camping

We spent a beautiful Memorial Day weekend up at Interlochen State Park in northern Michigan. Reasoning behind the chosen location? A Beer & Brat Festival at Crystal Mountain--one of our new favorite places to go. :) We chose to borrow a pop-up camper from some friends; honestly, I originally wanted to borrow it to convince Jason that it was time for us to upgrade from a tent, but in the end, left me wondering why I wanted to go away from a tent! silly girl brain... :) Overall, neither one of us have been convinced either way and are still in the discussion phase of the whole debate.
However, the weekend was beautiful. We had fun, rode bikes a little, walked trails a little, and relaxed a LOT. Jason was diligent and got some homework done; every time I pulled out a book to study for my class, I ended up falling asleep. Like I said...lots of relaxation. ;)

Beer & Brat Festival

oh wait...I guess my boys did take a little snooze... :)

earthquake?

what's all the fuss? apparently at 5:37am (EST) this morning there was a 5.4 magnitude earthquake in southern Illinois. There were some that awoke to trembling lampshades and closet doors, but before they really could comprehend what was maybe happening, it was over...and now, because it's a slow news day, it's making headlines all over the midwest in the area it was felt. such drama! ;)

on a positive note: I feel I can safely say that spring has sprung here in Michigan! Today is sunny and 75 degrees--it's wonderful!

snow, sun, & sick

I feel the need to complain a little bit…first off, snow is a wonderful thing, but only for awhile. As of yesterday, Western Michigan got dumped on with about 7 inches of snow. And of course, the school district I work for felt it necessary to be open anyway. Our snow blower is currently on the fritz, so shoveling is the only option. I’m pretty sure we’re going to be shoveling until the end of April.

Honestly, I really don’t mind snow, but what I do mind is the no sun that accompanies Michigan winters. We literally have not seen the sun in well over a week. That is much more depressing to me than the large amounts of snow piled up along our driveway. I’ve begun the battle of winter blahs. It begins in the morning when I have to force myself out from under the fleece sheets and down blanket. By nighttime, I’m ready to crawl back under them about 8pm.

And, the other grumble I have right now is being surrounded by sickees. Obviously it is a job hazard, one I cannot avoid, but it makes me so nervous that my body may succumb to it as well. Flu season has definitely begun and I’m doing my best to avoid it. Vitamins, orange juice, exercise, going to bed on time…I pray that I may be spared!

*whew!* thanks for listening…I feel a little better. :)

michigan humor

In anticipation of the "artic blast" we're supposed to get this weekend...here is a little Michigander humor:

MICHIGAN TEMPERATURE CONVERSION CHART

70 and above: Texans turn on the heat and unpack the thermal underwear. People in Michigan go swimming in the Lakes.

60 above: North Carolinians try to turn on the heat. People in Michigan plant gardens.

50 above: Californians shiver uncontrollably. People in Michigan sunbathe.

40 above: Italian and English cars won't start. People in Michigan drive with the windows down.

32 above: Distilled water freezes. Lake Superior's water gets thicker.

20 above: Floridians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves and wooly hats. People in Michigan throw on a flannel shirt.

15 above: Philadelphia landlords finally turn up the heat. People in Michigan have the last cookout before it gets cold.

0: People in Miami all die. People in Michigan lick the flagpole.

20 below: Californians fly away to Mexico. People in Michigan get out their winter coats.

40 below: Hollywood disintegrates. The Girl Scouts in Michigan are selling cookies door-to-door.

60 below: Polar bears evacuate the Artic. Michigan Boy Scouts postpone "Winter Survival" classes until it gets cold enough.

80 below: Mt. St. Helen freezes. People in Michigan rent videos.

100 below: Santa Claus abandons the North Pole. Michiganders get frustrated because they can't thaw the keg.

297 below: Microbial life no longer survives on dairy products. Cows in Michigan complain about farmers with cold hands.

460 below: All atomic motion stops (absolute 0 in the Kelvin scale). People in Michigan start saying, "Cold 'nuff for ya?"

500 below: Hell freezes over. The Lions with the Super Bowl.

white christmas

One reason I love Michigan is for the snow at Christmas. I could not imagine having no snow at Christmas time. And right now we've "battened down the hatches" as we get dumped on with about 6 to 8 inches of lake effect snow. (gotta love Lake Michigan!) It's blowing & drifting--making it treacherous for driving, but perfect for staying cozied in the house under a blanket in front of the Christmas tree. It will officially be a white Christmas here--one of my most favorite things this time of year!

summer of '07

well, I was away from my blog for so long that I'm not even sure where to start! So, maybe I'll just do a brief summary of my summer and just go from there...

First, Washington DC was amazing! The weather was perfect and I was able to see so many things that I really feel as though I had the best first-time visit to DC anyone could ever have. My favorite sight? Arlington Cemetery. The hardest sight? Holocaust Museum. The funniest story? I visited the National Art Gallery twice without even realizing it til partway through the second visit...it's that big! ;)

Then I went to Alaska. Another amazing trip, but for different reasons. I figured I would be busy all week helping my cousin and the family prepare for the wedding, but we were able to do a bit of sightseeing. A glacier cruise and walking on trails were part of my week. It was also lots of fun to get to know my aunt Joy a lot better and spend some valuable girl time with her! However, my cousin Annie's wedding was the highlight of the week. She was a beautiful bride and the entire wedding went smoothly.

On August 10 I had another cousin get married. Yes, my grandparents have had a very busy summer! :) She, too, was a beautiful bride and the entire evening was a great time.

Jason & I then did an overnight trip to South Manitou Island. We have had our boat tickets for a year (we had to postpone last year's trip), so I didn't want to let them go to waste. The weather was perfect and I learned two things about my future husband: he gets seasick (like me!) and he doesn't like sand in his sleeping bag... ;)

Then, the culmination of summer fun was the best Labor Day celebration ever: a party at Douglas Walker Park with all of our family & friends--with a minister thrown in! ;) Jason & I were pronounced husband & wife by my uncle (from Alaska!) and officially became Mr. & Mrs. Jason & Rachel VanDenBrink. It was definitely a great party to end a great summer!

May heat wave

Time to once again comment on the weather in Michigan…previously I was wishing for warm days in which to drive with the sunroof open, plant flowers, and mow the lawn. Well, that time has come! And rather quickly, I might add. I’ve succumbed to turning the central AC on in my home—and it’s only May! The weather has been beautiful for the most part, but when temperatures go above 80 with humidity making it feel like close to 90, and it’s not even summer yet—you know you live in Michigan.

I seriously am not complaining though. I will always choose to be more warm than cold. I would much rather sit in front of a fan with some crystal light, than put on ten million layers and still have cold fingers.

And, yes, I’ve already gone for a bike ride. ;)

Memorial Day weekend

I camped at a new state park this past weekend. I always thought it would be fun to say that I’ve been to all the state parks in Michigan—a lofty goal, I know—but I can add a new park to my list now.

South Higgins Lake State Park is just north of Houghton Lake in Michigan. Jason & I decided to be brave and even take Harley on his first camping adventure. The car was quite loaded down with camping gear to begin with—but then we had to leave space for the 130-pound pup! We also took our bikes and on Saturday had a great time riding and hiking. The weather was beautiful (although the mosquitoes were a little annoying) and it only rained for awhile on Saturday evening. The rest of the time was beautiful blue skies and about 70 degrees!

Harley was the hit of the park—he was so well-behaved. He never barked and people were constantly trying to guess what kind of dog he is (“he’s so big!”) The funniest story of the weekend was due to Harley’s training. He is trained to not poop on while on a leash (Jason never liked the idea of carrying a poop bag around on a walk), so Harley literally did not poop all weekend. By Sunday night, he was acting a little uncomfortable, so after dark, Jason took him over by the beach area, let him off his leash, and within less than a minute, Harley was feeling much better…he came back to the campsite all happy, bouncy, and playful. A good time was then had by all… ;)

Apparently Higgins Lake was named by National Geographic as the sixth most beautiful lake in the world. It definitely is a beautiful lake—also known for its great fishing. Jason forgot his poles, but we’ve decided we will go back someday, and that time we’re bringing a boat.

anyplace else...

Do you ever wish you were someplace else? You may enjoy your job, enjoy your life, enjoy your day…but aren’t there times that you just wish you were anyplace else but here? The picture above my profile is a place I wish I could be…and I’ve probably mentioned Alaska enough for anyone to realize that there is another place I wish I could be… :)

I think that those of us who live in Michigan (could be other places as well), we just get sick of winter, sick of “hibernation” mode, and about this time of year just get plain cranky with life. I’m ready to be outdoors without a jacket on, drive down the road with my sunroof open, see green grass, and maybe even go for a bike ride! I’m ready to plant flowers, have the windows in my house open, and yes, even mow the lawn!

No, I’m not crazy…probably just stir-crazy…I hope spring comes early. In the meantime, I’ll picture myself in a warm spot with lots of sunshine!

lion day

The saying of how weather comes “in like a lion and out like a lamb” is definitely starting out true for March of 2007 in Michigan. It’s almost as if spring wants to arrive with above 40 degree temperatures and rain and thunderstorms—yet, I was out shoveling the inch of ice/snow that we received this morning. Craziness! And unfortunately, more snow yet to come this weekend…

I also want to take a moment to wish my brother a happy 26th birthday! Ahh, yes, so grown up now… ;) I was once told that men do not mature until they reach 35. Does this mean that I have 9 more years of putting up with his presence in my home?

I really am kidding. I thoroughly enjoy having my brother around often show my appreciation by doing most of the chores around the house… ;) Hope you have a great birthday, James! I love you!

winter in michigan...

so, I suppose I have to admit that winter officially arrived to Michigan. I was super bummed that we did not have snow on Christmas--the one time of year I don't mind having snow--and now I'm pretty convinced that we will have snow until April. Honestly, I don't mind the white stuff, but the bitterly cold temperatures is what gets to me. Having to wear ten layers just to keep some ounce of warmth in my body never appealed to me. Although, living in a state shaped like a mitten of all things should have been my first clue...

*brrrr!*