July 22, 2011: *The Top Ten of our trip to Michigan*
We left Michigan yesterday after spending a blissful three and a half weeks there. We were so sad to leave, but we know that we'll be visiting often!
To summarize our awesome vacation there, I have created a Top Ten of our favorite and most notable memories from our trip. Here they are, in roughly chronological order:
To summarize our awesome vacation there, I have created a Top Ten of our favorite and most notable memories from our trip. Here they are, in roughly chronological order:
1. Saying goodbye to MadTown
The UW Arb
After a great year, it was bittersweet having to leave Madison. We made good friends there, enjoyed many amazing beers/cheeses/sausages, and really appreciated living so close to the extended fam. We loved being back in the States after living away for three years, and we were happy to have one more year in the MidWest before living in the desert :)
These are a few pictures from my favorite runs around Madison.
These are a few pictures from my favorite runs around Madison.
2. Daria's wedding
We had three weddings to go to this summer, and I was lucky enough to be a bridesmaid for my friend Daria. I had to leave Bry to do the end of the packing in MadTown (sorry hubby!) while I ran off to help celebrate this joyous event. I LOVED my bridesmaid dress and we had a great time dancing at the reception; my parents especially enjoyed the polka :)
3. Spending time at the Lake House.
View of the lake from the Lake House.
I am lucky enough to have parents who have the philosophy of enjoying life in the moment. They bought a sweet Lake House a few years ago, and it's a fabulous place to relax, make new friends, and enjoy family time. Bry and I spent as much time as we possibly could there during our time in MI! Bry got a lot of good work done there (see Top Ten #7), while I preferred to just relax, spend time in the water, enjoy the lake roads (see Top Ten #8). See the pictures below for an idea of how I liked to spend my lake time. I have a feeling that I'm really going to miss the water when I get to Tucson!
4. Pet parade
While we were busy enjoying the Lake House, we imposed on my parents' hospitality even more by keeping our kitty at their house. This was complicated by the facts that 1) my parents are not cat people, and 2) they have a dog. But after the first week, the pets seemed to get along and my family was catching on to the fact that cats differ from dogs in many regards. In the end, I don't think my parents will ever adopt a cat, but I appreciated how well they treated my kitty baby.
5. My BDay
While we were in Michigan, I celebrated yet another year of life. I was thrilled to spend it with my friends and family; it was a very special bday.
6. Friends
More birthday celebrations.
Another awesome part of being back in my hometown was seeing such good friends! My best friends helped me celebrate my birthday and made me feel very loved, as always. Although I'm moving farther away, I'll know we'll be closer than ever. There's a guest bedroom in Tucson with your name on it!
7. Jeep adventures
One thing that my hubby shares with my dad is a love of projects-- especially if they involve vehicles! So naturally Bry was keen to help when my dad said that the Jeep needed major surgery (something about the clutch slave cylinder and transfer case blah blah). It involved three days of swearing, minor bodily injury, and being covered in grease. But in the end, they were victorious.
Nice job, Men.
Nice job, Men.
8. Running
Getting ready for a run to celebrate my birthday.
One of my latest projects (for the last 4 months anyway) is marathon training. I have always been a lousy runner, so I started training to see if a consistent running schedule could increase my endurance. (There might also have been some deal involving a puppy, but I won't go into that...) I am happy to report that training has indeed improved my running ability and general attitude towards challenging endeavors. Although I'm not quite confident enough to sign up for a marathon yet, especially with an impending move to the desert, I am going to continue to train and see how it goes.
Running at the Lake House was fun because it was a change in scenery, fun, and quite challenging. At its best, the routes had stunning scenery and wildlife (true story, I almost got hit by a deer trying to cross the road). At its worst, the routes had me running with a cloud of bugs surrounding me (NOT FUN). But overall, I loved running at the lake and was sad to leave. I'll keep you posted on how training goes in the desert in August...
Running at the Lake House was fun because it was a change in scenery, fun, and quite challenging. At its best, the routes had stunning scenery and wildlife (true story, I almost got hit by a deer trying to cross the road). At its worst, the routes had me running with a cloud of bugs surrounding me (NOT FUN). But overall, I loved running at the lake and was sad to leave. I'll keep you posted on how training goes in the desert in August...
9. Family visits!
The enjoyment of our visit was multiplied when other family members came to visit us in Michigan! Our family had lots of visitors from Wisconsin and some from Connecticut to help us with our summer activities. I really, really appreciated seeing everyone one more time before our move across the country. I love you lots!
Below are some snapshots of a few of the highlights:
Below are some snapshots of a few of the highlights:
10. Beginning The Trip across the country
The final chapter of our vacation in Michigan was leaving to start our drive to Tucson. I was incredibly sad to say goodbye to my brothers & parents and drive away, but it helped to know that there's a week of adventure waiting for us and a whole new life in Tucson. I'll keep you updated on Cactus Cactus- stay tuned!