Read part 1 here.

I gave some updates about baby girl and what she was up to on week twelve Then shared lots of pictures of the kids when they dressed up as Woody and Belle

Here is the next rhyming recap of what I wrote about in my 3rd year of blogging. It’s divided up week by week and begins with the first of the 5 part series.

On August eight one year ago my blog was up and looking fine Then suddenly my domain was gone and there was no blog on August nine But by the 16th I was back in business and wrote my blogiversary poem And after that I talked about babies and all the different places they go

I shared about a special notebook showing how dreams can become real

Week 8 the topic was all about SJ including a look at baby’s first meal

I wrote all about the silly gossip I had read about a few celebrities Then I talked about being pro life and issues that are important to me That’s when I took a little blogging break I guess I was busy with other things Like getting ready for our vow renewal and shopping for new wedding rings

We have had an awesome time visiting with our friends, learning to play eucher, hanging out at their coffee shop, and reminiscing about old times. They spoiled us to pieces with the 5 star treatment. Anything we wanted from the gourmet coffee bar, plus we stayed in the master bedroom and yesterday I soaked in the Jacuzzi which was a real treat if you know how I feel about baths! We got a tour of their little city where all the action happens. They live and work right next to the beach. People come from far and wide for the canooing, sailing, bird watching, kite boarding, and who knows what else. It’s quite the tourist destination, which is totally opposite of where I am from. We had the pleasure of going kayaking down the Tawas river yesterday and man, I wish I could have had a camera with me. The water was like glass reflecting everything from the beautiful wild life, to the golden sunset.

Now, as much I would have love to stay and have some more of that, it was time to move on. Our friends urged us to spend another day in Tawas. There was so much more to see and do, but I’ve got some kiddos waiting for me in Kentucky and I think my heart is actually beginning to physically ache from missing them. The sun is beginning to set in Ohio and we will soon be rolling into town where I will be able to give hugs and kisses until those two manage to squirm out of my arms. It’s been a FULL 7 days apart from them which is record breaking. Its good thing I am not the one driving because we would probably end up with a record breaking speeding ticket!

After spending the night in a cabin they have in Gaylord Michigan we began J’s birthday with a trip to Macinac Island. It’s a one of a kind destination in that it does not allow any motorized vehicles. You ride a ferry to get there and then you can make your way around the 8 miles perimeter by way of foot, horse, or bike. We spent the day riding our rental bikes around the island
and taking in the beautiful view of Lake Heron and the many great landmarks of the historic island. I also bought some peanut butter fudge because the island is famous for it’s fudge and you can’t go without stocking up (even if it is $8 a lb yikes!).

After loading up on coffee and the world’s best donuts we headed toward the Canadian border. We went through immigration without any trouble, which makes me grateful for having a clean record. There was what could have been a catastrophic mix up, but luckily J glanced inside his passport and as he closed it I noticed the picture inside was a rough biker dude with a handle bar mustache. I said “J! That’s not yours!” We had the passports of the couple that was in line behind us! It was an easy fix though and we were on our way. At first we thought Canada was going to be a big disappointment, but not too long on the road the scenery started changing and we couldn’t take enough pictures to capture it all!

As far as wildlife so far we’ve see chipmunks, a fox, a bald eagle, and geese. Unfortunately despite all the signage for Moose crossings, beware of moose, night danger etc. we still have not had any moose sightings. Darn it. It’s still cool to see the signs for them to remind you they are in the area, along with signs for snow mobiles. We don’t have those back in Texas. There were a few other reminders that we were away from home when saw a trailer that said Mush With Pride and I could hear the sled dogs barking from inside. That was kind of cool. I got a Kit Kat at a gas station and it was in french, it tasted kind of different too. Even though we pretty much drove straight through (aside from sleeping in the car part of the night) it has been a great visit. this morning we went to the beach and relaxed.

It was so peaceful I felt like the Lord was saying “if you are quiet enough you can remember that you still have a heart beat, and if you really listen, you will hear mine.” And as I did, I heard it in the waves crashing on the rocks.

There have been a few little bumps in the road along the way, but all in all it has been a priceless getaway.