Archive for the ‘vacationing’ Category

So yeah, I took a year hiatus from blogging. No warning, I was terrible at it anyway. Figured if I walked away from it for awile the novelty would come back again. I’ve continued to read those that I follow so that I was still up-to-date. I k now my year off probably cost me some readers and it’ll take awhile for anyone to gain confindence in me that they’ll come to my blog and see a new post. Considering in 2010 I made all of three posts. But I’m refreshed, confident and in reading my favorite blogs, realized I missed it and needed to really concentrate on building mine back up again.

So, what happened here at the shack over the last 12 months? Well I’ll try and recap in the most minimal way possible.

April 2010

After the trip to my sisters in the last post, really all you have to do is scroll back to the last post and you’ll see where we were last year. But I digress. So after that trip we began to enjoy the Spring. Got the kids outside. And after spending much of our entire tax return on mortgage payments and repairs over 2 months time, we put our rental house out there to be rented once again. And my best friend had her 2nd child, a boy. Nathan. He is adorable.

May 2010

May was a good month. We found a tenant for our rental house, no more double mortgage payments. Weather was beautiful, I love how gorgeous my azalia bush is when it blooms. Mother’s day always has me showered with lots of love from my boys and my husband. I also helped chaperone Gavin’s class field trip to the Detroit Zoo.

June 2010

June was a special time for me. I was able to attend my birthson’s graduation commencements. I was very proud and happy to be there.

July 2010

July, more specifically, July 4th, is when we take our family summer vacation. This was probably my favorite yet over the years. My cousin had a mini-family reunion at his cabin in up north Michigan. It was so much fun. Picnicking, bonfires, smores, fireworks, swimming at the lake, camping, pitching tents, star gazing, walking in the open fields. Everyone had so much fun. From there we went to Boyne Mountain where we stayed at Avalanche Bay Waterpark.

July was also Blake & Brady’s 3rd birthday. We had a big backyard carnival and celebrated with lots of close family and friends.

August 2010

August included our end of the summer, “last hurrah” trip to my sisters. It’s the final trip out to see her until the following Spring (which for 2011 is just before Easter). Gavin also started the new hockey season. And we just ejoyed the final lazy days of summer.

September 2010

Had a fun visit with my birthson and his family where Blake & Brady had their first boat ride. Gavin started the 3rd grade. And Dave and I had a date night with his dad and wife to celebrate Dave’s final birthday in his 30’s.

October 2010

I had a reunion with some old friends from high school. These gals were my best friends and it was the first time in over 20 years that the four of us were together in one place again. We had a few trips to the local cider mill. Spent an afternoon at Henry Ford Estate where we took our family Christmas card photo. And then of course there’s Halloween.

November 2010

We took a little weekend get-away, just the 5 of us. We went to Splash Village in Frankenmuth. Gavin and I went to a Detroit Red Wings game with his hockey team. Thanksgiving was nice at my in-laws, and we put up our Christmas Tree.

December 2010

Highlights of December of course being all the Christmas activities and gatherings. Gingerbread houses. Christmas parties. Cookie baking. Santa, and finally New Years Eve. There was also the Big Chill at the Big House. Mighigan vs. Michigan State hockey. Dave refereed a couple high school games in the days leading up the the big game. He took Gavin with him to experience what truly is a spectical in what is called “The Big House.”

January 2011

My oldest son turned 23. Gavin attended a goalie school clinic. And Blake & Brady finally got real boy haircuts. I hated cutting their long hair, but it was about time.

February 2011

The worst winter happened all in one month. Too much snow. I heard somewhere that at one point, 49 states had some form of snow. Gavin turned 8yrs old. He and I went to his school dance. He looked so handsome. We also took a Winter weekend get-away. Went to Splash Bay in Maumee, OH for a couple nights.

March 2011

For an early Mother’s Day gift, my adorable husband purchased for me the digital SLR camera that I have been wanting for so long. I literally about cried when he said, “you deserve it, make it happen.” I’m loving it! Still learning the ropes, but I’ll catch on fast. Most recently I got to spend St. Patrick’s Day afternoon with one of my best friends enjoying some green beer and Irish fun.

There you have it. The last 12 months.

Visiting my sister in Indiana. We left home yesterday way later than I had planned. Seems whenever I am planning a trip, I can never get any preparation done until the final hours. We had originally planned on coming today, but my sister insisted that we come a day earlier. I knew it would be near impossible, what with all the daily things I have to do to keep my organized chaos, well.. more organized. That on top of the fact that it was Easter weekend. This, of course, being the year that when I call my mother-in-law up to ask her what I could bring, she throws green bean casserole my way. I don’t even eat the green bean casserole. But wonderful mother-in-law that she is, she bought all the ingredients, jotted down the recipe and even threw in a disposable casserole tin. Even the least of domestic goddesss couldn’t mess that one up. I had no excuse.

So back to my sister. She wants us to come a day earlier. The day after Easter. Did I mention I have a million and one things on my daily to do list, not to mention the fact that Friday we had a birthday party to go to for my husbands neice. Saturday, Gavin had hockey practice in the morning. Of which, Dave was working Saturday, so I had to throw the twins in the van to take to the rink with us. At least they weren’t wearing their pajamas. When, in all of this, was I going to make earlier preperations to drive out to Indiana? Oh, and did I mention, I also had to pick up our other 2 neices and bring them along. This meant I had to play musical carseats in my minivan in order to make seating accomodations for 2 adults, 2 toddlers, 1 first grader and 2 teenagers.

I don’t know how I did it. But I did. My mother came over early to help, and Dave was off work to help so that we could be on the road by Monday afternoon, early evening. It think its being a mom of twins that gives me this ability. So often I’ll get asked. “How do you do it?” You just do.

So I’m happy we’re here. Happy that we got here yesterday instead of just a few hours ago. My neices are all having fun. My boys are enjoying themselves. And tomorrow is sisters night out. We’ll be here till Saturday. It’s going to go by so fast.