Holland

Well Jason did it again... He some how found a way to top my last birthday.  Last year he surprised me by picking my up in a limo and taking me up the canyon to Log Haven for dinner (among other gifts).  I told him last year that he had outdone himself and would never be able to top it.  But as always he was very tricky and sneaky and managed to make this years birthday even better,  by surprising me with a trip to Holland! 

Holland, Michigan that is.  It is a small Dutch town on Lake Michigan.  I'd been telling him I wanted to go check it out for quite some time now, and all the while he had already booked the reservations and planned it all out.  We left early Saturday morning and drove the two and a half hours west.  Jason spoiled me all weekend by doing all the things I love doing!  We spent the morning walking around a large art fair and going to see the last authentic dutch windmill left in the U.S.  and of course the beach.  I couldn't believe how beautiful the beach was.  You would have thought you were in California.  Waves and everything.  It threw me off every time I got knocked over by a wave and didn't come up spitting salt water out of my mouth.   It was so nice to relax on the beach together and watch the ocean, I mean lake waves, and the surfers and crazy boaters.  It was a pretty cloudy day and eventually started raining on us, so after the beach we went and checked into our hotel.  We stayed at The CityFlats Hotel right in town.  It was the coolest place I have ever stayed!    The whole hotel is very "green" and eco friendly.  From the soaps to the carpet to toilets.  Not that Jason and I are big greenies or anything but it was super cool and had a very fun and modern feel to it.  We had a suite that was bigger than our apartment with a huge bathroom, living room, and kitchen.  Not to mention Jasons favorite part, the two large flat screen TV's with surround sound through out the entire suite.  In an effort to save money Jason and I decided to do away with paying for cable so we have been with out TV for quite a while now.  It was the first thing he turned on when we walked in and we spent the afternoon watching the X games and waiting for the rain to stop.  Later that night we walked around downtown, had dinner at the New Holland Brewery Co. (we only drank the water I promise!) , and got ice cream at a little fudge shop.  The next day the weather was perfect!  After checking out of our hotel we went to a little dutch shop where they make and sell all sorts of dutch things, including wooden shoes.  Than it was back to the beach! It was such a perfect day and we spent hours laying on the beach and playing in

the water.  The drive home seemed to last forever, I in no way wanted to go back and start another week in the real world.  I love being able to spend so much time with Jason and I always have so much fun with him no matter what we are doing.  He is so great to me and I truly appreciate all that he does for me.   He also got me a gym pass to the gym he works out at and new gym clothes, among other things.  Spoiled, I know...  

For my actual birthday (two days later) we went out to dinner at a restaurant, I had been wanting to try, called Bahama Breeze.  When we got there I was surprised to find out that the family I nanny for had come back early from their trip in order to surprise me and join us for my birthday.  It was such a fun night spent with my wonderful husband and "Michigan Family",  they even got me a yummy TCBY cake with my name on it and everything.  Even though I miss my friends and family back home very much I feel so blessed to be able to share this adventure here in Michigan with Jason and to have met such a wonderful family who has done so much for both myself and Jason.