Journey to Michigan

I'm finally getting my pictures and videos organized from my excursion to Michigan. We left on a Monday and arrived in Kalamazoo on Tuesday evening. Both of my parents are from Kazoo and I remember visiting there as a kid since we lived outside of Detroit. My Aunt Kathy and her husband Dave now live in the house that she, my Mom and their brothers grew up in...sum up - my Grandma's house is now my Aunt's house. So the house has been in the family for a long time and it's always so neat to go back and visit. I decided (and my Mom agreed to go with me) to head out on the road for the trip North. So the journey begins......

This is what happens when you give a 21 month old an ice cream cone in the car because you don't want to take the time to wait for him to eat it at Dairy Queen even though you ordered an itty bitty kid cone. The diaper after this was not pretty.

Our first stop on the road for our stay over was Sikeston, MO. I think it is most famous for Lambert's Cafe "Home of the Throwed Rolls". They serve enormous portions (no sharing allowed) and will seriously throw a roll at you if you raise your hand. Here is proof.....

I eventually caught one for Brennan - as he looks so shocked in the above picture. I got the guy's attention from across the restaurant ( not sure if it was the tie dye T-shirt or me waving my hands frantically around). The first throw pegged the guy in the head sitting in the both behind us (oops, sorry bout that) and the second throw tipped off my fingers and landed in my booth after hitting the wall . "Here ya go, Brennan....enjoy".

We arrived in Kalamazoo the next day --- long, long drive but we made it. We even stopped to have lunch in Indy with my cousin Betsie! Whoo hoo! It was so nice of her to meet us and it gave us some encouragement to keep going the last 3 1/2 hours to Michigan.

We enjoyed some shopping, eating, visiting, shopping, eating, visiting, eating, visiting for the 1st couple of days. The weather is just so gorgeous there - it can be a bit humid - but so lovely to sit outside.

On Friday, my cousin, Shannon, and I took our collective 5 children to Lake Michigan in South Haven. The weather was nice - almost rainy but than it wasn't and the kids enjoyed playing and swimming in the lake. Too cold for me but glad I was there. Brennan LOVED the water!!!

Evan was not so surePreston, Riley, Brennan, Quinn and Evan out on the PierSherman's ice cream was in order after a day at the beach!

And this is what happens to the car when Shannon and I decide it was a good idea to throw the leftovers out the window at 60 mph. I seriously wish I had a car cam for that most hysterical moment. When Shannon and I get together we always seem to have at least 1 hysterical moment where we are having a -can't-talk-can't-breath-have-to-pee-seriously-going-to-wet-my-pants-moment. And this was it. Thanks, Shannon!!!! A night out at Fricano's for italian dinner is always good.

My beautiful Grandma - Ethel Mae Bramer McKinley Starz

Her children Pat (my Mom), Kath and Mike

Her Grandchildren (minus Colleen)

Her 9 Great Grandchildren.... Preston, Joshua, Riley, Annabelle, Brennan, Aleigha, Quinn, Evan and notice the picture of Reid, too.

And here is the whole family minus a few members that couldn't be there.

Now here is a little snippet of the goofballness that I am related too. I promised my cousin Jason I'd do this:

Sorry, Jason...it had to be done!




Chris was the Margarita man. I sure am glad Betsie married him!






Me, Aunt Kathy and Betsie enjoying our Pineapple Margarita concoctions!

The trip was wonderful - so glad we endured the effort to visit. It's good to be around family. It reminds you where you've come from.

We stopped in Sikeston again on the way back....we avoided Lambert's this time but did enjoy a dip in the indoor pool at the new hotel.

Thanks Mom for going with me - I couldn't have done it without you. And thanks to everyone for being such gracious hosts and planning such wonderful days for us!