Lakeside Revisited

Mike and I have been planning a getaway for a couple of months. We thought it would be fun to just go away for one night but we couldn't decide where we wanted to go. Mike said that he didn't care as long as he could read his Guns and Ammo magazine completely uninterrupted. ;)

We finally decided on the destination of our wedding - Lakeside on Lake Erie. I was pretty excited because I haven't been to visit Lakeside in many years. When my friend got married last year up at the lake, we drove through Lakeside but it was early spring and looking pretty sad.

But this year? Oh my word. It was even more beautiful than I had remembered it. It literally took my breath away, and it gave me peace that only a little time spent at Lakeside can. It was a peace I craved throughout high school and then into college when my visits there grew further and further apart.

After Mike and I were married up here and had a less than awesome experience with the Lakeside staff, and then my parents ended up selling their camper there, there was no point in going up again and so I didn't. For many years.

But we won't be making that mistake again.

First we stopped at Marblehead Lighthouse. Mike proposed to me there.

 

We disagreed on the exact place where he proposed to me. 

Then we shut up and took in the beautiful sights before us.

I wish we could live on a body of water.

I heard that spending three hours near water lowers your stress levels.

And I need some lower stress.

After that I was starving, so we headed to Pizza Hut. 

We had our rehearsal dinner catered by Pizza Hut. (Okay my MIL called in the order, and Mike's friends went to pick it up.)

Then we headed to Lakeside.

This is where we were supposed to get married.

Pictures don't do it justice.

I still get a little pang thinking about how I didn't get to walk down this aisle in my wedding gown.

Where we ended up getting married. It was closed due to a private event so we were respectful and didn't go inside.

I was tempted though.

Mike said that was ironic because we had a private event there when we got married and yet a barbershop quartet decided to crash the wedding and sing right outside where we were getting married.

Here's a funny story:

On the night before our wedding, a few of my bridesmaids and me went to a local grocery store. I don't know what compelled us to go there. We were wild. Clearly. My friend Stevie had me pose with this cutout of "Mike" at the grocery store.

Mike (the real one) and I went to that grocery store and "Mike" was still there.

So nine years later (almost to the day) we had our picture taken together yet again.

We had a great time. I would say one night probably wasn't enough. I missed my kids, but as we approach our ten year anniversary I am thinking our next get away should be a bit longer and maybe tropical ;)

And since I know you are wondering, Mike DID get to read his Guns and Ammo magazine cover to cover!