Michigan Trip 2023

Home again home again, jiggety jig! I did it, I made it home after almost 2 years away. My mom and I braved the drive with all three kids. It was a good time and I was so excited to be home and see my loved ones (my grandma and cousin). I wish we had more time together, but I'm happy we got this time.

Our trip ended with Isla and myself getting some kind of AWFUL stomach bug. I had a high fever, aches, shakes, and every other stomach symptom you can imagine. I think we ate something funny, but either way it threw a wrench in our plans. I was really bummed to miss out on my favorite restaurant and to have to cut our end of the trip short. Travelling is always an opportunity for something to go terrible... and it did.

But overall, I loved it. Exhaustion, sickness, and long travelling... it was still worth it. Although, I'm happy to be in my own bed and back on routine now :) We are definitely homebodies in this household.

Our trip started with a 3 hour drive to the beach, where we played in the sand, swam in the waves, walked the pier, ate good food (and icecream), and explored the downtown. Both kids loved the beach so much, especially the sand. It made me sad that they don't get to experience that often, like I did growing up.

That night we stayed in a hotel where Ewan stayed in a bed for the first time ever in his life and Isla stayed in a top bunk for the first time ever in her life. It was a disaster of a night, to say the least. Plus we were all in one big room, so no one really got any sleep.

Then it was back in the car and off to Mimi and Bupa's Michigan house! We played and cooked out the rest of the day. Oh! And icecream with some of the Walworth family :)

The next day was my favorite- a trip to the best place on earth, Frankenmuth! We started with a visit to Bronners, the largest Christmas store in the world (quite literally). The kids loved all of the lights and ornaments. We did have a slight meltdown moment when Isla was told a $60 human baby-sized ornament was not in fact a viable choice for her yearly ornament. But other than that, the kids loved it! Isla picked out a dog ornament, Ewan picked out a tractor ornament, and I picked out 3 little mice ornaments for my 3 little babies :)

From there, we visited the quaint German town of Frankenmuth. We checked out the cheese haus where the kids tried chocolate cheese, ate the famous fried chicken and noodles at Zhenders, sampled so many cherry things, walked the cobblestone streets of the shops, and even took a carriage ride! It was such a fun day.

The highlight for me, though, was visiting my Grandma June (who I haven't seen in almost 2 whole years!!). The kids loved meeting her dog, Tootie.

The rest of the trip was downhill from there. Isla and I got so sick. Trying to be a mom while also being terribly sick while also travelling is some kind of torture. It was a rough 24 hours.

It also affected our trip home. We were supposed to spend the night in St. Joseph again with my cousin and her family, but we decided a shortened day trip would be better. I was feeling much better by the time we got to St. Joseph, but it was still a good call. I was glad to still see Devan and her family, including her youngest who I had never met!