Oh regular life, I have missed you, but you are hard

It is just never easy to get back into the swing of things after a holiday or vacation. Today is no exception.

There has been yelling, there has been punishments, there has been headaches, there has been anything other than peace.

I think both the kids and I woke up knowing that Bob was going back to work. Everyone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

They are now in their beds for nap time and I am finally enjoying a cup of coffee. I am hoping our afternoon goes 100 percent better. Not sure all of us will survive if it isn't.

We have been nonstop all holiday. They haven't had a regular day at home in 2 weeks and I can tell.

I am working to get us back on routine and my wonderful 2-year-old is not enjoying it.

But who would? Life with dad around is a lot more fun. A day home with mom is lots of rules.

We are working on it. I know when we have a rough morning that it is just that, ONE rough morning. I know that my kids will turn it around and I will be refreshed and the rest of the day will be fine. To be honest before nap time, they were already starting to listen and do what they are told.

They are my cutie pies and I love being around them, but toddler monsters need to stay at bay.

I know once we are in the flow of things we will all get along a ton better.

So I will sit and enjoy my cup of coffee. Sit and relax. Relax and refresh. Refresh and breath.

For I will [fully] satisfy the weary soul, and I will replenish every languishing and sorrowful person. Jeremiah 31: 25

Fun Calan-isms from the U.P.

Before I forget them, I want to record some of the fun things Calan said while we were on vacation.

The first is the fact that he repeatedly very excitedly kept calling for my parent's dog whose name is Keeley, but of course every time he said it, it came out "Kiwi."

"Come on, Kiwi, Let's go."

"Stop, Kiwi, stop."

By the end of our trip, he had us and my parents calling her Kiwi.

After our late Sunday Lions' brunch in town, I knew that Calan would not be that ready for lunch, but I made a small lunch anyway before naps. When I asked if he was ready to eat, he looked at the truck he was playing with and said to me,"

"No thanks, mom, I got tractor."

Can't really argue with that logic.

While we were there a nearby town hosted a county fair. It was an experience in itself. Not quite like what we were use to. We stood out like a sore thumb, but Calan loved being able to get right up close to the animals. When we were looking at the horses, there was probably a 13- or 14-year-old letting Calan pet his miniature horse. Since he was wearing a cowboy hat, Calan kept calling him a cowboy. The boy's younger brother thought it was hilarious. 

"Sorry, Cowboy." 

"Ok, Cowboy."

And probably the funniest thing to me was when my mother and I were playing with the kids down by the water, one of the shovels started to float away. I asked Calan to go grab it before it got too far. Next thing I know, he is standing by the dock, punching fake numbers into his hand, and then pretending to talk on a phone. He said:

"Hello, Fireman Sam, Go shovel. OK. Bye."

He called his favorite Sprout show hero Fireman Sam to go rescue his shovel. Hilarious!

I am sure that there were more, but I seem to have already forgotten them. I need to be better at writing them down. He talks constantly, but honestly, I only understand about every 5th word. He is quite the ham, that's for sure. 

Family time: Mackinac Island

I think Mackinac Island is one of Michigan's most interesting tourist locations. I have only been a handful of times, but each time, I am in awe of how beautiful and serene it is.

Late last night, we decided we would take the kids for the day. We weren't sure how it would go. There were a lot of variables that could lead to disaster. You never know what you will get with a 2-year-old and a 1-year-old, but we try to not let that stop us. But with an hour-and-half drive plus a 20 minute ferry ride plus missing naps, we really did not know how it would go.

IT WENT AMAZINGLY!

It was a great day filled with some great memories that our kids won't remember. But oh well, we will and it was great.

For readers who don't know anything about Mackinac Island, here are some fun facts:

• Mackinac Island is reachable only by boat or plane. 
• The modes of transportation on Mackinac Island are limited to foot, bike and horse-drawn carriage  Cars were banned in 1898.
• The Grand Hotel features 385 guest rooms, and no two are decorated the same. Five U.S. Presidents have lodged at The Grand. The Grand Hotel also has a 660-foot long porch — the world's longest porch.
• Mackinac Island is three miles long (to the east and west) and two miles wide (to the north and south).  The circumference of Mackinac Island is 8 miles.
• The entire island is listed as a National Historic Landmark.
• Fort Mackinac was built by the British. The U.S. was given it through the Treaty of Paris of 1783. The British captured it during the first battle of the War of 1812. It was given back to the U.S. through the Treaty of Ghent in 1815.

Ready to go on the ferry ride from St. Ignace.



Our first stop on the island was to Fort Mackinac



Calan loved the kid center at Fort Mack, especially the larger than life fife.



Calan helping Bob dress up in the historic apparel.



Then we headed to lunch at the infamous Pink Pony.



After lunch, we rented bikes and a bike trailer to take the kids around the island.



Bob got the lucky duty of pulling the trailor.



We took it slow around the island and enjoyed all the views.



They lasted 2 miles and then slept the next 6. It was great!



As we neared the end of our bike ride, we stopped at the
island's public school playground so Calan could play for awhile.



Two tired but happy parents after a successful family trip to Mackinac Island.



Best buds

From birth, Calan has had a best bud. Born 10 days apart, his mom and I have watched them grow. We have watched them become two very different toddlers. We have watched them become friends.

They are so funny together. 

We invited Gavin and his family up for the weekend to my mom's where we still enjoying our long vacation in the Michigan's Upper Peninsula. 

They stayed four days and the boys had a blast being boys. Running and chasing and playing and never stopping. They were on the move. 

Walking out to Lake Superior in Grand Marais. 

Playing with trucks at the public park in Grand Marais, Mich.

Having their first s'more together. (Please notice Maisie in the
background not enjoying being left out.)

Giving Gavin's dad a workout. 

Playing with footprints at the Seney Nature Refuge
welcome center.

Looking at swans at Seney.

Hiking a little through Seney. 

Helping Gavin out on the bike around my parent's house right
before they headed home.

We had a great time and were so happy the Leich family could join us on vacation. Till next year. 

More dirt the better

Fun out by the water seemed innocent enough

Well, let's see what they are doing.

Oh, yeah this might be fun place.

Hmmmm. Not sure about this dirt. 

I love dirt. 

Is this awesome or what mom?

Who needs suits? Let's just try this out. I'll sit right here. 

Help Grandma, Help. 

The kids and I are having a great time. Despite some bad sleeping and Calan breaking my mom's eye glasses (yeah, that was fun), we are enjoying ourselves. We have played in the water, visited downtown, and eaten ice cream. Pretty simple pleasures that just make life great.

Charlevoix 2012: Making Memories

For as long as I can remember, my grandparents lived in Charlevoix, Mich. As a child we went up several times a year, but mostly during the summer. I didn't go up there as much as my siblings, but it definitely was and is a special place for me. Randomly enough, my husband's family has also been vacationing there for years and now we get to share Charlevoix with our children.

This trip was somewhat special since it was the first family vacation there since my grandmother's passing in January (my grandfather passed away 3 years ago), as well as the first since my dad's heart attack in June (he lives there, too).

We went during their special Venetian Festival. The week is filled with music in the park, a beauty pageant, carnival, parades, races, and anything else you can think of. It has changed some through out the years, but it is definitely a very traditional event that brings back a ton of memories for me.

I hope as the years pass, Maisie and Calan enjoy Charlevoix as much as we do.

1) The famous bridge to Lake Michigan. Opens every hour and half hour, and yes, we were that close , so it was a bit loud, but fun for the kids. 2) Calan was exploring everything the second we got there. He did not sleep at all on the way up. I guess he was pretty excited. 3) Maisie just checking everything out when we got there. 

1) Calan was a little sick Friday, so we hung around the hotel while the rest of the family had lunch in Petosky and the guys went golfing. After naps, we walked down for some Superman ice cream. Perfect vacation treat. 2) Maisie and I enjoying some mommy/daughter time while Calan finishes his nap. 3) Maisie loving the pool on Saturday. Calan was not into swimming this trip. I think the pool was too cold for him. 4) Maisie loving life Saturday night after dinner and walking around downtown. 

Saturday morning was the Venetian Parade. It was the kids' first parade we have ever gone to. 1) Walking downtown to the parade. 2) Calan watching the fire truck go pass. He loved it, but thought it was too loud so close. 3) That is a tractor on steroids. Calan loved it. 4) Calan loved all the bands and would listen and clap for them. The bands were always my Grandfather's favorite part. Made me happy to see Calan enjoy them so much. 

After dinner Saturday night, we walked along the marina that now includes a splash pad since its remodel a few years ago. Calan wanted to go in, but wanted someone to go in with him. He would not do it by himself, so Grandpa Gris came to the rescue and got soaked. 

Saturday night after our walk downtown, we headed for more ice cream. Calan choose chocolate. Let's just say, we headed back for bath time shortly afterward. The kid was a disaster. 

Again, a best attempt at a family photo. One day we will get a good one.