Michigan!

Well, here we are...in Michigan. Home of the Lions, Tigers, and... Bears. Well, not the Bears but BLUEBERRIES. Michigan produces more blueberries than any other state. I did  not know that. As just so you know, they taste like candy. Last week I went to the store and bought enough groceries to feed us for the rest of the summer! All the fruit was on sale, so of course I went crazy and bought two of everything. But now we have been enjoying summer fruit and vegetables, it is the best!

Okay, the important stuff...

We have been in Michigan for two weeks, as of today! And so far, its been really good! I am really enjoying everything about it. It reminds me a lot of my mission; all the trees and its super green! And our ward oh how I love our ward! Everyone has been so nice since the moment we walked in. Everyone comes right up and introduces themselves to us and just chats with us forever. This past Sunday we were on our way out and we got stopped, for the third time after church, by a lady and she just went on and on about all the things we have to do this summer; places to eat, places to enjoy music, the safe parts of Detroit, etc. She was super helpful and very nice. Haidyn is starting his second week of the internship; he has been enjoying all of it but he is just a mountain man at heart and miss the mountains. I told him I could really get used to this lake life living. He just rolled his eyes! But seriously, we live in the most beautiful place. We feel absolutely spoiled to be living here for the summer. Especially how much we are paying for rent and the place is furnished. All we had to pack were clothes and fishing poles, oh and don't forget the bow I won :) We just feel absolutely spoiled to be where we are. Almost every night we walk out to the lake and fish for an hour or two while watching the sun set. Life is pretty good. Actually....the lake life does get pretty lonely at times. After day two of Haidyn's internship I was going insane. Not having anybody to talk to makes life pretty lonely and not very interesting. I had busied myself with cleaning the house, laundry, crafts and then I look at the clock and it's only 10:45. It makes for a very long day. So on day three I decided I had to get a job! I applied for anything that said temporary or seasonal. I became so desperate I started calling golf courses/country clubs thinking that they would need manual labor help. I called Pine Knob Golf Course and got the number to the Banquet Facility and office. I mentioned I was looking for summer work and she said just that day they were discussing how they need someone to come in on Fridays and possibly two other days during the week. I basically got the job over the phone. She told me to come in and chat with her and fill out an application. I hadn't showered and was still in my pj's so I quickly got ready and drove to the golf course. She didn't even interview and just discussed my schedule and what I would be doing for the summer. It is a real tender mercy. A true miracle. Heavenly Father heard my plea and answered. I am so grateful! And so happy I won't be terribly bored all summer. I told Haidyn if I had someone to craft, shop, lay out, etc. with all summer then I would be totally fine! It's just that I don't have anyone and 1 gets pretty lonely. So, COME VISIT US!!!!!!!!!!

Here are a few pictures of what we have been up to and the trip out here.

Right before we left Utah we got to babysit this cutie! So of course, we needed a selfie.

Before we made the trek to Michigan we decided to drive in the opposite direction to Sonora. While there we did lots of fishing and Haidyn was exposed to his first Mother Lode Round Up Parade and Rodeo Weekend. 

We left Sonora and headed for Utah. We stayed in Salt Lake with Grandma Joanne before heading to Preston to stay with Grandma and Grandpa Boswell.  While there Grandma helped me with my quilt and then the rest of the drive to Michigan I worked on the binding! And here is the finished result!

After Preston we headed for the Midwest! First stop was Cheyenne, Wyoming.

The next morning we left Cheyenne and headed for Omaha, Nebraska. After only driving 90 miles, we decided to stop in Sidney, Nebraska; the home of Cabelas. It was only appropriate since we did our wedding registry there. The only place we ever do any shopping in Cabelas is the Bargain Cave. After doing some browsing in the Cave we were just wondering around and ended up in the archery section. This man, ended up being the Marketing Manager, starts chatting with me; singles me out and ignores Haidyn. This is how the conversation played out:

Man: "Hi mam. Are you interested in archery?"

Me: "Kind of. I got my draw length measured but thats about it."

Man: "Well, we are having an archery seminar at noon today, just for women. You can ask any questions you want, we will take your draw length, and get you set up on a bow and let you shoot some arrows. Right now you are the only one, we are waiting to see if anyone else shows up"

Me: "Well, how long will it last? We kind of have somewhere to be, we are on the road heading to Omaha for the night."

Man: "I promise to only take a half hour of your time."

I'm trying to find a way out of this, because I really did not want to do this. We have only been on the road for an hour and a half, we needed to get going!

Man: "We will do a drawing of all the participants and there will be a grand prize at the end. Do you have a bow?"

Me: "No."

Man: "Then you will want to stay, trust me."

I look at Haidyn and we both have this look on our faces like "WHAT?! Ok!"

Man: "Looks like you are the only one here and no one else is coming, so lets get started!" 

He leaves and a woman comes out to help measure me and talk bows. He comes back five minutes later with a bow in his hand and says, "Congratulations! You are the Grand Prize Winner of the Ladies Day Out! Sorry the bow is pink." Haha no problem, I just won a bow! A $350 value bow! We spent the next four and a half hours trying out different bows. So much for getting to Omaha at a decent hour. But it was worth it, easily. 

We spent two days in Omaha to check out the Church History and take a break from driving. While there we went to Big Mama's Kitchen. Her restaurant was featured on "Diners, Drives, and Dives" with Guy! It was all soul food, and everything deep fried!

Omaha is an interesting city. On one side of street you're in Nebraska and the other side you are in Iowa. We went to the Omaha Zoo, it was AMAZING!!!!!!!! We spent six hours there and still felt like we weren't able to see everything! We also spent some time at the Mormon Trail Center at Winter Quarters and at the Kanesville Tabernacle where Brigham Young was called to be the Prophet. 

After Omaha we headed to Chicago! We crossed over the Mississippi River! It was beautiful. (Haidyn is chewing sunflower seeds, it's not a dip!)

And then finally.......

WE MADE IT TO MICHIGAN!

This is our new backyard....kind of spoiled. 

And who would've guessed what we do every night and on the weekends?! We fish all the time! We catch little sunfish off the shore and occasionally a smaller large mouth bass. But when we use the row boat we catch larger large mouth bass and Haidyn caught two pike!

"He's just a wittle guy"

This is Carl, the baby turtle I almost stepped on. Isn't he so cute?!

And this is Carl's great great grandfather, Howard. Haidyn caught him with a net. He is HUGE! And he is snapping turtle!

Well, we are all settled for the next twelve weeks here in Waterford. We absolutely love our ward here, everyone has been so nice and welcoming. We are just trying to enjoy our summer and take advantage of the beauty around us. We have plenty of room so if you want a summer vacation, come to Michigan!