Spring Break - Kiawah Island

If you follow me on Instagram you know that we just spent the most wonderful week in South Carolina. This was Elia's very first spring break so we decided to take advantage of her time off from school and join friends and their families in renting a house on Kiawah Island.

Kiawah Island is about 35-40 minutes outside of Charleston. Todd and I have planned to visit Charleston multiple times over the last few years and just haven't actually made it for one reason or another. We were thrilled when friends proposed renting a house so close to Charleston so we could finally explore the area.

sick day, er...week

Well, our 2017 is off to a bit of a second rate start. Not awful, just not first rate.

First, Wells got sick. My happy little guy was just not quite himself and when daycare called to tell me he was "just so sad" I knew something was up. Turns out he had a double ear infection. Ick! Thankfully his course of antibiotics have worked wonders on him and he's back to normal again.

A few days after that call from daycare, Elia started coughing like crazy one night. The next night, it was worse and barky so I suspected croup. I took her to the doctor the next morning and they thought it was just a bad cold. We hunkered down for a sick day from school with lots of snuggles and rest time. Three full days of fever later, we were back at the doctor and it turns out she has pneumonia. Oof.

christmas recap

Happy New Year! I hope your 2017 is off to a bright start.

I thought I'd do a quick holiday recap before we get too far into January. Plus, I need to share all of the adorable photos I took over Christmas, right?

Are you ready for photo overload? Here we go.

The kids met the big guy at a Breakfast with Santa this year. One of them was more interested than the other.

halloween at hess

Today was the most beautiful Michigan fall day. The weather was gorgeous and the sun was shining and it was just perfect.

After church we took Wells for his first haircut. We had very mixed emotions about this as we had grown to love his sweet, curly little mullet. We knew that cut would mean a farewell to his baby curls and we weren't entirely ready but, alas, it was time. Please enjoy the photos below, documenting Wells' before and during experience. They show the mullet in full force and his very not mixed emotions during the haircut.

cozy season

It's official. I can't help myself. When the first cool breezes roll in at the end of August or beginning of September, I start thinking about pulling layers out of storage, wrapping up in a blanket, and the crunch of leaves under my feet. I start planning Halloween costumes and visits to orchards and dreaming of apple cider.

This weekend, my family gave into all of that and we spent Saturday morning at Sietsema's Orchards and my dreams of cider became a reality. A reality coupled with a warm apple cinnamon doughnut. And just like that, we are in full-on fall mode.

summer summary

Just checking in after months away from the blog. Needless to say, this summer has been full, busy, and oh so fun.

Some highlights...

girls weekend: chicago

Two of my favorite people in the world have birthdays just six days apart from each other. To my delight, they are also two of each other's favorite people so when I found out my sister was going to be in Chicago, a mere two and a half hours away on her birthday, we quickly decided that the best way to celebrate both her birthday and Elia's would be to spend a long weekend together in Chicago. Our mom was available to join too making it a perfect girls weekend.

We left early Friday morning and Elia was such a great road tripper. As soon as we could see Chicago, she was so excited and kept pointing to buildings and saying, "Is that Chicago?" So sweet.

And now...in lieu of all of the words that I could offer you, I give you all of the pictures. (And just a few words peppered in to explain.)

egn: third birthday

We officially have a three year old.

I keep hearing myself say that I can't believe that Elia is three but, honestly, I can. Two was hard to believe but three, I saw coming. Honestly speaking, this year has seemed long. Not too long, exactly, but so much has happened in the last year. We've felt really tested and challenged as we navigate the growing pains of life as a family of four, all while Elia navigated becoming a sister, sharing her parents' previously undivided attention, plus all of the normal wonderfulness that comes along with toddlerhood. I've been looking forward to the promise of three, like our very own little happy new year.

a holiday recap

With my mind on all of the possibilities of a new year, I never took the time to reflect on our holiday season on the blog. We ran into a lot of snags the week of Christmas to the point that it was starting to feel comical but despite that we still had a lovely holiday season.

We enjoyed Wells' first Christmas and we think he did too.

winter walk

Today we went on a snowshoeing hiking adventure. Due to warmer than average conditions, our planned snowshoeing and sledding adventure turned into a lovely winter hike. No one seemed to mind.

focus 2016: family

In 2016, I've decided to pick four areas to focus on: family, faith, wellness, and enough. Today, I want to talk about how I'll be focusing on family this year.

I hope and believe that this will be the simplest thing for me to prioritize this year. Already my family is the most important thing to me, the most prominent thing in my life. With such young children, it has to be. This year, I want to be more intentional about how our family spends its time and interacts and hope to do that in the following ways:

spooky fun

I decided a while back that I wanted to make a big deal out of holidays for my kids. It's fun to do and holiday themes are a nice way to pepper the day to day with something to get excited about. Elia couldn't have been more excited about Halloween and Wells just thought it had something to do with playing peekaBOO all day long so he was pleased.

Our parents came over to go to a trunk or treat with us then hang out while we passed out candy to trick-or-treaters. Elia was so pumped about her party and practiced trick-or-treating for a week ahead of it. She kept asking when the trick-or-treaters were going to come to her house. Soon enough, Guapa, soon enough.

get a sister

I have Fridays off and last week Friday, Todd and I had made plans to meet for lunch and take the kids to visit ArtPrize. Wells had his four month checkup that day so we moseyed downtown afterwards and since we were running late, decided to just meet Todd at his office for lunch. He had lunch waiting for us in a conference room and to my complete surprise, my sister was waiting there, a bouquet of confetti-filled balloons in hand, when I opened the door.

My sweet sister flew in, all the way from Seattle, to help me celebrate my upcoming thirtieth. (Still upcoming...I'm squarely in my twenties, I swear.) The arrival of my sister was gift enough but she also made arrangements for a delicious dinner at Reserve with our parents and brought sweet and thoughtful birthday gifts.

artprize 7 top picks (so far)

Over the last few years, I've started to think of this time of year as "ArtPrize season". It's technically fall but still really warm and by the time ArtPrize ends, it will officially feel like fall in GR. For those of you who aren't local, ArtPrize is an art competition that has taken Grand Rapids by storm since its inception in 2009. All of downtown fills with art and people comes out in droves to see it and vote for their favorite pieces. It's awesome. I love seeing our city come alive and there is nothing that engages people like ArtPrize has. Everyone has an opinion on the pieces that they see and even stronger opinions on the piece that are most popular.

I look forward to ArtPrize season every year. Todd and I have been meeting up for "ArtPrize-ing" on our lunch hours and we took the kids down on Saturday morning and then again after naps on Saturday afternoon.

I thought I'd share some of my favorite pieces so far and I would love to hear what is resonating with you too - there is plenty more time left to see more pieces and I love recommendations! Please share your favorites and what you think of mine in the comments section. I've also pointed out some pieces that will be appealing to kids. (P.S. If you are ArtPrize-ing with kids, check out the GR Kids Gigantic Family ArtPrize Guide, it's a great resource!)

Click through the venue names to see a full list of the works on display there.

1. Grand Rapids Art Museum 

Obviously, I think this is a must-see venue. The exhibition plays with the theme Nature/Nurture and some of the pieces are quite challenging. 

My favorites at GRAM this year are:

- Rattles and Cherries by Shannon Plumb

Videos aren't usually my thing but this one struck me as soon as I heard about it. The artist is shown trying to perform a bit of a burlesque number and then is pulled away by her crying child who needs to be comforted by nursing. Her struggle between balance her sense of self with her role as a mother just resonates with me, especially as I continue to get back into the swing of things since returning to work after Wells was born. 

Good For Kids:

- As Above by Judith Braun

This is pretty cool. The artist created this black and white image by apply graphite to the Museum walls with her fingertips. Take your kids home and see if they can make their own version of this with fingerpaint!

- Karma Dahlia II by Krista Schoening

A total crowd pleaser, this giant dahlia can be seen from inside the Museum or through the windows on Ottawa Ave.

- Kinds Regards by Armando Ramos

These are the big cat heads, super fun and whimsical.

- Blue Ribbon by Scott Hoyle

If your kids like farm animals, they'll appreciate this series of photographs of prize winning  animals raised by kids participating in 4-H programs. 

- Anishinaabensag Biimskowebshkigewag (Native Kids Ride Bikes) by Dylan Miner

A collection of bicycles created in collaboration with urban Native youth.

- Arranging Family by Carlee Fernandez

A huge christening cup appears near a photograph of the same cup with a family of four inside of it. Take a look at the cup and guess how many of your family members could fit in it with you!

2. Kendall College of Art and Design 

I always enjoy Kendall's ArtPrize exhibition. They feature contemporary work, often on a large-scale which I'm always drawn to. 

This year, my favorites are:

- Last Supper by Julie Green

From afar, this looks like delftware but up close you'll see that the images on the plate are actually paintings of prisoners' last meals. It's so interesting to see what people have requested and humanizes these death row inmates as well. Very thought provoking.

- Phoenix by Alison Stigora

Burned wood is arranged to create an installation that lines an entire hallway at the Federal Building.

Good for Kids:

- Murmur Study by Christopher Barker

A row of receipt printers line the ceiling and are continuously printing live Twitter and Facebook status updates. Read along as they print.

- You Imagine What You Desire by Nathan Coley

This large marquee message is outside the building. I've only seen it during the day but I bet it looks stunning at night.

3. Grand Rapids Public Museum

Good For Kids:

- #WhatLiftsYou by Kelsey Montague

These is the giant wings that everyone has been posing with. They're beautiful and fanciful and interactive, a perfect combination for ArtPrize.

4. SiTE:LAB - The Rumsey Street Project

Every year, SiTE:LAB picks an interesting venue and artists install site-specific works to great effect. This year is no exception and probably my favorite they've ever done. They took several houses and other building in a neighborhood and each has been transformed. They'll use the same space for ArtPrize next year and then turn the houses over to Habitat for Humanity for rehabbing, which is so cool. It's off the beaten path but absolutely worth visiting. 

I love this site so much that it's hard to pick favorites but if I had to, here are my top pieces, in no particular order.

- Rumsey Street Office of the Archivist by Mark Rumsey

- Stripes for St. Joseph by Nick Kline

- Women Disembodied by Jessica Bonenfant Coogan

- How to Feed a Wolf by Lora Robertson

Good for Kids: 

- Higher Ground by Kate Gilmore

This pink house is painted entirely red on the inside and women in white swing through the windows. It's very visually engaging and was Elia's favorite by far.

5. Processed Fiber at 250 Monroe

This whole site is dedicated to fiber arts and it's beautiful. All of it is good but these two large-scale installations are my favorite.

- Linear Motion by Amie Adelman

- Keeping Up Appearances by Ashley Blalock

6. 250 Monroe

Good for Kids:

- Constructing on Deconstructing by Borja + Toscani

Piñatas fill an entire half of this empty office building. The best part? At certain times, the artist asks visitors to break hanging piñatas as part of the piece. Try to get there for a breaking session, it really enhances the experience.

7. UICA

This is another venue that does a great job year in and year out featuring very contemporary art. 

- Relic by Tamara Kostianovsky

This looks kind of gross form a distance. It's large-scale replicas of dead birds and meat. Ick. But up close, you guys! It's made from old articles of clothing from the artist's friends and family and very impressive. I loved this - don't let the butcher style turn you off.

Good for Kids:

- The Great Race by Michael Peoples

Rubber duckies running up a wall. Whimsy all the way. 

- Symphony of Gestures by Sara Dittrich and Benjamin Buchanan

This is  performance piece and I just loved it! A string quartet plays from precarious positions throughout the performance area which is impressive enough but they also composed the music they play. Check their performance schedule and try to make it there for one.

Whew! That's a lot and only a snippet of everything ArtPrize has to offer.

What have you seen so far? What can't we miss?

august so far

Note: As I am writing this, Wells is asleep. He is, at the moment, approaching ten hours of sleep overnight. This is the seventh day in a row where he has slept at least seven hours overnight. I realize this might be boastful but I am so glad he is sleeping through the night that I had to share! We are so relieved to be sleeping again!

We ended July and kicked off August on Mackinac Island. I say this every summer: Mackinac Island is my favorite place to go.

There are many reasons to love Mackinac but, I think my main reason for loving it is the timelessness of the island. In a world that is moving so quickly, you always know what to expect on Mackinac. There will be bike rides, it will smell of horses, there will be fudge, there will be great lake views, there will not be cars, and there will be charm in spades.

And every August, there will be Neckers there. It's fun to see how much Elia grows from year to year and watch her experience the island in new ways and I look forward to doing the same with Wells.

We've gone to Mackinac with my parents and my aunt's family for the last five years and normally stay in the middle of the island, at some condos I grew up going to. Since Wells is too small for a bike, we opted to stay at Mission Point Resort this year, on the far side of Main Street. It was fun to stay somewhere new and we were so thankful that we weren't walking several miles into and out of town for meals.

During our weekend we spent time with our family, swimming, visiting with my college bestie Jess and her family who were on the island Saturday, and Todd and I even got to have a cocktail hour sans niños one day.

Saturday evening, we went to The Woods for dinner and bowling, a family tradition. We took a taxi there and it was far less slow than I remember it being in years past. As a bonus, Elia was fascinated by the ride. We ate and bowled, duck-pin style, before heading back into town for the evening. The Woods is such a unique and beautiful spot and we love eating time there every summer.

Mackinac never disappoints and I love creating new memories there with my family.

That was last weekend and this weekend we hosted Todd's college friends and their families at the lake house. This is a tradition that formally began two years ago, making this our third year running. Since the first year we have almost all grown to be families of four and watching our kids run around together is incredibly entertaining. The crew was slightly smaller this year but we still had a ball. I'm always grateful that Todd has such a solid group of friends from college, they're such lovely people and I always enjoy spending time with them.

With so much fun packed into the first third of August, I can't wait to see what fun is in store for us the rest of the summer! 

saturday morning: is this real life?

This morning is going well. I woke up at 8:00 to the sound of Todd saying, "Pancake party!" I got Wells situated and walked into the kitchen to see Elia sitting on the floor happily measuring sugar into little bowls and a plate of pancakes ready to eat. She scooped some sugar on my pancakes and the three of us hung out in the kitchen eating pancakes, playing "measuring", and chatting together while the baby slept.

After about ten minutes of this I looked at Todd and said, "This is what I imagined life would look like." A happy family just hanging out, enjoying each other's company.

I love our little family but life has not looked much like this lately. Elia has been whiny, Wells has been fussy, and their parents have been tired, not as patient as we'd like, and a bit (or more) crabby ourselves. This morning has been a reminder that this is a phase of our lives and that the challenges are far outweighed by the simple joys. So as the baby starts to stir and Elia's voice starts to take on that whiny edge, I'm going to try to practice patience and grace and soak in all of the sweetness of these moments with my babies.

since we've been home

We came home from the hospital and Friday and since then, have been adjusting to life as a family of four. Elia has been doing a great job with her little brother and it's been fun to see her interact with him.

On Saturday, we decided to take our first family outing and attend the Local First Street Party in the afternoon. We enjoyed some food, people watching, and an art project and it went better than expected. The weather was perfect and after several days in the hospital, it was so nice to be out and about.

Yesterday we had a quiet day at home, just settling into our routine. Todd and Elia went to church while Wells and I stayed home and then Grandpa and Grandma N stopped by to visit for a few minutes after church. We all rested in the afternoon - having a being a newborn is exhausting!

Today was a big day for Mr. Wells. We had his newborn photo shoot in the morning and his first doctor's appointment this afternoon. I couldn't wait to see how much our little guy weighed. He's been eating like a champ and I was sure he'd be near his birth weight.

The Stats:

Weight - Birth: 7 lbs. 12 oz.     5 Days: 7 lbs. 11 oz.

Length - Birth: 19 inches    5 Days: 20.5 inches

Head Circumference - Birth: 14 inches     5 Days: 14.25 inches

Suspicion confirmed - this kid is an eating champ! Everything else looked good as well, always good to hear.

We took a nice after dinner walk to the park and, obviously, Elia had to bring the sled along to pull her doll in. Once we got close, Todd took over the pulling.

I'm looking forward to introducing Wells to some friends this week and of course, getting in lots of snuggles while he lets me.

Thank you for all of the well wishes, we're having a great time so far!

meet wells

Todd and I are thrilled to announce the arrival of our son, Wells Robert Neckers. Born on Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at 10:04 am, he came into the world weighing 7 pounds, 12 ounces and measuring 19 inches long.

More to share soon, we are so blessed by his arrival.

With love, the Neckers Family.