Slightly Coastal: The Great American Summer Vacation

This summer has been flying by! I can’t believe we go back to school in just a few short weeks (we don’t wait until Labor Day in the South).  It seems just like yesterday school was let out and we were looking forward to our big family summer vacation and here we are, already on the other side of that glorious vacation.  It was jam packed.  Here’s what we did…

We flew in to Detroit and started our vacation with a memorial service for my husband’s dear grandmother.  She was a spunky woman who lived to the age of 95.  Although we were sad she passed, we all agree she lived a very full life and is super happy to be with her husband in heaven who passed around 25 years ago.  We will always remember her affinity for sending cards with stickers on them for every single occasion to every single person in the family; the fact that she had her hair done every week and wore back-combed big hair with style at 95; always had her make-up perfect, nails painted, and rings on nearly every finger.  She was one of a kind and will be missed.

The next day we went to Macy’s to have lunch because we can’t go to Detroit without having a Maurice Salad and Saunder’s Hot Fudge dessert.  I wish I had a picture of those, but we all devoured them before I even thought of taking a picture…it’s that good.  As if we needed any more food after that, we went to dinner at the wonderful Coach Insignia restaurant on the 71st floor of the General Motors building.  You are going to notice a food theme…we vacation around food in Michigan.

Our view was amazing.  I didn’t realize the river separated Detroit from Canada.  It happened to be Canada Day so we saw fireworks going off on the Canada side once the sun started to set.  The view just got better and better throughout the dinner.

The next morning we were off to my brother-in-law and sister-in-law’s log cabin in Northern Michigan.  It is the most beautiful log cabin on their lake and it is such a destination and place for our whole family to just “be” together.  We have been going up for the 4th of July for more than 10 years.  During this time, their kids have grown, gone to college, graduated from college and are now bringing “significant” others with them for the 4th.  My Hayden has grown up going there every summer of his life and my Luke is just learning about our yearly family traditions.  I love the rustic quality of the cabin and the total change in weather for us.

As soon as we drop our bags we get busy getting ready for the big lobster boil.  My BIL and SIL  bring up live Maine lobsters every year for us to have a decadent dinner al fresco overlooking the lake.

We always have lobster left over and the joke in the family is that we have to hide the leftovers from my husband who may or may not be known for sneaking a lobster tail while standing in front of the fridge using the doors to hide it.  We have to preserve it because it is an annual tradition to make Lobster Eggs Benedict (from scratch) for breakfast two days later.

I have to say, I almost like the Lobster Eggs Benedict more than just the lobster.  It is soooo good.  After our delish breakfast we hop into the SUV’s and caravan to Mackinack Island which has become a newer family tradition.  Mackinack (pronounced Mack-i-naw) can only be reached by ferry boat and they do not allow any motorized vehicles on the island.  We head straight to a bike rental and bike the 7.5 miles around the island.  It is so beautiful.  I tried to snap several pictures but it is hard to keep up with everyone on bikes.  I saw so many beautiful homes.

We climbed the 207 steps straight up to see Arch Rock and stopped by the water to take in the collections of Cairns (stacked stones) that stretch nearly all 7.5 miles around the island.

After our bike ride we always have lunch at the Pink Pony before buying some homemade fudge.  We arrived back at the log cabin just in time to take a ride on the jet skis and have some water fun.

Our evenings on the lake are filled with great food, incredible wine (really), and beautiful sunsets.  We take a nightly coffee cruise after dinner around the lake on the pontoon and take time to make plenty of s’mores.

I’m always in awe of the fireworks on the lake.  Even though we have seen incredible fireworks at professional displays, there is something special about people setting off fireworks for the sheer celebration and joy of it all.

Even though our week is filled with amazing food, even more amazing wine, fun on the lake, and fancy dinners, the greatest thing about our week is the time we have with each other.  This family loves to talk over coffee, talk over wine, and talk over food.  Amazingly, we never seem to run out of things to talk about.  It’s a special week that we all look forward to each summer.  As our family grows it just becomes even more interesting and fun.

Just because we could…on the way back in to town we popped into the Magic Kingdom for about 5 hours.  My little family can’t get enough of the Mouse.

Here’s hoping you have had or will have a chance to reconnect with family in a meaningful way this summer.

Nancy