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...

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! 

picking berries

We decided that during my maternity leave Elia would continue on her normal schedule. We did this to provide with as much normalcy as possible while she gets used to having our attention split between her and her new brother, and also to help me out while I recover from having the babes. This means that on Monday through Thursday, Elia is either at school or with her grandma and on Fridays, both kids are home with me.

I have to admit, I get nervous about Fridays every week so far. Wells' schedule is unpredictable, Elia is a very busy toddler, and a full night's sleep seems like, well, a dream. To make things easier, I've had a play date and special day with Aunt Emily lined up on our last two Fridays but today our plans didn't work out. Since we had the morning free, I decided that it would be fun to get out of the house and go strawberry picking. 

A quick Google search later, we were headed to Krupps Farms, just north of the city. We started our berry picking adventure at the farm's petting zoo. 

Elia was excited to see the animals but a little intimidated. When I asked her if she wanted to pet them, she responded by saying, "I too busy. I too busy, Mom." Busy being chicken.

Good thing that rocking horse was friendly.

We headed to the you-pick strawberry fields next. After a car trunk diaper change for Wells, we were ready to pick some berries.

We grabbed a small container and went to work.

After picking as many berries as we thought we needed, Elia played taste tester.

Mmm, delicious! Elia approved.

memorial day weekend

We spent this Memorial Day weekend as we've spent the past several years, at my in-laws' lake house, ringing in the official start of summer. We have been blessed with great weather this May and were excited to kick back at the lake before baby two comes along to shake things up.

I've been trying to spend time doing special things with Elia over the last few weeks since my attention will be divided soon so we went up to Rockford after I worked for a few hours on Frida morning and shopped, checked out the dam and river, played in the park, and then enjoyed lunch outside together. I swear, she's the best lunch date and, if not always the most patient or well-behaved, certainly the cutest. I'd take her to lunch every day if it were an option.

We spent the rest of the day napping, playing in the sand, and then I headed out for my sprinkle.

Saturday marked our first trip of the season to the farmer's market, something I always enjoy. Though the selection at Michigan farmer's markets are limited in the early season, there's still plenty to see and buy. We settled on asparagus, cinnamon bread, and fresh flowers.

After naps (for both Elia and I), we spent the afternoon and evening boating and enjoying the beautiful day with friends who were visiting us at the lake.

On Sunday we spent a leisurely morning on a walk and then decided to give the paddleboard its first spin on the lake. Elia loved riding along with her dad.

More friends came to visit before lunch and Elia had a great timing playing with her friend on the beach. I wish I had taken pictures of the girls holding hands as they walked down the dock together but alas, some sweet moments are just meant to be experienced, not documented.

We headed home before lunch today to regroup after so many days away and get ready for a busy week. Afternoon rainstorms also set the stage for some great naps again. Summer is definitely here and we are so ready for it. Happy Memorial Day to all!

five cocktails for summer

I know that technically it's only spring but here in Michigan, we are having some very summer-like weather. Nothing says summer like relaxing on a deck with a nice, cold beverage in your hand. I've had to enjoy lemonade as my beverage of choice but after eight months sober, I'm really starting to look forward to enjoy a cocktail or two this summer.

In honor of those summer nights that are just around the corner, I've rounded up some cocktails that I can't to try this summer. Click through the links in the titles to try the recipes yourself.  Cheers!

1. Paloma from Jessy and Melissa

I've been dying to try a Paloma, which combines tequila and grapefruit. I've already declared it the drink of summer, sight unseen, err...drink undrank.

2. Blueberry Mojito Royale from Domesticate Me

What a beautiful cocktail and a mojito is always a winner in my book! And all of the antioxidants in the blueberries negate the alcohol, correct?

3. Lavender Collins Cocktail from Couture Craft

I love a touch of lavender in anything: shortbread cookies, lemonade, jam. It's such a delicate flavor that add something special to whatever it's in. Why not a cocktail? Plus, it's hard not to imagine yourself overlooking a French countryside when you consume lavender and talk about beautiful!

4. Pineapple Margarita from Crunchy Creamy Sweet

I love pineapple and I love margaritas, is there anything else to say? 

5. Champagne Grapefruit Mojito by Foodie Crush

I fell in love with Champagne Mojitos when introduced by a friend when we were living in Costa Rica. In fact, I loved them so much that they served as one of our signature drinks at our wedding. These are so refreshing and festive and I can't wait to sip on one this summer.

I'm also looking forward to trying variations on this favorite of mine like this Champagne Grapefruit Mojito from Style Me Pretty Living and the Champagne Grapefruit Pineapple Mojito from Cooks with Cocktails.

For even more cocktail ideas, visit me "Drink Me" Pinterest board.

What cocktails are you looking forward to trying this summer?

animal park and amigos

As a working mom, I don't get to spend as much time with Elia during the day as I'd like to. When my college bestie, Jess, mentioned she and her family were planning to head through town today, I jumped at the chance to take the day off and enjoy a morning with them and Ms. E. We decided to meet at Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park, and call up our friends Sarah and Parker to join us.

Boulder Ridge was new to all of us and has only been open to the public since 2011. When we got there, we were excited to find out that you could feed many of the animals. Parker, in particular, had no fear when it came to feeding the animals. He fed the goats, a camel, the giraffes, and even the birds (who Aunt Jess and Aunt Kate wanted nothing to do with).  

Owen did a great job feeding the animals too.

Elia spent most of the time huddled up to mom's legs. It takes her a while to warm up to creatures.

We also went on a safari ride, which was a hit with the kids. Elia especially enjoyed throwing her pacifier out the bus window. Oops.

We had a great time at Boulder Ridge and I can't wait to visit again.  Though, I might avoid the aviary next time. Who wants birds swooping towards them?  Not me.

After seeing all of the animals, we had lunch at Flat River Grill in Lowell before the Smiths headed out and Sarah, Parker, and we headed home.

It's always fun to see these college friends and I love watching their families grow up. Thanks for visiting, Smiths!

What a fun morning - maybe I should take more weekdays off. I like the sound of that!

this is summertime

 Summer, summer, summertime.

 

Time to sit back and unwind.

 

And put your [boat] on cruise and lay back cause...

...this is summertime.