A Trip We'll Never Forget

In late June 2014, we traveled to SW Michigan to explore a few new towns - Grand Rapids and Saugatuck.  We love Michigan and had heard great things about both places.  We started in Grand Rapids and had lots of fun exploring the town, eating at some great places, drinking some tasty beers at Founders and Brewery Vivant and playing at the Children's Museum and Public Museum.  We headed to Saugatuck next, which is a cute little town full of charming shops and local eateries.  Plus, it's on Lake Michigan and has beautiful beachings including, Oval Beach (voted as one of the best beaches in the country - who'd have thunk, right?).  We had a great time and would defintiely recommend trips to both areas.

Unfortunately, on the day we were planning to head home, we received a call that there was fire at our home in Ohio and that our poor kitty, Alyo, didn't survive.  It was a very sad (and surreal) day. 

At Founders



These were made entirely of legos!

So focused!

This was the public restroom in Saugatuck. :)

Love,

K & J

Elise's Christening

We celebrated Elise’s christening on June 8^th.  Our family was kind enough to travel to Cleveland to join us on this exciting day.  Aunt Erin and Uncle Chris are her godparents – she’s a lucky little gal!  She was a little angel in church - thankfully! Didn’t utter a peep during the whole service, even when the water was poured on her head.  She wore a gown that my great grandmother brought over from Ireland that my mom, aunt, sister and cousins all wore on their christening day also.  She also wore a gold cross that Grandma Nat and Grandaddy Chuck got her and a pearl bracelet that Pop and Gigi got her.  She looked absolutely beautiful in all of her jewels.

Thank you again to everyone who helped me the day special for our little sweet pea. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love,

K & J

Elise's 6 Month Pics

Since I just scheduled Elise's 1 year pics to be taken, I figured it was timely to post her 6 month pics.  :)

It was HOT HOT HOT the day of the pictures and Ashton or Rascal 1, as I affectionately call him, was being especially rascally.  Getting the sibling shot was tough!  Afterwards, we let Ashton run around and it wasn't too long after that he came running up excitedly shouting that that he found a snake.  Well, he wasn't kidding!  Fortunately it was dead, since he then proceeded to pick it up!  BOYS!  Elise was a very good girl and continued to prove that bald is beautiful.  Such a sweet gal.

 

 

 

 

 

Love,
K & J
   

Singing songs

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I’m terrible with song lyrics.  I routinely get them wrong but continue to sing along, blissfully unaware.  Recently, when I was singing 'You Are My Sunshine' to Elise before bed, Ashton came in and said, 'Hey, No Mommy…that’s my song.'  Ooops!   I’ve been outed!  The poor child doesn’t know that that is one of the few songs that I know the words too.

I do have little ‘songs’ that I sing to Ashton and Elise though…more like refrains that I repeat.  Elise’s song as a baby was, ‘Hey there pretty lady, you’re my pretty little baby, hey, hey.’  Her song has now morphed into, ‘Beauty Girl, Rock my World, You’re so Bea-u-ti-ful’.  Ashton’s song as a babe was (and still is) ‘Hey now, little Tuka, little Tuka Taylor, you're my little sweet boy and you love trucks and trains'.

I know…I won’t be quitting my day job as a song writer – or singer for that matter. 😊

Thomas' #1 Fan

Ashton loves Thomas the train.  I mean LOVES LOVES LOVES!  He has a bunch of Thomas trains, a train whistler, a conductor hat, Thomas sneakers and most recently he picked out a pair of Thomas underoos!  So when we found out that the local railroad that offers scenic tours of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park was hosting a Day Out with Thomas, we decided we had to take the little man.  Since it was a special day for him, we got a babysitter for Elise and made it a date with Mommy and Daddy. 

It was quite an event!  There were tons of kids and in addition to the train ride itself, there were bounce houses, scavenger hunts, balloons, activity tents, etc.  I think even Jeff and I were a bit overwhelmed.  Ashton had a great time though and was smiling ear to ear, which of course made it all worthwhile.   :)