Mackinaw Island, Traverse City and Sleeping Bear Dunes

On Mackinaw Island there are no cars allowed.   Horses were the main source of transportation along with bikes. The Taxi was horse drawn and even the garbage" truck" was drawn by horses. It was nice to have no noise from traffic. Our day started off taking the the ferry onto the island. We rented bikes and rode the 8 mile loop around the island. It was so scenic and we had a great time. Everyone said that was their favorite part of the trip!

Daddy and Kynley all ready to go!

Everyone say hi!

Maggie riding through the town!

Kynley got excited everytime she saw a horse! We took a break on
our ride to do a little hike up to the scenic rock arch.

 

About halfway through our bike ride we found a beautiful rock beach on Lake Huron. Dad and Jake were having rock skipping contests, Kynley went swimming naked, while a girl watching couldn't believe there was a naked person swimming in the water, and the rest of us waded in the cool water!

Our last stop on the bike ride was the famous scene from Somewhere in Time, in case you forgot that scene Jake and I reenacted it for you.

After our bike ride we walked through all the shops and up to the famous Grand Hotel. Only people with suits and dresses are allowed on the premises after six pm!

Kynley got her first "beach" bracelet. We would always get these every year when we went to the beach growing up. Thanks Grandma!

 The next day we drove to Traverse City. We played in Lake Michigan and enjoyed resting our legs from the day before!

 Sleeping Bear Dunes was right by our hotel. This sand dune drops steeply below where we were. People would run down it and then climb back up. It takes most people hours to get back up. We only went down about 100 yards and that was enough! It was beautiful how the sand dunes appeared with forest all around them. They say they are eroding quickly and aren't sure how long they will be there for.

At our quaint hotel in the middle of the woods!

35 days and 34 nights...

We took a long trip to Michigan this summer to spend it with my parents. While we were there we visited; Detroit, Mackinaw Island, Traverse City, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Kirtland, Nauvoo, Indiana and Grandma and Grandpa Layman in Nebraska. Jake’s mom joined us for the last week of our trip and drove home with us! We had such a fun time and it was great to have a long vacation. Kynley was loving more space at Grandma and Grandpa’s and especially Penny, the dog. We enjoyed Saturday night movies at the park, walking on the trails, the lakes and farmers markets.  Kynley even survived her first plane ride and took her first steps while we were there!  So here we go, a whole month in review…

Hanging out in the car seat! She had lots of company back there though!

Helping Grandma make pizza...or just trying to eat what she was putting on the pizza!

4th of July...Kynley's first one! We had a BBQ at a friends house, walked around the little fair and watched fireworks!

Kyn Kyn clapping for fireworks!

Kynley giving Penny kisses

Getting ready to go to the pool!

We did a photo shoot with Kynley from an idea we saw online and it just happened the red sky lantern blew into my parents yard one night so we could make a fun little scene.

All of us in Kirtland. It was Jake and Kynley's first time.

Jake's cousin Rachel is serving her mission in Kirtland. She was at the Johnson farm and gave us an amazing tour. She even had a little bit of time to visit with us and was able to meet Kynley since she left on her mission right before Kynley was born. We were so excited we got to see her, we are glad she is serving a mission but miss having her here in Utah with us.

Grandma "listening" during the tour!

Picking flowers at Kirtland with Grandpa