Tag: vacation

10 on the 10th – Summer Memories!

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized19 Comments

10 on the 10th is hosted by Marsha from Marsha in the Middle!

Summer. I am not a super fan of summer. If you have visited me before, you probably know that since I say it way too much. I just really don’t like being hot and can be a little bit of a grump about it. However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t have lots of special memories of summer because there have been some fun and wonderful moments that have taken place in the summertime. I may not actually get to ten because I am going to clump things all together.

I’m going to be honest, I would still wear this outfit.

Proposal:

Billy proposed to me in the summertime! It was a summer night and we were at the park and there was a band in the park playing (not for us but in general lol) and they were playing Kiss the Girl from Little Mermaid at the time.

Childhood Memories:

All the good nostalgic 1980s summertime things. Swimming in pools, eating soggy sandwiches and chips after, running through sprinklers and playing frozen tag with the neighbor kids. Riding our bikes to the library, reading in cool air-conditioned rooms. Watching The Monkees reruns with my cousin Brian and playing in his clubhouse that now would be considered a tiny house and he could probably rent it out.

The Street Fair:

It is timely that this post takes place during the week of our annual street fair. I have gone almost every single year of my life, with my mom and dad, with friends, with Billy, with Wyatt, and for many years I even worked 12 hour days the week of street fair at the job I had while I was in college. I have always loved it. The music coming at you from all directions and different areas, the smell of the fried food, the streets filled with booths crammed with art. The past few years I have been going twice – once with Wyatt in the morning as everyone is just starting for the day, and once with Billy for a date night. I can’t wait to do that again this year, although it will be a little more tricky as the weather is supposed to be stormy this week due to Beryl!

This is from Wyatt’s first street fair! Look how tiny. We were still at home here, and I was getting him ready to go. It feels like yesterday!

All those summer vacations…

When I was a kid, we used to go away for my grandmother’s birthday every July, my whole family. I have such good memories of playing in the pool with my cousins and hoarding my game room quarters like a baby dragon. And of course, going up north is a huge thing for Michiganders in the summer! I have so many memories of that as well through the years, again as a child with my family, with Billy as I got older, with my family again after Wyatt was born. Our family trip to the tiny house on the farm a few years ago was very special as well.

Look at little Wyatt and little Mermaid Girl. My heart!

Those teenage years:

One summer in particular stands out. I was maybe just 15 or 16, and I was hanging out with two friends I didn’t really hang out with too often. And then all of a sudden were hanging out all the time at night for some reason. Things are weird as a teen. One of them would borrow his dad’s convertible Mustang and we would drive around all over, the top down and listen to music. Once it was so hot we went swimming at night, floating around the pool watching the bats fly overhead. I only hung out with them for a maybe a month but it was memorable just for that. Although maybe I am still confused about it. Lol.

Billy and I also started dating in the summertime. We saw Jurassic Park in the theater when it first came out (yeppp) as our first date!

We also took many trips to Cedar Point. We would all pile into cars, multiple cars, and would make the road trip to the amusement park where we would spend the day, a huge group of us. I remember when The Raptor first opened at the park, and we got on it. Billy literally saved my life. My seat/shoulder doodad did not lock, and I was swinging it up and yelling to the ride worker who either did not see or hear me and we were in motion. Now this ride immediately starts out wild and keeps going, flipping upside down. Billy told me to sit back, and whammed the safety bar down so hard that it finally locked. I couldn’t breathe maybe but I didn’t fall out!

The Zoo:

We love going to the zoo! We would always go to the night out at the zoo events, which were adult only before we had Wyatt, and they were so fun. They were inexpensive too, and they sold adult beverages and food and you could stroll around the zoo during the twilight hours. It was so cool. The animals were all out and we had so much fun. After Wyatt, it was our first date night out after he was born! I remember we left him with my mom, stepdad, and aunt and uncle and I was super nervous the whole night. We also would do their Bike Safari nights, where people could ride their bikes around the zoo. Unfortunately, like everything, the price for this event skyrocketed so we no longer go but it was fun while we did. Then last year we went to Dream Night at the Zoo, which was for special needs children and their families. We had a blast!

As I sit here and think back, there are just so many memories. Time certainly flies doesn’t it? So many summer trips, day trips to Greenfield Village, peach picking, blueberry picking. Camping. The county fair filled with the sounds of the auctioneer, the cows mooing, the pigs, the goats. The smell of barnyard mixed with fried food. Just lazy days and lazy nights around the house or in the yard. My cousin Michael’s Fourth of July parties. For someone who doesn’t really like summer, I certainly have many many wonderful memories from summers past.

Mini Trip Getaway: Shopping, Squirrels, and Starry Skies

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn family friendly, Michigan14 Comments

Last year, it was wolves. This year, the stars. Every year for Wyatt’s birthday we try to find a nature inspired adventure; when he was little, they were closer to home, but as he has gotten older, we have ventured farther afield. Last year we travelled to Indiana to the Wolf Park Sanctuary, which was awesome and I thought, well, how the heck do we do anything to measure up to that trip? And then I realized, I didn’t need to. It wasn’t about that. It’s not about finding bigger and better every year – it is about finding a new adventure as a family. After that, it was easy to pick. And honestly, this trip was pretty darn fantastic in every way.

This year, we travelled to a town in Northern Michigan – Alpena, right on Lake Huron. Billy and I were excited because Lake Huron is one of the two Great Lakes we had never visited. We always visit the sunset side of Michigan, never the sunrise side. So this was a new experience for us too! I reserved a cute little AirBnB in a quiet neighborhood, that was advertised as being close to the lake and downtown and when we pulled up we were happy to see that it was just as perfect in person as it was online. A little corner house, filled with light, roomy and bright, and perfect for our little family’s little trip. We trundled in with all of our gear – so much when traveling with a kid! Games and technology and snacks and of course his gifts for his actual birthday. Cake and ice cream too, and all the things for a pancake breakfast per Wyatt’s request.

Our first night, after we had finished grocery shopping, we just settled in and were lazy bones, enjoying the comfort of the house. We ordered food from a place named The Nest, and it blew us away it was so delicious. Billy and I each ordered a different steak burger – Billy the Brie Larson, and I ordered the Classic Owl (of course). Wyatt ordered the grilled cheese from the Fledglings part of the menu, and wow, everything was amazing. Like, it was the best burger I have had in a long time, if ever. I definitely recommend this place if you are ever in Alpena, hands down. We didn’t dine in, we took it back to the house where we ate it picnic style on our picnic blanket on the living room floor. Wyatt loves a picnic, so a picnic we gave him.

We turned in early, and were up with the birds the next day, thanks to our own little early bird.

After a cup of coffee, Billy started making the big pancake and bacon breakfast for our new nine year old!

Wyatt loves Peppa Pig. Like loves Peppa Pig. There is an episode where Daddy Pig flips a pancake and a pancake lands on his head – so we were joking and wondering if Billy was going to end up with a pancake on his head, like Daddy Pig. Hence, the pancake on Billy’s head. He’s a good sport. Lol.

After filling up on pancakes and bacon, we headed out! Our first stop, downtown Alpena for a little shopping. You may not realize this, but Wyatt loves to shop. It cracks Billy and I up, because we are not shoppers. However my dad LOVES to shop, so apparently he inherited his love of shopping from his grandpa. Our first stop was Cabin Creek Coffee, where a polite pirate held the door open for us. It was so cute in there! Then we spent the next hour or so happily popping in and out of the shops. Our favorite by far was Traveling Ladders, an art/antique/home decor store. First the woman working was so friendly and welcoming, which is always nice. And the store itself was chock full of beautiful things – I could have spent all day in there marveling at all the little things. It is two floors, with the top floor being all antiques – just like the building itself is an old building. It was an old pharmacy and you can see the all the old bottles and boxes and shelves and drawers still there. It was really beautiful! I of course had to take a photo from the top floor of Wyatt and Billy way down there below! We also ended up buying a really cool antique/vintage poster for Wyatt’s room redo that is upcoming.

After exhausting all of our shopping options, we moved on! I had read about a small little island wildlife sanctuary right there in Alpena and that was our next stop. It was just the perfect size for us and it was so beautiful. It was really neat that it was a little island too. It was like this little peaceful oasis of nature, quiet, and calm right there in the city. And, we saw flying squirrels!!! We heard this weird noise that we thought was from birds, but nope, it was flying squirrels! We have never seen them in person so that was a first for us as well. They were so cute and tiny – and so loud despite their diminutive size. We also stumbled upon a geocache, and we added our names to the notebook and left a Valentines rubber stamp that I had in my purse, because I am a mom and become the holder of all things and you never know what you are going to find in my purse.

After walking around here, we were ready to go back to the house and chill out for a while. We played games, watched tv, just bummed around. We had a big night planned so it was good to get some relaxing time in there.

We hung out for a bit, then as dinner time rolled around we knew we had to get moving again for the main event of Wyatt’s birthday surprise! We had pizza followed by cake and ice cream, then bundled up for our night under the stars! Ok, not a whole night. Just a little while under the stars. Our destination – Rockport State Park! It has been designated a dark sky park, which means there is absolutely no light pollution. Being from the Detroit area, we are used to the dark being not really actually full dark at home. As we got closer and closer, the dark began to feel much closer, and the stars started popping out in the sky, little by little, and more and more. We could not have asked for a more perfect night for stargazing either. Clear, not a cloud in the sky, and a new moon, which means no moonlight either – just the light of the stars. We pulled into the lot, with Lake Huron in front of us, and Billy switched off the headlights. And then, it was pitch black. The dark just enveloped us, which I have to admit was a little unsettling at first. The woods surrounded us, the lake was in front of us, and I couldn’t see either of them. But I could feel them, if that makes sense. There was a chill in the air, and the waves were rioting below us, lapping against the shore with their slosh and retreat. The real show however was overhead. Never have Wyatt and I seen so many stars in the sky! It was like a brilliant blanket, and it seemed like there was not one available spot left in the sky for one more star. Orion was out, bold and bright. The Big Dipper and Little Dipper. It was just awe inspiring. We could have watched them all night (even though I was a bit nervous a bear would sneak up on us and eat us up) but all things must come to an end at some time. So after collecting a few rocks (Billy turned the headlights on for this) we headed back into town, leaving the stars and sky behind. As we drove to our little house for the night, The Decemberists were playing on the radio and it was just a dreamy way to end the evening as we headed back through the black. It had felt like we were the only people on earth for a little while and made us think big thoughts as we were reminded of just how wide and vast this universe really is.

This photo really does not do the sky justice – we didn’t have any other camera equipment with us besides our phone camera and Billy managed to get this one shot, which is beautiful. Imagine it though, with stars filling almost the whole frame because that is how it looked in person.

We of course had to examine our rocks before bed – and we learned that Wyatt really loves rocks. In fact so much, he wanted to take one to bed with him that night. So one rock became designated the bedroom rock and spent the night on the nightstand. It is on the nightstand here at home now, too.

And just like that, our adventure had come to an end. The next morning we packed up and headed home, stopping only for one thing – a roadside Paul Bunyan and Babe.

We had a fantastic weekend with our little guy for his birthday!

A Wee Road Trip

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn family, family friendly, nature2 Comments

On a whim, spur of the moment, fly by the seat of our pants type situation our family took a trip to the western side of Michigan over Mother’s Day weekend. My husband very nonchalantly said to me one day that he would like to see the tulips in Holland, MI , and I was like, well let’s go! We had originally planned to go to Mackinaw for that weekend, so he already had the time off – we just switched our destination at the last minute. And I was really glad that we did! I love northern Michigan but that weekend would have been absolutely freezing – we were cold in Sauguatuck and Holland, but nothing like it would have been in Mackinac.

It was not easy finding reservations at the last minute, especially ones that were not $400 a night. We ended up staying outside of Holland, for which I was grateful, as it was nice to visit the tulip festival and have a place to retreat that was less crazy, especially with our four year old in tow. The hotel we stayed at was one of a few that are out that way that I have always wanted to stay at – the Saugatuck Retro Resort, which is a restored and renovated motor lodge from 1966. The decor is mid-century modern, which I love, and it was super clean. I am one of those weirdos about rooms and cleanliness and this place passed my inspection. I have a love apparently lately for vintage style travel and the Saugatuck Retro Resort did not disappoint. I only wish we could have been there later in the season as the motel offered a communal fire pit and a great looking pool, as well as grills for guest use. Definitely a place to remember for the future.

We left early, stopping only for road provisions at Avalon Bakery in Detroit for croissants and cookies and headed out west, destination Windmill Island in Holland. I was there once as a very little girl but I didn’t remember it. It was insanely beautiful that day, with a super blue sky and a riot of tulips everywhere. I didn’t expect all the people there who came strictly to take photos in the tulip gardens, decked out in particular outfits to strike a pose, although I could see why they would! Some people were very respectful of the flowers, while others tromped all over them trying to get the perfect picture, which was sad. One woman was screeching at her kids and changing her lenses repeatedly trying to get her shot, all while squashing tulips beneath her Hunters -it was pretty sad. For the most part though, people were there to enjoy the scenery and take in the tulips. We walked around, visited the windmill, and poked around the tiny Dutch village replica, where I bought Wyatt a teeny pair of wooden clogs and a wooden duck call. (he loves ducks..)

The Visitors Center told me that there were 4 million tulips planted around the city, which was mind-blowing! That is a ton of tulips. But the results were majestic. They lined every street along the curb, and great fields were planted in open spaces. It was certainly a visual treat. Our motelier told us that it is the biggest tourist event in Michigan, which I was not aware of. I haven’t checked this fact, but I could believe it by the sheer number of people who were there. It is just a small time frame in the spring, during the peak of tulip season, but they definitely make the most of it. We took in the sights and then left the city for a little family time away from the biggest crowds.

We wound up in Saugatuck, which is where we were staying anyway. In search of coffee, we bumbled into a newish looking brewery that was a hop, skip, and jump from our motel, thanks to Google literally giving us the closest place that coffee could be found. The Guardian Brewery was new and bright and clean, and the coffee was delicious, probably because they use it to make a coffee porter. And of course, while we were there, we sampled their menu, both food and beer! I had the asparagus and wild rice salad, which was so good, Billy had a grilled ham and cheese, and since they did not have chicken tenders for my picky eater, he had chips and guacamole, that we of course helped him eat. Everything was absolutely delicious. It was a bit of an early bird dinner/late lunch, which put us at a weird schedule, so we went back to our room and let Wyatt decompress and be a kid for a bit, before hopping back in the car and tooling around town, looking about. We had a lovely evening, sitting outside the motel later, in the gloaming, as my dad would say. The motel was empty at the point except for us, so we had the place to ourselves, so we let Wyatt use his duck call. It was just nice to sit out there with our tea and each other’s company.

The next morning we stayed off the beaten path, and had breakfast at a local diner called Vicki’s, where Wyatt proceeded to eat two orders of bacon and a little bit of pancakes. After filling up on toast and scrambled eggs and bacon, we went to the DeGraaf Nature Center and spent a good few hours there, watching birds and hiking around. We are big nature center people, and they had a wonderful one. Wyatt enjoyed all the animals that lived there, especially the two screech owls who talked to us. He wasn’t so sure about the giant rabbit though lol. He is such a bird kid already! He can imitate bird calls almost perfectly, it kind of amazes me honestly. We saw 6 new birds to check off our list, and the pretty white trilliums that bloom in the woods in the spring. We also spotted fiddlehead ferns near a small stream as well! I love their spiral shape as they grow. They also had a small trail of rocks, as I called it, and I was tickled to see that there was a stone called a puddingstone! I am not sure why, but I really liked its name. It just made me smile.

Wyatt was so ready to go back to the room for a bit and get his wiggles out and watch some well-deserved Daniel Tiger, so we went back there for a bit. We spent the rest of the night shopping our way through Saugatuck’s downtown, where I could have probably bought a billion things, but I ended up buying only a book of poems written by a local poet and writer. For dinner we went to The Butler, a tradition for us. It is situated right on the water, and this time, it had special meaning for me. My aunt, who passed away in February, loved this restaurant and would drive all the way across the state to eat there, and then come home after. I think it was more for the experience of it, to just take a road trip, eat, and come home, but it was something she did. It was a moody evening, raining but very peaceful, and we raised a glass to her memory.

The next morning was mother’s day morning, and when we drove into town for breakfast we saw all the ladies dressed up, surrounded by their families, going to their breakfasts. We didn’t have reservations anywhere of course, so we found an awesome little bakery by the water where we literally got the best cup of coffee we had all weekend, and bagels. We had a water view and the place to ourselves and I couldn’t have asked for anything more but that perfect moment with my two guys.

Northern Michigan – Vacation Part Two

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn family, family friendly, Michigan, Uncategorized3 Comments

I have always wanted to go to the wineries on Mission Point. I finally got the chance to, albeit with a preschooler in tow. We didn’t get to do as much wine tasting as we would have (my 3 year old niece, my brother and sister-in-law were with us too), but my SIL and I decided that a girls trip there is an absolute must in our future! We at least got some good ideas of where we wanted to go.

We did get to do some cool stuff, besides gawking at the beautiful scenery that surrounded us. First we headed to the end of the peninsula to the lighthouse. I think this one of my favorite parts of the whole trip! The history, the water, the trees and the forest surrounding it – I could easily imagine being a lighthouse keeper there, in the middle of winter, with my snowy owl visitors from the Arctic.

 

 

After traipsing about with the other tourists, we headed toward Brys Estate Vineyards and their Secret Garden. It was the perfect place to go with our littles. A big beautiful garden for the kids to explore, pick blueberries, cut lavender, and enjoy the riot of color and flowers.

We walked around the garden for quite a while, until the rain that had threatened all day began in earnest. Chrissy and I took a moment to run into the store and look around while the guys loaded up the kids. If you do go to the Secret Garden and you have the chance to buy their lavender shortbread, do it!! It was delicious!! I wish I had bought more while I was there, since the whole car wanted to devour mine, including the kiddos. I of course shared but had I known I would have bought more. Chrissy and I also took advantage of the rain and the kids sleepiness to enjoy a record breaking for time wine tasting at Brys Vineyards, up the hill from the gardens. The ones we tried were delicious! I particularly enjoyed their deep reds. Yum!

By this point it was time to meet the rest of our family in Leland (Fishtown) one of our favorite parts of the whole trip every year. I love touring through the stores, and I of course love the Dam Candy Store. I also pop into the book store every year to make a purchase, of course. A few years ago there was a campaign to Save Fishtown! And I am glad they were able to. My husband has gone backpacking on Manitou Island, about three hours by ferry boat from Fishtown, and it would not be the same without the gray, weather beaten shacks turned stores that remain of the old fishing village.

Afterwards we headed back to the cabin, and laid low for the rest of the night. We sat by the lake and took turns with our kids, drinking wine under the stars. It was a wild night, with high winds, which I loved because then I could wear my new thrifted sweater that I got for the trip. I can’t wait for autumn to arrive so I can wear it more frequently!

The next day was our day to go home! Vacation flies by so swiftly. We said goodbye to our lake, with the clearest, calmest water that it had had the entire time we were there. We packed up, headed out, and made our first stop at a nearby small town, Frankfort, which my brother had told us had a beautiful beach. He was so right. We stretched our legs and took in some beauty before we had to get in the car for the long haul home. We then detoured across the fingertips of Michigan to Hartwick Pines, a state forest. I went there once when I was a kid and loved it, being surrounded by the old growth woods. There is something about trees and me. I love to stand silently in a wood, with tall pines and trees all around. The woods speak to my soul. I loved it there. I want to go back one day again, and spend a little bit more time there. Billy had to pull me away from the large windows, there were just so many birds!!! Evening Grosbeaks, Red-Breasted Grosbeaks, Hummingbirds everywhere. I could have sat there for hours. The visit newly invigorated our desire to start visiting as many National Parks as we can (a desire that is also being fueled right now by the book I am reading, Dear Bob and Sue).

All in all, it was a pretty great trip. I can’t wait to see what next summer ‘s adventures up north brings!