My mom always says, as her mom said before her, that when you hit July 4th, the summer is officially half over.

Mathematically, I am not sure if this is true or not, but it sure feels like it is the truth.

From now on it is all downhill and soon I will have to be in  my teacher mode.

I have really been enjoying my summer.

John and I joined the Y and I have been faithfully attending a Body Pump class.

I am actually beginning to enjoy it and the exercises are actually making sense to me now.

John and I go just about every night and ride the ellipticals or walk the tread mill.

It makes me feel accomplished.

So far, no big weight loss, but I am hoping that I am toning and turning fat into muscle, but who knows.

I do still eat lots of my favorite sweets and have not totally given up  my Diet Coke, but I am working on that.

Baby steps, baby steps.

I am excited today because tonight Alissa and Nathan will be here and then tomorrow, we all head up to Oshkosh for the 4th and then John, Tizita, and I are taking off for St. Ignace, Michigan for a week of vacation.

Courtney, Paul, and Soliana plan on joining us on July 7 when we will celebrate Soli's 3rd birthday.

I love going to St. Ignace, we have been there numerous times over the years..

I remember the trip my family took up there when I was about ten.

Lots of happy memories.

We did the trip with our girls when they were 9 and 11.

I always enjoyed doing the same road trips that my family did with our girls.

My dad loved to travel with us in tow and he loved to take the scenic routes.

It has worn off on me.

We also visited St. Ignace when I was pregnant with Courtney and then again a few years ago when Tizita had just joined our family.

I am anxious to show Tizita some of my favorite things up in that area, the bridge, Mackinac Island, Soo Locks, some waterfalls, and some new ones, too.

While Lake Michigan is not exactly the Gulf of Mexico, we will enjoy our rental right on the lake, I am sure.

Did I mention that I am excited to leave on our trip?

Next time I post, it will be from the UP!