Spring has Sprung!

My oh my, how the last two weeks have flown by!  With moving Karl to a new foster home, Easter, and prep  for a big work event as well as travel for the event, I knew that I may be slightly delayed in writing last weekend, but I underestimated just how busy I was going to be or the curveballs that would come my way.  So today we'll catch up on it all.

Peaches and Karl both had appointments at Patterson's. Peaches' appointment was hopefully her final cryotherapy treatment. I decided since Karl is nervous in new places and around new people that I'd bring him along for the visit so he could get more comfortable there before his own appointment.   

Even though he had been there just 24 hours earlier, when we returned to Patterson's for Karl's appointment, he was still nervous.  Luckily Dr. Jason is kind and patient and Karl is a sucker for stinky treats, so he was able to get his check up and final vaccinations which were needed for him to cross the border into Indiana to move to his new foster home. 

We had plenty of rainy days during the week, but rainy April days lead to beautiful green grass and spring flowers, so I don't mind.  

Karl and Mina spent hours playing every day and I spent a lot of time working to prep for a big work event, and before I knew it Friday had arrived.  We would be making the drive into Northern Indiana to meet with Karl's new foster family.

I loaded Karl and the girls into the car Friday morning and off we went for a little adventure.  We had about a 2 hour drive and I decided to make a quick stop for a nice walk along the River walk in Marshall along the way.  It was a little under half way to our final destination and a good point to let everyone stretch their legs and get in some good sniffs so the remainder of the trip would be quiet.

We arrived in Auburn and spent a little time there introducing Karl to his new foster family and then I loaded him in their van and with one final hug and a reminder to be a good boy, he was off.  According to all of the updates I've seen, he is doing great with his new foster family and has made good friends with their 10 month old puppy.  

I know Mina enjoyed having a playmate and when timing is better, we'll definitely get her another foster friend.  I'm just glad I was able to be a part of the little guys journey. 

After getting Karl safely into the hands of his new fosters, we had time for some adventures.  While we were in the area, I decided we'd make a visit to the Mid-America Windmill Museum.  

The grounds are dog-friendly and this is just my kind of place to stop!  It was an interesting stop and the girls and I all thoroughly enjoyed our visit here.

It's been a long time since we've made a real roadtrip and it was nice to get a small taste of that again.  I've missed hitting the road outside of Michigan and seeing some new and quirky sights.

We drove around and made some other quick stops and then we ended our trip with a visit to South Side Diner in Goshen for dinner.  It was a great end to our fun day exploring Northern Indiana. 

I woke up on Saturday morning with plans to do some work since I still had lots to do before leaving for my big work event.  After spending a couple of hours working, I needed a break, so the girls and I headed out for some fun.

Of course our trip to Old Town meant a visit to Preuss' too.  The girls love going to Preuss and we got extra lucky because they were having an Easter event which made it even more fun.  Although Peaches' favorite part of any visit to Preuss is the fish.

After an exhausting trip to Preuss, we made a relaxing visit downtown and a quick stop at the Capitol.  It was a beautiful day.

Easter was another beautiful day and the girls spent the morning outside enjoying the day.  Of course the Easter Bunny made a visit with some goodies for them as well.  

After a busy morning at home, it was finally time to hit the road.  Our first stop was an Easter party with the Johnston family relatives.   This is the family of my Great Grandma Struck, and we have gone to this party many times throughout my lifetime.  There was good food and good conversation and it was nice to see some family that I don't see often.  

After the party, we made a quick stop at my parent's so the girls could get out and stretch their legs.  I didn't get any pictures, but Peaches always loves her trips to grandma and grandpa's, and I had to reminder her she's not as young as she used to be.  All of the running and sniffing was good for them and they enjoyed our stop, but it was time to hit the road again.

With the car loaded full of stuff, the girls settled in for the drive North.

It was almost 7pm by the time we arrived at our Airbnb near Mesick for the night.  We took a short walk and a little drive and then settled in for the night.  I needed to rest up to prepare for a couple of busy days ahead.

Monday morning arrived and I worked for a few hours until we had to checkout of our Airbnb.  Since I had made the drive North on Sunday, I had a few hours to get out with the girls to explore on Monday afternoon.

We found the North Country Trail and Manistee River Loop very nearby and took a short walk in the woods before heading West to spend some time along the Lake Michigan shore.

We hiked the Elberta Dunes trail to a beautiful scenic overlook. 

And I saw my first Spring wildflowers of the season. 

Then we headed to Elberta Beach. It was a really perfect beach day and because it is still April, we had the whole beach to ourselves.  In a few short weeks this beach will be packed with tourists, but I was happy to share the peacefulness of this place with just the girls.

It had been a wonderful day in Northern Michigan, but it was time to make the drive to Crystal Mountain to get settled into our room and get a little more work done before dinner with my team.

We got checked in and I unloaded the car and did a little work before getting the girls out for one more walk before dinner. 

They settled in nicely while I met my team for dinner and a little down time before our big event the next day.  

Because our visit coincided with the off season, the resort was so peaceful and quiet.  I've never seen it so quiet and it was perfect for me.

Tuesday and Wednesday were spent busy with our conference, while the girls hung out in the room.  Of course they got out for their daily walks and they even got to meet some new people, but they definitely spent more time alone than usual.   I can't say enough just how proud of them I am.   They were so good!

We took the scenic route for our drive home Wednesday afternoon, but after all of the prep work and actual event, I was pretty exhausted and ready to get home so we didn't stop much along the way.  But the girls were excellent travelers.   Mina definitely proved to me that she is going to make an excellent travel buddy.  She's really learning to love a good road trip and that makes me so happy. 

We arrived home and I was surprised by how much things had changed in the few days we were gone.   I guess the 70 and 80 degree temperatures really helped things move along.

The Magnolia are blooming all around us, as are many other flowering trees and bushes.  The tree leaves are unfurling and the grass is so green. 

This is absolutely my favorite time of year and the best part of Spring.  

Unfortunately, I've been sick since Thursday and haven't been able to really enjoy the weather, but the girls have made the most of it while I've been resting. 

And on a rainy Sunday, Mina spent some time snuggling with me.  I'm feeling much better than I was and will hopefully be able to get out with the girls to enjoy the beauty of Spring before it's gone. 

The most exciting part of the coming week is that little Fiona will be celebrating her 1st Birthday.   How is that possible?!?