Here

After two years of planning, we still are not able to move home. I was naive to think that anything would be easy. We can't sell our house, I can't find a job. Those two things are the impetus to us moving home. Sure, we could run away to Michigan with no jobs. We could try to short sale or foreclose on the house. Believe me I'm tempted. But it's not like us to make rash decisions, to move ahead without finishing things. 

If a job in Michigan comes a calling, we'll go. But after 40 applications, that's not looking likely. It seems that the best thing for us to do now is stay in Illinois a little longer. For Mike to continue working and making good money. For me to get my precious one year experience. Hey, maybe the housing market could turn around (at least a little). Do I think it's just gonna be easy a year from now, that everything will be right? A little. But I'm not going to be as naive as before. I'm sure a nursing job in Michigan will still be hard to get, even with that year experience. I'm sure, if our house sells, it will be for no where near what we owe. I'm sure, that it Mike wants to be a cop in Michigan, that he will have to take a $1300 training course to get licensed, and still might not find a job. But we'll try, and that's all we can do. 

I'm going to try not to dwell on this setback. As much as it pains us, it's the right decision. We have a good life here, a nice home, a comfortable income, good friends, and our families are still only 5 hours away. So we're going to enjoy our life here, while we're here. 

Camping

 

We got there late on Wednesday night and after setting up the tent we gathered around the fire for dinner around 9pm. We heated up sloppy joes over hot coals in our favorite cast iron pan. There were six of us the first night and we sat around the fire catching up while passing around a bottle of cinnamon whiskey. 

The raccoons came out full force that night thanks to a bunch garbage left at the site from previous asshole campers. They were ruthless, ripping into one of the tents and spending the night outside of our tent gnawing on old corn cobs and the garbage that we hadn't picked up yet.

We brought our little ikea french press and a stainless steel kettle. The leftover coals from the fire the night before was hot enough to heat the water for a batch of coffee each morning.

That afternoon, while waiting for a few more people to arrive, we sat under a massive tarp ("tarp city") expertly tied to a group of trees, while it rained around us. This is a picture of the river as the rain stopped and the sun started to come out. 

The next morning was warm and beautiful although the night was still marred by the sound of raccoons outside the tent. I wanted to love sleeping outdoors but every sound kept me awake.

After some life changing stuffed french toast, we finally waded into the river. Despite the record heat in Michigan the water was cold, and due to drought in the Midwest, the water only went to about knee high. But we made the best of it.

 

  

 

 

We spent Friday and Saturday in the river playing frisbee, fricket,  laying in tubes, playing rock throw, drinking, laughing and getting sunburned.

 
The tent that the raccoon ripped into.

  

Before dinner every night the boys would go into the woods and cut down dead trees for fire wood using chainsaws and axes. 

We made massive fires that burned for hours as we listened to music, danced around the fire, talked, laughed, made s'mores and stared at the stars.

June Vacation

We took a vacation over the last 10 days and instead of going to San Francisco, or roadtripping to Niagara Falls, we drive all the way home to Michigan and spent time with our families. Mike helped his Dad and my brother work on their houses while I sat with the iPad and tried to study as much as possible for boards. We ate (a lot), drank, went on the boat, swam, sat around the fire, held babies, and it further reminded us of why we want to move back home. 

 Thanks for f-ing up my suitcase

 Fish on! 24ish inch Pike, first fish of the season

  Father's Day sunset on the lake with my parents

 Pink sky in my brothers backyard

Driving to the river house  

 Evening boat ride

  Momma cuddles

Always fishing that one

 The River House

Aunt cuddles before heading back to IL

Memorial Day

 

Family Weekend

Mike and I went home for the weekend. It was our usual quick three day trip, on a rare weekend off for Mike and in between my 8 week sessions of school. This trip home was for my Sister-in-Law Kristin's baby shower, during which, the boys worked on getting the nursery ready for their new little one. The shower was at my Mom's house, my Sister-in-Law Kate handled all the decor, and my Aunt Bobbie took care of the appetizers, my job was to get up at 5am and get to Michigan in time for the shower.

The next day we headed over to Mike's parents house and took a trip to Yates Cider Mill. I remember when we moved to Illinois, and during that first fall, was looking forward to taking the usual trip to the cider mill for cider and doughnuts, only to find out that no such place existed in Illinois, where instead off apples and cherries, corn and soybeans are the staples.

Delicious Michigan apples. The grocery store just doesn't compare.

Heck yeah, fresh doughnuts!

End of Summer

I almost forgot about these pictures that were taken during the last few weekends of summer. I'd love to write a big descriptive post for you, but I have been working on a contributing article for Sustainable Baby Steps and need to study for two exams. Wish me luck!