#TBT - Sunshine, Sand and Seashells

I'm backtracking a bit here, but the winter weather is setting in, and it's nice to remember the sunshine, sand and seashells we enjoyed during our BIG road trip to Florida last April. I never got around to posting about it because we took the trip just weeks after our move to the suburbs. It was a crazy time! During the trip we rented a condo on the beach and got to hang out with Tom's family, celebrate his parents' 50th anniversary and Easter too!

We spent two days driving to Fort Walton Beach with a stop in Nashville to spend the night. With a 6-month-old and almost 3-year-old in the car, we made a lot of pit stops! When we made it to Fort Walton, it was a little chilly, but the weather soon warmed up and we were able to hit the beach. We spent a lot of time at the beach and also took a few dips in the pool. A big highlight of the trip was the  boat ride (Margot's first!) to see the dolphins. They were all over the place! It was insane!

After all of our fun in the sun we packed up and headed for home, with another stop in Nashville. This time we stayed with friends and had a lot of fun catching up!

We made it!

Emmons Cousins

The Easter Bunny found us!

Beach time!

Never ending sand - heaven to a tot!

Relaxed!

This beach tent was a MUST!

Beaching with Grandma

On her first boat ride!

Isabelle's Highlight - What tot doesn't love a clown who face paints and  makes royal attire out of balloons? 

Door County as a Family of Four!

This year we took our annual trip to Door County the weekend after Labor Day. We had reserved a camping site in Peninsula State Park, but a few weeks before the trip we decided that might not be the best idea since Margot wasn't walking yet. (She was just crawling, cruising and as the trip approached she started taking a few steps all on her own. Since the trip she really started walking - watch out world!)

Luckily I found Little Sister Resort in Sister Bay and we stayed in one of the chalets - basically a small two-bedroom apartment with a wood burning fireplace, full kitchen and a deck. It was clean and it was nice having a place to hang out after the kids were asleep. The fireplace was a nice addition and we made a fire every night. Very relaxing.

Our first day was mainly our travel day, however we did stop at Renard's Cheese to stock up on fresh cheese curds - they squeaked! After we arrived at the resort, unpacked and played at the playground, it was time for dinner, so we walked down to Fred and Fuzzy's Waterfront Bar and Grill. We were committed to eating outside, so we bundled up and and enjoyed the beautiful view and fresh fish.

The next morning we took advantage of the continental breakfast at the resort and hashed out our plan for the rest of the day, which involved a ferry and Washington Island. Our first stop was to gather a picnic lunch at Fish Creek Market. They make the best made-to-order sandwiches and they even throw in a bag of chips and a cookie. After a relaxing ferry ride to Washington Island, we went straight to Schoolhouse Beach where we had lunch, built some rock castles and tested the water.

That afternoon we hiked to Mountain Park Lookout Tower, visited the Sievers School of Fiber Arts and the Historic Island Dairy which now houses a island history exhibit, art and vintage poster gallery and lavender market. We had a chance to speak with the owner, Marsha Williams who hails from Chicago. We learned a lot about the building, the lavender business and her husband and co-owner, Scott Sonoc, who created all of the unique posters - of course we had to get one and some of the lavender products too.

Outside the Historic Island Dairy standing by what they use as a shed - lavender fields are all around.

It was a busy day, but it also wasn't over. We hopped on the ferry and went to Gills Rock on the mainland where we played at a local park, picked up some smoked fished for Tom (his favorite!) and had dinner at The Shoreline Restaurant.

The next day we started with church in Sister Bay and then tried to go apple or cherry picking. Unfortunately the apples were not ready to pick and a few days earlier a huge storm rolled through town and shook all the cherries off the trees, so there were none to pick. Instead we stopped by the kite store in Fish Creek and had a picnic at Nicolet Bay Beach in Peninsula State Park.  It is the perfect place to run around and it was a beautiful day! In fact, it was so nice, I wished we would have brought our swimsuits.

Playing at the park.

Next up was hiking! We have a pretty sturdy stroller, so we took it on a few easy trails. It was the second trail that we ran into some trouble. The fallen trees were easy to go over, but that huge storm I mentioned created a new pond right in the middle of the trail and we had no choice but to go through it. So Tom and I picked up the stroller (with the girls in it of course!) and carried it while we trudged through the muddy pond.

Before the pond. Didn't see it coming!

After the pond.

That night, dinner at Gibraltar Grill was well deserved! We ate out on the patio and it was the perfect way to wrap up our trip, but it wasn't over yet. The next day we packed up the car and said goodbye to Little Sister Resort. We had one very important stop to make - breakfast at Al Johnsons Swedish Restaurant. We even got to see the goats! We can't wait for our next visit to Door County!

       

A Midwest Safari (Of Sorts)

First, it's been awhile since my last post and I should probably explain why. It's because we moved to the suburbs and we're still in the process of finding our new home. That means we're in temporary digs and spending as much time as we can out and about. The past week we have seen a lot of animals. I mean a lot.

Last weekend I took the girls to Iowa and during that trip we went to Dyersville to see my grandma. (Also home to the Field of Dreams). After lunch at Breitbach's, one of our favorite restaurants and Iowa's oldest bar and restaurant, we went roading through the countryside. First we drove to the old family farm and checked out the cows. Then we kept driving down the gravel roads, past the fields of corn and the farms full of cows, sheep, pigs, donkeys, mulls and horses. We eventually stopped at another farm and got out of the car for a close-up look at the cows. Isabelle wasn't a fan, Margot was snoozing away, but my grandma was petting the cows. I'm sure the owners of the farm was scratching their heads wondering what we were doing! As you can see, I was a little camera happy.


 

The next day we went to Niabi Zoo in Coal Valley, Illinois with my parents, sister Christine and my cute nephew Parker. We all had fun seeing the animals, riding the train and taking a spin on the carousel. During this trip we timed it right and had a chance to feed the giraffes. Romaine lettuce seems to be their favorite snack. They snatched it right up with their blue tongues. It was a cool experience and worth the $4.

Finally, this weekend was the DuPage County Fair. So today our friends, the Fout family, joined us for an afternoon at the fair. It was just how I imagined. We saw tons of livestock, chickens, rabbits, chicks, bees, camels, turtles, tap dancers and lot of carnival rides - which we stayed away from during this trip, no time! Next year we'll have to map it out a little better, but I think we did pretty well with two 3-year-olds and baby! Speaking of baby, the first aid station had a wonderful, quiet and air-conditioned place to breastfeed. They even had a rocking chair. It was perfect!

Our animal theme is continuing tomorrow with a trip to Cosely Zoo. Isabelle is signed up for Toddler Time at the zoo and Margot and I get to tag along. With the way we're going, Margot's second word might just be cow or duck, but I'm still holding out for Ma Ma.

And Baby Makes Four

I haven't posted in awhile and I have a good reason. Baby Margot entered the world in late September and the last few months have been a whirlwind of wonderful adjustments. Life as a family of four can be hectic, but we are cherishing the time with our two little girls. My maternity leave fell over Thanksgiving and Christmas, so we have already made a few road trips with a baby and toddler in tow. The most memorable being the week I spent at my parents' house in Iowa with Isabelle and Margot (Tom was in Florida for work). We packed a lot in that week and even road tripped to Dyersville, Iowa to see my grandma and to Clinton, Iowa to see the Festival of Lights and visit the children's museum. We had a great time and we can't wait for our future travels once this epic winter decides to calm down.

Just one day old!

Cowboy World!

In August we took Isabelle to Donley's Wild West Town in Union, Illinois. It's about an hour from Chicago and my sister Michelle discovered it one day driving home from work. Michelle, her husband Jim and my other sister Janell wanted to get together, so we thought it would be a great place to meet and spend a Saturday morning. I prepped Isabelle by taking her to the library to find a book on cowboys. We found The Toughest Cowboy, it's about a group of cowboys who are tamed of their wild ways by a poodle named Foofy. Check it out, it's a cute book. I also kept referring to Donley's Wild West Town as Cowboy World, so forever in our minds that is the name we will use. I didn't think Isabelle was into Cowboy World while we were there. She was a bit afraid of almost everything - pony ride, petting zoo, merry-go-round, Wild West Show (that one we should have expected, gun shots were involved) - but after we left she kept talking about Cowboy World. Even this week Isabelle has mentioned "I go to Cowboy World!" She did enjoy panning for gold (water and rocks were involved), running around the tee-pee and she liked the train ride.

Donley's Wild West Town is geared for the 3-11 age set, so I think we'll go back another time when Isabelle is a little older and can enjoy it even more. Here are some of the activities, all for $16. Ages 2 and under are free.

Wild West Show
Train Rides
Merry-Go-Round
Roping Lessons
Playground
Petting Zoo
Panning for Gold
Sling Shots
Tomahawk Throw
Archery
Pony Rides (for kids)
Mini Roller Coaster (for kids)
Mini Canoe Rides (for kids)
Hand Cars (for kids)
Tee-Pee, shops and other areas to explore

Train is coming!

She was a little nervous on the train.

Inside the petting zoo.

We checked out the ponies, but she would NOT ride one.

Panning for gold.

Just a typical Saturday for us.

Dreaming of Greece

I recently discovered the song "Mykonos" by the group Fleet Foxes. It's from their first album, Sun Giant released in 2008. So I guess I'm a bit late to game, but wow when I first heard it on the radio I had to listen to it again and again and again. Thanks to iTunes and $0.99 I can. Although the song lyrics don't reflect this, the melody reminds me of a carefree vacation. You know the kind where you're relaxing at a beach cafe with a glass of wine in hand and the wind is blowing off the water. Then of course the title "Mykonos" makes me think of my long-held desire to visit the Greek Islands. Even now I can just envision the crystal blue water and white-washed buildings. One of these days!

You can check out the song and accompanying video here: http://fleetfoxes.com/

Round We Went - Last Stop Southwest Michigan

Last Stop - Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Took a the ferry back to Mackinac City, drove south along the east coast of Michigan with a detour to see Sleeping Bear Dunes. Then made our way to Whitehall which was our home base for the last two nights before making a leisurely drive home to Chicago with a few stops along the way in New Buffalo and Michigan City. Full trip overview here.

After we docked in Mackinac City, we packed up the car and made our way south. Our first stop was to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes. It took us about three hours to drive there and when we arrived in Glen Arbor, the closest town, we were ready for lunch. We noticed Boondocks right away with it's huge deck, lots of umbrellas and better yet, it was packed. The food didn't live up to the ambiance, but it was enough to sustain us during our visit to Sleeping Bear Dunes. We needed the energy because we were about to climb the dune. It took a lot longer than we thought because Isabelle liked to stop and play in the sand. Why wouldn't she? It was a giant sandbox to her! From the top of the dune we had a clear view of Glen Lake and the surrounding area.  We were high up - about 150 feet above the parking lot at the first plateau and about 300 feet above at the second plateau. It took a lot to keep Isabelle from running down to the bottom and once again I was more worn out than she was. I heard "Come on Mommy" a few times.

On the way up!

Resting at the top.

Time to head back down.

Sand angels!

After our climb we shook off the sand and hopped in the car. We still had a 2 1/2 hour drive to Whitehall, where we were staying our last two nights. When we finally arrived at the Lakeside Inn Resort, it was getting close to dinner. So we quickly checked out our room and unpacked the car. Our room was on the second level and was fairly large. The bathroom could have used some updating, but the screened in porch more than made up for it.

Checking out the view - tip toes!

For dinner we tried to go to Harbor View Grille in Whitehall. It was a Friday night and the wait was long, so we decided to try the local fish fry at the Lake Eagles Auxiliary 3124, part of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. The fish was good, but the view and the band were even better!

Isabelle was more into the band. They played Phish! Tom was a happy guy!

They next day started with a continental breakfast at the resort and since it was too cold to take a dip in the outdoor heated pool, so we decided to hop in the car and check out Nelis' Dutch Village in Holland. I remember going here as a kid and I hate to say this, but it didn't live up to my memories. It was a bit tired and the on again, off again rain probably didn't help. Although, since it is geared for kids, all that really matters is if Isabelle liked it - she did!

First time on a carousal. Look at that posture!

She loved seeing the animals.

Choo Choo!

She went back for more!

After visiting Nelis' Dutch Village, we decided to drive over to Saugatuck. It's a popular weekend destination from Chicago and we had heard great things about it. It has tons of cute shops and restaurants, so our first stop was finding a place for lunch. I honestly don't remember the name of where we ate, but it was located right along the docks and we sat outside so Isabelle could see all the boats go by. After lunch we checked out the shops and grabbed some coffee to go. 

Isabelle fell asleep on the drive back to Whitehall, so we just kept driving. We ended up a few miles past the resort at White River Light Station. Tom and I each took turns checking out the lighthouse.

Lake Michigan and White Lake are connected by this channel.

Cloudy day.

After Isabelle's nap we decided to once again try Harbor View Grille - going early worked and we were seated fairly quickly. Dinner was delicious, but we could tell that Isabelle needed to burn some energy, so we went back to the resort and she took over the playground. The sun also finally came out!

"Welcome to my home."

Future rock climber?

Perhaps one of my favorite photos.

That evening Tom and I relaxed on the screened in porch while Isabelle dozed off. The next morning was a slow start and we eventually packed up the car and made our way to New Buffalo where we had lunch and went to an art fair. It was a great way to celebrate Father's Day!

Tom wearing his Father's Day gift from Isabelle.

Our next stop was Michigan City to see what the outlet mall had to offer. Turns out it isn't that close to the highway and there is a nuclear power plant next door.  Not exactly a comforting sight. It was getting late so we went in literally two stores and left. We made it back home to Chicago in time for dinner and Sunday evening traffic. Some things never change!

We had a wonderful vacation circling Lake Michigan!

Circle complete - Chicago!