November 3rd

The snow was greeted with joy this morning by dogs and kids alike!  Honestly I had fun in it too.

Halloween 2012

Alex was a werewolf, Maya a fairy.  We bought some face paint and I spent $4 on fake fur fabric but everything else we already had around the house!

Downtown Traverse City, mid-October (before it started raining and raining and raining and raining...)

Collecting dogs...

We sometimes watch our neighbors dog (the white Westie on the top of the couch).  One weekend mid-October we had her at our house and my parents were also here to visit and brought their dog.  They all had their preferred perches on the couch!

Our fall cabin visit

We left Traverse City in the morning in a cold drizzle.  It rained on and off until we got to the bridge.  I was thinking we'd have to forgo our usual picnic lunch and actually stop inside somewhere to eat.  On the UP side of the bridge it started to clear a little and it was warming up quite nicely.  By the time we got to Manistique around lunch time it was dry and warm enough to go ahead with the picnic!  We have a routine now:  we stop at the grocery store, use the bathroom and pick up some basic fresh food then go across the road to the town park to eat and run off some energy.  I will miss this stop on our winter drives!  There are always new rock towers on the shoreline, the sky and waves are always different.

We crossed over into Wisconsin and as we started west on Hwy 70 the temperature started to drop quickly and the skies turned gray again.  By the time we reached the cabin it was cold and very, very windy.  That wind continued almost the whole weekend.

We took the dog for walks and the kids did some playing and raking on the road side of the cabin but we did not spend much time on the lake side and didn't do a whole lot of playing outside Thurs, Fri or Sat.  It snowed and sprinkled on and off those days too but mostly it was the wind that kept us inside.

We had a wonderful family party/baby shower on Saturday with some of my cousins that I don't get to see very often.  I didn't bring my camera.  I wanted to just be there and enjoy visiting with everyone.

Sunday dawned dry, less windy, with patches of blue sky!  We took the opportunity to go hiking at Schlecht Lake.  We found tons of wintergreen berries which Maya loved.

We watched part of the Packer game with family and then started our drive down to Green Bay to meet Ben.

Fall is here

There's been more fort building going on.  This time with sticks.

We have passed the Autumnal Equinox and another full moon and fall is here.

The leaves are finally changing.  They were almost all green just a few days ago and quickly we are getting spots of color.

Ben and Alex went camping last weekend with a few other fathers and sons from school.  Maya and I stayed home and had a "girls weekend".  We had a bonfire, she painted her nails and did my nails, we had a dance party and Maya had a friend over all afternoon on Saturday.  I am pretty sure a good time was had by all ~ campers and non-campers alike!

This will be a short, busy week.  I work two days instead of one and then on Thursday the kids and I will head off the Wisconsin for the weekend.

Maya's turn for a stroll down memory lane

September 2007, just a few days old.

September 2008, her 1st birthday

September 2009, just turned two in the dress up clothes she got for her birthday.

September 2010, proud 3 year old with the toys she bought with her own money.

September 2011, excited to be 4!

September 2012, at her Kindergarten locker on the first day of school which was also her birthday.

Maya's birthday

After school Maya got to pick out something special for lunch and then later when Ben got home we did gifts and cake/ice cream after dinner.

Right after the last picture above she leaned forward a little more and started her hair on fire.  Seriously.  Those of you who know Maya well will not be overly surprised.

The next day she got to bring cupcakes to school and get a special pencil and choose the story at meeting time.

First day of school (and Maya's 5th birthday)

Alex, age 8, first day of 3rd grade.  Maya, age 5, first day of Kindergarten.