Some things you can plan on the fly. Camping in the UP is not one of them. After reading several books and going thru several sites, apparently the UP is THE place to be in July. Reservations need to be made in advance. Good to know. So instead of Apostle Islands, we are in Green Bay--at a hotel--with a huge indoor water park. Because, another lesson is that while our children are excellent car travelers, staying remoely still once out of the car is really asking too much. To say that they are monsters would be overstating, but since we are already stressed about plans and not a little concerned about money, there somewhat innocuous questions can really send us over the edge. Since they have no concept of what we are spending and are just being themselves, means that we have to adjust our thinking and plans to suit their needs--hitting a national park every 2 days just isn't going to cut it. Someday we will be able to do so. So tomorrow we will log hopefully our last longinsh day in the car on our way to Pictured Rock. Where I plan on staying until Thursday morning. Macinaw Island Thursday with camping that night and then hopefully we can stay with Jeanette in Livonia before heading home. I absolutely am not going on an extended multi stop car trip with them for a long time. Too stressful. We will go to one spot and park. Greg isn't happy because the kids are being the version of themselves that is not on a schedule and spending much time in the car. All they want is a playground and or pool. Our national park visits will be limited to day trips for a bit.
On a happy note, I am astonished at the amount of nature/historical stuff all over Michigan. We could come here for years and still not see all of it.
Today we were still in Minnesota. We took a few hours to visit the Science Museum there and it was really a gem.
On our way to Green Bay, we stopped for a geocache. While out walking around, someone tried to break into the car. A dose of cold hard reality. We called he police, they came and made a report. The kids were very excited (not all in a good way) about that event.
Ryan has cried at least twice today after being admonished and Charlotte is at turns happy and defiant. Not the happy family bonding we were hoping for. I think we are both on the verge of tossing in the towel and heading home.
I am hopeful that a few days in one place with hiking trails, beach, dunes and yes, water will help.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Saturday July 24
Well, it is here, the much awaited day where my family can watch as I walk across the stage in a gown to be recognized for my achievements in obtaining my masters degree. Greg keeps asking if i am excited. I will be:) More preoccupied with not tripping. It would also be different if I was going home to a different job in a different place. But no moaning today!
The trip up was a test of endurance--we did really well. We left at 8 am and pulled in a little after midnight--CST so it ended up being about 13 hours! the kids slept the last two. The hotel is great--a hot breakfast! We have decided that Charlotte will be a cruise director when she grows up--the perky happy morning one. She was up at 5:30 and telling me about how pretty the skyline was and how she wished she could paint it. And as I made my way to brush my teeth, I was given a tour of the room including the closet we can all share!
Yesterday we stopped in Chicago for lunch--ended up going downtown to avoid the expressway. Downtown is just beautiful. The library took most of the city block and it was funny to see the names of places that I usually just hear about on TV. Like the Marshall School of Law(West Wing!). Deinitely worth a trip or two back. We drove through a bit of Wisconsin, mostly rolling hills nd farms. Stopped for dinner at the Wisconsil Dells wich Greg tells me is something like a playground of the Midwest. We had dinner at Denny's--don't have to do that again:) The Dells had at least two huge indoor water parks. Then I rememebr that the winters here must be quite long. Hard to imagine gobs and gobs of snow when everything is green and warm.
So Commencment is this afternoon after which we will be left to our own devices. The Mallof America is calling!
The trip up was a test of endurance--we did really well. We left at 8 am and pulled in a little after midnight--CST so it ended up being about 13 hours! the kids slept the last two. The hotel is great--a hot breakfast! We have decided that Charlotte will be a cruise director when she grows up--the perky happy morning one. She was up at 5:30 and telling me about how pretty the skyline was and how she wished she could paint it. And as I made my way to brush my teeth, I was given a tour of the room including the closet we can all share!
Yesterday we stopped in Chicago for lunch--ended up going downtown to avoid the expressway. Downtown is just beautiful. The library took most of the city block and it was funny to see the names of places that I usually just hear about on TV. Like the Marshall School of Law(West Wing!). Deinitely worth a trip or two back. We drove through a bit of Wisconsin, mostly rolling hills nd farms. Stopped for dinner at the Wisconsil Dells wich Greg tells me is something like a playground of the Midwest. We had dinner at Denny's--don't have to do that again:) The Dells had at least two huge indoor water parks. Then I rememebr that the winters here must be quite long. Hard to imagine gobs and gobs of snow when everything is green and warm.
So Commencment is this afternoon after which we will be left to our own devices. The Mallof America is calling!
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