The state-to-state travelers have returned. Elani and I made it safe and sound to and from Michigan this past weekend and we had a fabulous time visiting family and friends over the course of the 4 days we were there.
This is first time Elani has flown in an airplane since she was just a baby of 7 months old. She is much more alert and talkative now. Elani was excited when she saw the big airplanes and stayed awake through the take off, but soon was fast asleep and slept the whole flight until about 15 minutes before we landed, so she was awake for the landing in Lansing, Michigan at 11:15 a.m. We were met by my Mom, Don, stepbrother Doug and his girlfriend. We stopped for lunch to chat and do a little catching up at a Cracker Barrel before heading to Mom's house in Rose Lake Forest.
The weather was beautiful, sunny with just a light breeze and no humidity! What a relief.
When we arrived at my mom's Aunt Judy, Uncle Don and Michelle were there to meet us. We visited for awhile and then Elani and I headed to Cadillac where we would be staying with Michelle for the rest of the time of our visit.
Before going to dinner at a specialty Mexican place in Cadillac, we walked through the Annual Arts Festival in the City Park and then headed home to make sure Elani was in bed early and to prepare for the Sabbath.
Sabbath we went to the Cadillac West church and I got to visit and see some old friends there and then afterwards at a Potluck dinner at Jilane and Bryan Fenner's Lake House on Lake Mitchell. Elani had a blast on the boat dock and it kept me quite busy chasing her to make sure she didn't fall in the water or to keep her off the ladder and getting into the water. (I almost failed at that one).
After Elani's nap, Michelle, Elani and I went for a walk by Lake Cadillac. Elani got to swing and see the ducks and on the way home we found a small bush of wild raspberries, so Michelle and Elani picked and ate the berries. They also played in the Sound Garden on the Clam River Greenway (walkway).
After sleeping in on Sunday morning, we made our way over to Mom and Don's place on the Muskegon River for a picnic and tubing down the river. The weather was perfect, the sun was nice and hot so that helped us not get cold in the water. Elani was ready to go on this new adventure. She had her only little "boat" tied to my tube and we floated for the hour and a half trip to the bridge taking in the sights and sounds of the peaceful river ride. When we got back to the house we had a great picnic and Elani played outside all day long, barefoot in the grass running here and there, exploring everything and enjoying every minute of her time outside. When we finally packed it all up, she was one tired little girl, but a happy little girl.
At Michelle's house, Michelle and Elani each had a foot bath and painted their toes and fingers with bright red colors.
Monday we had a little snack with my friend Lorie at a coffee house and did a little on-sale shopping then hit the road to Lansing for our return flight. Elani slept all the way to Lansing so she was awake for the whole flight from Lansing to Sanford/Orlando. Rudy picked us up at 9:50 p.m. and we took Elani home to see her momma, papa and baby brother.
It was a great adventure and I would do it again in a minute. Elani is always very good when she is with me and we had a great "Grammy & Elani" weekend!
This is first time Elani has flown in an airplane since she was just a baby of 7 months old. She is much more alert and talkative now. Elani was excited when she saw the big airplanes and stayed awake through the take off, but soon was fast asleep and slept the whole flight until about 15 minutes before we landed, so she was awake for the landing in Lansing, Michigan at 11:15 a.m. We were met by my Mom, Don, stepbrother Doug and his girlfriend. We stopped for lunch to chat and do a little catching up at a Cracker Barrel before heading to Mom's house in Rose Lake Forest.
The weather was beautiful, sunny with just a light breeze and no humidity! What a relief.
When we arrived at my mom's Aunt Judy, Uncle Don and Michelle were there to meet us. We visited for awhile and then Elani and I headed to Cadillac where we would be staying with Michelle for the rest of the time of our visit.
Before going to dinner at a specialty Mexican place in Cadillac, we walked through the Annual Arts Festival in the City Park and then headed home to make sure Elani was in bed early and to prepare for the Sabbath.
Sabbath we went to the Cadillac West church and I got to visit and see some old friends there and then afterwards at a Potluck dinner at Jilane and Bryan Fenner's Lake House on Lake Mitchell. Elani had a blast on the boat dock and it kept me quite busy chasing her to make sure she didn't fall in the water or to keep her off the ladder and getting into the water. (I almost failed at that one).
After Elani's nap, Michelle, Elani and I went for a walk by Lake Cadillac. Elani got to swing and see the ducks and on the way home we found a small bush of wild raspberries, so Michelle and Elani picked and ate the berries. They also played in the Sound Garden on the Clam River Greenway (walkway).
After sleeping in on Sunday morning, we made our way over to Mom and Don's place on the Muskegon River for a picnic and tubing down the river. The weather was perfect, the sun was nice and hot so that helped us not get cold in the water. Elani was ready to go on this new adventure. She had her only little "boat" tied to my tube and we floated for the hour and a half trip to the bridge taking in the sights and sounds of the peaceful river ride. When we got back to the house we had a great picnic and Elani played outside all day long, barefoot in the grass running here and there, exploring everything and enjoying every minute of her time outside. When we finally packed it all up, she was one tired little girl, but a happy little girl.
At Michelle's house, Michelle and Elani each had a foot bath and painted their toes and fingers with bright red colors.
Monday we had a little snack with my friend Lorie at a coffee house and did a little on-sale shopping then hit the road to Lansing for our return flight. Elani slept all the way to Lansing so she was awake for the whole flight from Lansing to Sanford/Orlando. Rudy picked us up at 9:50 p.m. and we took Elani home to see her momma, papa and baby brother.
It was a great adventure and I would do it again in a minute. Elani is always very good when she is with me and we had a great "Grammy & Elani" weekend!
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