Mackinac Island

This summer we decided to take an overnight vacation to Mackinac Island. I had never spent the night there and was excited to spend more time on the island. It is so beautiful. Most of it is a state park and its historic homes have been beautifully preserved and restored. It is home to the only state highway in the US that doesn't allow cars.

We stayed at the Murray Hotel, where Dave's family stayed for years when they used to go up and stay with their extended family. In fact, it is the place where I first met the aunts and uncles and cousins on his Mom's side.



We had a wonderful time. It is such a beautiful and relaxing place.

You have to take a boat to get there; no bridges

Dave's parents joined us for the day the first day and we enjoyed a lovely bide ride along the 8 mile perimeter road.

Our family :)

Charlie slipped in a nap

Davey and Dave stopped to build a cairn

Davey is sporting his self-named "skunk smile"

We found a great spot for lunch on the water

Dave and his mom

A natrual rock arch along the ride

After Dave's parents left we enjoyed a nice dinner as a family and played around on the grass at the park before heading to the hotel for an early sleep.

The next morning we headed to the Mackinac Fort...

It had to be one of the cushiest posts in the US when it was in use. So beautiful and quite quiet as far as battles go.

The volunteer "soldiers" getting ready for firing a salute.

Cute soldiers, huh?

The kids loved the cannon-firing deomonstration

A glimpse of the beautiful view of the fort.

Another view.

And another. Just so pretty.

The MI Governor's summer residence.

The kids also enjoyed a playground at the island school, ice cream and the island's famous fudge. I did too! Mmmmm....

We had fun throwing pebbles at the beach

Sweet, loving Davey

Headed home... see you next year!

We'll definitely stay again next year since we have a free night at the hotel thanks to them not getting our luggage to the ship on time. An inconvenience worth the trouble in my book!

Darling, exhausted Charlie fell asleep on the boat ride home.

Please ignore how silly I look!

Up North!

The day after everyone left to go home from the Paulson family reunion (boo hoo hoo), we headed Up North to see Dave's family, which was Davey's actual birthday. The drive was beautiful (we stopped at a beautiful rest stop and had some fun running around and enjoying the scenery) and we were excited to see Grandma and Grandpa Adams. Davey was greeted with a table-ful of presents, balloons and a cake - round 3 already of celebrating and it was only just now his birthday! (Pics to come.)

The boys loved the lake and got to know Dallas the dog again. The weather was beautiful most of the time and I just couldn't get enough of the fresh air and green scenery. There are so many pictures in this post because all of our days were spent just relaxing and enjoying the vacation and family together time, which makes for a lot of picture taking.

The boys' days were never complete without a boat ride of one kind or another. Of course Davey liked the speed boat best.

Driving with Daddy

On the first weekend we were there, Katie and Carrie came for a visit. It was so nice to see them and the boys had a blast being entertained by their aunts. And of course there was a fourth 4th birthday celebration for Davey when they arrived. It's no wonder that Davey still is so proud to tell everyone he meets how he is four now - saying it like it's the most wonderful news and they will be amazed and excited. We celebrated it so much he thinks it was the biggest deal ever.

Trying to capture Aunt Kiki and Aunt Kate jumping around like dolphins to entertain the boys.

Giving Dallas a drink with Aunt Kate

There were lots of fun wagon rides with Grandma.

Enjoying a beautiful day for boating

Charlie and Grandma - Davey and Grandpa

Beautiful blue sky and water

A little unsure about driving, but they'll be pros soon!

Cute brothers

We also enjoyed the kayaks and paddle boats

Enjoying some good skiing...

Dave

Lovin' the hair!

Katie

I skied too but didn't look quite so graceful... no picture needed.

We enjoyed so many beautiful sunsets

The boys still can't get enough of this huge airplane Grandma and Grandpa bought on a day trip to Harbor Springs

The second weekend we were Up North, my parents and Ben stopped by on their way back from a family wedding in the U.P.. We really enjoyed seeing them again for an afternoon.

Charlie and Uncle Ben

Ben loved driving the boat as you can imagine a 16-year-old boy would

My parents

Charlie was freaking out until Davey finally put his glasses on him...

A good look for him, huh?

A nice pic of my mom

And a one of Dave's dad (minus my face!)

Dave's mom and me

1st Annual Paulson Family Reunion

With our move overseas and planning only one trip home each year, we convinced the family to move their annual trips home from Christmas to summer. It was really fun to get everyone together in the summertime when there are so many more outdoor activity options. My mom was so excited that she planned it like a "proper" family reunion and ordered t-shirts and everything!

Dave had brought a new camera with him when he came and we used that to take most of the pics from the rest of our trip... and then left it beind :( We'll be getting it soon but in the mean time, I'm using the photos my dad was kind enough to send me.

We spent a day at Red Oaks Water Park that all the kids loved. My mom spent the day capturing bees (there were TONS!). Wish I had that pic.

We also had a family photo shoot and got some nice pictures. Don't have them yet.

The boys had tons of fun just hanging out together.

Davey loved playing games with his older cousins

Enjoying some ice cream in the backyard. Enoch is really into it!

Hanging out while Michael made quite a creation!

Unfortunately, one of the Utah folks brought back a bug that we not-so-fondly called "The Sickness." It spread through almost everyone in the whole 21 of us - all staying in my parents house. It was just my parents and Desiree and I who were spared. Fortunatley it didn't kick the kids as hard as it did the adults - but that thing was violent and miserable. By the end of the week I was so scared of it that I walked around everywhere with a canister of Clorox wipes wiping anything I was going to touch or that a sickie had touched. It was almost funny how hard that bug hit us all.

Harmony was awesome to work with my mom to prepare a meal schedule and assignments for everyone to take turns cooking and cleaning. I worked quite well, but mostly thanks to Mom who did so much food prep in advance and was almost always helping in the kitchen. The meals were delicious!

Desiree workin' it with the mango chicken quesadillas

John, Jared, Harmony and Ben ejoying a card game

Our family reunion was so much a "real" family reunion that we even had a talent/skit show. It was so cute to see the kids participating and we had some good laughs!

The kids enjoyed some fun water and bubble play outside...

Charlie provoking Davey

You have to look closely but their faces are so cute and happy

Getting clean after a hard day's play!

Since it was just a few days before Davey's birthday, I thought it would be fun to take advantage of the first time he would be able to celebrate with his extended family and we had a birthday party at Pump-It-Up. The kids had a blast, of course.

It was a good opportunity to all wear our matching reunion shirts.

Davey has always loved people to do things the same and at the same time, like for us all to take a drink or bite at the same time at dinner. So he just loved everyone wearing the same shirt and this is now his all-time favorite shirt. He wears it every chance he gets.

Davey being sung to in the big birthday chair.

Enjoying the Hot Wheels after the party

It was so fun that two of my mom's sisters, Mary and Judy, came for a few days of the reunion. I just don't get to see my aunts and uncles, especially on my mom's side, often enough.

Aunt Mary playing with her grand-nephews. She has always been so much fun.

On the last day of the reunion, we had a barbecue and invited a bunch of neighbors and church friends. We warned them about "The Sickness" and held it outside so they would feel more comfortable coming if they did, and it was so nice to see how many people still came. It's always so nice to connect with old friends.

Hopefully next year we'll all be healthy and can fully enjoy ourselves. I was disappointed that I didn't get to interact more with my little nephews and niece (Isaac, Tommy and Megan) since they were all under the weather and not their playful selves.

I am so looking forward to our next reunion - we had so much fun! Hooray for having such a wonderful family! I love you all!

More Michigan = More Summer Fun!

After we returned from Texas, we had a week and a half more to spend before my siblings and their families started arriving for our family reunion.

Enjoying goodies from the ice-cream truck with Grandma

We enjoyed a visit to Midland to see the boys' great-grandmother Featherly

Davey loved his birthday present of a baseball and bat and football

GiGi and the boys
I think this picture is so cute!

We got together a few times with Amy and her girls and they had fun putting on a singing show for us...

Davey, Ada, Charlie and Lucy on the stage

A small clip of some singing... (I needed more room on my memory card) :(

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By this point in our trip, the boys and I were really missing Dave. We talked on the phone and on Skype more than usual, but we still really missed him... so it was great when he changed his plane ticket to (unsuccessfully) surprise us 3 days early! We were so happy to be together again.

Lacey also came home a few days before everyone else arrived for the reunion. The boys really enjoyed her company. Lacey even took Davey to see his first movie in a theater and indulged him with popcorn and a huge bag of fruit snacks. He loved it!

Charlie insisted on her holding his hand while in the car, so Davey joined the chain too

Of course, we had to meet up with the Romneys for breakfast at the Pancake House and then was a trip to our favorite Birmingham park.

They have the best astro-turf sledding hill...

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The kids did have fun even though the absolutely wouldn't cooperate for a picture!