Trip to Houghton Lake

My grandma passed away on February 2nd and the service was February 23rd.  Last Friday I flew to Detroit to meet my sister (who flew in from Maine) and we drove to pick up our mom and then headed up north to Houghton Lake. Despite a cancelled flight, not enough time to make a connection, last minute booking on a flight to Washington DC and then having an issue with not being able to take a full plane, and a passenger hiding in the bathroom, I made it to Detroit and had a few stories to tell.   Our hotel right on Houghton Lake 

the lobby, it just felt like up north with the antler light fixture

my sisters foot prints on the balcony, she was cooling off after her run

My sister Amanda and I

view from the balcony, you can barely see the shore on the other side of the lake

the lake was frozen and there were lots of snowmobiles, ice shanties and even cars and trucks on the ice

Me standing on a snowbank on the edge of the lake

Our grandparents old house on the lake, several years ago they moved to a house on the same side of the lake as my dad.  With age came the need to be closer to everyone and also a home without all the up keep and docks.   Amanda and I have so many memories tied to this house and time with our grandparents.  About 2 years ago I wrote my grandparents a letter telling them thank your for all the wonderful times and letting them know that I will never forget all the fun we had.  I often tell my kids stories from my childhood and many of them are times spent in Houghton Lake.  Going back to this house as an adult it seemed smaller and the distance to the lake shore seemed shorter, funny how your perspective changes as you age.

snowmobiles, they were everywhere, I took pictures because my kids have never seen one

 

Amanda and I with our grandpa

He and my grandma were married 66 years, he is going to miss her so much

While in town we had a family gathering at my Aunt Martha's house and we were able to see so much family.  My sister Ashley and her husband Miguel were there with their little girl Daniela.  I was able to meet Miguel for the first time. 

This is Amanda was Daniela and Caleb (my cousins little boy)

Sisters, we are just missing Audra (who lives in New Mexico)

My aunt Annie in the middle with her 4 kids and some of her grand kids (I think we are missing 2 of the boys)

some of the cousins and their spouses

Miguel pulling Daniela in the sled

my uncle Allen had built these slides and boy did we have fun

I can remember as a kid he would build us forts and igloos

Amanda and I with our dad at his regular restaurant... it was so good to have time together remembering and talking about our lives.  As kids when we were up north we always went out to breakfast with our dad, for years it was Charlie Brown's donut shop and then it became Randy's and now Bunker's. 

Detroit airport, fountain and people mover.   My flight was delayed on the way home but I did not mind as much it just gave my sister and I extra time to visit.   We were able to make a sad reason for travel into a wonderful trip.