Family Time – Part I 6.26.2012

Is there any way you can make Mackinac Island more magical than it already is?   Why yes. . . . just add children (even if they’re grown) and/or grandchildren!

We are having so much fun with Julie, Jordan and Matthew.  They missed coming to the Island for two summers, and Matthew was only six the last time he was here.  At almost 10, he sees everything through different eyes.  And Jordan?  Oh my goodness, she threatened to change families if she couldn’t come this year – that girl LOVES Mackinac.  At age 12 – for Jordan – it’s all about the horses!

Arrival at Shepler’s Ferry dock shortly before 3 p.m. Dock Master Patrick Conlon works his magic and gets us loaded quickly so we can catch a ferry that was only three minutes from departing. Thanks, Patrick!

BIG surprise! Our captain, Jason, invited Jordan and Matthew into the pilot house to help drive the ferry! Matthew thought that was pretty awesome!  Thanks, Shepler’s!

Jill was waiting on the dock to snap a “Welcome to Mackinac” photo.

By 5 o’clock everyone was unpacked, and we went looking for horses with a zip-lock bag filled with carrots. First stop was the new Grand Hotel/Carriage Tour Stable, where first Julie met Joker . . . .

. . . and then Matthew got to pet him also. Ben Mosley, who’s in charge of all the horses at the Grand Hotel, spent a lot of time talking to everyone about the Hackneys and horses in general.  Ben also let us know that by next weekend the stable and museum would be open to the public.

With all my talk about Teddie on the blog this year (Jordan reads her BeBe’s blog faithfully, bless her heart), Jordan couldn’t wait to see him . . .

. . . and let’s just say Teddie shouldn’t need anymore carrots anytime soon!

Dinner on the back deck at the Chippewa. Julie, Jordan. . . .

. . . and Matthew are happy to be here, and BeBe and GDaddy are ecstatic!

“I’m setting my clock for seven – to go running.”  Julie said as she closed her bedroom door on Friday night.

“She’s what?” I said.

“Oh, yeah,” Ted said.  “Julie is running, and Jordan, Matthew and I are going to bike alongside her in the morning.”

“All righty then!”  I said.  “I’ll be happy to have the coffee made when you get back.”

And that’s what I did.

The Hewitts and Ted – merrily running/biking off practically at sunrise on Saturday.  They went all the way to Arch Rock and back. Oh my gosh, I was so impressed.  They were pretty impressed with my coffee too, I think.  I know the kids were impressed by their BeBe’s special Breakfast Fruit concoction.  They order it every time they come.

Bear LOVES when the kids come. He gets so much attention . . .

. . . and they go home begging for a Golden Retriever. They also go home covered in “Bear hair”, which means they probably won’t be getting a Golden.

After breakfast, we girls – and Matthew, who was anxious to get to the Magic Shop and buy a fake cigar that blew baby powder “smoke” – visited all the cute shops downtown. Poor Matthew was pulled in to look at cute shirts and skirts and dresses and shoes for over an hour, but he finally got his cigar. He also got a pack of what looks like Wrigley’s gum, with a piece of gum pushed out for you to grab. Don’t! He happily shocked everyone he could get to reach for the gum. He is SUCH a boy!

Back to the condo for lunch, then we took our four bikes and a borrowed one from condo neightbor Judy and headed out for a ride. We biked to the Annex, walked part of Pontiac Trail, and ended at the lookout on the West Bluff for this photo.

After supper, we walked back downtown for what else? Ice Cream! Ted and Matthew did a little balancing act on the beams in the Burroughs Lot behind the school.

“We’re full now!”

Jordan and Julie, walking back up Fort Street.  Sweet memories.

Wild daisies along Huron Road.

Julie and her daddy, walking home.

It started raining around 2 a.m. Sunday morning and was still pouring when we got up.  For a little while it looked as though we might miss church because of the weather, but by a little after ten it had stopped, and we hurried down the hill to Little Stone Church.  After church and lunch we hopped on our bikes and rode out to the Mackinac Island Community Stable.  Jordan wanted to do some volunteering while she was here, and if she could do it with horses that would be perfect!

Watching a plane land at the airport – on the way to the Community Stable.

She met Leanne Brodeur, Katie and Matt Novakoski, and another Kate (Katie, Matt & Kate are interns this summer at the stable), and they scheduled Jordan to work on Monday from 10 – 2.  One excited little girl!

While we were there, Jordan and Matthew got to ride around the arena on Fiona, one of the 4-H horses.

Jordan on Fiona, watched closely by Katie.

Matthew . . .

. . . and intern Kate, working Fiona after the kids had ridden.

After dinner, Julie and the kids walked downtown for some ice cream, then walked along the beach parallel to the boardwalk. Julie caught this great pic of Jordan and Matthew, with the Star Ferry Line “rooster tail” in the background.

That’s our first three days.  Are BeBe and GDaddy tired?  You bet!  But it’s the happiest tired we’ve been in a long time.  Looking forward to Matt’s arrival on Wednesday evening, then four more days with him here also.

The next blog will be on Tuesday, July 3 (or late Monday night).  That will be a VERY LONG one because I’ll be covering Monday, June 25-July 2 (the day the family leaves to go back to Florida).  I’ve missed writing, but it’s been so wonderful to be able to plan whatever anyone wants to do without thinking, “But I need to write tonight.”  Thank you so much, my friends, for your understanding.  I promise I’ll be back to my normal routine soon.

Please pray for me on Thursday morning as I speak to the Mackinac Island Men’s Breakfast about Bree’s Blog.  Oh my gosh, they’ve even advertised it in the Town Crier!

Hugs to you all – see you back here next Tuesday!  God bless.