Recent Blog Posts

This week Michigan cities and towns all up and down the coast of Lake Michigan were walloped by a raging winter snow storm. We have over a foot of snow some places, wind chills below zero, schools were closed and ski resorts opened early. The thing is, it isn’t even winter yet according to the cal...
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Well Hello! My name is Alex Shorter and my sister-in-law, the queen and owner of Grandpa Shorter's Gifts, Jennifer Shorter, invited me to blog about life.  So here I am after gladly accepting. A little about me - I married Jenn's brother, Ryan, on the front porch of our Wenatchee...
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The holidays are getting so close. So close that I almost pulled out the Christmas decorations this week. Almost. I had to force myself to hold off. If you haven't been in or around Northern Michigan or watching our weather forecasts the last week or so, we have been getting hit with ...
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Bacon is a delicious, salty and savory food that many of us LOVE. It's popularity isn't surprising given the taste and it's become much more than a popular breakfast side dish. It started in the early 1990's when low carb diets were all the rage. Not only is bacon carb free, it's del...
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While the holidays are filled with lots of cheer they can also be filled with lots of stress. A full calendar of activities and budgets stretched to the limit all add up to a not so holly jolly time. A little planning will help make the holidays merrier and brighter for everyone. Managing Your Time...
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It's hunting season here in Michigan and my husband has already been bow hunting the last month and I've gotten to hear all about it. He goes and baits the deer and then grabs the photos of the incoming animals off his trail camera and brings them home for the kids to see. Deer, raccoons, porc...
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Every year at Thanksgiving we’re reminded to count our blessings. Here are a few ways your family can practice gratitude together this season and throughout the year. 1. Ask everyone to think of a person that means a lot to them. Could be a parent, grandparent, teacher, anyone important in their ...
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Can you believe Christmas is only 8 short weeks away? I swear, the holiday season seems to start earlier and earlier every year. We've even had a few inches of snow here in Petoskey already as well! My kiddos woke up and exclaimed 'It's Christmas mom!! It's Christmas!!" It was actually Halloween bu...
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The holiday season is on the horizon and that means it's time to start thinking about what else? Sugar cookies! I'll be honest, it's one of my favorite things about the holidays. Curling up in front of our pellet stove with a good book, a hot cup of coffee and a delicious homemade sugar cookie ...
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It's Halloween, and if you’re looking for a place to get your scream on, we have plenty of them right along the shores of Lake Michigan. Whether you believe in ghosts or just like exploring creepy, old buildings, we’re sure these spooky spots will make the hair on the back of your neck stand on ...
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