Kayla Raine: Mack-a-la Island

After planning and booking our trip to Mackinac Island eight months ago, the weekend finally arrived! We were looking forward to a nice relaxing time of being gone 5 days/4 nights with the Rossow family who have a daughter, Molly, exactly one year older than you and a boy, Bryce, who is two. We were extremely grateful and excited to have Aunt Kristi along with us too - it added to the fun of the entire vacation. It couldn't have been a more perfect weekend - the weather was beautiful and we packed in just enough activities that also allowed us maximum relaxing time on the screened-in front porch. We were so proud of you and Molly and Bryce who played wonderfully together all weekend, no quarrels, no drama, which in and of itself is a small miracle. We loved the slow-pace of the island; you can only get somewhere as fast as your legs will walk or peddle you there or as fast as a horse can carry you. There was a road out front of the house that gave you and Molly the perfect place to ride your bikes. At first it was strange to see you running and riding back and forth across the street without having to worry about cars - I almost yelled out "Watch out!", but then realized that the fastest thing coming was a bicyclist. Bare feet, bike rides, shopping, butterflies, nature walks, hikes in the woods, horse and carriage rides, stroller rides, ice-cream, hat parties - it was a fun family weekend!

Getting ready to board the ferry - bikes and all

All of our stuff. Nine people. Five days.

Poor horse had to lug all this stuff - including us - up the hill.

The most exciting part of the trip for you -

riding a horse and carriage in true princess style!

Your first time petting a horse...

We went on many bike rides!

(In front of our house, the Crow's Nest, a home on East Bluff built in 1900).

The 144-set of stairs leading from the Crow's Nest to downtown.

The perfect-sized picnic table in the shade of the front yard,

perfect for afternoon snacks.

How many afternoons and evenings were spent - either playing with some sort of electronic equipment or wearing hats from the "hat wall", or both.

The butterfly house; a perfect activity for a rainy afternoon.

We did an "old fashioned" ganster-style photo shoot one afternoon. You and Molly dressed up in flapper-style dresses. I didn't realize that personal cameras were banned during the photo shoot so I had to snap a quick one, plus you and Molly were shaking your dresses to make the fringe twist; hence the blurry photo.

The Crow's Nest trail, named after the home we stayed in, located just across the street from the house. We often went on "adventures" in the woods exploring the network of trails. You were looking for coyotes.