We're baaaaaack!

Yes, as my earlier post mentioned, we have returned home from our three week sojourn into the wilds of northern Michigan and Canada.  We camped, we hiked, we swam, we drove, we explored, we enjoyed the beautiful landscape.  Oh, and we used pit toilets.  Waaay too many times.

The seven of us spent almost three weeks in our little pop-up camper, (mostly) enjoying each other's company.  Here are a few highlights, and I may tell a specific story or two in later posts.

• The last many family trips we have taken, we have returned with a theme song or two.  This year, our Epic Music was from the RobinHood soundtrack (Prisoner of the Crusades).  It is also the background music from some Disney promotions, so you would recognize it I'll bet.  We listened to it many, many times in Canada.  The boys requested it every other song.  Our other Epic Music was the soundtrack to Little Women, a fave of my husband's and mine, and now our older daughter as well.  A certain boy was not pleased to share the Epic Music title with such a girly movie soundtrack.  He'll have to get over it.
• We must have passed 25 or more billboards advertising the Pictured Rocks Coastline both on our way up and on our way back.  My husband unfailingly pointed each one out to my oldest son.  It got to be a joke and he always got a laugh from the vanful of kids.
• We celebrated two birthdays while away - our youngest son is now seven, and our littlest one is now four.  Each child happened to receive a gift from a campsite neighbor (at two different campgrounds) - a testament to how friendly campers are to one another.  Each child got his/her own number candle and cupcakes to share as we sang Happy Birthday, and opened presents that had made the trip with us. 
• We had been to the UP of Michigan many years ago, but had never really been to Canada (outside of just crossing the border for a few hours).  We were stunned by Canada's beauty.  Rolling hills (almost mountains) offset by gorgeous Lake Superior made for amazing views.  We hiked to many places and enjoyed others simply by driving through the Provincial Park.  
• Our first week of camping was spent with my whole family.  The kids had a blast playing with their cousins, the beach was a very short walk away, and camping is a lot easier with six adults helping!  My parents celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary this year, so my sister and I came up with a Family Trivia Game that we played one evening by the campfire.  Filled with trivia questions spanning 60 years, we laughed and reminisced for a good long time. 
• Pictures!  My husband gave his iphone a workout during our trip, and he was able to capture lots of beautiful scenery, family pictures and memories.  We will enjoy them for years to come.

Now that my oldest is safely off to camp for the week, the laundry is caught up and the camper is cleaned and closed back up, I feel officially back to regular life.  The kids are back to their lists and outside playing with neighbor friends.  We are settled back into routine, albeit only for the next three weeks, when school starts!