Gabriel's Kiwi Crate

Gabriel is not a crafty kind of kid, he is AWESOME at a lot of things, but being crafty is not something he loves. If I want to color with him or cut or write he is good for about 5 minutes. This also means the fine motor skills is what he needs to work on. SO.... I signed him up for Kiwi Crate!! It is a box he will get once a month in the mail FULL of hands on crafts, science experiments, and games. Who wouldn't love to get a box full of fun things in the mail?

The first Crate came in the mail today! When Gabriel saw it he was SO EXCITED!! It comes with absolutely everything (even the glue) you need to do 2 activities and a magazine with even more fun ideas. My favorite part... it has a list of books that go along with the activities! 

Sorry... the wine didn't come with the kit, it was extra!!!

I love the messiness rating! And that is tells what skills it works with.

We sure have a lot of snowflakes we can discover!

Books!

Working on the "Snow Ball Toss"!

The 2011 Flashback Series: Wine-a-versary

Oct 7th 2011:

In October 2006 my friends and I took our moms up to Traverse City for a girl's weekend to celebrate my up coming wedding. In October 2011 my friends and I took our moms up to Traverse City for a girl's weekend to celebrate the 5th anniversary of that girl's weekend.

The weather was perfect, the food was delicious and it was great to get away with my favorite girls.

2006

We found a great cabin to stay at on vrbo.com. It was on a quite little lake and the colors were gorgeous. Nickie, Kathy, my mom and her friend Carol got there in time to go downtown for dinner. We ate at the North Peak Brewing Company and walked around town a little.

Saturday afternoon we headed up Old Mission Peninsula in search of food and wine. On the way up just by looking at the website and reading about their farm to table concept we decided to eat at the Boathouse Restaurant. The food was amazing! After lunch we stopped at a few wineries but decided standing in the lines and paying $5 a stop for 4 tastes was not worth it. We stopped at a little grocery store, grabbed stuff to make pizzas for dinner and each picked a bottle of wine. We had a fun night!

Sunday was the last day for most everyone (Nickie and I stayed an extra day). We spent the morning on the lake, the afternoon walking and riding bikes and just relaxing. After everyone left Nickie and I headed out to find an adventure (and food of course). We luckily ended up in Glen Arbor at Blu. We sat next to a couple who are regulars there and had wonderful conversation with our fabulous food. After a bottle of wine, salads, and our dinners we looked at the desert menu and talked about how full we were when out came THREE deserts that the couple we sat next to ordered for us. They said "we could not let you leave without trying these". I could not move after that!

The 2011 Flashback Series: Mia's Quiche

Sept 19th 2011:

Mia loves to cook and Gabriel loves to help Mia do anything. They made a spinach quiche for dinner and OH BOY was it good. Her first pie crust turned out great. She said "Mom, I don't know why you are so scared of making crust."

The 2011 Flashback Series: Preschool

Sept 7th 2011:

This was Gabriel's first day of preschool! After taking too long to sign him up for the preschool program at the elementary school I was thinking about working with him at home on school stuff for the year. I did some research and found a curriculum that I liked and was all set. Then I heard the preschool that Mia went to had an opening and we signed him up! I am so glad we did because he loves it.

The 2011 Flashback Series: Eggs

Aug 29th 2011:

After four months of feeding our chickens they finally fed us. The morning I found our first egg I was so excited. Yes, it was broken because the chick who laid it was on the roost and not in the nesting box where she should have been but it was something! After a few soft-shelled, a few more broken and even a shell-less egg we finally had our first dozen cute little eggs! Because we are sharing this "adventure in chickens" with Ron & Chloe we took them to their house and made a very yummy omelet.

The 2011 Flashback Series: Vacation O'Connor

July 24th 2011:

We had a great vacation this summer with Mike's family! Grandma and Papa rented a beautiful house in Horton Bay right next door to Kathy's sister's cottage and invited the whole family to come up. We did miss Mike's sister Molly and his brother Patrick and family but we sure had a ton of fun with Uncle Bob and Uncle Brian, Aunt Wendy, Grace & Emma (they live in Connecticut so we don't get to see them enough). Our friend Amanda also came with her two girls to spend her Birthday with us. Kathy's two sisters Mary Ann & Debbie were up then too.

I have so many pictures it is hard to pick what ones to put up...

Uncle Bob & Gabriel

Smile Mia!

Mia after her turn tubing

Grace & Olivia

Uncle Bob & Uncle Brian

Mike with his farmer hat

Gabriel did great kayaking

Jumping off the dock

Emma, Grace & Gabriel relaxing in the hammock

cousins and mini-golf

Gabriel knows how to do it!

Aunt Deb jumping in the bouncy castle with the kids

Aunt Wendy & me!

On top of a super fun week we came home to a wallpaper free living room & bathroom thanks to Chloe who stayed to dog/chicken/duck/house-sit.

The 2011 Flashback Series: Bike Riding

July 14th 2011:

We had a great summer around here. With the garden, ducks, chickens and just hanging out in the yard. Gabriel spent a lot of time on his bike. I decided to get out the sidewalk chalk and make him a "road" to follow around the drive way. Anytime we do this it entertains him for so long that I can sit drink coffee and read.