Back in the NL

I definitely wasn't ready to head back yet. Another month at least would have been nice. The trip went really well though! As smoothly as possible. Even got to the ideal train 5 minutes before it shows up (and it only shows up once per hour if the trains are actually running). The jet lag hasn't been bad at all this time, although it has been tough to get the girls to sleep at night. School will help with that problem. They start tomorrow!!

One week ago was their fourth birthday. Feels like longer than that. We had a lot of fun. It was great to celebrate with just the six of us. They got lots of school-related presents and loved them. Grandma and Grandpa's backpacks stole the show. Abigail wouldn't take hers off - she even slept with it.

Since we have been back the weather has thankfully cooled off. It has even rained a few times. What a relief. So glad we missed the killer heat wave! We have been more productive than I expected, getting lots of little things taken care of. Not ready for the first day of school tomorrow, but, oh well. Sundays are a lot of fun, so we will enjoy it.

Birthday sunglasses.

The last walk.

Goodbyes in Green Bay (2 hours of driving is a whole lot better than 3 hours of waiting in line)

Airplane seats.

Bedtime in the plane.

Sleeping on the train.

Jet lag.

Sharing the same bed.

Adventure

This was a busy week! After an amazing dinner in Saugatuck (1.5 hour wait time on a Sunday, no reservations) I started it off with a nostalgic trip to Ann Arbor with my friends, Andrew and Mike. We had a great time checking out the changes on campus (including a full size tree that they recently moved - see the picture below) and revisiting some favorite spots like the Dana Building and Dawn Treader bookstore.

On Tuesday we hung around Grand Haven and got the behind the scenes tour of Andrew’s business, Aldea Coffee. Fun to see their new roaster in action. My friend Dave came out for dinner and it was great to see him again. We tried to eat outside but the mosquitoes drove us indoors.

All the busyness made it hard to sleep, so it was good the three of us (Naomi and Andrew’s wife stayed in Grand Haven) to find a secluded campground along Lake Superior. We had an amazing time there. The water was surprisingly warm and a fire six years ago insured for an endless supply of wild blueberries.

Friday we had quite a culture shock when returning to civilization at Taquamenon Falls on our way back to Escanaba. Strange to see a brewpub in a State park! It was great to see the girls after a whole week without them. I got tired out from all the hugs and had to lie on the floor and just let them crawl all over me!

Saturday my friends went up to Marquette to round off their trip - Mike flew out of there to get back to San Francisco and Andrew and his wife wanted some time to themselves. Abigail and my mom came up with me to see them off and enjoy one last afternoon in Marquette. It was a beautiful day. We had lunch at Donkers, did some shopping, played at the playground, and hung out on a beautiful beach. Can’t wait to live there!

Today is their birthday. Four years old!! They are so excited to start school in a week. We got them lots of presents for it. Good to have a family day to celebrate. Definitely not up for a big party. Looking forward to tenderloin and twice baked potatoes tonight!

Road Trip

It has been another intense week. Having a few people, Caryn and Paul in particular, around after the big party was really great. They left the same day as Kalia and Joshua though, and the empty house made me feel rather sad. Wish I was able to spend more time with family.

After a couple relaxed days with just us and the girls, my parents returned from a nice trip to Duluth. Friday morning Naomi and I packed up the Prius, said goodbye, and drove off. Pretty special to be with just the two of us again and do whatever we feel like doing. After a picnic lunch overlooking Lake Michigan we did a bit of shopping and found our Airbnb.

It was a beautiful log home in the woods with some really great hosts. We talked with them for a while around the campfire after playing a bit of pool with pizza and beer. The leftover pizza became breakfast in bed.

Our stomachs weren’t too happy with us, so we didn’t eat again until after 4. Found a delicious, healthy place in Traverse City. Before that we drove up the peninsula and spent a lot of time on the beach. Perfect day for it! Then we drove down to Grand Haven to stay with Andrew and Jessica. Great to be here again!

Family Reunion

Not sure what to call it, but this week was all about the party. We had about 80 people come up to celebrate Kalia and Joshua’s first wedding anniversary / wedding as almost nobody was able to celebrate it in Alaska last summer. It was a really fun party!!

We still have a few people around, but it really wasn’t enough time for me with family. I really wish I could spend more time with them. Five weeks sounds like a long time but it really isn’t. I could use more.

The girls did really well. Fun that they could have so much fun with so many new people! They stayed up until after ten both nights and developed lots of admirers. I am sure we will pay for all the excitement when everyone leaves.

I am making up for all the pictures I took last week by taking none this week. It was really busy with all the setup and guests. Even started to lose my voice last night. I guess it has been a while since I have been teaching! The heat wave/drought is picking back up in the NL, so we continue to be grateful for the beautiful UP weather!! The beach has been amazing.