I mean, if you are going to take a ferry to Mackinac Island, then you also have to drive over the Mighty Mac, which we did. Did you know at almost 5 miles across it is the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere? It's really cool and for the toll of $3 it is well worth the trip to say we visited the U.P.
Our day to Mackinac was a long one and we had a long drive back to the land at the end of the day for our last night on The Land. From there we drove to my Aunt and Uncle's house, which is 20 minutes from my grandma's house and we "moochdocked" in their yard for a few days and prepared for Sister's 4th BD party.
We had a great visit and were so thankful for the use of their laundry, electricity, water, kitchen... We planned Sister's BD at an indoor play place nearby and invited the family and all the cousins. Her interests include dragons, dinosaurs, and PJ Masks. To say she got what she wanted is an understatement.
And these are only the dragons & dinosaurs! She basically got a whole new set of fun toys and was delighted about every aspect of the party. I am so thankful that we could be with our family for her BD. She was looking forward to it for a long time and she was elated.
For the last few days we went back to camping with my parents. We spent our days either at the campground, my sister's, or brother's house with the cousins, pools, lakes, trampolines and music. It was a lot of fun. Three of the kids, including Sister, made huge progress on learning how to swim. That was really fun to be a part of. Also the kids collected shells at the lake and we did a shell art project that they each took to their houses for a keepsake. I had a really fun time singing show tunes with my siblings - my sister is an amazing pianist and vocalist and will play whatever we want to sing. It was funny to have all the kids drifting in and out as they heard songs they liked to sing they would join in. It was a really fun experience - one that I look forward to when visiting my sister.
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The kids are all growing up so fast and I wish that I could see them more often and be a bigger part of their lives. I hope that they can visit us in AZ or that we can meet again somewhere in the middle of the country for another adventure.
Stepping into the past can be tricky. My diet has changed a lot and am a teetotaller - this is a place where there is a disconnect between my present and past. I think that I tried to be flexible and that my family was open to trying my recipes. My kids food experiences were expanded and not in a good direction. While I have some lines that I don't cross, I didn't enforce anything with the kids - they ate what was offered to them and/or what their cousins were eating. The thing is, I think they still were eating better than I ate as a kid - for instance when sloppy joes were made, ground turkey was used, not beef. Meatloaf was also made it was made turkey, not beef. So I can see that my family is making positive changes. But then again...bacon? Brother got to try that for the first time. This was also the first prolonged significant social interaction where alcohol was offered to me multiple times since I quit. I want to remain a teetotaller as I can see the positive effects on my health, but I have to admit that it was difficult to be around the drinking for many reasons. Suffice it to say that I am not judging - I was a drinker until this year. I am just glad that we don't drink anymore and I will not miss being around the drinking. I think that is probably how anyone feels when they quit something - I remember feeling that way when I quit smoking cigarettes.
With that said, I think I have recorded the good and the bad of stepping into the past. I really do hope that we can return to Michigan in a future trip and see Isle Royale and more sights of the Upper Peninsula. I would also love to go back to The Land. I also hope that I can find a way to remain connected to my nieces and nephews while we are apart. They are really great kids and my siblings are awesome parents. It was a joy to hang out with them, have them sleep over in the Hideout, and get to know Brother and Sister a bit more. I will cherish the memories of this trip and look forward to the next one.
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