Vacation or Bust!

Vacation!  Oh, how I love vacation!  I love it for many reasons (not having to work, being with Kirk and Lincoln, relaxing, the beach, etc...).  We took a little vacation to the U.P. when Lincoln was only about 5 weeks old.  He was so good and slept just about the entire time.  It's amazing how much 9 months can change things!!  He hasn't quite been as sleepy this time around.  We try to start the trip around the time of his morning nap so he will sleep in the car.  Once he wakes up, we're never really sure if we're going to get our happy Lincoln or the one who is mad he has been sitting for hours in a car seat.  I must say, though, he's been a troooper!

We started our travels on Thursday.  We drove to the Traverse City area where we spent the day and night with Kirk's brother Doug, his wife Lynn and their kids, Noah, Olivia and Sophia.  The weather was PERFECT!  It was sunny and warm.  Their cottage was really nice and on an inland lake.  We spent the day in Glen Arbor.  We had never been but it's such a cute and quaint town with restaurants and shopping.  We had a really nice day.  That night we sat around the bonfire way too late talking and reminscing. 

Friday morning we headed to the cottage we usually visit every summer with Kirk's family.  It is up near Munising/Manistique.  It was only the 3 of us.  Kirk's parents are spending the next week there.  They had planned on coming up yesterday also, but couldn't so we just hung out.  Kirk fished on Friday night while I read on the dock.  Lincoln slept the night away enjoying the up north air.

On our way to the cottage we are renting, we stopped in Marquette and Big Bay.  On our way from Big Bay to the cottage we had quite the adventure.  Almost the entire trip was dirt roads.  It made the trip looooong.  At one point we saw a sign that said "Baraga" and decided to take that dirt road instead.  BIG mistake.  It was a skinny road and we have since decided probably a 2 track for four-wheelers.  We were both totally stressed.  The giant limb in the road that had not been moved should have told us no one had been on the road in awhile.  Instead, I got out of the car and held the limb to the side while Kirk drove around it.  We turned around a couple miles in.  Turning around was hilarious!  Poor Kirk...it was Austin Powers style.

We did see a lot of people stopped along the side of the dirt roads.  We couldn't figure out what they were doing.  We finally realized they were picking blueberries.  We stopped for a little bit and enjoyed some wild blueberries.  They were so good!

It took longer than expected but we finally arrived at our final destination!  We are staying for a week at a cottage waaaay up in the Keweenau Penninsula.  The cottage is between Chassell and Baraga and is right on Lake Superior.  Actually, as I type this, I am enjoying the view of the lake and the sound of the waves.  I love it!  We don't have a lot planned while we're here.  I think we'll go to a couple of breweries Kirk wants to visit and tour the Penninsula.  Maybe a copper mining tour?  I'm sure we'll visit waterfalls, lighthouses, beaches, trails, shipwrecks, etc..  I'm sure it won't be long enough!

I'll keep the blog updated with our up north adventures.  :)