Weekend Adventure: Michigan Trip

Two weeks ago...

We'd all been fighting illness; Bronchitis, Bronchial Pneumonia, and Laryngitis, but we still decided to proceed as planned and head to Michigan for the weekend.

My grandparents live on a lake in central MI and my family was planning on spending Friday and Saturday there then head over the South Haven on Lake Michigan to well, first of all see the lake, and to visit with my uncle, aunt and cousins who were there on vacation, we we had decided to join them.
In our own car though.
My family would have to own a school bus now if they wanted to be able to haul around themselves plus the four of us ;)

Albeit short we enjoyed a fun, mostly relaxing, trip.
We went on a pontoon ride around the lake, we went tubing and Wesley went for the first time, and undoubtedly the most memorable part of our visit with Grandma Jan and Grandpa Larry was our attempt to find "The Pines".
A few trips ago we went to "The Pines", a local area of woods that mommy had gone to as a kid. It is one of the coolest places I have seen. Pine trees stretching as far as the eye can see. There's no undergrowth due to the density of the trees themselves so it makes for a beautiful and comfortable picnic area or just somewhere fun to take pictures and monkey around for a while.
Well.
This trip we had a little difficulty finding the pines. No one could remember exactly where they were so we ended up at this little sand "parking lot" with a trail leading off into the woods. We hadn't come prepared to hike because we didn't remember having to in the past. Well after fighting off mosquitoes and deer flies, lugging children, suffering through fits of coughing, shuffling in sandals along a sandy trail, and going in a loop, we found a tiny patch of pine trees that resemble wherever the authentic pines are. We called it close enough, took pictures, and enjoyed the small patch.
Here are some pictures of the pines:

These are some pictures of tubing; I believe the first is of me giving the thumbs up of survival and the second of Wesley heading out.

 Also, there are some random pictures.

We left Sunday morning and headed over to South Haven. It was our first time seeing Lake Michigan and it was very neat. 

I'm Feeling 22

Yesterday I turned 22 and for the first time since I was 19 I think I'll claim it.
For some reason I've been stuck at 19. When anyone asks my age a big '19' pops into my mind and I've had to catch myself and often correct myself "nine-er-twenty-one, right? Yeah, twenty-one." I think I was stuck there because it's when I got engaged, married, and found out I was pregnant with my first child. A lot happened. It was a defining year.
Now, I feel like I'll remember that I am twenty-two, though. I'm not sure why it stands out to me but it does. Maybe Taylor Swifts catchy "I'm Feeling Twenty-Two" (a song I don't even know but as I have a T.S. fan for a sister I have heard it a time or two), maybe its because I'm finally looking around at my life and realizing there's no possible way to claim 19, or maybe it's simply because it started with such an awesome and memorable day.

Things that make me feel 22:
I feel like I've been married to my best friend forever, so, I can't still be 19.
I'm a mommy of two..
I'm finally beginning to feel like an adult; I answer the phone, occasionally make necessary phone calls, write and mail checks for bills, took my daughter to the doctor, go shopping with a baby, and feel like I may be doing a decent job keeping house.
I successfully run our household and haven't stepped too far into insanity on weeks when my husband is out of town for work.
Yes, I'm twenty-two.

My twenty-second birthday was memorable, if not only for the fact I am beginning to feel my age.
Wesley was home in the morning and I knew he'd be back for dinner.
The girls were sweet and fun most of the day.
My out-of-state sister texted me a happy birthday message.
A friend stopped by to visit in the early afternoon.
Wesley came home and took care of the girls while I grilled steaks and zucchini for dinner.

(and before you frown and shake your head thinking "shame on Wesley for not doing the grilling" realize that I think I know what I'm doing when it comes to charcoal grilling so in spite of the fact I bought the grill for Wesley's 23rd birthday I enjoyed using it more than I would have enjoyed entertaining the girls for another hour; it was a  nice break)

While waiting for the grill to be ready I opened my gifts. Wesley had thoughtfully picked out a card and gift from the girls to me, as well as ones from himself. 

I love both of my cards, and each gift given is special and it makes me warm and fuzzy inside thinking of the one who gave them and the thought behind them.

Meet Arlen, my beautiful blue-eyed 

husky that was a gift from my girls:

This gift from Wesley I am super excited about. I've always loved traditional polaroids, everything from the science behind them, to watching the picture form, to the fact that I never order digital prints and this way I'll actually end up with a hard copy of a picture! 
Now the only hang up will be actually taking pictures, each picture is so precious because you can't just delete bad ones. Every picture counts and I'm a little afraid that I won't take pictures because I'll be afraid of wasting a precious piece of film.

Here are the first two pictures taken. 

I now realize that I didn't even take either of them because I wanted to be in them! :o :P

Wesley also got me the one gift I requested: a new glass water bottle as the plastic spout on my other one had cracked. He picked out an awesome one that I have enjoyed using today.

Thank you, honey, (wow, I called you honey, I must be getting old) for the wonderful gifts. They're all perfect and even more so because you put thought into them and "wasted" money on making me happy. <3 I love you, not because you did great but, you certainly did do great ;) <3

My birthday evening didn't end there. 

Dinner was eaten and although I over cooked the steaks just a tad, they were still good. Then we waited until 9:30, the ETA of my family coming home from Oklahoma,  and we headed to their house for cake which my mother had prepared in advance. Don't worry, it tasted fresh as ever because I always choose the same Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake for my birthday ;)

We stayed until 10:30 listening to stories from their trip, discussing birthday presents, and sharing in the joy and love of a big-awesome-crazy-family. 

I'm so blessed to have each and every one of those who celebrated with me. From my mommy who went through 9+ months of pregnancy only to have to go through the terrors of labor to deliver me (not to mention put up with me for the rest of her life), to the siblings I grew up with and the ones I'm watching grow up, to my honorary sister Shay who puts up with not only my brother but my entire crazy-annoying-family; I love you all and felt honored to stay up past bed-time to get to celebrate with you. Thank you for making me feel loved and making the first day of being 22 absolutely perfect.

I am so in love with my life and blessed to begin another year of this awesomely beautiful bubble I get to call mine.

~Haley

(I know that once again I am incredibly behind in blogging. Hopefully I catch up but if not you can always hope that I at least post again before eons go by.)