Visitors

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The week after Christmas

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Gingerbread House Hunt...Plymouth, MI

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On December 23rd with Mike done with finals and a cold but sunny day outside, we headed to Plymouth for one of our favorite new traditions, the Gingerbread House Hunt. Plymouth is a darling little town with a fun main street and we walk up and down looking for big and little decorated houses. This year was especially fun because we ran into some good friends, the Pence family! They stayed with us for the afternoon and our kids had a blast together and we loved getting reacquainted. When it got too cold, we warmed up with burgers, soup and fries and of course got a chocolate treat before leaving. A perfect afternoon before the real festivities began! (And yes, Pierce came too and stayed asleep in his snuggly car seat for the entire 2.5 hours. He's the best baby!)

Michigan Fall

Our favorite time of year for lots of reasons...weather, leaves, cider mills, homemade doughnuts, crisp evenings, college football. Fall in Ann Arbor is just the best.
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Papa Visits the Big House

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There are a few things you MUST do if you go to school at the University of Michigan. One thing is attend a football game at THE BIG HOUSE. The football stadium is the biggest college stadium in the coutry...setting a new record at 114,800. Every game is sold out and the stands are swimming with blue and maize. It's quite the experience. We've all had it...Mike, me and the boys and we all loved it. Go Blue!

When Papa heard about the first ever night game at the stadium against rival Notre Dame he braved ridiculous ticket prices and a Southern California power outage to make it to Ann  Arbor.Even if he was only here for 36 hours we took advantage of every minute of his fun, supportive and vibrant personality. 

He got to watch all 3 boys play soccer, he got to ordain Mike to the high priesthood in our church since he now serves in our ward bishopric, he took us out to a great lunch, he hunted for snakes and frogs in the forest with the boys (the highlight of their life)...and...

He went to his first Michigan football game...and it was a crazy great one with an unbelieveable ending. It will go down in the history books and Mike and Rick were there!

We love you Papa. Can't wait to see you again!

The End of Summer...South Haven, MI and Wild Animal Park, OH

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In an effort to take in every last drop of summer and our Michigan experience, we decided to make it to the Lake Michigan beach one more time...this time in a tiny little town called South Haven. It was a nice, relaxing day. The water wasn't quite as clear, but the sand was soft and plentiful and there was a playground on the beach and a fun pier to walk along. Plus a quaint little mainstreet where we got delicious orange, lime and lemone ade and a burger before the drive home.















Our coolest sighting? The pirate ship!

Isn't this harbor fantastic? It was quite the picturesque town.

My least favorite excursion? The Wild Animal Park way outside Toledo, OH. The kids and Mike thought it was just fantastic to have dirty, stinky animals stick their heads into your car and eat out of your hand, lick your face, slobber on your window. So gross. I sat in the back. I was thinking it might be more like the San Diego park, but no such luck...and no tigers or lions either. On the upside the kids thought it was super cool.

Other than our fun excursions, the kids have been in heaven being home! They loved being back on their bikes, riding trails, and seeing friends, but what has really completed their life? Searching for animals!!! We've now had about a million frogs, toads, snakes and crayfish as pets (I let them stay in our yard for 24 hours, then we have to let them free) and we spend a ridiculous amount of time at the creek. It truly is boy heaven here. I'm thinking for our next move, we definitely need to be close to a forest again.

With the boys so happily busy, Mike and I have accomplished basically everything we needed to do to get the house ready for this new baby boy...bunkbed buying, room arranging, crib building, clothes washing, and I think we are almost totally ready anytime. So grateful to have a little free time with Mike and SO glad he can't stand to sit still. He was such a worker the entire 3 weeks and I was amazed at all we (or he) got done, especially while I was doing tons of stuff for my new job. It was great. Now, school has started and we only have a few weeks before this baby will be here. We can't wait!!

Summertime in Northern Michigan

We got some fantastic photos on our trip...to see the full post, click here!  

 

Kid Rock knew what he was talking about when he sang lyrics about summertime in Northern Michigan. It's beautiful and we tried our best to take advantage of all the fun before the craziness of school and real life starts again. We headed first to a place voted as one of the most beautiful places in the country...

Sleeping Bear Dunes Beach

We were competely shocked by the beauty of Lake Michigan. The water was cold but clear as the Carribbean. We had a wonderful afternoon soaking in the hot sunshine, cool water and soft sand.





Pretty amazing huh?

 Hiking the dunes
The boys were awesome hikers and made it to the top of the second huge sand dune...it's a real natural wonder to see the mountains of sand, then look back over the gorgeous lake. Running down was especially fun.



Traverse City
After the day at Sleeping Bear Dunes we headed to Traverse City to check it out. It was awesome! We got to stay in the coolest hotel that the boys adored...swimming, fitness room, restaurant, great pool and hot tub, king size beds, super cool shower, 3 flat screen TVs....it might have been the highlight for them.

Lighthouse
There are lots of lighthouses on the penninsula, but this was the only one close enought to see. It was kind of small, but still pretty cool.

 Old Mission Store
There was a really fun, old store we got to stop by and check out. They had all kinds of sundry items, candy, old guns, bows and arrows. It was a cool stop.

 Blueberry Picking
We found a blueberry farm that had full bushes and the boys loved helped picking blueberries and we all loved eating them. Yum!!!

 Jet Skiis
When the clouds cleared, we got back onto the lake....this time with jet skiis. It was the boys first time and they loved it!

It was one of our favorite Michigan spots as a family. The perfect mix of everything and the boys were so fun and so good. This stage has been amazing for taking advantage of lots of fun things. I just adore them all!!

Independence Lake

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Palmyra, New York

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On Sunday we headed to Palmyra, New York which is rich with the history of our church. I was so excited to be there...it's a place I've been envisioning since I was a little girl and I was finally going to see it! What struck me, as we were driving there was how beautiful the area is. I understand why Joseph Smith's family decided to settle there. It truly is a gorgeous piece of our country.

After church, our first stop was the sacred grove, where we believe Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ. As I wandered onto the path, a young boy, about 12, was playing "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" and I was overcome with the spirit. I felt so much gratitude for Joseph Smith and was amazed that at such a young age he was curious enough to ask, righteous enough to obey, and strong enough to withstand cruely beyond imagination. Stepping into that grove felt like a holy place.

Our boys had a nice time in the grove, though I'm not sure they really understood its significance. Mike read Joseph Smith's account to us from the scriptures and we had a family prayer of gratitude. After the few moments of stillness and reverence, our boys felt like it was any other woods to explore and they were fascinated by the large leaves and tiny bugs. As we walked down the path, Mike and I were discussing how being a parent is often about balancing what you need with what your kids need to stay entertained and engaged without bothering others. It's a tricky act, but I hope our kids remember the spirit they felt in Palmyra.

I'm so grateful for Mike's spiritual leadership in our family. I really admire the way he teaches the boys with such sincerity and ease.

Some of the farmland and acreage the Smith family owned. I imagine it looked a lot then like it still does now. It was a fun historical connection to make.

This is our family in the Smith family home. The church has done a fantastic job at its restoration. My favorite thing about this picture is the smiles on everyone's face, and then look at James...the rolled eyes of a 4 year old. After a long day of sightseeing and lots of "being quiet" "being reverent" and "being respectful," I asked the kids with a happy smile, "So, did you enjoy that?" and James' response was..."Well, I kind of enjoyed it, but I kind of didn't. Actually, it wasn't very fun." Probably a fair critique from a 4 year old!
From the Smith family home, you can see the Palmyra temple. How exciting to have a temple where the church was restored!

These are photos of the priting shop where the first Book of Mormon was printed. I had no idea the great lengths it took and all the pieces that had to fall into place in order for the Book of Mormon to be published. What a great miracle! (Oh, and if you go to Palmyra you MUST get a calzone at NEMA's just down the street from the print shop. It looks like a hole, but it's incredible!!!)

This last picture is on the top of Hill Cumorah, where we believe Joseph Smith retrieved the plates. There is a gorgeous view from the top of the hill and it was exiting to be there. It was possibly my boys favorite spot since they got to roll down a gigantic hill and no one asked them to be quiet. All in all, it was a great vacation and we made it home 7 hours later exhausted and in one piece.

Our Trip to Holland

Holland, Michigan that is. The first day my mom was here, we decided to be adventurous and head 2 1/2 hours to Holland, Michigan for the Tulip Festival. I'd heard it was something you had to do at least once while you were here.

We spent most the day at Dutch Village and the kids had an amazing time. When we got there, I thought we'd be lucky to spent one hour there, but my boys loved it and we stayed for 4 hours. I'm always pleasantly surprised when it takes very little for my kids to be amused and have fun.  There is a major overload of pictures on this post, but they were so cute, I couldn't resist!! To see them all, click here!

There were beautiful flowers everywhere



The stork is their national bird...how appropriate! My belly at 20 weeks.

fun shoes

James kept his on forever!

These were the elderly Dutch dancers. My boys were NOT impressed.

They also loved these baby ducks in the pond

After the village, we drove to downtown Holland to explore the tulips and finished just in time for the rain to start. It was a GREAT day!

Best of Ann Arbor: Frita Batidos, Logans, Blimpy Burger and Mimi and Papa

One of the things we love about Mimi and Papa is that they are total foodies. They love good, interesting and beautiful food so it's always fun to eat with them. While they were here we spent a decent amount of time frequenting all the places we wish we could go on a regular basis and loved it.

A few of our favorites: FRITA BATIDOS...crazy good and not too pricey. The BATIDOS (basically really great shakes) are to die for as are the plantians and just about everything else we tried. Can't wait to go back!

We had our adult dinner at LOGANS which came highly recommended and for good reason. While the price will keep us from going back (thank you parents!), I'm craving the cream of cauliflower soup starter, and the sweet sea bass that literally melted in my mouth a top perfect mushroom risotto. The yogurt palate cleanser and fluffy biscuits with the town's best butter were all so delicous I would have been happy eating them all night. If you have some cash to spend (or people who are willing to spend it on you :) give it a shot!

Of course we took them to ZINGERMANS (super famous, crazy fresh, really good, but really over priced in my opinion...who wants to pay $15 for a sandwich?) where they sampled a few things and bought some balsamic vinegar and some gluten-free brownies, then headed to BLIMPY BURGER for the best burgers and fried veggies in town at the best price on the block.

We spent a little time wandering through the indoor portion of the botanical gardens. Funny that for Rick and Marci, it felt just like being in San Diego. I'm feeling a bit jealous.

What we don't have pictures of is the sleepover they had with the kids at their hotel. They are total saints! I'd never voluntarily sleep in the same room as my three kids, and they are mine. They swam, ate, watched a movie and had treats and went to bed WAY too late, but what are grandparents for?

On the other hand, Mike and I had a blissful kid free evening and morning, so THANK YOU!

The best of Michigan: The Henry Ford Museum

We were thrilled for Mike's parents to come to Michigan for the first time. Too bad they came during the gray and dreary end of winter. I promise Michigan can be green, warm and beautiful. The first day they were here we let the kids play hookey from school and headed to the Henry Ford Museum. I was amazed by how much I loved it...definitely a must see.

I'm not sure what part I liked best...the incredibly inspirational and well done video introduction, watching a Ford F150 be assembled, or touring around the history of the automobile. It was a fascinating spot that even my boys enjoyed. If you are in Michigan, you should go. To see more pictures click here!







Cold as Ice: Plymouth, Mighigan Ice Festival

Last weekend we thought it would be a great, Michigan experience to attend the ice festival in Plymouth. It's the third biggest in the nation, so it had to be worth it, right? Um, not so much. It was FREEZING...about 9 degrees, major wind and snow falling. To be quite honest, it was painful, for all of us (well, Mike was tough).We were so cold, the kids had tears running down their cheeks the whole time. After 20 minutes, we'd been there, seen it and could check it off our list.

After our 20 minutes of "having an experience" we headed to the indoor mall to play in the petri dish we affectionately call "germ land" (thanks Keith). We saw puppies, and the boys played hard and I got a little shopping in while Mike sat super close to 200 other parents who had the same idea of going to the mall on a Saturday afternoon. After the kid in the corner of the play area puked in his dad's hands, we decided we'd had enough fun for the day...home, movie, quesadillas, and the day ended up toasty warm.

Note to self: Only indoor activities when the weather is under 20 degrees.  Regardless of the experience, it's NOT worth it.