Category: travel

July 28, 2013

Mackinac Island Trip Highlights

Oh my gosh, I can hardly believe it. I have not been on the computer in an entire week! Usually, my job has me tied to a computer for 8 hours, and sometimes when I return home I might spend another hour or so online with blog posts, etc. But this week, I was completely unplugged. Seriously, the only phone call I even made was handed over to Peanut so he could talk to his grandma. I think my poor overworked eyes and brains enjoyed the break.

That being said, I was really itching to get on here to stay connected with all of you and give you some updates on our fabulous trip to Mackinac Island. I have four other posts in development as well on maintaining fitness habits on vacation, turning family trips into learning opportunities, travelling on a budget, and a where to go/what to see post about Mackinac Island itself. The trip gave me a big hit of creative juices.

Let me just say, the weather turned out to perfectly coincide with what we planned each day. Outdoor swimming days and Island exploring days were met with perfect weather. Indoor movie days and lighthouse exploring days were windier and chillier.

Sunday: We left on Sunday for a long 5-hour drive “up north.” The weather looked pretty ominous the entire way, but we never hit any real rain. We got to cross the glorious Mackinaw Bridge on our way to our motel. We checked in, had a snack and decided to explore our surroundings just a bit. Mackinaw city is comparable to downtown Wisconsin Dells. Lots of tourist shops, wineries, restaurants and even a Haunted House. Most ridiculous $7 ever spent was at said Haunted House. Oh geez! It was cheesy, but I screamed at least 3 times and it will be one funny memory our family will always have. Sunday night, we endured a huge rain and thunder storm. It was exciting to watch and listen to it from our hotel room.

Amazing sandy beach rest stops along Lake Michigan

It wouldn’t be summer if I couldn’t walk around with a perpetual pinch bouquet in my hands.

Monday: The weather was impeccable on Monday. Hot enough to swim in the Great Lakes. Swimming in Lake Huron, though rocky, was fabulous. The water was so clear and refreshing on that hot mid-summer day. We drank it all in.

Swimming in Lake Huron

A girl could get used to this!

Peanut getting his swim on

Check out how clear that Great Lakes water is!

Tuesday: The weather turned cool on Tuesday, so our plans to catch Despicable Me 2 were perfect. The movie is very cute. We also explored a lighthouse on Tuesday–a great place to be when the wind was whipping and turning the lake into relentless undulating whitecaps. After all of that, we took a trip into Cheboygan where we stopped at a local thrift store and let Peanut wear himself out at the indoor playground at Burger King.

Wednesday: We decided on the midweek point to hit Mackinac Island. That way, we had something look forward to, but we also had an extra day padded in, just in case we decided we wanted to go back to the island the next day. Again, we couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather. It eventually warmed up into a comfortable temperature where we weren’t cold but weren’t sweating and the wind had dramatically died down. On the island, we took a guest-driven horse carriage ride, explored some historical sites, visited the amazing butterfly museum and had a lovely lunch out. The butterfly museum was the highlight of the trip for me.

Guest-driven horse carriage rides. We wanted to go horseback riding, but all the stables told us that for insurance purposes, no one under the age of 10 is allowed to ride. Carriage ride it is!

Cool old Studebaker we found behind the Fort.

Like my live butterfly hairpiece?

Wings on Hubster’s shoulder so gorgeous they almost look fake.

The Grande Hotel

Some of the views we enjoyed on Mackinac Island

Trinity Church on Mackinac Island

We ate at the Seabiscuit Cafe, which was perfect. The portions were more normal-sized, which is ideal since one can’t possibly carry leftovers with them for the rest of the day on an island.

I had the Honey Nut Chicken Salad Sandwich with sweet potato fries. The petite little sandwiches were just enough to be satisfying. The whole meal was oh so good!

I splurged on a white wine citrus fruit sangria that cost more than my dinner. So entirely perfect for a cheers to a great family trip.

Peanut even tried the local beer. Root beer that is…

We took a sobering meander through St. Ann’s cemetery

This gravesite was marked as the oldest one in Saint Ann’s Cemetery. It was a poor sweet little 8 year old girl who lived from 1825 to 1833.

Thursday: Our last full day on vacation, we did a lot of sleeping, giving the pool one last run, and leisurely enjoying the day. We took one last trip down a road out of town to see where it would take us. We ended up at a few more amazing places quite by accident. One more lighthouse, Heritage Village and a place called the Headlands. The Headlands is one of only a handful of designated night sky viewing areas in the entire country. Because it’s so secluded and tree-covered, night viewing is impeccably clear, especially for meteor showers and Northern Lights. Lining the road is a self-guided tour explaining the myths, legends and facts behind each of the planets.

Lighthouse staircase

Mackinaw City Lighthouse

Wigwam at Heritage Village in Mackinaw City

On the trails

Old home at Heritage Village that was originally built by hand from logs in the 1800s that stayed in the family until the 1950s. Insulation came in the form of crumpled up newspaper in the walls.

Heritage Village family kitchen garden. There was even a compost heap.

Friday: We left right away in the morning, and with the time change, got back home relatively early in the afternoon. The rain was monsoon-like on our drive home, but again, the weather was timed perfectly with our plans.

We’re safe at home and glad to have the weekend to rest from our vacation, you know what I’m saying? Tomorrow we’re heading to Deerfest to meet some reality TV stars and browse hunting gear. Next week, EAA is in town, so we plan to take Peanut to the viewing tower inside the museum to watch the planes go in and out. Peanut’s 5th birthday is also this week, so we have a lot planned. I’ll be taking tomorrow and Sunday to relax before kicking it up again.

Hope you had a great week! I’ll be back with a “If you’re ever in the Mackinaw area…” post real soon. Stay posted!

July 19, 2013

Summer Mission List

I’ve been trying to formulate a last-stretch-of-summer mission list for Peanut and me to complete to really get the full experience of summer before it’s gone again. Mostly I’m looking for free or very low cost experiences that still provide enough of an impact to form special memories. I think that the Advent calendar should carry over into other parts of the year, don’t you? It’s too easy to be distracted by the little parts of daily life that sometimes keep us from enjoying the season. These little Missions give us a chance to be completely intentional about our time and productivity, ensuring that we don’t just let time pass, but we take control of our time and make it the best we can make it.

These are just some of the things I’ve been dreaming about:

1. Painting sticks
2. Taking a photography tour
3. Identify some local birds
4. Trip to The Well ice cream shop
5. Trampoline fun
6. Baseball at the park
7. Camp in the backyard
8. Watch the airplanes from the kids’ “tower” during EAA
9. Using twigs to write letters
10. Make popsicles
11. Try disc golf
12. Go to an outdoor concert
13. Have a picnic in a new park

This weekend we head out for Mackinac Island, Michigan. I can’t wait to visit this location that is purported to be like being transported to a whole different locale. White sandy beaches, local fudge shops, indoor water parks, sand dunes, horseback riding… Oh I just can’t wait. We’ve been doing quite well for traveling this summer, and it’s been doing well for us. Can’t wait to stop back in here and give you guys some snapshots of what we’re up to.

Enjoy your week!

June 24, 2013

If You’re Ever in Door County…

…You must do the following things:

1. You must either tour a winery, taste test some wine, or at the very least peer out the window at all the orchards, wineries and specialty wine shops that you pass by. Wine is kind of a big thing in Door County. I did not hesitate to partake in this little tourism draw. I bought the lightest, sweetest moscato (my pick of poison) ever and Hubster actually found a wine that he enjoyed. Mind you, Hubster has never drank a glass of wine in his life. He’s a beer-only guy. The fact that he actually found a wine he liked was jaw-dropping.

My super yummy moscato

Hubster liked the cranberry cherry wine. We’re also gonna

give a new beer and caramel apple sauce a shot.

All from Fat Louie’s

In addition to every olive oil ever, you can also sample vinegars,

jams, salsas, and other specialty items at Fat Louie’s

Just check out this shelf of preserved goodies

2. Participate in some kind of cookout: The fish boils in Fish Creek are a form of entertainment in themselves and have been going on for decades. Campground fires and freshly grilled fare abound in the summer, so there’s no reason to eat “indoor food.” My special birthday request for my mommy was healthy chicken and veggie skewers with honey mustard sauce. It was soooo good. Thanks mom! And thanks dad for manning the grill.

Fish Creek fish boil

Fish boil in action

3. Climb or at least admire the bluffs and shoreline. There are a lot of public swimming beaches and nature pathways to enjoy in Door County. We didn’t have enough time to explore more, but we did take walks out onto the docks and took time to admire the beauty around us.

4. Visit a few specialty shops. Almost every little town in Door County is littered with the cutest specialty shop you could ask for. You’ll find a collection of bookstores, clothing shops, cooking stores, art shops, and so much more at every corner. You will find nary a Walmart or McDonald’s in the “thumb” of Wisconsin. We did quite a bit of shopping while we were up there, even nabbing Hubster a pair of deerskin summer riding gloves.

Artist at work painting mural

Only in Wisconsin are the flamingos still wearing winter boots.

Even the hardware shops are charming.

5. Try the ice cream and coffee. Likewise, ice cream parlors and coffee shops abound. Not only was Fat Louie’s a specialty wine and olive oil shop, it also had the cutest ice cream parlor connected to it. Yes, we had ice cream for lunch. Don’t judge. It was my birthday weekend after all.

We also stopped in the Linger Coffeehouse for a little pre-dinner snack. We all ended up full on their fresh bagels and cheese and fruit platter. You should see how they brew their coffee. Talk about fresh-brewed. I don’t even know what this process is called, but they put the coffee in these specialty filtering cones, poured hot water over the top, and let the coffee drip directly into the coffee cup. Cool!

A corner of the Linger coffee shop holds a guitar signed by

Keith Urban!!! It said “play me.” I thought, don’t mind if I do!

Fresh bagels and pastries

Our generous cheese and fruit plate that filled us up.

6. Go to an outdoor movie: Outdoor movie theaters are getting pretty rare these days, as would be expected. However, one totally retro one is still in operation in Fish Creek: The Skyway Drive-In. Although this was in our itinerary to do, it downpoured on Saturday night, keeping us indoors for the evening. I have been to this theater in the past as a kid though, so I know what a great old-school experience it is.

For our overnight trip, we stayed at one of the cabins at Beantown Campground in Bailey’s Harbor. Beer fest was happening in Bailey’s Harbor, which we happily lingered through. Watch out for those sea gulls though. Bird poop in the hair is not fun. Just sayin’. Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellies were playing when we were there. They are the cutest, most folksy bluegrass band I’ve ever heard at a local festival (well, with the exception of The Pegs). I’ve been listening to them on Spotify ever since. Look them up!

I bought Peanut a mini guitar. Ok, I admit, I’m harboring four guitars in his large closet already because I don’t know where else to store them. However, I’m super protective of them because Peanut, well, he’s 4. He’s not as gentle with them as I would desire. Now he’s got one that fits him just right and he can do what 4-year-olds do to it.

He just adores his brand new guitar, and I couldn’t be any more delighted. He played around the campfire for us and even played outside of some of the shops while grandma browsed. My little street singer even got claps from passers-by. Adorable!

Bridge in Sturgeon Bay

cool aptly-decorated beach deck

Random tree

The kayak tours were luring me.

Bailey’s Harbor had some neat public fish scale bike racks.

We saw a band of turkey vultures sitting on a fence that almost didn’t look real.

My Peanut

Old barber’s chair

This little weekend trip was brought to me by my parents for my 30th birthday. Thanks mom and dad!

June 14, 2013

Chicago Part Two: The City Scenes

Hubster doesn’t like the big city. The air quality was getting to him, the traffic was making his blood thicken, and the sheer number of people put him on edge. He’s a country boy, through and through. I, on the other hand, am completely energized by the big city. The lit-up city skyline makes the place seem magical to me.

Friday, we left home early and got to Chicago by about 1pm. After checking into our hotel, we went to visit the Museum of Science and Industry. Our EAA passes got us into the museum for free. We did end up paying $20 for parking in the ramp though. There is other free parking nearby that we didn’t know about until we left. Parking in a high-security ramp is always a safe bet though.

We only went for general admission, which was definitely more than sufficient for us. That’s not to say I wouldn’t have loved to see the Animals Inside Out exhibit though. Interactive weather stations, business-building kids’ workshops and medical exhibits were more than enough to keep us busy and enthralled. In one of the hands-on biology labs, they were even dissecting cow eyeballs! Our little city life just doesn’t compare sometimes.

Light spectrum piano

Use the wind to keep the balls in the air

Classic static moment

Mini Chicago

Look, they even had a model UPS truck, where Hubster works

We had dinner at a White Castle. We’d never been to one. They don’t exist in Wisconsin. We just watched an episode of Undercover Boss involving the CEO of White Castle, so it was even more interesting to experience the place first hand. I am not exaggerating when I say Hubster ate about 15 sliders. Eating at a White Castle was on his food bucket list, mostly because of our limited exposure to it in Wisconsin. Ok, maybe it’s because he’s a fast food addict, but I digress. Either way, we checked that classy, super-healthy item off the bucket list (sarcasm anyone?). On the way back to the hotel, we caught a glimpse of the Jennifer Hudson Weight Watchers studio, which is very inspiring to someone such as myself.

All day Saturday, I spent at John Hall Studios for my NASM live workshop. You can read about my experience here. Meanwhile, Peanut and Hubster played in the pool, visited the Toys R Us a few doors down (I was the first victim of the water guns they bought), napped and just took it easy. Peanut wasn’t feeling the greatest when we left on Friday, so the slowed-down pace was just what he needed.

After the workshop, we ate at a place called Mattson’s Bar and Grille, which was two doors down from our hotel. We weren’t sure what to expect, and the process was sort of like half fast-food and half hometown restaurant. You order your meal at the front, kind of like at a fast food place. But they bring your freshly cooked food to you at your table. There was a full fresh salad buffet–that’s what I had! Hubster ordered the flatbread beef sandwich but didn’t have room for it after his buffet run. Leftovers! It was an interesting place. A warning though, they charge you just to walk in the door. We found that we had a $2.00 charge just for dining there. I’m sure this is to supplement tips and such, since they really didn’t have waiters.

Interesting mural over the ordering area

Beautiful stained glass around the building. Cell phone pics do no justice.

On our way home on Sunday, we stopped at an Oasis over the freeway just for the experience. Not a huge deal for most people, but for us (especially Peanut) it was something new. It’s not every day that we get to order a smoothie from McDonald’s while watching traffic pass under us.

We also made a short stop in Port Washington to visit a family friend on our way home. Port Washington is one of the most amazing Milwaukee-ish suburbs. You could almost describe it as a quaint little resort town. Fresh fish is in abundance and if you ever stop by on Fish Day, you’ll see one of the best parades and festivals you’ve ever seen in Wisconsin. Even the public restrooms down by the pier were nicer than some restaurant restrooms I’ve seen. It’s pretty much a prerequisite in Port Washington that you must visit their historical lighthouse.

We ate dinner at Tello’s Grille and Cafe in Port Washington before making the rest of our 1+ hr trip home. Tello’s offered an interesting mix of Greek and Mexican food. It was like a Greek and a Mexican got married, decided to open a restaurant, and couldn’t decide on what type of food to make, so they made both. After digging deeper, the story is much cooler than that. Check out some of their history here. The interior was segmented between a dining area and a bar area with a small dining section in the middle. This worked well since there was a graduation party going on, and we didn’t feel like we were imposing or interrupted by it at all. The restaurant also had a cute outdoor setup, where a couple was dining with their pup. It’s one of those quaint little settings that looks just as cute in person as it does in pictures.

I thoroughly enjoyed this giant Greek salad

The architectural details in Tello’s are beautiful

It’s always amazing how one short three-day trip can re-energize a person. I need to keep that in mind when I start to feel overwhelmed and wanderlust-full. Just a few simple three-day weekends sprinkled throughout my mortal days are enough to give me a jolt of renewed energy.

This coming weekend, we’re already taking another trip to a cabin in Door County Wisconsin. My parents are treating us to a weekend getaway to celebrate my birthday (which is Monday). Hopefully I’ll be back with some fun stories about that.

June 1, 2013

Elkhart Lake Wisconsin Weekend Retreat

A few weekends ago, I went on a women’s retreat with my mom’s church to Elkhart Lake, WI. Now, anyone from Wisconsin knows the beauty and charm that Elkhart Lake is known for, even those who have never visited it. It’s a resort town. In fact, one of its greatest features is the grand Osthoff Hotel.

The Osthoff is situated on a cute little lake with a public pass-through path. It’s a great place for a wedding. In fact, there were at least three going on the weekend we stayed there. One happened right in the “living room” area of the hotel. We gawked and “awwwed” from the upper level windows as the bride walked down the aisle. The backyard area is the most picturesque place for wedding photos.

Our speaker for the retreat was Jennifer Sands, whose husband was a victim of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. That travesty led her to her spiritual transformation and powerful speaking and writing career. I guarantee that you can’t listen to her story without shedding some tears. I even won one of her books, which I had her sign, and am eagerly waiting to dive into it.

I really wish we could’ve stayed longer at the hotel. We had so many ongoing sessions, that we had little time to relax and watch cardinals from our balcony. Our hotel room was more like an apartment, complete with two whole bedrooms (mine’s pictured below), two bathrooms, a living room and a kitchenette. I would’ve happily lived there:) Except I would miss my little family a little too much.

The food we were provided was excellent too. We had two formal meals while there. Only downside was, they served fish and I can’t eat fish. But, the quality of the food and the amazing staff make up for that. Plus, no one told me you had to list your dietary restrictions beforehand. Ah well.

Speaking of food, the Osthoff actually offers gourmet cooking classes inside their amazing cooking school. We peeked in the kitchen and it’s pretty neat. I’ve never seen anything like that before in my little Wisconsin existence. I could see Hubster and I spending our anniversary there, learning how to make French cuisine together. That would be so up our alley. Well actually, gourmet burgers would be so up his alley, but you get the point.

I was even able to stay pretty active during our stay. One of the church members is a licensed Zumba instructor, so mom and I got up early on Saturday to get schwetty. I also took a little stroll around the quaint downtown area and ended up accidentally making one big loop right back to where I came from. I would imagine it’s even more fun when it’s a lot warmer with the multitude of indoor and outdoor pools and public beaches. The Osthoff also has a workout center if none of those other options please you.

I’m so glad I went on this trip to get a little refresh. I remember taking short trips with youth group growing up and remembering how transformed and refreshed I always felt afterward. It was about time that I let myself get away for a little retreat from life as I usually know it.

If you’re ever in the Elkhart Lake area, I would highly suggest booking a room at this hotel.

May 20, 2013

Weekly Workout Rundown

Monday:

40 min AM run, 3 miles

Tuesday:

35 min AM run, 2.5 miles
22 min PM Bridal Babe + Sunkissed Abs workouts

Wednesday:

45 min Bikini Cardio AM run, 3.7 miles
30 min Surfer Babe DVD in PM

Thursday:

Rest

Friday:

40 min AM run, 3 miles
45 min PM Surfer’s Paradise + Cowabunga workouts, 3 rounds each

Saturday:

60 min run, 5 miles

Sunday:

35 min run, 3 miles

This week, we’re starting to tally up our miles until the first day of summer. As of this morning, I am at 22.5 miles for #100bySummer. My workouts are pretty much on-pace with the #BikiniSeries schedule for the week. Links to all workouts can be found in this post. Oh, and I reached a number on the scale this week that I haven’t seen in a very long time, thanks to this Bikini Series. The numbers crept up a little over the weekend, but the downward trend seems to be sticking. I just really want to get into the “healthy weight” zone. Right now, I just fall into the “overweight” category, but I’m so close that I can taste it.

Holy sore-ness! I’ve got a lower back and shoulder thing going on this week that are pestering me, but not restricting my workouts in any way. I won’t do any moves that will worsen my aches, but I can still run and do pretty much everything. I just look like a 90-year-old lady when I try to bend at the waist and get up from my chair. I’m a tummy sleeper, so I’ve been sleeping with a pillow under my pelvis and that really helps take the pressure off my lower back. I may or may not be secretly using Ben-Gay. I’m not! I kid…

Our weekend was spent almost entirely outside due to the amazing weather we’re having in Wisconsin finally! I did some yard work, studied for my NASM exam in a lawn chair, took a 5k run around the neighborhood, accidentally crashed a cookout, went on a ‘coon hunt in the middle of the city, picked up veggie plants for the garden, and took a scooter ride. Peanut did some of this stuff with us, but he had a special sleepover and fishing trip of his own to attend. I’m feeling a cold coming on, but this warm summery weather sure seems to be tempering the effects.

Here’s our little neighborhood friend. Pretty docile for a wild animal. Hubster live-trapped and relocated her. Peanut has a weird fear of raccoons of all things, but he was all-too-eager to help his Da hunt her down.

How excited are you for the upcoming three-day weekend? I am! I am! We always hit up the city-wide rummage sales in the town where my husband grew up and put flowers on his grandpa’s grave while we’re there. It’s kinda a tradition now. We’re going to try and find this place again. And in two weekends, we’re heading to Chicago for a little family trip, centered around my NASM personal trainer workshop. This summer is going to be so good…

What trips do you have planned already for the summer?

December 15, 2012

Life in a Northern Town Part Two

On a recent trip to the Northern Woods of Wisconsin (read Part One here), we had the prime opportunity to tour a cluster of freshwater waterfalls. Now, I knew this trip was going to be good. But I didn’t realize just how “alive” I would feel being in some of the most beautiful places in the state, hearing that rushing water, feeling the crisp air, and hearing the low thuds under our feet as we navigated the soft ground was beyond compare.

We did a self-guided waterfall tour of the waterfalls in Crivitz, WI. There really isn’t ample information on the web about the tour, but we happened to find an area activity pamphlet at a local business that provided directions. Otherwise, there isn’t much info available anywhere. Not even from the locals we asked. And when we tried to go by our own directions, we failed. Use the pamphlet!!!

Much of our drive around consisted of either dirt or gravel roads. That’s how far away from civilization we were. It looked like the primary bulk of the population was weekenders with “cabins” set deep in the woods. For one weekend, I loved it! You could tell that even the trails that led to the waterfalls were pretty scarcely travelled. I abhor touristy destinations, and this was about the least touristy that one could get. “Rustic” is even putting it lightly (don’t worry, our motel had cable, internet and running water, ha!).

When grandma used to shoo us out the back door to get some “fresh air,” she never knew she was preparing me for an appreciation of things like this.

I can’t wait to make this a yearly fall tradition

Neither can he!

When I was a kid, we used to travel “up north” somewhere every year for a big family reunion. I’m not even sure how we were related to those people, but it was the time of my life. My all-time greatest memories revolve around breathtaking color-changing trees, investigating long-abandoned cottages and motor homes in the woods, canoeing on the tiny nestled-in lake, eating all the food we could ever imagine, imagining conjured ghosts, feeling so warm and connected, almost staying overnight there (until someone mentioned wolf howls) and playing with other kids on the beautiful screened-in porch. I decided I could either remain nostalgic and regretful about this lost tradition forever or begin a new one with my family. Hence, this autumn “up north” road trip was born.

What are your greatest childhood memories? Did you ever wish you were Huck Finn too?