today it didn't take quite as long, but still much longer than I anticipated.

Yesterday was also the first day of the dance class she's taking this summer.  The dance class consists of her and her best friend, Taylor!  We had no idea they were the only two signed up, but found out yesterday when we got there.  How fun to take private dance lessons with your best friend!  It's a combo tap/ballet class, and she loved it.

Today we went to the zoo.  It was supposed to be sunny and not too hot, so I that it would be a perfect day to go.  I figured school was out so there wouldn't be any school groups there, but I was wrong.  There were a ton of school groups!  And everyone else in the metropolitan area, too, it seemed.  It was really crowded.  But the girls had fun.

Hooray for summer!