Trails End

Drive down a remote 2-mile "driveway" in Atlanta (ahem, Michigan) and you'll end up at Trails End, the 100-acre property that Jen's parents have owned for decades.

Thanks to Brett and Jen, some very awesome Memorial Day memories were made this year for our families! Back in the day, waaaaaaaaay before any of us had kids, we used to go up to Trails End in the spring for morel mushroom hunting (everything I know about morels I first learned from Jen's Dad) and in the fall to golf at Elk Ridge (one of the most beautiful courses to golf with fall colors). We have some great memories from those days with all our friends! Hiking, lounging, playing, eating at the Elbow Inn, and the sights of a crystal clear night sky and sounds from the woods during a late-night bonfire stay with you forever.

Clear Lake State Park beach

After an eight year absence at Trails End, all those memories came rushing back this Memorial weekend with a return trip - with 5 kids! - to Trails End. The trip was a bit nostalgic for all of us - this being our first time back since Jen's dad's passing (his presence was missed but his spirit was felt) and the Johnson's first time back since the passing of her brother, AJ.

It was a bit like "camping", although there are "shelters" to stay in - there's the main trailer that's the house, then there's a motor home, a camper and a loft space above the garage. Only the home had running water so it felt a bit like "roughing" it, at least by Faust standards. We welcomed the opportunity to immerse our girls in the Great Outdoors since, honestly, these rustic experiences may not come around (ummm, or be sought out) that often. The Johnson girls got the trailer, Jen's mom got the motor home, the boys got the loft (the first night since they were up early the next morning to go golfing), and we got the camper.

The comfortable camper

Kayla and Khloe tell me that the best part of the trip was sleeping in the camper! Together! I know for a fact they loved it because they both slept in until at least 9am each morning! My mom was worried about how Kayla would do; I was worried about how Aaron would hold up. As it turns out, we all survived our Trails End camping experience! Great friends and great memories!

 Smores and bonfires - the epitome of camping.

This picture was taken around 9pm, but look how light it is still!

 Besides being the "Elk Capital of Michigan", Atlanta is known for morel mushrooms. We skillfully learned to hunt for them and love their taste from our weekends years ago at Trails End. We were so excited to go morel mushroom hunting again this time - just look at all we found! 

Actually, that's a lie.

These are store-bought.

Although Jen and I spent an afternoon searching for them we couldn't find one. We told ourselves we wouldn't give up until we found AT LEAST ONE, but we eventually failed at that simple goal. I think we were about a week behind for prime picking.  Fortunately Jen's mom knew this and had purchased a pound of them before we arrived. Ymmmmmm! 

Jen's mom also "saved" a few from right around the house that we had the girls go "search" for.

 Woohoo! Three morels! (Yes, they are tiny! Squint and you can see them!)

 We could not have lucked out with a more perfect weather weekend! Memorial Weekend in Michigan is notoriously cold, rainy and yucky. RARELY is it nice enough to swim or boat. The nice weather spontaneously led us to Clear Lake State Park just a mile down the road. The air was warm, the water WAS NOT, but that didn't stop the kids from swimming!

For reasons no one will ever fully understand, the boys decided to do exercises on the beach.

The 100-acre property has 2 lakes on it - a small one close to the house where the bonfire pit is and another one, probably about a 50 acre lake, down a 1/2 mile path through the woods. We spent time at both. Kayla even went fishing for the FIRST TIME and caught her first fish! She was the only one who caught anything! After the fish she even caught a turtle on her hook too!

The 'big' lake

Yes, we went swimming after we took our shoes, socks and pants off! Hey, there were NO boys around!

 

Ahh! I just LOVE this northern MI scenery

 Two little peanuts "catching fish"

Somehow these 3 year olds seem so much cuter and funnier and sweeter than their siblings were at 3 years old. Jen assures me that their siblings were also this cute at 3; it just seems this way now because they're the "babies".

Thanks for the invitation Johnson's! We wouldn't trade the mouse murder mystery and tick endemic for anything!