great lakes, great times.

after celebrating the fourth with my family in illinois, we boarded a train for michigan. 

since the day we met, mr. lesley has been raving about this mysterious land. 

i never saw the appeal. 

until now. 

i think michigan has won me over as a pretty cool state.

it's way more than eminem, kid rock, and dodge. 

they have beaches there! 

i know. i know. 

everyone knows about the great lakes. 

and i thought i did too...until i saw them in all their glory.

so obviously our first stop after breakfast with mr. lesley's amazing parents was cherry beach.

the site where his sister was supposed to get married last year, but a crazy storm came in and changed their plans. 

this year the weather cooperated a bit more.

would you have thought there were beaches like this in michigan? 

i was amazed. so pretty.

next stop was mr. lesley's alma mater, western michigan university.
his mom, mrs. lesley, bought me my very own western michigan sweatshirt.
she's awesome. and i loved it.
i sported it whenever the humidity wasn't sucking the life out of me. 

they had some pretty awesome quotes on murals around campus.

i think these belong in my classroom.

that evening we drove to grand rapids where i met his aunt and uncle, cousin and her husband, and their adorable little baby.

they were so welcoming and kind and amazing.

there were delicious cookies waiting for us when we arrived and a wonderful meal that night. 

and his cousin colleen and her husband roy even took us out on the town that evening.

where i tried a delicious beer that tasted like raspberries. 

delish.

i would have to say that my first day in michigan was definitely better than i ever could have imagined. 

two thumbs up to the only state that looks like a mitten.