Michigan, 2011: Part I

So we hit the road and headed to New Buffalo, Michigan, last weekend with my friend Ana and Mom and Dad's friends, Colin and Steph. I was a little confused because I was quite certain Buffalo was in New York, but apparently that's the old Buffalo.

This new one is ripe with a whole slew of fun stuff to do.

First, my friend Ana really liked being read to when we were bumming around the house in our jammies.

Saturday morning we got up and did some running around outside. A little Ring-Around-The-Rosy and then a tough-guy pose from the three girls.

Before we move on, I just have to comment about how much I love that photo above of the three of us, Mabel Jane in particular. I don't know what it is but to me she looks like a street thug from Philadelphia with Napoleon's complex named Jimmy who the other kids nickname "Shorts" because she's so tiny, but who can lick anyone in town with her nasty left uppercut. Also looks like Shorts is the kind of kid who runs around with Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches in his pocket from morning til night and just takes a bite out of it every once in a while when he's hungry.

Sorry to get off track, just can't look at that picture without thinking of Shorts.

Anyway, after this pow-wow it was off to this place called Dinges Farm, where we checked out the bunnies...

Rode ponies...

Here's me with the pony Mae rode on. I wanted a picture of him because I really liked his name - Pete Willy.

We got into a little corn maze thing, and I probably shouldn't call it little. It took me, Ana, Dad and Colin a solid 20-25 minutes to find our way out... this thing was legit. A little darkness and we woulda been stuck there til New Buffalo gave way to Newest Buffalo.

Here's a stairway (not to Heaven) in the middle that we stumbled upon.

And Mom and I took a sweet train ride, too.

Then, after naps it was off to the apple orchard. I won't waste too much time with narration here, you can see we obviously loved this place...

Oh, and Mae got herself into about 18 apples. She would pick one off the tree, just nibble a circle around the edge of it, taking off the skin, and then throw it on the ground. After we left, the place probably thought they had a beaver problem.

Lastly, we headed to the beach where Mabel was introduced to her shadow. We decided she probably only weighed about four more pounds than it.

Pure Michigan, Part II

Okay, so Part II, here we go. On Saturday we were walking through downtown Saugutuk and we saw these guys playing the guitar on the back deck of a bar so we headed on in. After one song the dude said he would take requests so I wanted to tell him to play Country Roads but I needed Mom up there with me for a little support because there were a lot of people there.

So he and his buddy played it and though it wasn't John Denver it was good enough for me to get my dance moves on for everyone.

On the way out Dad and Colin saw some pirate dude named Morgan that they knew, I think from Sophomore year at Marquette or something like that. So they did this stupid pose and Dad even made Mabel do it and he told me to stay away from that pirate when I turn 21... pure Michigan? How bout pure silliness?

And then on Sunday before we left we stopped at the beach so I could play in the water and collect awesome rocks and throw other ones into Lake Michigan.

But back to Saturday (I know you've all been waiting for this for a few days now). So we're walking back towards the car and I'm in the stroller and this cooky lady had these parrots out on the street. So whatever, the bird was cool and she put him on my stroller on the bars in front of me and he was walking back and forth and I thought it was pretty funny...

So it was all good and then I'm like, wait a minute... what the... ?

Wait, what was that, was that... HE POOPED ON ME! Yeah, no joke, right on my pants leg! In case you didn't hear me the first time - THE PARROT POOPED ON MY LEG!

It was vomit-worthy and Pure Michigan became Pure Disgustingness. So that's it - Dad is off the hook for locking me in the car, this is now the single worst episode of my life; being dumped on by a parrot. Hey Jimmy Buffet, why don't you write a song about that!