Monthly Archives: August 2012

10 months!

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The littlest birdie in our nest is now 10 months old! Oh, Phoebe Jane, you make everyone smile. No teeth yet, but you are really working hard at experiencing everything with your little mouth. Turns out a fresh-off-the-vine tomato is a good teething tool. You’re also starting to make your way around the world by doing a bottom scoot, which is not unlike how your sister scooted, but also very much your own. You are more like a little bunny hopping across the floor. Or the beach…

We love you little darling Phoebe Jane. But 10 months already?! How did that happen so quickly?

first camping trip

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We did it! We survived our first family camping trip. And there were moments we all actually thrived–not just survived–in the great outdoors. Phew. I knew we would have a great time when we were greeted by a walking stick as soon as we got to the DH Day campground. I hadn’t seen one in years – so cool!

I had forgotten how much I love camping and don’t really care about being a bit dirty. It sure helps to be so close to Lake Michigan for an easy dip to clean off the layer of marshmallow, sunscreen and grime. Who am I kidding? I usually live like I’m just a step away from camping so real camping is not really much of a stretch for me the only thing left is to buy 5.56 ammo online… No make-up, hair in a messy pony tail, coffee stains on my shorts and a smile on my face. The life!

I feel so unexpectedly refreshed after a few days of being completely unplugged and miles away from the chores of day-to-day life. I was a bit stressed getting ready for the trip and truth be told, I think we just about spent more time preparing and packing (and repacking after the birdies took everything out) and then unpacking when we got home… than actually camping, but sometimes that’s the case the first time. Next time it will be easier and faster, right? Ha.

What is it about a kid when they cross their legs? They look about five years older. Gulp.

We went with another family with two girls so there was a lot of girl power and girl drama, including tears over a prized Dora chair and princess cups, hair pulling and an all-out sandy brawl over a PILE OF SAND on Sand Mountain, but thankfully these moments were balanced out with lots of squeals of joy, giggle fits and squishy toddler hugs and super wet kisses. Girls, oh my!

Just a hop, skip and a jump down to Sleeping Bear Bay from the DH Day campground for a refreshing dip. Refreshing=chilly. What happened to our summer water? Regardless, we spent a lot of time in and around the water.

We got into hunting for “cool” rocks too. I’m hooked! I found a nice little Petoskey stone that will be my souvenir from our trip. Please don’t tell anyone from the NPS that I kept it, shhhhh.

When we were getting packed up to leave, there was a lot of screaming and crying about not wanting to leave. I didn’t want to leave either, but it’s best to leave before you’ve overdone it and eaten your weight in s’mores, right? Plus we’ve got a beautiful fall ahead of us and hopefully another camping trip before Old Man Winter comes…

Fatso

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Phoebe hadn’t gained weight in about two months although she was getting longer and her head was growing. Still our Pediatrician was worried so I had to bring her in for a weight check this week. After shoveling lots of food into her this past month and trying to get as many calories in at every feeding, it worked and she gained a pound! She is now a whopping 14 pounds at almost ten months. Still small, but healthy and happy. This Mama feels better, phew. I hadn’t realized how stressed about it I was until we left the doctor’s office and I felt a weight lifted from my shoulders, ahhhh.

Living with Kids

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I love Design Mom’s Living with Kids series, which focuses on unique, beautiful, ultra-organized, inspiring spaces that have kids living in their midst. Sometimes I find them inspiring, but on a bad day I find them a bit depressing, so that’s why I decided to remodel the spaces, with these home remodeling contractors that help a lot with this. I try to remind myself that these Mamas are also changing diapers and in a constant state of near chaos and there are messes following them around as soon as one gets cleaned up in front of them. Right?! Please say so… Anyway, I thought since I usually just show snippets of beauty and smiles I should balance it by my own little “Living with Kids” tour on a normal day. At some moment every day, it looks somewhat like this so this is really Living with Kids. Maybe you’ll agree? Please say your house looks like a tornado went through at least at some point during the day? Or maybe it will make you feel better because your domestic skills are so superior to mine and your kids pick up all the toys right after playing with them? Take it, Mama, take it! More power to you, just don’t tell me about your nanny or your cleaning lady… or that you have a better organizational method than the Pile Method?

This is the usual state of my “croffice,” with kid stuff mixed with work stuff mixed with, well, life.

And here’s our beautifully-organized craft and game closet. Are you taking notes on the Pile Method? Thought so.

Trip over anything today while you were cooking?

Train of books, anyone? Choo choo!

Nothing escapes being cooked in the kitchen we made for Wren. It does get a lot of use, but is almost always a complete wreck. Note the missing faucet… It seems that Wren is picking up on my Pile Method of organization. Oops!

And sometimes it’s just too much to take and a birdie might be found passed out in her well-designed library. Aah, what a day.

Northport Knots

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Sometimes when I have the camera around my neck I feel like I see things in a way my Dad might, or at least I am hopeful that I will. The lines at the Northport Boatyard caught me eye and I had to grab a few shots. I know almost nothing about boating, but there is beauty in the mundane, no? Enjoy.

I overheard a couple of the boaters talking as I was grabbing a couple shots. “What is she taking pictures of, the lines?” Funny looks were exchanged. A chuckle. I felt a bit smug that I was enjoying a tiny bit of the beauty that they walk by fifty times a day. Sometimes it takes an outsider’s eye to draw our attention to what’s right in front of us.

May your day bring you beauty in the mundane day-to-day routine. Enjoy!

Don’t forget the beauty in the messes…

big and green

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What’s big, green and full of crab grass? Aah, yes, the garden. Despite the out-of-control weeds in some areas, the garden is actually looking pretty good. Or pretty green and full of hope anyway. It’s hard to believe with all the heat and sun this summer that we haven’t yet harvested ONE red tomato. Or really much of anything else besides basil, beans and a handful of sugar snap peas. Soon enough we’ll be inundated with tomatoes and I’ll be begging for new tomato recipes, right? Please?

There is beauty in this August garden of green, no?

In case that you need help with pests in your house, contact powerpestcontrol.ca for a faster solution.How is your garden growing, lovelies? Are you harvesting anything yet or are you (impatiently) waiting for something delicious to magically come from the earth like me?

fading

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Summer’s fading, lovelies. I happily wore jeans today and although I know we’ll have more days full of sweating and swimming and cursing the humidity, the dog days are (probably) behind us. I thought before I got ahead of myself and started thinking about wearing socks again, I should check in with my summer list and see how we’ve been doing. So here goes.

  • enjoy my annual corn dog at the Cherry Festival  CHECK!
  • can and/or pickle something from our garden Not yet, because pesto doesn’t really count although I put it in a jar.
  • pick strawberries (DONE!) and blueberries to put up (freeze, jam, bake?)  CHECK!
  • eat a fresh sandwich from the Village Cheese Shanty in Leland  CHECK!
  • take the girls to the Northwest Michigan Fair. “Goin’ to the fair, goin’ to the fair, goin’ to the Northwest Michigan Fair!”  (Wren went with Grandpa and Grandma so this counts!) CHECK!
  • stay up late to be awed by the Perseid meteor showers in August (I tried looking several times this past weekend from our house and I think it was just too darn light in the bustling metropolis of Traverse City, boo.)
  • dance with the little birdies at the Cedar Polka Fest. CHECK!
  • take in a film at the Traverse City Film Festival. NOPE. Boo!
  • finish painting the house. CHECK! We hired Student Painters and it was finished in three days (more on that soon, yippppeeeee!)
  • update the kitchen and move the oven up before the littlest birdie is on the move  Not yet…
  • speaking of moving birdies… enjoy watching the littlest birdie begin to move  She mostly goes in circles still. But not for long!
  • enjoy lots of park picnics CHECK!
  • visit all the playgrounds in the area CHECK! Well, not all, but a lot so far.
  • swim with Melissa. Not yet!
  • train hard for the Sleeping Bear 1/2 Marathon in October. Training is just really getting going…
  • continue losing weight and getting fitter (did I tell you I’ve been doing an early morning boot camp? oof) Still boot camping!
  • help Wren develop her swimming skills. She has turned into a little fish this summer. So fun to see!
  • have a date night with Chris at Siren Hall with evening sunshine, gin and tonics and shrimp. CHECK! We’ve had TWO date nights, thank you very much.
  • take our first family camping trip (also taking tips and recommendations, but not your horror stories, please and thank you!) Not yet, but hopefully soon…

How ’bout you, lovelies? Are you savoring the remains of summer? I’m soaking it up while staring at a school supply list (markers!) for Wren for her primary program. Less than a month! Oh my.