Friday, September 18, 2009

Sisters Trip '09--Michigan

I was lucky enough to have another sisters trip this year. I talked my sisters into coming to see Michigan for the trip this year. I don't know how I lucked out to have such great sisters, but I must have been in the right line in heaven when they were handing out sisters! I admire so much about each one of them--they are the best! I can't leave out my mom here either, because she raised all of us into the great people we are today and that is enough said about how great she is! :)

We started out the trip with a little beauty night at the U of M clinic. We all got microderm abrasion and other various things to make us beautiful. It was so much fun! This is a shot of us pre-beauty treatments.

Cuties!
We are pretty crazy and decided to leave for Mackinac Island right after our beauty stuff. Beauty stuff went until late and Mackinac is a 4 1/2 hour drive--even with me driving! We scared ourselves on the way because we almost ran out of gas. At 2:30 in the morning. In the middle of nowhere. SCARY! We finally found a remote gas station really in the middle of NOWHERE. There were two men, by themselves in separate cars--seemingly waiting for a car full of women to attack. One of them wouldn't look at us the whole time. The other one stared at us the whole time. It totally gave us the hibbie jibbies! Then we started driving and talking about movies where scary things happened on the freeway, after stopping at gas stations in the middle of nowhere. AAAAHHH!

However, we made it safe and sound to Mackinaw City at 3:30am. After a good nights sleep (minus seagull noises) the next morning found us exiting the ferry to Mackinac Island. It was the most beautiful day ever--so perfect.

Watch out Mackinac Island! I love this picture that Jill took of these two.

My sisters and mom LOVED Mackinac Island, which I knew they would but I was still kind of relieved that they liked it so much! We rented really cool cruiser bikes with cute little baskets and rode all the way around the island. Slowly riding and stopping very often for LOTS of photos. The water was so beautiful and blue. The weather was perfect. You can't say that very often in MI! My sisters don't believe me now when I say how awful the weather is here, it was so perfect all weekend for them.
This might be my favorite picture from the whole trip! My cute mom cruising on her bike!! I LOVE IT. We got her these new sun glasses and told her she looked sassy. When I see this picture I can totally just hear her doing her breathing out thing she does when she exercises.
Me and Julie at one of our many photo ops!

Downtown drag in Mackinac. We should have taken a picture in front of the fudge shop which we visited THREE times in our short time on the island. It's just off to the right. :)
Jill and Josie trying out the bikes before our big ride.

Julie looking cute on her cruiser!

This looks so fun, I want to go back and spend a month there and do this everyday--or twice a day!


After leaving Mackinac Island we drove over the 5 mile suspension bridge so my sisters and mom could say they have been to the UP (upper peninsula) of Michigan. I don't think they will ever be back, so good thing we did it!

I am sure the highlight for all of them was seeing "The Big House" (I am being sarcastic). But really could their be a better picture??

We all have on Michigan shirts. Just don't tell my sisters husband who is an Ohio State fan through and through. I'll never tell. The best is my mom's Michigan Gymnastics shirt.
Later in the day (see pic below) we went to the cupcake station and someone asked my mom if she was on the Michigan Gymnastics team! She is in her 70's!
The tailgating here is out of control. We walked all over the place and saw a lot of FANCY tailgating. Wine and ham dinners all spread out. Here we are checking out the tailgaters.
This picture is from Mackinac Island. Here we are at the cupcake station in AA. So delicious! We walked here after eating at Pizza House, one of my favorite Ann Arbor places.

We celebrated Julie's birthday with a caramel cake! YUM!
We also walked around campus a little and saw the law quad which was beautiful. The buildings are so amazing.

More campus shots. It was a perfect day in Ann Arbor and at the Ward house. Michigan won in a close, good game against Notre Dame. I had my sisters in town. Weather was perfect.
I had so much fun and the time went WAY to fast. Can't wait for next year!

8 comments:

Jill said...

Janie,
You did such a great job describing our trip! It really is a highlight of my year to be able to spend time with my sisters. And I loved Michigan and being able to see your sweet family. I just laughed out loud as I looked at the pic of mom riding the bike and thinking of her going...whoo, whoo, whoo. She is awesome. You are the BEST and thank you so much for letting us come and spend time with you!

Abbigail said...

Fun, fun, fun!!!!! You are making me miss Ann Arbor even more. I love Mackinac Island! So great that you drovev up there with your sisters, and I am glad you made it safe! Scary.
I am also jealous of the beauty treatments. I could use some of that myself.
See you soon!

The Russell Family said...

I love your pictures from the trip! My mom told us all about it and it sounds like a blast. I love stories about Estee, she is so hilarious! "Grandma has a different face" that had us all rolling!!

JAY AND JOSIE WEBB FAMILY said...

Janie, I loved every minute of the itinerary you planned for us! It was so fun to see Ann Arbor and lots of Michigan on our drive to the island. Dan, thanks for sharing your talent and skill with us! Love you all. Thanks!!!

Becky said...

How fun! I am super glad that the creepy guys at the gas station left you alone and didn't chase after you to hack you all into little pieces. That would be bad. Cute pix!

Lisa said...

What a fun tradition! I need to get that started with my family. Is Dan interviewing for jobs yet?

Jana said...

You've got some cute sisters!!!!!

nickyfish said...

Look at you and your gorgeous family! I am so jealous. What a great trip idea. I love Mackinaw Island! I'm sure this trip was forever ago, but I'm a little slow on blogging lately. I have been Michigan home-sick this weekend. We put a little DVD together of Madeline for her baptism and it had so many pictures of our old house and Jenny's Market, that lake we use to hang out with your kids . . . so many good memories! Really made me miss your cute family!