The End of August

 Today was officially move-in day for Emerson at Northern Michigan University.  After an overnight stay at the cabin, we were up early and on the road for the final leg of our journey.  It is tradition for our family to stop in Mackinaw City before crossing the bridge, and while this hot dog stand peaked her attention, that smile by the bridge was totally fake.

And then we were over the bridge, and on US-2, and then cruising through Germfask and Seney, and then there was Lake Superior on our right as we sailed through Munising, and then we were there!  Hello to Marquette, and NMU, and Emerson's new home!

After officially checking in and getting her keys, Emerson made her way to her new home.  She was already not impressed with the number of pictures I was taking, but I made no apologies.

Em's friend, J.R. met us to help load up the cart and get things up to her third floor dorm room.  We had arrived before her roommate, and we wanted to get things as organized as possible before she arrived.

In just a few short hours, Emerson was unpacked and her roommate, Leah, was moved in, too. 

That was my cue to leave for the night, so I headed to my hotel.  While the girls continued to settle in, Em's friend, Braxton, stopped by to check out her new digs. I was happy she had a local friend there to help her out.

Friday morning, I was up with the sun to get a run in on some of my favorite trails.

While I ran, my favorite Marine was headed to work. He is always so serious when he Snaps me.

I hurried to get ready for the day while Jason and the kids made their way north. Of course, they stopped along US-2 for a little Lake Michigan break.

Finally we were all together again, and we headed back to the dorm to deliver the rest of Emerson's stuff for her room.

We left Emerson to go set up camp and then we headed to Black Rocks!  Friday was predicted to be the nicest day weather-wise, and jumping off Black Rocks was at the top of our to-do list.

When everyone had had their fill of jumping into the cold water and rock-hopping, we headed to dinner at a great little Mexican restaurant in town.

After that, we headed back to camp where we hung out at the campfire, and then snuggled under our covers and relaxed.

On Saturday morning, I had somehow convinced my family that climbing to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain would be a fun adventure.  They were a little hesitant, but I promised them that the route was mostly stairs and that it would be an easy hike up.  Despite the cloudy day, they really enjoyed the view from the top.  I considered this a small victory!

We decided to head out to Big Bay for lunch, and along the way we went chasing waterfalls, and found Yellow Dog Falls.  It was a bit off the beaten path but it was a neat little spot and I'm glad we took the detour!

Emerson and Leah met us in Big Bay for lunch.  We ended up at the Lumberjack Tavern, and were greeted by the owner and one employee who were very overwhelmed.  We dined on chicken fingers and french fries and the best garlic breadsticks ever.

And then, by some HUGE stroke of luck, the kids decided they wanted to climb up to the top of Hogback Mountain.  Now, this isn't just a waltz-to-the-top kind of mountain.  I have climbed it several times and when I say "climbed", I mean I used my arms and legs to literally climb up it.  It was a much longer hike than I think they were expecting, but they were (mostly) all smiles as they made their way up to the peak.

We took our time, choosing our route strategically, and we made it to the top!  Hogback Mountain is solid rock at the top, and we chose to sit down and take a rest up there!

We finally decided to head back down, and were really enjoying the day.  Only a few other people were out and about, and we had the trails nearly to ourselves.

After another night around the campfire, complete with brats, campfire potatoes, and s'mores, our time in Marquette was over.  We met Emerson early on Sunday to give her one last hug goodbye, and then we left our girl, ready to take on the world, and headed for home.

Monday morning came, and this time, four kids headed off to school.  Three of them were back to class in Davison, and Emerson was enjoying her first day of Cosmetology School in Marquette.

If you know anything about Marquette, you know that the nice days must be celebrated!  Soon enough, winter would arrive, and Marquette would receive obscene amounts of snow and frigid temps for months.  So, of course, Em headed out to Lake Superior for a little photo shoot!

Meanwhile, back at the farm, Alayna was having increasing issues with Penny.  Although she had learned a way to ride Penny without hurting her, that method would not be allowed for her Equestrian Team meets.  With the start of the season looming, Alayna was on the hunt for a different horse.  Luckily, she found a girl across the state who had just what Alayna was looking for.  George was a 14 year old gelding, with show experience.  George had not clicked with his owner, and they were looking for a mare.  After a trip here to check out Penny, and a trip there to check out George, it was decided that they would simply trade horses.  Just like that, George came to live at our farm.

In contrast to the racehorse, Penny, George was so laid back and gentle.  He seemed like the perfect fit for Alayna.  I have to admit, after Penny's attempts to bite me on several occasions, I was quite a fan of George's warm nuzzles.

The days continued on, and they were gorgeous.  While there was plenty of horsing around, that didn't consume all of our time.  I knew these late summer days were numbered, and we spent as much time outside as possible.