Last week we took a road trip around Lake Michigan. Matt had seven, yes, SEVEN days off in a row. A first since he started intern year. Willa did OK. She slept great in the tent and in the hotels, but she got pretty sick of being in the car and got really cranky when she missed her naps. I think she finally learned how to cry LOUD. Here are the highlights. (the letters correspond to the map above)

A: Toledo, Ohio - Home

B: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan on Lake Michigan - We spent one night camping on Lake Michigan. Season hadn't started yet so it was dead, but is was gorgeous and the weather was beautiful. We hiked the dunes and explored the area looking at the beautiful vistas.

climbing the dunesa few yards from our campsite at sunset on Lake MichiganWilla passed out in the tent in her very own sleeping bag.
(The winter cover for her car seat.) It worked perfectly.

C: Mackinac Island in Lake Huron - We've heard such great things about Mackinac Island. It was fun. But this was the day (luckily the only) that Willa sort of ruined for us. She cried a lot which is not typical of her. So we ended up just walking around the island, buying fudge and eating it. It was fun to see everyone on bikes, on horses, and in horse drawn carriages (no cars are allowed). All of the residents were getting ready for season. Everyone was painting and deliveries were being made.

on the ferry

on the island - it was a cold day For Alicia, this is the UPS guy

D: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the U.P. on Lake Superior - This was our favorite stop. We spent two days there. It was gorgeous. There were tons of waterfalls, shipwrecks, vistas, and hikes. We could have easily spent more time there.

hiking "graveyard coast" along Lake Superior
(named for the fatal shipwrecks that happened there)
shipwreckatop a sandstone cliffwaterfalls were everywherea few yards from our campsite on Lake Superior

E: Chicago, Illinois - A trip around Lake Michigan isn't complete without a stop in Chicago. We spent two nights in Chicago. It was a fabulous way to end a camping trip...in a fancy hotel with showers and a big comfy king sized bed. We spent two days doing lots of touristy things. We went to the art museum, the Shedd Aquarium, and to the top of the Sears Tower. We ate Chicago pizza and walked around the city admiring the architecture and sculptures.

the bean in Millenium Park

Willa loved the aquarium. The lighting was funky and she looked around with wide eyes and pleasure on her face most of the time. It was fun to watch her.
Willa being Chatty-Cathy on the Sears Tower. (Why is she in her PJs? There was an explosion while we were watching the Sears Tower movie so we had to strip her down & PJs were all we had)

F: South Bend, Indiana - On our way back to Toledo, we stopped to visit the Wells Family. It was so nice to see them, as always. But I still feel a bit guilty that Emilee cooked for us on Mother's Day. It was delicious Emilee. Thank you!

I'm not sure I held Willa at all on our trip except to feed her. When I finally held her this week, I realized she must have gained two pounds on our trip. She feels so heavy to me now. ha-ha.