Mackinaw City/Mackinac Island July 2014

 We started our trip off for an overnight stay in Mackinaw City.

We like to do this so we can relax after the drive up and get up and catch the first ferry without rushing.  We always go to the beach and play in the water/sand.  This year it was really chilly in the water.  I stayed on the beach which was really nice.

The boys always like going down to "rock beach" over by the Mighty Mac (bridge) and skipping stones.

 The seagulls are crazy.

 My three guys at the lighthouse.

 My happy little family in front of the Mackinac Bridge.

...and a happy little family of ducks!

We have to stop for ice cream at Mickey's.  They have the most giant ice cream cones for the best prices!

 Fun in the sun on the beach!

 The next day we headed over to the Island.

The weather was crazy chilly for July.

I wore a jacket most of the time we were here!

But we still managed to get ice cream at Sadies at the Grand Hotel!

 Lilacs!

I was sooooo incredibly happy there were still lilacs in bloom!

My favorite flower in the world!

I am convinced that heaven smells like lilacs.

I could sniff them all day!

 Silly selfies at Arch Rock stairwell!

We were so happy the new stairwell was complete at Arch Rock after being rebuilt for the past 3 years!

 People always ask us, "Don't you ever get tired of going to Mackinac Island?"

NO!
I think the reason people ask, is because most people think there's nothing past the first block of touristy shops on Main Street.

We always manage to find something new each time we go.

This time we found the "Crack In The Island".

It is so cool!

Here's my three guys guys standing thigh deep in it.

 We're loving the new Coke bottles.

We found one with our last name on it at Doud's Market!

 Another new place we discovered this time was "Cave of the Woods".

It was a neat little cave hidden off on a trail we'd never discovered until this trip!

 The flowers in the summer time at Mackinac are amazing.

 Point Lookout...with Sugarloaf in the background.

 We stayed at the Murray Hotel this time and they leave "bedtime cookies" in your room each night!

 They also make amazing donuts that we like to get for breakfast.

 We walked up to Fort Holms one day and there were some beautiful wildflowers.

 These are planted in front of tons of the hotels and inns and are so beautiful and smell amazing!

 My three guys overlooking Sugarloaf!

 Nate always likes to try his luck at the arcade.  He's awesome at the skill crane game.  So much so, that we've named him the "crane master".  He won all three of these animals in 2 tries!

 We went biking one day and stopped off at Turtle Park.  This guy (spider) was in the restroom with me!  Eeeek!  There were also three snakes along our trek that we came across!  One dead and two alive!

We stopped off at the Cannon Ball for fried pickles along our bike ride.  Ya can't go to British Landing and not stop there for fried pickles!

 July 4th manicure!

 The flag at Fort Mackinac is so huge...and beautiful!

 Nate and I...selfies at Ft. Mackinac on July 4th.

 The small Mackinac Island "parade" on the 4th.  Pretty cool to watch.

 Me and my babes at the Fort on picnic day!

 Jam and the boys.

 We spent all day at the Fort Mackinac and attended the All American Picnic put on by the Grand Hotel.  It's a lovely bar-b-que picnic, 38 gun salute, cannon firing, soldiers and ladies in period costumes, games, and dancing...a lovely affair.

Afterward, we went on the Shepler's Fireworks Cruise out on Lake Huron.

They take you under the bridge and then out in the middle of the lake for the fireworks show.  We always wear glow bracelets each year!

 Another giant spider who followed us on our walk today.

 We took games along and played either Uno or Bananagrams each night.

Forget the t-shirts...for my souvenirs, I got new cookie cutters and cupcake pins/magnets!

We had a wonderful trip and I can't wait to come back!

I'm hoping we'll be able to make it back in August like we usually do.

There's something magical about Mackinac...and it will always hold a special place in our hearts!