Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Vacation Round-Up

We just got back yesterday from an 8-day excursion. And by excursion I meant 2 excruciating days in the car, followed by four days of fun, followed by 2 excruciating days in the car.

I believe that we are in agreement -- for next year we are staying somewhere a little closer to home, not Upper Michigan. I would like to actually come back from a vacation and when people ask, "So are you well rested?" I can actually say "Yes!" As it is I was on the phone making an appt with my chiropractor while we were driving back, wondering if we could scrape up enough money for a one-hour massage right after. Neither were available, so my neck is still hurting from craning around to the back seat to catch fallen toys, stop the sissy fights, fetch dropped blankies and lovies, etc.
But truly, I exagerate, we did have a really nice time. This year both kids were a little older, which made the car ride a bit more tolerable.

We started with two days at my folks' place in Wisconsin, where we got to visit with cousins Paulie (age 3) and baby Maddie, age 4 months.

We then trekked it the rest of the way up to Marquette, and spent the rest of the evening at the pool, drinking wine, or both in alteration.

The next day was spent at a fabulous Int'l Food Fest at the lakeshore in Marquette, with cousins Yvonne, Yvette and Josette, and Josette's offspring Dominick, also 3, who was immediately Marissa's best little playmate. And did we mention the cotton candy as big as Marissa's head? Actually, bigger. It was crazy.

The next day we drove to Munising to spend time with my aunt, uncle, cousin DeeDee and sister Kristi and take in the Munising parade. Then we headed out to Dana Lake for a cook out and some good times. We got to visit with my grandma Glady, who took a spill down a flight of stairs a few weeks ago. The ENTIRE flight of stairs. She's incredibly lucky that she only separated her shoulder and had 3 stitches in the back of her head. She will live to be 100 I swear, she's a tough old bird.

Then on Sunday we decided we needed to not be driving anywhere. After all, Munising/Dana Lake, et al all requires time in the car...this after spending 10+ hrs in the car to get to the general vicinity. All the kids wanted to do was play in the pool, and here we were driving them around kingdom come. So we had a completely un-scheduled day, didn't need to go anywhere, be anywhere, see anyone, and had a fantastic day of swimming, eating and beaching it in Marquette. We even got to fly a kite in the stiff Lake Superior breeze.

And then on the next day, we began the long trek back -- 7 hrs in the car, overnight stay in Wausau, WI, followed by 4 hrs the following day. (We had to stop twice during what was supposed to be a 3 hr drive, and almost had to stop 3 times when the 3-yr-old had to go potty just 20 minutes from home.)

Three loads of laundry and one take-out meal later, two kids were snoozing in bed and I was ready for bed as well, followed by another vacation.

Duluth sounds really good to me next year.

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