Michigan UP Trip

July 20-23:  While my parents and Ms. Jennifer hosted our kiddos for the week we were able to enjoy a fun 10th anniversary trip with the Knopps.  The last time we got away just the 4 of us was when I was pregnant with Kinnick so this trip was long overdue!  We met up on a Sunday night and stayed at our house.  We planned out a couple meals to make on our trip and made a grocery run for supplies.

Day 1:  We left Shorewood in the morning and stopped a few hours into our trip at a diner for breakfast.  We found a cute place with some yummy food!  After more driving, we stopped for a picnic.  We decided to drive around town and look for a park.  We found the perfect little stop off with one shelter house right on a gorgeous little lake.  We enjoyed beautiful weather!  During our drive Lindsey and I read and watched a movie besides having lots of time to talk.  We enjoyed making pit stops for snacks and not having to worry about kids!  We arrived in Michigan at our friends (Scot & Erika's) cabin later afternoon.  They let us use their cabin, their boat, and their 4-wheelers!  This place is amazing--two bedrooms & full kitchen, a lofted deck, snuggled into the woods, a short walk from the lake, and lake-side fire pit & hammocks!  The first time we visited was during February so the scenery was quite different!  We couldn't wait to get out on the water so we took the boat out for a cruise before making dinner.  The guys grilled and Lindsey and I fixed the sides.  After our amazingly perfect dinner on the patio we finished our night with a movie.
 

Picture Perfect View!!  We randomly found this driving around this little town...

Cutest little cabin!  Right in the middle of the Northwoods...

Dinner #1:  BBQ pork chops, cheesy orzo, roasted balsamic brussels sprouts w/ bacon, and cheesy squash.

Day 2:  We started our morning with sleeping in, a laid-back breakfast on the patio, and then some four-wheeling and hammock-chillin'!  For the afternoon the guys had reservations to golf in the town of Houghton (about 15 minutes away).  Lindsey and I found a local spa and made plans to get full massages and mini facials.  We dropped the boys off and headed to our spa appointment early.  They couldn't fit us in any earlier but they let us relax in their upstairs lounge area--it was perfect and we both enjoyed reading our books.  For our massage they opened the curtain between our rooms so we were together.  Our girls were super cute and fun.  We loved every bit of our spa time.  Afterwards we were able to shower (with the most amazing lavender shampoo & conditioner ever) and enjoy the jacuzzi spa.  When we finished at the spa we were planning to get a drink and do some shopping but the girls at the spa told us about a local place that has amazing sushi only on Tuesdays... of course it was Tuesday so we had to check that out!  We counted it as our appetizer to dinner.  After our sushi we went to pick the guys up who had made friends with an older couple from Michigan (but first time in the UP) who they were paired with to golf.  We went to Scot & Erika's recommendation for dinner and enjoyed some amazing pizza.     

This place looked like an old barn--seriously SO cute!

This place was called "The Library" and it was decorated with lots of books--again, SO cute!

While in Michigan, I continued training for my half marathon so I needed to get in some runs.  I hit the 250 mark which was a big deal!  And enjoyed gorgeous views as I ran.  Clear blue skies with fluffy white clouds and the lake glistening below... wooded paths full of shade and smelling amazing--It was some great running!

Day3:  On Scot and Erika's recommendation we drove up to Copper Harbor--the furthest North point in Michigan.  It is a peninsula surrounded by Lake Superior.  Marc & Andy's friends gave them a suggestion for where to eat but we decided to stop at the visitor center to get an idea of what we wanted to do.  The lady there told us her favorite leisure activity was rock hunting (although with her accent it sounded more like "rack" hunting and it took me two tries to understand what she meant!)  She said we should drive up to Brockway Mountain look out point for a spectacular view and after telling her we would like a short hike she directed us to Hunter's Point for hiking.  It was truly gorgeous hiking constantly right along the Lake Shore.  We found a rock beach to take a break (and do some rock hunting ourselves!)  After our hike we enjoyed lunch and some shopping.  We also took the drive up to Brockway Mountain and it was worth it!  An interesting fact about this little area--no cell service!  No one who lives here can get cell service!  It was for sure a slower pace of life.  In fact, the battery to the Knopps van died and upon going back into the restraunt to ask for help the hostess flipped her keys to him and said "Their are jumper cables in the back, help yourself!"  For the afternoon we enjoyed some more boating and then another fantastic dinner on the deck.  We enjoyed some reading on the dock and ended with drinks by the fire (as long as we could manage--the mosquitos were absolutely horrendous!)   

 

We had to dip our toes in the icy Lake Superior water!

Brockaway Mountain

Dinner #2:  Grilled Fish/Steak, Roasted Balsamic Veggies, Loaded Bake Potato Casserole, and Zuchhini-Corn Casserole

Day 3:  We made breakfast and had one last leisurely morning in Michigan.  We took a final four-wheel ride through the woods and packed up to say good bye to our North Woods retreat.  We picniced once again at our hidden gem on the way out.  We stopped in Port Washington--the super cute Wisconsin town where Marc and I had our 9th anniversary get-away trip last summer.  We fell in love with this town and had to share it with Knopps.  We did a bit of shopping and had a yummy dinner.  Of course we had to take the hike out to the light house too so we did that before we hit the road.  We stopped at a Wisconsin cheese shop and arrived back to Shorewood by 9 that evening. 

This was such a fun trip with awesome friends to celebrate our 10th anniversary.  I love the simplicity and slower pace and I love the outdoors!