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WE ARE HAVING A BABY!! I can’t even believe I am typing that. If it wasn’t for all the pregnancy symptoms and my growing waistline, I wouldn’t believe it. Even though I’m 13 weeks now, it still doesn’t quite feel real. Today, I am so excited to share our story of how we found out we were pregnant!
Continue reading “How the Girl Told the Kiwi We are Having a Baby”
I don’t love fall. That might be an unpopular opinion, I know. But I much prefer summer and winter. Though the leaves are really colorful, I don’t love all the rain and mud. For me, fall is just a countdown to winter. But recently my sisters, mom and I escaped the fall blues by going to Boyne Mountain Spa for a mother-daughters weekend. Here’s what we got up to on our relaxing weekend away at Boyne Mountain Spa!
Continue reading “Mother-Daughter Weekend at Boyne Mountain Spa”
For the last several years my family and extended family have gone on a Michigan fall color, wine, beer and cider tour – or “wine tour” for short. Usually we try to go when the colors are at their “peak”, typically middle of October. We all pile into my Uncle’s motorhome and tour northern Michigan’s best wineries, cideries, and micro breweries, and enjoy the beautiful fall weather! This year we set off to Traverse City, Leelanau, Suttons Bay, and Bellaire. Here’s our wine tour itinerary! Continue reading “Michigan Beer & Wine Tour: Traverse City & Suttons Bay”
I’m such a big northern Michigan fan. There’s just so much beauty up there. Everything is spread out, and so much woods and spaces that are just untouched. Apart from our loved Gaylord, some of our favorite places are Boyne City and Charlevoix. Boyne City is at the base of Lake Charlevoix, about 40 min north east of Gaylord. Charlevoix is at the “top” of Lake Charlevoix, about an hour from Gaylord on the coast of Lake Michigan. Here we are going to highlight some of our favorite things to do and places to explore near these areas!
Continue reading “What to Do Near Boyne City and Charlevoix”
Airbnb isn’t a totally new thing, but James and I are slightly late to the party and have just started staying at Airbnbs this year! I realize, they are not for everyone. But they are for us! We love them. We’re no experts, but this year we’ve stayed in three Airbnbs in a two month time period. Let’s talk about where we stayed, why we love Airbnb, why they aren’t for everyone, and what to look for when you book.
I just got back from a weekend in Grand Rapids with my sisters and my mom. It was so refreshing, we shopped for hours, made our fall wreaths, shared gourmet appetizers, and saw the play Wicked (hiiiiighly recommend), which was every bit as good as I’ve heard.
My sister Mandy, is studying at Grand Valley State University and was our unofficial tour guide for the weekend. She knew exactly where to take us, how long it was going to take to get there, and nailed our dinner and brunch reservations! I asked her about what’s what in Grand Rapids: what to do, what to see, and what’s worth the drive. Check out her recommendations for your next trip to Grand Rapids!
Continue reading “What to Do and See in Grand Rapids, Michigan: A Local’s Guide”
We’ve had a beautiful fall here in Michigan, almost a little too beautiful. James and I love crisp, cool air in the fall. But last weekend we had perfect weather for exploring Northern Michigan’s wineries and breweries! My family and extended family have done a Beer & Wine Color Tour for the last two years, making this our third annual tour. I have to say, my uncle, aunt, and cousin nailed the wine tour itinerary this year.
Saturday morning, we loaded up my uncle’s motorhome, affectionally named “The Bus”, with waters, snacks, beer, spiced cider and of course cider mill doughnuts. Here’s what we got up to!
Continue reading “Northern Michigan Beer & Wine Color Tour, Petoskey & Harbor Springs”
Going through photos of us in Rotorua the other day made me reminisce about our love story. We have quite the tale to tell, so I thought I’d share our story!
It started in January 2010. I was 17. I was ski instructing at the Otsego Club & Resort in Gaylord, Michigan, and the Vancouver Olympics were right around the corner. The whole club was buzzing with excitement because we had snowboarding teams from all over the world coming to train at OUR ski club! It was pretty exciting, and our parents even took us out of school (I was in my Senior year of High School) for a long weekend.
Continue reading “How The Girl Met The Kiwi – Our Love Story”
“Up North” is a Michigan way of life. It doesn’t refer to a single city, county, or lake, but rather anywhere in the northern part of the state. For us, Gaylord Michigan is our Up North.
My family (Brooke’s family) has had a cottage in Gaylord for as long as I can remember. Before that, my mom and dad travelled to Gaylord as kids. It’s also where I met and five years later married James.
So, if you’re planning a trip to Northern Michigan, there is a good chance you’ll find yourself passing right by Gaylord. Here are 7 reasons you don’t want to miss Gaylord: