Vacation recap

So here I am finally, to tell you about the vacation that wasn't!
It was so so stressful leading up to it because everyone in his family was broke and grumpy. The morning came though, when we finally got to leave, and we were so excited!
It was about an 8 1/2 hour drive for us, but that was two hours shorter than everyone else. We were going to take our time, allowing for a million bathroom breaks :p, and just have a good time.

About 5 hours into our journey, still 3 hours away from Copper Harbor, our transmission in our really nice car blew. :( Wouldn't move another foot. So we waited for the Gary's parents who were a few hours behind us. When they got there, they decided they would take the girls and I in their car, drop us and all their stuff off, then drive back and get Gary and his stuff. OK, cool. But since I thought they were coming back, I didn't grab anything but pull-ups. No clothes, toiletries, snacks, nothing.

They decided the drive was too dangerous in the dark (lots of deer) and they would get back too late, so they put Gary in a hotel room. Which believe me, I was thankful for, but it really sucked not to have anything I needed. I lived on peanut butter, water and two hotdogs until late the next evening when they brought Gary back with our stuff. We still didn't have any food, because we were going to drop our stuff off and go grocery shopping. Which of course we couldn't do, so we had to wait until someone else was going (nearest one is 1 1/2 hour away) and get a ride. Ugh. There are of course a bazillion tiny frustrations mixed in with all these big ones. I could go on and on, but I think I won't.

I'll summarize. We spent the entire week horribly stressed out, hungry, and cranky. We spent the majority of it in our cabin, because everyone was off doing stuff and we had no way to ourselves. On the very last day, Gary's paycheck came through and we sold our nice car for $400 for scrap....and bought a $700 beater to drive home in Which believe me, I was extremely thankful to have, and that it got us home without incident, because 3 of the 4 tires basically rotted off right after we took Willow 2 hours away to the airport this week!! Mom had to loan us money to get some, because it was basically undrivable. You could hear one tire hissing air. So now, we are completely ass-broke, behind on all our bills, going to be late on rent, and have $35 for groceries next week, and didn't have much more than that this week. I have no idea how we are going to catch up or how long it's going to take for things to be ok, but it's going to be awhile.

I'm miserable.

*deep breath* Ok, so I'm sorry. The reason it took me so long to make this post was because I was afraid it would just turn in to one long rant, and it exactly has. For both our benefits, why don't I tell you the few good things that happened?

You saw my pics on facebook right? I might have a few more I didn't post there, and if so I'll add them to the end.

Ok, so good things. The girls and I got to spend a night in the cabin with the Grandparents, and it was enjoyable spending time with them. They love the girls and I dare say they love me too, so it was good. After Gary got there the next day, and everybody else showed up, the whole group of us went to a bakery run by honest to goodness monks.

That was my first planned diet deviation, and YES, it was so worth it. Jalapeno caramels. Peanut butter and jelly brownies. Black Jamaican rum cake. Orange ginger spice cake. Chocolate cupcakes with coffee-cream cheese frosting. Giant oatmeal/raisin/walnut/chocolate cookies. German chocolate cake with caramel filling that I swear tastes like a cake Grandma Lena used to make. So, so many more things we wanted to try too! It was expensive, and Gary's parents paid for it. And despite the tummy ache, it was one of two amazing food experiences we had up there. Or like, ever.

After all 20-ish of us ate and shared our treats, we all went to this little narrow strip of beach and got a little wet. A few days later the girls and I went back to this beach with one of his sisters and spent like 4 hours there, playing in Lake Superior, rock hounding, and getting really over heated and sun burnt. :p I don't know if you've heard of Lake Superior agates, but it has been my dream for years to find some and this was my chance. I did find a few small ones, and a few other really neat rocks, some of which I gave away, so I was happy as heck about that.

Gary got to go fishing several times, the scenery was gorgeous, we went to a few beaches, a few walks, a few bike rides. We went up Brockway mountain, which is more like a hill really, but it's tall enough to see very far across the peninsula and very far out across the lake.

Throw in some nightly family bonfires/smores, and a visit to a candy store/gift shop, and it wasn't all bad.

Our last meal we had there was my other planned deviation, a pasty. It's basically a holdable pot pie, and it's super good, and no where else on earth has better ones than the U.P. of Michigan. Again, totally worth it. After a longer than necessary drive home, the next morning I stepped on the scale and despite being extremely active and eating less, I had gained 9 POUNDS lol. It's taken me all this time to get it back off. I just saw my old number this morning.

My week+ since we got back has just been full of worries, money woes, migraines, and Willow leaving, so nothing interesting to report there. :p

I sincerely hope you write a big post soon too, just so I have something to happy and interesting to read. Tell me all about everything! Now maybe some pictures. There might be some repeats.

 I liked this picture until I enlarged it. My nose is huge! Leaving it anyway.

 This is the harbor in Copper Harbor.

 The best panorama taken by anyone, ever!

 At least we had each other.

Same scene, different day.

 No really, the water really did look just like this.

 Lava flows extending way out in the lake. Willow 

and her cousin.

Hugs & kisses, that's all for now. Happier post soon!