365 Days of Happy - Day 10

Practically every summer since I can remember, my mom, dad, sister and I would drive up to Mackinac Island for a long weekend. We would always bring our bikes and bike around the island a few times a day, and we would always stay somewhere different on the island.

I definitely fell in love with Mackinac Island early on. I loved the smell of fudge that was ever present on Main Street, the beautiful horses that hauled the Grand Hotel carriages, biking through and around the island and passing by the most gorgeous houses I've ever seen, but I think my favorite thing (to this day) has to be during the ferry ride from St. Ignace over to the island. The sight of the island alone was almost enough to get my heart racing, but what I loved most was seeing the Grand Hotel come into view. Grand doesn't even begin to describe how beautiful it is - from the 660-foot porch with pristine, white rocking chairs under yellow awnings, to the huge American flags at every column, from the beautiful, lush flower gardens surrounding the hotel, to the perfectly symmetrical old-time look. My family and I have never stayed at the Grand, although I have been fortunate enough to spend time in some of the suites and wandering around the hotel thanks to my internship with Andrejka Photography. 

Well, enough of the Grand. Here are some pictures from the summer of 1997 when my family vacationed on Mackinac Island. My sister, Beth, is on the left and I am on the right. She would have just turned 8 and I'm 6.

I think this may be the only picture we have of Beth smiling. It may also be the only picture of my hair in high pigtails.

This is my dad and I! I love everything about this picture, from me wearing my dad's over sized sunglasses, my pigtails, my dad's picture-perfect smile and that he's holding up a dandelion.