Summer Vacation in the U.P.

The week after the Ore to Shore Mountain Bike Epic, we enjoyed a beautifully relaxing and peaceful week at our "trip home", a cabin by the lake.  We rented our own little cabin, originally a two bedroom, but upgraded to a three bedroom by the sweet owners since the original cabin was being unexpectedly rented out long term.  It was such a blessing to have our own space for nap times, bed times, and simply time for the four of us to enjoy time together away from the busy-ness of daily life.

Sunday morning, we attempted to find a local church to attend, but goofed up on the times so we were a half hour late when we arrived.  It wasn't far from our cabin though, so we just drove right back.  Race days always wear us out, but walking around all day at eight months pregnant really did me in.  And, really, Sundays are supposed to be a day of rest, so we took advantage of the quiet peace of the lake and our schedule free vacation to rest and recover.

The rest of the week was mostly spent at the big cabin where Ted's parents and the rest of the family was staying on the same lake.  The kids loved wading in the water, fishing off the dock, taking canoe rides with daddy and grandpa, running around with their cousins, and simply enjoying the great outdoors.  By the end of each day they were covered in sand and dirt, but happy as can be...and, as a bonus, they slept so well after playing hard all day long!

Monday night, we had an impromptu little birthday party for Valerie and her cousin, Eren, whose birthdays are just a month apart (July and August).  My mother in law and sister in law found a delicious recipe for a gluten free coffee cake using the Pamela's baking mix my mother in law brought along and baked it alongside a regular cake mix.  Valerie suddenly became shy when it was time to sing happy birthday and cuddled up with her aunt Vickie while we sang and opened birthday gifts.

Tuesday, half of the family decided to make an overnight trip to Mackinac Island, but we opted to stay back at our cabin.  We planned instead to take a day trip to the U.P. State Fair which was only an hour away from where we stayed.  Ted's parents joined us along with the younger four and Laura & Eric.  We packed a picnic lunch and spent the day enjoying a fun kids' scavenger hunt exhibit, seeing lots of farm animals (and the kids even got brave enough to pet them!), watching a lumberjack show, and exploring the antique village with a real working saw mill and all kinds of unique little shops.  By the end of the day we were all exhausted, but it was a day well spent.  The kids learned so much and were talking about all the animals for the rest of the week.

Wednesday night, the Mackinac Island crew returned and we enjoyed a family cookout around the campfire for one last night.  My mother in law convinced us to pose for a family photo, which is quite a feat as this family just keeps on growing...and no one really seems to enjoy photos nearly as much as my family does.  Mackenzie set up the camera on the tripod with a timer and ran into the photo at the last minute so we could all be included.  And, after several attempts, we lucked out and got a few good captures that we will cherish for years to come.

Thursday morning, we packed up the van, checked out of our cabin, and spent the rest of the morning lazing around at the big cabin watching the rain pour down over the lake.  For lunch, my mother in law cooked the big bass Mackenzie caught the day before, which we nicknamed Billy the Bass.  I can't handle fish or any other kind of seafood with this pregnancy, but I heard he tasted pretty good.

After lunch, we said our goodbyes and began the long drive home.  We stopped at my parents' house to exchange vans (since we had borrowed theirs to have working a/c on our trip) and enjoyed steak and corn on the cob for dinner with my brothers.  By the time we got home, it was bed time and we were all exhausted.  I fell asleep that night dreaming of the quiet peace of the lake and a wonderful week full of memories.