Say yah to de UP eh?

So I do have a project to share with you on the home front, but it's not done yet. So it'll have to wait :).

In the meantime, does anybody know what this weekend is? That's right! It's the 4th of July!!! This holiday gets that many exclamation points because it's a pretty big one for my family. Every year my entire mom's side of the family (approximately 17-20 people) treks up to the Upper Penninsula for the event. Specifically a little town called Munising. This is where my PopPop grew up, so we've been going up there and staying in the woods, on the same lake (Great grandma Mumu [Finnish for grandma... *the more you know!*] has a cottage on it, we stay in a different house though these days, we're too big!) every year. For about 30 years.

This little town throws one heck of a shindig, with fireworks so huge and close up you get ash in your hair! And multiple parades, not to mention traditions like chicken poop bingo and the grease pole!

Chicken Poop Bingo: Several young chickens are set in a pen, beneath them is a large bingo board. You buy a number which is given to you in the form of a paint stirrer. (1$ each) When they say go everyone makes noise, this startles the chickens into pooping -classy I know- and if they poop on your number you win 20 bucks! It's run by the Vietnam Vets in the area.

Grease Pole: A pole the size of a tree trunk is attached to the pier at an upward angle. It is coated liberally in this horrible grease stuff. You try to climb out to the end and get back without falling into Lake Superior. I usually just watch this one...

Anyway we weren't sure if we'd get to go this year because I've had so much work lately. But we finally got the green light, and to the frozen north we go! And yes, it is frozen. Usually we have to wear hoodies and blankets to watch the fireworks... that don't start till 11:30 or so because that's how long it takes to get dark up there!

So we'll be gone for about 4 days to the land of trees, waterfalls, moose, and lemon drops:

ps - I might be changing the design of this blog. I like the 'look' but I don't like how thin this setup is. It makes me look even more long-winded then I actually am!