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Maggie Whitley

joy in motherhood, homemaking, faith & simple living

You are here: Home / adventures / {our summer vacation, part 1}

{our summer vacation, part 1}

July 29, 2010 · 26 Comments
Filed Under: adventures, family

Our summer vacation started with the most beautiful sunrise.

We left Minneapolis earlllllly Saturday morning, early like 4:14am!, and headed northeast towards Wisconsin/Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I can’t tell you the last time I saw a sunrise, let alone one I saw in the car while driving with my love.

The entire drive was so exciting. Not only we were on our way to visit family & friends, but seeing corn fields, grass, and the fresh air blow in the windows was the.best.ever! Living in the Twin Cities is super fun, but it’s definitely not what Zack and I are used to. We grew up with lakes, pools, cottages, cabins, and lots of sunscreen {OK, maybe not “lots” of sunscreen for Z, but definitely for me!} :]

We finally arrived in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Driving along Lake Michigan felt like home! There were so many cute families swimming at the beach. So many campers driving along… It was great! Zack and I took turns driving, and when I wasn’t driving {or talking} I was reading this book: The Handmade Marketplace. It’s fabulous and a great tool for beginners or establishes handmade businesses.

Yeow — we’re ALMOST on the Mackinac Bridge! Love, love the big white puffy clouds! The worst part is driving on the grated side of the bridge. I don’t like seeing dark blue water foaming underneath our car :]

After spending a night at Zack’s parent’s house we went camping for a few nights! It was so great to breathe in fresh air + have campfires + swim/boat. Michigan at it’s best :]

And look at our cute tent:

One day while camping we went on a 3-hour kayak trip and I spotted this retro white car at the kayak rental shop.

Last summer, also while camping in Michigan, Zack and I {and a ton of his family members} went kayaking together. It was our first trip last year and we can’t wait until we have a garage to buy & store our own kayak. There is an amazing river in Michigan that we went down — so clean and refreshing.

Family!

Camping snacks!

Gorgeous sunsets!

Fires! {and s’mores!}

It’s now Wednesday afternoon — we’re leaving northern Michigan and on to our next stop…

Come back for part 2? :]

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26 Comments
Filed Under: adventures, family

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Comments

  1. Rebecca @ Piggy Bank Dating says

    July 29, 2010 at 2:34 pm

    Great pictures! What kind of camera did you use?

    Reply
    • Gussy says

      July 29, 2010 at 3:10 pm

      it’s an iPhone app called ShakeItPhoto — so fun to use!

      Reply
      • Rebecca @ Piggy Bank Dating says

        July 30, 2010 at 10:00 am

        That’s awesome! I’ll have to check it out!

        Reply
  2. Jen says

    July 29, 2010 at 2:39 pm

    Thanks for sharing – I love Michigan Summers!!

    Reply
  3. holly | bijou lovely says

    July 29, 2010 at 3:05 pm

    I’m from the UP so I am really excited to hear that you spent your vacation in MI! Is that where you’re from too? I miss it so much! The pictures from your trip are gorgeous, can’t wait to see where you’re headed next! :)

    Reply
    • Gussy says

      July 29, 2010 at 3:10 pm

      yes, Zack and I grew up in Michigan :]

      Reply
  4. Clare Benson says

    July 29, 2010 at 3:39 pm

    Looks amazing, Maggs! Hope you two had an amazing trip back to Michigan. Wish I could have seen your beautiful faces!!

    Reply
    • Gussy says

      July 29, 2010 at 10:13 pm

      …are you still driving our way some time soon?

      Reply
  5. your favorite friend with crazy hair. says

    July 29, 2010 at 3:58 pm

    more please!!!

    Reply
    • Gussy says

      July 29, 2010 at 4:06 pm

      LOL! your comment name is hilarious! :]

      …and i knew it was you without even checking your email address ;]

      Reply
      • your favorite friend with crazy hair. says

        July 29, 2010 at 9:07 pm

        i do what i can to get the laughs.

        Reply
  6. Krystina Montemurro says

    July 29, 2010 at 4:04 pm

    what a fun trip! {love} all your photos!

    Reply
  7. Amanda M. says

    July 29, 2010 at 5:01 pm

    WOW. Looks like SUCH an awesome trip!!

    Reply
  8. Renee Candy Stick Lane says

    July 29, 2010 at 6:07 pm

    WOOHOO! Great Pics Guss!!!! Cant wait for p2!!!

    Reply
  9. Andrea says

    July 29, 2010 at 7:04 pm

    Mackinac Bridge is my favorite.
    I-2 is the most beautiful HWY.
    Sandy lake beaches give me peace.
    Mackinac Island is so pretty and quaint.
    BC Pizza is the best!
    St Ignace Straits park, or Big Knob, as long as I’m camping it doesn’t matter.
    I might live in Cali, but Michigan (especially up-north in the summer) will always have my heart.

    Reply
  10. Libby says

    July 29, 2010 at 8:41 pm

    love all the pictures! what kind of camera do you have?

    Reply
    • Gussy says

      July 29, 2010 at 10:14 pm

      it’s an iPhone app, ShakeItPhoto

      Reply
  11. Kate @ Songs Kate Sang says

    July 29, 2010 at 8:48 pm

    Hi! I’m also reading the Handmade Marketplace. It is fascinating, isn’t it?! I love how encouraging everyone is!

    Beautiful pics!

    Reply
  12. MaryBeth (Island Girl Bags) says

    July 29, 2010 at 9:47 pm

    Summers in Northern Michigan ROCK!!! So glad you had a good time!

    Reply
  13. Megan Lane says

    July 29, 2010 at 10:41 pm

    ahh sounds blissful!! michigan at its best indeed! joel and i are going with my family + my grandparents + my aunt jenny + my cousin brad’s girlfriend who now lives in birmingham + my sister’s new boy (miles alters — do you know him??? he went to His House.. joel was in a small group with him one year! i serrrriously think they’re going to get married one day. ahhhhh!) to petoskey one weekend next month! yayyy. longest sentence ever!!

    Reply
    • Gussy says

      July 29, 2010 at 10:45 pm

      oh. em. gee Megan ;)

      1. no I don’t think I/we know him
      2. that sounds like a fun trip
      3. your sister has a boyfriend?
      4. my that is a large group
      5. xoxoxooxxooxoxoxoxooooxxoo

      Reply
  14. Andrea says

    July 29, 2010 at 10:44 pm

    Your trip looks like it’s been fun so far! I recently finished that book (Handmade Marketplace) and it is FANTASTIC! I have my first two craft shows ever coming up and that book has been a big help :)

    Reply
  15. Elizabeth says

    July 30, 2010 at 9:53 am

    Thanks for sharing your photos from your trip. I have to say though, you are making me miss my homestate a little bit. I grew up on Mackinac Island, but now call San Antonio, TX home.

    Reply
  16. Moriah says

    July 30, 2010 at 3:31 pm

    that books looks really interesting! i’m gonna have to check it out!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. {cute shop :: Darn Knit Anyway} says:
    August 2, 2010 at 6:03 am

    […] this book I talked about here? I bought this at Darn Knit and it’s fabulous {you can buy it here for […]

    Reply
  2. {Gussy goes on a wine tour.} says:
    August 19, 2010 at 5:48 pm

    […] few weekends ago Zack and I hopped in the car and drove to a Wisconsin winery. Leading up to our summer vacation, and of course ever since we got back, we’ve been so eager to get out of the […]

    Reply

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ABOUT MAGGIE WHITLEY DESIGNS:
Maggie Whitley weaves her writings around joy in motherhood, homemaking, faith, and simple living. She homeschools her children, enjoys a quiet room while reading, and roars with laughter over the challenges & delights of motherhood. Maggie and her husband, along with their four young children, live in metro-Detroit. She has been writing online since 2008.
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maggiewhitley

JOY in motherhood & homemaking 🧺🌿💓✨

maggiewhitley
Reflecting on this today 💓🕊 When I reflect o Reflecting on this today 💓🕊 When I reflect on the moments I’ve felt my mind spinning, my emotions swirly, it’s almost always when I’m not feasting on the word of God. Not that reading scripture is the cure for anxiety —no! Rather, it’s hard to worry when we’re worshipping.
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A quiet night: the furnace is running, the tea is A quiet night: the furnace is running, the tea is hot, and the whisper of a page turning. ♨️☕️📖 // We are breaking from school this week, my plan is to read a lot, walk a lot, and rest a lot. How about you?

#mothersofinstagram #tea #winterreading #hygge
I fought every internal comment I could think of a I fought every internal comment I could think of and took my kiddos for a looooong walk today before dinner. ❄️✨ There’s just so much work required to raise children! I’m feeling like a tired lady. But sunshine & fresh air are good companions to keep around. 

We came home and I made “the best dinner ever”. Max specifically announced, “it’s so great you’re launching new meals to the world”. LOL— kids! 🤣👏🏻💓
How about a little Wednesday night introduction? 😘Social media sure has changed over the years and we don’t always SEE who we’re following or remember WHY we’re following certain accounts. 

So, hello! As you can gather, my name is Maggie ;) 

I started writing online (almost 13 years ago) to share the handmade products I was sewing. My shop was called Gussy Sews. ✂️👛I love the community that has grown from sewing & sharing online.

Let’s FFW to today: Zack and I live in Michigan and have four young children (2 boys & 2 girls). I slowly left the handmade industry and walked right into homemaking, homeschooling, and encouraging women through writing. 💕📝

Motherhood has been very hard on me. (And not just because of how close in age our four children are.) It’s been hard for me because I fought for years to accept that *it’s supposed to be hard*. 

I mean, how do you effectively teach another person to know and love the Lord? Bc that’s how I think of motherhood: a calling to nurture others by studying the One who nurtures me. So I gotta make the first move: study the Bible and seek Him first. As my friend Autumn reminded me, vulnerability births transformation. 

(I’ve had to be really vulnerable!)

So, yes motherhood has fully transformed me. But even more so, Christ has fully transformed me. My list of “all that He’s done for me” is off to a beautifully long start.

Something else I want you to know about me: I stalled for years before acknowledging I have anxiety and depression. It’s hard to talk about this because of course this isn’t forever “my hardship”, but rather because acknowledging this means to heal I have to work through some really difficult things. ✨

But my friend Jesus walks alongside me. He’s already done a mighty work in my heart, including helping me process my anger in healthier ways. I’ve also adopted a heart for sisterhood, mothering, and Titus 2 mentorship.

Sometimes our greatest losses are our greatest gains? That’s what I’m clinging to!

How about you? Tell me something about yourself so I can get to know you on a deeper heart level. 🖤🖤
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It’s another cold, winter day. ❄️Today I hop It’s another cold, winter day. ❄️Today I hope to bundle up for another family nature walk, knowing the fresh air sweeps out any & all frustration, inviting inspiration inside. ✨That’s something we all need more of.
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Breakfast with Buzz! If only you could see his ful Breakfast with Buzz! If only you could see his full costume and laser blaster and of course the Buzz action figure he flys around 🌟💚💙💨someone has discovered a superhero crush! #joyinmotherhood #slowmornings #surprisedbymotherhood // Landon @ 2.5yo
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It was the perfect opportunity to rearrange the fu It was the perfect opportunity to rearrange the furniture as we took the tree down Tuesday midday. Def one of my fav things to do.🎄👋🏻 We made it through our first week back to school since mid-December! It was rough to begin but ended with high fives. ⭐️✏️This morning I zoomed with a mama friend and I’m impressed with the many topics we covered. Sisterhood is sooooo necessary! ☕️👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏼

Just a few cheery memories from my week! How about you?
Book reading! One of my best “Maggie” activiti Book reading! One of my best “Maggie” activities. I finished my last book moments before 2020 ended, which brought my started list to a close. Small joys add up to big joys ;)

What are you reading this year? Currently?

How many books are you planning to read? What’s your goal?

I’ll share what’s on my list for 2021 soon as I received some nice titles at Christmas. 📖✨🤍
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