Our Christmas Preview!

I am determined this year to mail out family Christmas cards. I mean it. I really really mean it. Pinky promise. Call me old fashion, but I would much rather receive a hand written letter in my mail box than a typed out letter through e-mail. I get it, technology has made it so much faster and easier for all of us. Let alone it can even save us money. For example how often do we even buy stamps now? I know I barely but stamps now a days. I can pay all my bills on the Internet now. That part is convenient don't get me wrong. But call me old fashion. I get all giddy when I receive a letter, a thank you card or some sort of fun mail that is not junk mail.

So after life seemed to settled down after the Thanksgiving festivities, we had to take a gander up to the cabin to fetch my migraine RX that I had left up there the previous weekend. Of course I had the brilliant idea of squeezing in a quick Christmas photo shoot of the girls with a fun idea I had in mind. When ever I get an idea my brain it just won't stop. My poor husband right? Kind of like my writing. You know your a true writer when you literally can't sleep at night when you have all these ideas popping into your mind. Do you sleep with a a pen and paper next your bed? I'm guilty as charged. Ha ha.

Therefore I figured I would share some of the photos that I will be making our family photo Christmas cards with. I still can't decides if I want to get crafty and make the cards and inset the pictures. Or save myself time and just print it all together? They did great for the most part. But as a photographer it always seems that my own children do not cooperate as well as well as children clients who are not my own. Weird!

 Always have to try to get a normal one in of all three girls.

This is what happens when your the baby sister. You are overly loved. But is there such thing as over loved? I don't think so at all. She may not always enjoy the kisses. But she does love to dish them out as well.

 The two oldest. The picture pretty much sums it up. They do love each other believe it or not. Yet they may not want to show it right now. They are best friends too. Maybe when they get older they will show it more. At least that's my hope for them. 

 lastly, I will always and forever be thankful and cherish the gift of my three daughters that God has gave me. I will cherish every moment and challenge as a mother of three daughters.

Photo Friday: V's 1ST Field Trip!

Monday Viv had her first ever school field trip. Their trip was to Well's Apple Orchard. Perfect for the season here in Michigan. The class were taught how apples grow on a farm and of course all the other little facts that go along with growing apples. 

 The class listening so nicely. 

 Off we go to see how you pick an apple. Even though it was not a U-pick farm.

 I don't think we have ever seen so many apples at once.

 The big crate where the apples are stores.

 My little Viv in the pink coat and blonde hair. :)

 Viv's preschool class.

At the end of the field trip they snacked on cider and donuts. Fits the theme right? After they let go of their butterfly they raised in their class. It was such a beautiful morning for a beautiful field trip.

Have you been to an apple orchard yet this fall?

Photo Friday!

Summer is coming to an end. I'm not sure if I should be sad or happy that fall has arrived? we have been enjoying the last couple warm days we are blessed with here in Michigan. We try to get outside as much as possible before the snow arrives. 

 We must get in as much bike time before the true cold air arrives and snow starts falling. Their calling for our first big snow storm in November. Yes already!

 Helen loves sitting in the grass. Enjoy it while you can little love bug. Soon enough it will be covered in colorful leaves.

 This summer our girls grew a special bond with our neighbors and as so did we. 

Not to mention they have a pretty cool tire swing!

NOTE: these next few pictures are not good quality due to stealing them from my phone via INSTAGRAM.

Helen and I have been enjoying our 3 morning together while big sissy's are at school.

This past week we had a community car wash, ha ha! Joking of course. The kids were just cleaning the car.

Viv learned about apple in pre school. She was so excited to find out there is a star in the middle.

For myself, well I am finally getting the routine down. I couldn't get through my mornings without my coffee.

Photo Friday!

What a busy week we had. I feel like I haven't had a minute to get my camera out. Here are some photos from the other week. A few flashbacks for today from our summer.

Enjoy!

We spent lots of time this summer at the parks. Even if it was coloring on a sheet. 

We enjoyed some play time at our local children's museum.

We walked around downtown Grand Rapids and stopped in a cafe for ice-cream with family in town from Minnesota and Grandma H.

Playing outside with our love bugs. We spend a lot of our days outside. 

We taught Helen how to kick her first soccer ball.

We had a blast at our city's national night out festivities.

The girls were able to check out the inside of a state police helicopter. At the end of the festivities we were able to watch it take off. An experience the girls won't forget with all our hair blowing, the grass flying up and the not so lovely smell. It was awesome. 

Living in Michigan we are blessed to be near some beautiful beaches. We live 30-45 minutes away from Lake Michigan beaches. 

When it's summer we always have to hit up the local ice-cream shops. I visited the exact one as a little girl growing up.

What is something you do with your kids that make it officially feel like summer every year?

What We have Been Up To...

I almost feel like I fell off the face of blogging lately. Basically since summer has officially started. Thats okay though...right? It just means we have been busy having a good summer thus far.

Busy I feel like is an understatement. I thought once school was out for summer I would be able to relax as a mother. Wrong. I feel even busier than I did during the school year. I'm sure many of you can relate with me on this one.

One of our projects we have been busy lately working on is our backyard. When we first bought our home, we mainly focused on beautifying our front yard. Finally 5 years later we are working on beautifying our backyard. We came across an annoyance with our backyard; it barley will grow grass. We tried and tried and finally gave up. Now our mission is to cover up the annoying dirt. The dirt and I have a "hate hate" relationship. Therefore our backyard transition also involves trying to cover up the dirt and planting flowers that will grow in shade.

BEFORE 

Part of our backyard project involved a new and greater swing set. The kind that I had no idea said it would take 9 hours, lots of wood, drilling and cutting. Once it was complete we spent maybe about 4 hours laying wood chips around the swing set, turning it into the kids play area. We still need to put wood around to hold the wood chips in place and add the slide. All in working time right? I should add I did not help build the swing set. All props go to my husband, my dad and father in law.

AFTER

Our other backyard project involved my new patio. We don't have a kitchen off the back of our home for a deck therefore I asked my husband to build me a patio. Once again a bigger project than I anticipated...for my husband. I absolutely love my patio now.

The third project involved building 2 more vegetable gardens. We now have 3 and they sure take a lot of my time. Right now I am trying to figure out an organic way to keep the insects from eating my plants. I'm also praying they produce us lots of veggies for me to can.

And of course Our most amazing project of all that God has blessed us with; our 3 daughters. They have been keeping me busier than ever this summer. I sure wish I had all the energy they seem to have. I just look at it as they are keeping me young.

Our Fairy Garden

I know you have seen around either in stores or on-line the fairy gardens. It seems to be the up coming thing to do with your kids. Weather they believe if brings magic fairies or not, it's all about the magical mysterious of fairies. My oldest doesn't believe they come, but I our younger daughters might believe.

We had so much fun brainstorming ideas how we wanted our garden to look. This is what we came up with.

We are still adding to it slowly as we come up with more ideas and find little Nick knacks in the stores. But so far we added a succulent plant. They are easy to take care of so succulent plants are great for fairy gardens. We found a neat mushroom at our local Menards. We found the perfect little rocks in our yard to make the pathway. It was a lot of fun for not only my daughters to make, but me as well. 

Stay tuned to watch our fairy garden grow!