Somewhere in Time

Sometimes I feel like this would be a good title for most of my posts as I am still catching up, but it is definitely appropriate for this one.  Before our next excursion in Michigan, I sat McKay down to watch the timeless romantic, Somewhere in Time.  With Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour starring in this fabulous 80's treasure, how could it not be wonderful?  McKay loved it and was now pumped to see Mackinac island where this movie was filmed.

The only way to get over to the island is by these ferryboats.

When you arrive on the island it is as though you have jumped back in time to the early 1900's.  There are no vehicles on the island, only horse-drawn carriages...

...and a multitude of bikes...

...and lots and lots of fudge!

LOADS!!!!

The island was an important point of commerce during the fur trade around the late 1600's.  After the American Revolutionary War started, Fort Mackinac was built by the British, but did not see any battles until the War of 1812.  Since then, it has become a place of tourism, seeing almost 15,000 people a day in the summers!

While on the island, we bumped into my harp teacher, who was playing at a wedding.  Could you pick a more romantic place to get married?  Seriously!

Since there were no cars or motorcycles to travel around the island on, we rented some bikes and made the peaceful, quiet and calming trip around the island.  However, with Mr. Speedy here, sometimes I felt a bit like Sister Uchtdorf, from the story in Elder Utchdorf's most recent General Conference talk, where he explains his desire to become more competitive.I love how Elder Uchtdorf puts it though:

My wife, Harriet, and I love riding our bicycles. It is wonderful to get out and enjoy the beauties of nature. We have certain routes we like to bike, but we don’t pay too much attention to how far we go or how fast we travel in comparison with other riders.

However, occasionally I think we should be a bit more competitive. I even think we could get a better time or ride at a higher speed if only we pushed ourselves a little more. And then sometimes I even make the big mistake of mentioning this idea to my wonderful wife.

Her typical reaction to my suggestions of this nature is always very kind, very clear, and very direct. She smiles and says, “Dieter, it’s not a race; it’s a journey. Enjoy the moment.”

How right she is!

Read the whole talk here!  Of Regrets and Resolutions

Luckily, like Sister Uchtdorf, I was able to reign in my stallion and help him to worry less about finishing the ride and more about enjoying the moment.

I even got him to stop for some Zen time by one of the many rock piles along the beach.

Last Sunday, he taught a lesson in church from this exact talk and shared this experience explaining that Marielle was right.  He thanked me on Sunday and said, "I'm so glad I have you to help me enjoy the moments!"  How cute he is.

After a lovely dinner by the water...

...we hopped into a buggy and made our way past all the quaint houses...

...up to the most spectacular hotel of them all! 

The Grand Hotel

Many presidents and important people have stayed here over the years, but all McKay and I cared about doing was seeing all the places from Somewhere in Time.

We proceeded to reenacted all the scenes.  

This is the room where Jane Seymour stayed.

And this is where Christopher Reeves cried like a little baby...

...before the quintessential, reuniting kiss after the long run down the stair, which we did too.  It was quite fun...and romantic if I might add.

Below is our spoils of the day.  

You can't really leave the island without some fudge.  The fudge stores are everywhere and I swear they must waft the fudge's sweet aroma out onto the streets, begging all to come hither.

Goodbye Mackinac Island,

 Goodbye U.P. 

and Goodbye Mackinac Bridge!

Most Beautiful Place in America

For years I have been trying to convince my husband to visit my hometown despite it being at the opposite end of the country and us not having any reason to visit.  I would brag about the fresh water lakes, pleasant weather (excluding the 9 months of winter), fiery trees of fall and delightful people.  Sometimes it is difficult to persuade someone who has spend their whole childhood in Europe, like McKay, that there are places in the U.S. worth visiting because of their beauty.  It wasn't until Good Morning America announced my hometown as "The Most Beautiful Place in America" that he opened up to the idea of a trip to the Great Lakes State!

My dad and cat still live in Michigan so he took us to all the sights (by he I mean my dad of course, but I wouldn't have minded my cat coming along for the tours too)

This is Sleeping Bear Dunes and the body of water behind McKay is Lake Michigan.  Many people happily waltz down this dune to Lake Michigan only to discover that the climb up....

....is a torturous hour assent from hell!

Every year a few people have to be life flighted off this dune because of heart attacks and such.  

It was fun to finally play tourist where I grew up and even more fun to show my hubby the wonderful place I call home.  On the way back from the dunes we visited all the cute harbor towns of the area including Glen Harbor and Leland.

The visit would not have been complete without visiting the street that I grew up on and all the close friend that watched me grow up.  Many of them could hardly recognize me, or believe that the once  rambunctious tomboy, Marielle, was now married.

I took McKay down to the Boardman river where we spend hours as kids fishing for crawfish.  We would put a stick in the water and then when the crawfish would close their claws around the stick we would pull them out.  McKay didn't have any luck catching any.  I figure us kids probably fished out all the crawfish that were stupid enough to keep their grip on the stick long enough to be pulled out.  Darn you Darwin and for your discovery of survival of the fittest for ruining my childhood joys!

No trip to my hometown would be complete without a little date night!

The happiest moment of our trip for me was the overlap of a harp workshop that allowed me to see all my closest harp friends and teachers.  Here is my harp professor from Paris and her lovely daughter.

More harpies from my days in Paris.

I was tickled to get a picture with both my harp professors.  I love them both so much!

The last place I took my little McKay was Interlochen Arts camp, where I spent a summer learning more about the art I love.  I forget how blessed I was to grow up where I did and just how beautiful it really is.  I will never forget all the wonderful people I grew up with and all the lessons they taught me and examples they gave.  Thanks Good Morning America for convincing my husband it was worth a trip out to my hometown and agreeing with me about something I already knew - Northern Michigan truly is beautiful!