Our spring break was two weeks ago (I know, I know, it took me a while to post these pictures!!). Along with Chris's parents, we spent the week in Michigan. Michigan? Really? Yes, Michigan. Why did you head to Michigan, you might ask. Well, we had two reasons for making the journey to the Great Lake State.
1. Detroit is the home of the Red Wings!
2. Chris's great grandparents (the Tavern side) settled in Michigan after coming here from Italy, so he has a lot of family back there. We met lots of family throughout the week!
We had a fabulous time! We saw two Red Wings games in the Joe Louis Arena, both of which the Wings won.
Warning: This post is a little choppy and LONG.
Arriving in Detroit. The pilots let Leila check out the cockpit. We flew into Detroit, but drove way north to Sault Ste. Marie...the town where the Taverns settled. We had to drive over the Mackinac Bridge. This bridge is 5 miles long and is the third longest bridge in the world. It connects Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas.
Grammy...This is our impression of you if you had to drive over this!
Grammy...This is our impression of you if you had to drive over this!Look at that beautiful water!
Tossing rocks into the Mackinac Straits.
Some of the family we met for the first time, well these are the folks that are blood related to Michael Angelo and Mary Taverna. I was struck by Piper, the little girl in the front. I think her and Leila have some similar characteristics, although Leila is so grumpy in this picture you can't really compare the two.
Checking out the Soo Locks (the locks in Sault Ste. Marie that connect Lake Superior and the lower great lakes).
Check out the difference in the height of the two lakes here:
The white are chunks of ice in Lake Superior.
That evening we drove over the lakes to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada for dinner. Of course, we found a moose statue in Canada. Is that surprising? Nope.
A sunset in front of the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge. We are still on the Canadian side here.
Back in the USA.
Returning to Detroit for the first game...The JLA.
Giddiness:
A dream come true!
Sight-seeing during the days with lots of stops at local parks to keep DT happy.
More beautiful water...Port Huron, Michigan.
D with Gramma and Papa.
Our little Brian Rafalski fan:
We spent one day at the Ford Museum. MUCH cooler than I expected. Here is JFK's actual car that he was riding in when he was assassinated.
Car racing with cars the kids built from legos.
Building paper airplanes with Papa.
Testing out the planes. Papa was the winner!
See the Oscar Meyer Wiener Mobile in the background? Leila dressed Daddy up like a hotdog.
The actual chair that President Lincoln was shot in while at Ford Theater.
The bus that Rosa Parks rode in the day she refused to give up her seat.
Back to Detroit...Game 2.
Center ice.
The next day we drove across the Detroit River to Windsor, Canada for the afternoon. A view of the Joe from across the river. 
Our last night in Michigan was spent with more family members that we were meeting for the first time. Leila was more excited for the sandbox than the conversation.
What a fabulous time we had. The week went too quickly, was full of day trips and we created many memories!
Tossing rocks into the Mackinac Straits.
Some of the family we met for the first time, well these are the folks that are blood related to Michael Angelo and Mary Taverna. I was struck by Piper, the little girl in the front. I think her and Leila have some similar characteristics, although Leila is so grumpy in this picture you can't really compare the two.
Checking out the Soo Locks (the locks in Sault Ste. Marie that connect Lake Superior and the lower great lakes).
Check out the difference in the height of the two lakes here:
The white are chunks of ice in Lake Superior.
That evening we drove over the lakes to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada for dinner. Of course, we found a moose statue in Canada. Is that surprising? Nope.
A sunset in front of the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge. We are still on the Canadian side here.
Back in the USA.
Returning to Detroit for the first game...The JLA.
Giddiness:
A dream come true!
Sight-seeing during the days with lots of stops at local parks to keep DT happy.
More beautiful water...Port Huron, Michigan.
D with Gramma and Papa.
Our little Brian Rafalski fan:
We spent one day at the Ford Museum. MUCH cooler than I expected. Here is JFK's actual car that he was riding in when he was assassinated.
Car racing with cars the kids built from legos.
Building paper airplanes with Papa.
Testing out the planes. Papa was the winner!
See the Oscar Meyer Wiener Mobile in the background? Leila dressed Daddy up like a hotdog.
The actual chair that President Lincoln was shot in while at Ford Theater.
The bus that Rosa Parks rode in the day she refused to give up her seat.
Back to Detroit...Game 2.
Center ice.
The next day we drove across the Detroit River to Windsor, Canada for the afternoon. A view of the Joe from across the river. 
Our last night in Michigan was spent with more family members that we were meeting for the first time. Leila was more excited for the sandbox than the conversation.
What a fabulous time we had. The week went too quickly, was full of day trips and we created many memories! 
