Monday, July 20, 2009

Family Trip to Michigan

I have been counting down the days all summer till my family came out to visit! They came last week and now that they are gone, I miss them more than before... We had so much fun together!!!
They came in late Thursday (July 9th) and went straight to Ohio. They were able to spend the day exploring Kirtland while Jason and I were stuck working. As soon as we could we headed to Ohio and met up with them at Cedar Point Amusement park. For anyone who ever comes out this direction Cedar Point is a must! It had more thrill rides than all the amusement parks I've ever been to combined! Who would have that that Ohio would have something so fun and exciting! jk The best was the Top Thrill Dragster. It shoots you off going 120 mph in under 6 seconds before rushing you straight up 420ft. Intense, and Wow, was all we had say after getting off that one.
We all spent the night in Sandusky, Ohio and took a fairy the next morning to Put-in-Bay. A very cute little island where everyone drives golf carts and scooters. We rented our six seater Golf Cart and spent the day exploring. We went through an underground cave and my brother and sister got to mine for gem stones. 

We also spent a lot of time on the rocky beach of Lake Erie. It was way to cold for my mom and I, but everyone else got in. My Dad and Jason spent most of there time jumping of the dock 

that specifically said "No Jumping".  I was pretty impressed watching my Dad dive in the first time. I was even more impressed when Jason taught him how to do a back flip! Yep my forty-something year old Dad did his first back flip! I was so impressed I screamed (both out of shock and excitement). I am always impressed by Jason so I won't even go into detail about all of his great tricks :) 
We headed back to Michigan that afternoon and went straight to Detroit for the Tigers game! It is a special tradition for my Dad, and whoever is with him, to go to a baseball game wherever we are visiting. I have so many great memories of going to different stadiums and watching different teams. It was really great for me to be able to share "my team" with my Dad and the rest of my family.  We had great seats (thanks again to the family I babysit for whose Dad is on the team) and even though we lost we still got to enjoy an awesome firework show and had a great time!

After church on Sunday we went back down to Detroit and walked along the River Walk and went the Renassaince Building (GM's Headquarters).  It was fun to be able to show my family some of my favorite things in the area. 

That night my Mom and Dad took of for their 25th anniversary getaway up north and Stephanie and Dallin were left to play with us for the next two days! It was so much fun having them stay with us. They were so great about sharing our one bedroom apartment and putting up with our work schedules. During they day they were able to hang out with Robbie and I and go swimming, to the Zoo, and my favorite park in Birmingham, Booth Park. 

Someone told me that it cost a million dollars to build it. I wouldn't be surprised it has everything! Including this hill made out of Astro Turf. The hill has a huge sign saying "No cardboard" but that is the thing to do. Everyone brings pieces of cardboard and then slides down it like a sled in the winter time. It is so fun.  I told Jason I wanted one for my backyard someday.  Tuseday night after my parents came back we went and saw UP, very cute movie. 



Wednesday we spent the day at Stony Creek Lake. We had so much fun! My family rented bikes and road around the lake then met up with Robbie and I and played on the beach and swam in the lake for a few hours before renting Kayaks and going exploring. I was pretty nervous about taking a 2 and a half year old out in a Kayak but he actually did a really great job and even paddled for us. Unfortunately my camera died half way through the day so I didn't get very many pictures. 

That night we all went out to dinner at Bucca Di Beppos (I had always wanted to eat there just because I like saying the name) and than went back to the hotel were they were staying for the night. They had a really early flight the next morning so after hard goodbyes Jason finally pulled me away from their hotel room. It was so hard saying goodbye, not knowing when I will get to see them next. But I am so grateful that they were able to come out. I miss Kayli, Eric, and Jayden and hope that I can see them soon too (Jayden not for another year since he is on his mission) but I sure do feel blessed to have such a great family! Thank you for all coming out and spending time with us and letting me share a little bit of our "Michigan Lives" with you all. Love and Miss You!

Friday, July 10, 2009

True Story

This really happened to me...



Well not the part about breaking up. But a bird really flew into my head. I was just walking along with Robbie (the little boy I nanny) when wham I was hit in the head by this big bird! I was at the Zoo so I don't even know what kind it was! I couldn't stop laughing. I felt like such an idiot because everyone just looked at me like "Well you don't see that every day!" I immediately thought of Elaine on Seinfeld and started developing a complex... Do I really have that big of a head that a bird couldn't have just flown AROUND it!?! Seriously? Has everyone just been protecting me from this fact my entire life? And I am just now realizing that I am a freak of nature!? "A walking candy apple"?! Needless to say I am now terrified of birds...

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

The Avett Brothers

I fell in love with the Avett Brothers this last week. I first came across them a couple years ago when I first heard "If It's The Beaches".  I loved that song but didn't really ever get much more involved.  Until I found out that they would be doing a free show in Detroit as part of Comerica's City Fest.  I was so excited to go! I haven't been able to get out to nearly as many shows as I use to in Salt Lake. That has been one major thing I've missed this summer... All of the free shows at the Gallivan Center. Last summer you could find us there pretty much every Wednesday and Thursday night. We got to see some great bands (Nada Surf, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah) all for free!  Friends, music, summer nights, all some of my favorite things.  However, now we are in Michigan with no friends, little music, and cold summer nights.  Jason is so great to go along with whatever it is I want to do here in Michigan.   He hardly complained as  I made him listen to The Avett Brothers all week long and take me to Detroit to see them.  Two songs into the concert though he fell in love with them too (maybe not as much as I did, but still!)   Jase walked away saying how great the show was and woke up the next morning singing their songs. Jason likes to make fun of me and my "weird" music so I was excited to come home and find him looking up The Avett Brothers the next day on YouTube trying to find his favorite song (the one they "rap" in... go figure) from the night before. 

They put on an incredibly entertaining show.  They had enough energy to dance and jump to and enough emotion to just listen and feel.  I love their "family" band lyrics. My favorite line from the night was: "Always remember there was nothing worth sharing like the love that let us share our name."


For one night Detroit won me over, as I had my best friend, great music, and a rainy summer night. No complaining here!