Mackinac Island...must I leave?

 We spent our annual (mom and dad only) Memorial Day weekend on Mackinac Island again this year.  We always come up on a Thursday and come home on Sunday.  We're actually gone before Memorial Day itself, as we have to be home for our local Memorial Day parade because our boys are in the middle and high school bands and have to march/play in the parade.

 Gorgeous tulips at Mission Point.

We always have an amazing time (it's impossible not to).

And I always hate to leave (except to get back and see my babes).

 Love these daffodils!

Everything blooms much later on the island due to the differences in weather.

Our daffodils downstate are LONG gone.

 Our tulips are long gone too!

Theirs are at their peak right now!

 We stayed at the Harbour View Inn.
It has become our new favorite on the island.

It is, by far, the cleanest, friendliest, and has great deals. 

We love it.

 We love taking long walks along the 8 mile perimeter.

 We usually overdo it, end up sun burnt, and overly tired...but that's the Mackinac vacation way and we love it!

 I got my hair cut (even shorter) just before we left.

I wasn't sure about it at first...but now...I think I love it!

 I'm sure Evan will be jealous of me...we stopped for fried pickles at the Cannon Ball at British Landing!

 TRILLIUM!

 One of my favorite flowers!

 This spider was HUGE.  I kid you not.  It was half the size of my palm.

And that ain't no "fish story"!

 A dead bat we came across in the forrest.

That is as close as I will ever get to a bat (on purpose).

They are everywhere at night on the island.

HATE THEM.

 Gorgeous tulips at Fort Mackinac.

 Can't believe they are at their peak here.

 Ours have been gone for weeks!

 I wish my hubs would join me in more photos...he hates having his picture taken.

 Our last night here...getting ready to head out for dinner!

We'll be leaving tomorrow...whaaa!

But we'll be back in July!

The boys will be coming with us then, and we're trying to talk grandma and grandpa into coming up for a few days too!  We shall see!

Until next time beloved Mackinac!

We'll miss you!

Springtime Stuff...(Tulip Time, Mother's Day, etc.)

 Another successful Tulip Time Festival has come and gone.

2013 was a hit.

I have to say, as beautiful as the tulips are, my favorite part is the parades.

We went to all three, as usual, since Evan marches with the ZHS Marching Band...gotta support my babe!

This is Nate and me at the VolksParade.  It was SOOOOO hot!

 Wednesday and Thursday were the VolksParade and the KinderParade.

Both days were absolutely scorching for Michigan springtime.

We were absolutely sweating!

 Of course we had to enjoy some festival food.

Wednesday we got a funnel cake and elephant ear to share.

And we picked up a corndog and homemade chips for Evan to enjoy after marching.

 There's my Evan...see him?

 There he goes! 

 Saturday is the BIG PARADE...the MuziekParade.

And the weather had taken a turn for the worse.

The temps on Wed/Thur were in the low 80s.

By Saturday, the windchill was in the low 30s (33 to be exact).

A 50 degree temperature swing is pretty drastic to the body!

 Not to mention, it was cloudy, RAINING, and HUGE wind-gusts!

It was pretty miserable.

But...

 We stuck it out!

Had to see my babe march!

There he is!

 We hadn't planned to buy anything, but we got some fresh cut french fries to keep us warm.

And a bag of cotton candy to go for Evan.

 I didn't take many pictures of the tulips or floats this year.

 Because, you know, for ME...it's all about the bands...

ONE in PARTICULAR...

Zeeland High School Marching Band!

And...as luck would have it...

We (ZHS Marching Band) WON the "Text To Vote" People's Choice Award for bands!

Congrats ZHS!

 Mother's Day sneaked up on me this year!

Maybe it was the weather.

It didn't feel like spring.

I was looking at pictures from last year's Mother's Day and my boys had on shorts and I had on a skirt with bare legs and sandals with a short sleeve blouse!

This year, the boys are wearing jeans (and jackets when we went out) and I had on jeans, sweater, and boots!

Brrrr...we had a chilly stretch mid-May!

 And to end this post...

Just a few random shots of my favorite boys...

...and cat...hehe!

Evan.

 Nate.

Ev holding Oreo.

Hope you're having a super spring!

Looks like the warm weather is headed back our way this weekend!

Enjoy your weekend and thanks for reading!

Until next time...

Melody~