Chalkboard art

We recently changed the paint color of our chalkboard wall from a schoolhouse green to a solid black, and the result is much better. I love seeing the contrast of the colored chalk against the darker backdrop. This is a recent reinterpretation created by Aaron of an Alaskan piece of art that was given to the girls by Tasha for Christmas. She moved to Girtwood Alaska in October and brought back a collection of animals for Nora to color. Granted, these are on 8x10 pieces of paper, so the fact that Aaron was able to recreate this with such precise detail is fantastic. I could never do it!  The girls love watching him make these masterpieces, and it further inspires them to draw their own abstract pieces as well. So happy we decided to do it:)

Juicing

Well, I have officially decided to embark on a blog transformation/transition. Instead of using this primarily for photos of the girls, I've chosen to widen the scope of the experience through meanderings of reflections and family events. My hope is to capture the essence of our home as well as what we explore together throughout our days as a family. I don't think anyone even reads this anymore, which will allow me to explore all the possibilities for a blog.

Our most recent addition to our family is a new Hurom juicer. Aaron has been experiencing all sorts of digestive issues, so in order to better aid his recovery and healing, we decided to make the investment and begin juicing together as a family. So far the results are invigorating.:) Beet sunrise in the morning and a celery, broccoli stalk combination with a squeeze of lemon before dinner. Here is a recent pic from the other evening. More to come:)!

Maeve on a beautiful day

Aaron took these photos of Maeve yesterday after she woke up from a nap.  My mom made the adorable pink hat, and Melissa's mom (Sue) made the cozy sweater. 

Hiking with the girls

Sweet Maeve

Well, I regretfully admit that I haven't been keeping up with the blog as well as I had hoped. It seems to be more challenging when #2 arrives:) We are thrilled to announce that Maeve is now one year old and already seems to march to the beat of her own drum. Some of her favorite things to do include dancing, bouncing on the mini trampoline, eating avocadoes, and giving her sister bear hugs. Here are some photos to share...

Family Photographs

Friske Orchards

I really don't think we could have possibly asked for a better day to celebrate the beauty of autumn. Early Saturday morning, the three of us decided to take a drive to visit Friske Orchards in Atwood. Nora had such an amazing time playing on the playground, visiting with the farm animals, and taking a tractor ride through the orchard. We finished our afternoon with fresh doughnuts, cider, and a sack of marbles to take home. Since then, I have been stepping on them constantly, but every child needs a sack of marbles right? It was a lovely day.

Nora's birthday cake

I've been meaning to upload this photo for quite a while now. This is a pic of Nora's teddy bear, ballerina birthday cake. She was so excited to see Grandma Ruth's work of art--and it was delicious.

Pond Hill Runt

Nora was able to hold the runt of the pig litter over the summer. Since then, we have visited him on our numerous trips to Pond Hill Farm. Each time we see him, she always says, "he's so cute." Our own little Fern.

Nora's favorite tree

Nora's favorite tree, our willow, is a special spot for her. She always seems to cozy up to it when she is in the backyard exploring.

A Day at the Beach

Meranda took some great photos of Nora this summer. Here is another one to share...

Funny expression:)

Another day at the beach

Lake Huron

We spent the day with Grandma and Grandpa Riley in Presque Isle and decided to take advantage of the beautiful sunshine. Nora had an incredible time playing in the sand and insisted on being buried for amusement. The scenery was breathtaking--definitely an area that has yet to be fully discovered by the tourist industry. We were the only ones on the beach, so Nora was free to run and splash in the shallow water. She loved it.

Our spring hike

The three of us went for an amazing walk in the woods the other day. Check out the fungus! Beautiful right?! We had a nourishing rain the night before, so needless to say, everything was bright and alive the following morning--and so were we as a result of all the life that was emerging before us. Please check out the slideshow below. Simply click and enjoy. We miss all of you!

http://www.slide.com/r/qMEVuOQSyD-7vEqcts1U09NMTvDP5XCo?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

Easter

Here are some photos from Easter that I have been meaning to post for some time now. We spent the day at Grandma and Grandpa Riley's house. It was really interesting to create this kind of celebration/ritual for Nora, and in turn, to witness her reaction to all of the festivities. She of course preferred the chocolate covered cherries over the walnuts that she found within the eggs, but one of her favorite activities was playing in a mud puddle she discovered on the path behind their house. She never hesitates when it comes to getting wet. The other week, the three of us decided to go for a little walk in the woods, and Nora took it upon herself to run at full speed into a swamp for cattails...she loves them! I like to think it was an act of freedom and liberation she couldn't deny...but it left her absolutely drenched. We would have kept on hiking along, except for the fact that it was quite cold that day, so we scooped her up and headed home. Now, you are probably wondering how she managed to run into a swamp without the two of us grabbing her instantly, and in all honesty, I don't know how it happened. I was fiddling with my camera while Aaron was lacing up his shoe--and there you have it. So, I guess the moral of the story is, cattails are worth it, and mom and dad, pay attention!

Just a little upset

This is a photo of Nora early in the morning before heading out to work. She often tries to negotiate with me about going to daycare. She loves Debbie's house, but you can't blame her for wanting to stay home to sit in the big chair and listen to mommy read the Berenstein Bears. The book we are currently reading (over and over again!) is Brother and Sister Beart get a case of the Gimmies. I'm hoping that the lesson in whining will make some sort of impression on her. However, the stuffed animal she is holding in this photo is a direct result of her pleading with Daddy at the grocery store. She has already figured out that if I say no, Aaron will most likely say yes:) Oh the teen years--I can already see the good cop/bad cop days of struggle. Par for the course I guess!

Nora's little attitude

It has been quite a while since we last posted. Our hope was to get as many Christmas pics as possible, but we decided to video tape the events instead, which was probably a better idea since our camera is a little dated. Aaron has been taking quite a few pictures with his iPhone, and this is one of Nora's moody days. She has definitely shown us this attitude from time to time when things don't go exactly her way. And if we start laughing (sometimes it is difficult to hold back) she looks at us with this expression and says, "it's not funny!"

Oh, the life of a toddler. It must get frustrating sometimes.

Our little artist

Glory in the Garden

Is Anyone Home?

Sunshine in the woods

Wicker in August

Petoskey State Park

Here are some pics of us enjoying the beach at the Petoskey State Park. We had a great time there with Keegan, Mackenzie, and the grandparents. My mother took these photos.

Nora's 2nd birthday!

We had a great time celebrating Nora's birthday at Burt Lake with the family. Camping has been a wonderful part of our summer.

Time with the Girls

Nora and I had a big weekend in Chicago--time spent with the family, tears shed at Morgan and Julie's wedding ceremony, and laughs shared with the girls. It was fantastic:)

Nora at the trout pond

The three of us decided to visit Pond Hill farm yesterday to take in the beautiful scenery and visit the animals. Nora's favorite activities included holding a baby duck and feeding the trout in the pond. After we returned home, she kept on looking up at me with her big eyes saying, "more farm--more farm." It is definitely one of our favorite places to visit as a family.

Here she is... bidding a farewell to the "fishies."