My brother Ryan is working on Mackinac Island this year at Stone Cliffe Inn as a waiter at its restaurant. He worked on Mackinac Island when he was younger and then returned last year. Although I'm sure he enjoys our visits, he really doesn't like playing "fudgie" all day with us! Fudgie is the term that the Islanders use to describe tourists on the Island.
Travis and I set off to my parents' house in Lansing around 4:30am and then my mom drove us and my 11-year-old nephew (my brother Ryan's son) up to St. Ignace. We got on the ferry and my brother was waiting for us on Mackinac Island...as well as my cousin Bill, his wife Kat, and his son Billy (they are from Tennessee so we only get to see them once a year if we're lucky). It was a great surprise that they were there. We were joined by my brother's girlfriend and later by my aunt so we were a mini mob of 10! First, we ate lunch. Here are my brother and nephew at Goodfella's.
Then we rented bikes and rode all 8 miles around the Island. Because it was our first time as a married couple being on the Island, Travis and I decided to go with the tandem! At first I thought we were going to crash but it was easy once we got the hang of it.
We had so much fun, enjoyed the beautiful weather, and really soaked up time with the family. I saw my sweet nephew nearly every day of his life for the first few years so I have a special place in my heart for him and always will. He is the most amazing kid, with a big, open, caring heart. The highlights of my year are getting to spend time with this little boy. Travis knows how much I truly love Sam and I can tell how much Travis loves him too by the light in his eyes when he hears Sam call him "Uncle Travis". Hearing the two of them giggling together just about brings tears to my eyes.
Anyways, we only stayed for the day and then departed on the ferry and spent the next day and a half at the now-infamous Burnett's Camp. Here is a picture of us day-trippers in front of the replicated Burnett's Camp sign (the original said "Late 1800's) I mentioned in a prior post.
Here's to a wonderful mini-vacation, seeing my big brother for his birthday, and crossing something off my list!
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