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Maggie Whitley Designs

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You are here: Home / family / {visiting family in Michigan, part II}

{visiting family in Michigan, part II}

July 25, 2012 · 13 Comments
Filed Under: family, seasons

I HAVE THE BEST FAMILY EVER, SERIOUSLY. Zack + I always head home to Michigan every summer for about 10 days, but because of some other traveling we have done and are going to be doing, hubby wasn’t able to take any more time off. So I made the trip to Michigan last week solo. I fully intended on soaking up my “baby of the family” rights, and I suuuuure did :) My mom + I continued our tradition to get pedicures together {pink sparkly polish, please!} and I joined my brother + 2 nephews for breakfast one morning. The little boys slept at my parents house one night, we ventured to the family cottage for two nights over the weekend, and we stayed up way past bedtime. My mom let me sleep in two mornings, the rest of the time we were busy busy bees.

Bauer was naughty for my dad and the little boys continued their one million and one questions about Bauer. I met one of my very favorite school friends for lunch, Andriana. We’ve been friends for about 14 years now :)

Going to our family cottage is seriously one of my favorite things to do. I spent nearly every weekend there as a teen — Zack even proposed to me there on July 3, 2006 {fourth of July weekend, oh the fireworks!!!}. We love the cottage + being there brings back so many wonderful memories.

My mom, my nephews + I went to the splash pad one afternoon, we ate ice-cream for lunch, we had popcorn at the fire one night, and we spent lots of time laughing. On Sunday we had a giant cookout with over 20 family friends at the cottage, it’s always so wonderful to see them and it makes me appreciate yearly traditions even more. For ten years now we’ve been celebrating “Bad Girl Family Day”, oh yes you read that correctly, and my favorite quote from the entire weekend was from my nephew Collin who said, “If Bad Girls wasn’t a recognized holiday I’d have to call the police.”

Ha ha ha!!! We’re thinking because “Bad Girl Family Day” gets put on the calender every year he thinks it’s a for real recognized holiday. Well, why isn’t it? :)

No wait, Jack Riley told Bauer last week “you are a lovely dog” and that too has gone on my list of favorites from my nephews.

Like I said, I have the best family ever. Some of my favorite qualities about them is how they are so supportive, fun + loving. When Auntie comes to town, out goes the schedule and in comes lots of spoiled fun. I’d say being an Aunt is one of my very favorite roles in life :)

So my vacation to Michigan, it was for sure The Best of Times… I can’t wait to be back in September!!! Yeow!

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13 Comments
Filed Under: family, seasons

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Comments

  1. Katie @Trixiegirl says

    July 25, 2012 at 8:52 am

    I love MI too. Even more so since I left. I’m going next Friday to Pentwater. Ahhhhhh.

    Reply
    • Katy(lil alice) says

      July 25, 2012 at 10:35 pm

      @Katie @Trixiegirl, we just bought property in Pentwater. Love it there. We boat on the inland lake and lake Michigan. We reside in Ann arbor area.

      Reply
  2. Sara says

    July 25, 2012 at 10:56 am

    Hey I live here in MN too and so am looking forward to our summer trip to MI that we are taking soon. I have family up on Lake superior. So glad you enjoyed your vacation! :)

    Reply
  3. Aimee says

    July 25, 2012 at 1:35 pm

    Sounds fun, and I love those colorful chairs around the fire pit!

    Reply
  4. Marcy says

    July 25, 2012 at 2:25 pm

    Oh how I wish I could go visit my family in MI right now! And go to Lake Michigan!!

    Reply
    • Katy(lil alice) says

      July 25, 2012 at 10:34 pm

      @Marcy, Lake Michigan is beautiful.

      Reply
  5. Carissa says

    July 25, 2012 at 7:21 pm

    What is Bad Girl Family Day?

    Reply
    • Gussy Sews says

      July 28, 2012 at 11:12 am

      @Carissa, My mom answer below, see the “Mama Gus” comment ;D

      Reply
  6. Katy(lil alice) says

    July 25, 2012 at 10:36 pm

    So glad u had a great time in Michigan. We have had beautiful hot weather.

    Reply
  7. vintage grey says

    July 26, 2012 at 12:33 am

    Looks like you had such a wonderful time!! So beautiful there!! xo Heather

    Reply
  8. Susan @ Soddie's Place says

    July 26, 2012 at 11:44 am

    Oh my, that looks and sounds just wonderful! I worked in Chicago for a couple years working and spent some time in Michigan in the summer. So relaxing, just wonderful…

    Reply
  9. Mama Gus says

    July 27, 2012 at 10:49 pm

    Hmmmm…..in a nutshell I’m in a “club” called The Bad Girls. I have a friend Jan who has been friends with Denise since the 3rd grade. I’ve been friends with Jan since 10th grade. In July 2002 Jan introduced me to Denise. We went out for dinner, to the movies and then window shopping at a local Mall. While window shopping we found a little photo album shaped like a shiny black patent leather purse (the kind we would take to church on Easter Sunday when we were little girls) with the words “Me and My Bad Girls” on the outside. On the sly I bought 3 of them and gave one to Denise and one to Jan for Christmas keeping one for myself. With that gift The Bad Girls were formed. Beginning in July 2003 we have gotten together at our family cottage for one week. We kick off the week on Sunday with Bad Girl Family Day. All of our children, their spouses, and our grandchildren get together for the day for a cookout, swimming, laughing and relaxing. At the end of the day everyone goes home and The Bad Girls stay until Friday, sometimes Saturday. We laugh and cry, share our joys and sorrows, solve world problems, go to the movies, watch favorite movies on DVD or VHS, go shopping in Pentwater or Saugatuck or Frankfort, eat out, attend Picnic Pops one evening, and so on. Our friendship is a gift that we treasure and our families support wholeheartedly. We are goofy; we are the MIGHTY MIGHTY BAD GIRLS!

    Reply
    • Gussy Sews says

      July 28, 2012 at 11:13 am

      @Mama Gus, Woo hoooooo!!!! :D

      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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recent posts:

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JOY in motherhood & homemaking 🧺🌿💓✨

maggiewhitley
seriously LOL: I’ve found the secret to calming seriously LOL: I’ve found the secret to calming the Laundry Beast (as a family of 6). Who wants the inside scoop? ✔️🧺👏🏻
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The house is quiet. The heat is on. The pages are The house is quiet. The heat is on. The pages are turning. The tea is calm. 🖤☕️🧺📖
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Today on my blog I have a list of books I hope to Today on my blog I have a list of books I hope to read this year. Plus my reading goal for the year. And a few practicals ways I fit in reading as a mama of four young children & homeschooling them. Basically, all the good stuff ☺️💓📖 #maggiewhitleydotcom #readersofinstagram #read #readmorebooks
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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One song in particular comes to mind:

“We step into Freedom. 
We step into all you have for us.” -Bethel Music & Jenn Johnson

There IS freedom from the anxiety attacks. For me: music, scripture, eating healthy, vitamins, rest, crying, prayer, honesty — these things help tremendously. Also getting up and MOVING when my anxiety sits on me like a boulder, that helps too. 🖤

Another soothing truth is from the end of Psalm 34:19 — “many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the lord delivers him of them all.”

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The sound of Julia Robert’s calming voice is playing in the background of our playroom. Yesterday we finished another read aloud, Charlotte’s Web, so today my children are watching the movie. Knowing in-detail the lessons they are learning, along with reading books together, definitely adds to the joy of motherhood; the joy of teaching my children and being with them for so many hours each day. We experience so much together. Even when things feel chaotic at home, when I can’t call something by the correct name they still long to be near me and work alongside me. Tired has been a dear companion to me for the last seven years, but my children are gentle with their responses.

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Well kiddos, we had a great summer together! 🥳👏🏻🛴⛱🍦🤸🏼‍♀️🎨🎹🏊🏻‍♂️🧺🎠📚📺🍿🌿🌷☀️🚲

Thanks for coming along with me to the pool, nature trails, the park, hosting friends in our backyard, reading adventures, popcorn & movie night, art, planting flowers, planting a garden, bike rides, neighborhood walks, lake swimming, and supplying the ice cream truck w/ roughly $84 this summer. 

I loved our time together! 🥰🧒🏼👩🏻👧🏼🧒🏻

And the great news is this: we have autumn to enjoy together, too! 👏🏻🌾🍃🍂 so thankful.
Even if you don’t have students learning at home Even if you don’t have students learning at home, these ten “field trip” ideas will give your day a boost. 

When your mind feels foggy, step outside. When your home feels too small or too big, step outside. When the bickering is loud or your internal criticism is high, step outside. 

Give yourself (and your family) the joy of an adventure away from the home. 

🌾Visit my blog for the full post, link in profile or #maggiewhitleydotcom
It’s come to my realization there’s plenty of It’s come to my realization there’s plenty of time these days to craft a letter when I wash dishes, take my kids on a walk, or take care of our garden. All that silence, it makes my internal monologue even louder 🤣. 

Many times we are out & about in the neighborhood and I think, “oh the flowers surrounding your porch are lovely!” Or, “wow” (to the elderly man) “you have such a great smile, thanks for sharing it with us!” Wouldn’t it be great to jot that down in a card and send it through the mail as well?

We are always in need of community & kind words! 🌷💬

I remember many years ago, when nearly pregnant with another baby and our personal finances were THE PITS, my best friend came over with $500 cash. Just to bless us. She also included a personal note. Of course, I’ve always known how special personal notes are, but this card really meant so much.

And so I’ve decided as the year-end nears: wouldn’t it be nice to send a letter a week for the final 20 weeks we have left in 2020. Me thinks so 🙂. 

Community & kind words: I’m coming for you!

PS. wanna join me in sending 20 cards by Dec. 31?
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