Island Vacations in Michigan

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Now that it is getting warmer, I started thinking about all of the different Michigan places that you can go and visit in the warmer weather.  I love to travel to faraway destinations, but with kids, sometimes destinations that you can get away to with a car seem so much easier.  Depending on where you live, these may just be a day trip or a great place for a large event like a wedding venue!

Belle Isle, Detroit

This little gem is located in the Detroit River.  There is an aquarium, botanical garden, play area, golf and putting area, and much more to explore. 

image from wikipedia

Windmill Island, Holland

This is a great place to visit during the tulip season to see everything in bloom. They have a historic working windmill, carousel and other dutch cultural attractions. 
 

image from the Holland website

Power Island, Traverse City

This is a nature preserve that you can camp, picnic and hike on. 

North Manitou, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

This Island is a large nature preserve that was once part of the logging trade.  There are 200 miles of shoreline to explore on foot.

photo by Kerry Kelly

Mackinac Island
Macinac is a resort island that has lots of things for tourists to do.  There are no cars on the island, but lots of horses and bikes to explore the historic areas like Fort Holmes as well as a vast nature preserve.  Since there are many tourists that come here, there is also restaurants, shopping and hotels to stay in.  We used to go there as kids and enjoyed biking around the island and eating lots of fudge.  

image from flickr

Apple Island, Orchard Lake, MI
Apple Island is a small city owned island practically in my backyard.  It is said to be the burial ground of Chief Pontiac.  It is an educational nature center and tours must be arranged by the City of West Bloomfield.  

Great Idea to Make Upcycled Gift Wrap!

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I saw this today via A-List Mom today and had to share.

{I am in the midst of a mad dash to finish my spring cleaning {Passover cleaning} before the start of the Holiday on Monday.  

These are boxes wrapped with faces and ears!!  I thought though the Bear pictured above made using recycled paper and stickers would be super cute! They are on Etsy by Le Petit Pot .

You could use them as gift wrap, 

Finding Jewelry {just like her mommy}

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I couldn't figure out what she was doing, but she was having a ton of fun tossing everything on the floor while I was feeding Mini.  (I saw her inside and knew that she was OK to explore since she only weighs 26 pounds.)

Baby Bear showed me her 'fingers' (that is what she calls ring in English) after a marathon play secession inside her dress up chest.  

Coconut Kale Rice Recipe

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My friend Devorah Leah gave me this recipe that I improved on.  Everyone LOVES this recipe and your family will too.  

Ingredients

1 bag of Kale

1 Whole Young Coconut or can of Coconut Cream (not coconut milk)

1 bag of Shreaded Coconut

2 Tablespoons Toasted Sesame Oil

1/2 cup Soy Sauce

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1 cups Jasmine Rice

Soak your rice.  It needs to sit for at least an hour but I sometimes soak it for way longer. If I know that I am going to make this recipe, I will soak it all day. 

Spill out the rice water that it has been soaking in and rinse it again.  Rinsing rice actually take out some of the starch. Now put 1 cup water and your can of coconut cream an cook your rice on the stove top.

Mix the rest of your ingredients together. I did the lazy way and used kale from a bag, but you can cut strips of kale too.   Take out any large kale ribs.  I used a tong to help get everything coated evenly.  Spread the kale on a cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes at 350.     

When the rice is ready, mix the kale and rice together and serve. It is delicious warm or cold! YUM!