So this was in July.

I went out with my friends Anne and Seidi and our kids to see a couple streets of the art fair. The kids loved the snow cones, crafts and music. I loved hanging out with friends.

Okay, but I also loved comparing my art with everyone else’s. Come on.

Lots of art (in my opinion) were not better than my work. Disappointing at a fair this large. The best part though was finding the few artists with a more interesting style or more experience than me and asking them loads of questions. When I’m thinking about being a mom I work hard not to compare myself with other moms, but as an artist I let myself go. An art fair IS worth the time to look around as an artist. The Nt. Gallery, the DIA, and the graffiti downtown of course offer better examples to study (and I love studying them), but those artists aren’t standing around to talk with. A huge advantage at an art fair.

Aside, have I ever mentioned on this site how REALLY amazing the DIA is? I could post about it. The suits of armor alone…fah. You would die.

Of course the kids go crazy, insane and bored while I’m conducting these interviews. Maybe an indication that life isn’t tough enough. They did get to glue pompoms on butterfly and bear masks after all.

These first two are of Beth Borjarski’s tent. Her work was my favorite and she comes from an illustration background too so it was fun to talk.

A while back we went to the county farm park. It’s one of my favorites. We watched a plane sky writing for the football game that day.

A quick update on Oliver. I’m happy to say he has made leaps and bounds in adjusting to a full school day. He’s happy when he comes home, maybe just a little on edge, but still himself. He’s the kind of kid who likes to follow rules and be on top of what’s happening in class and I’m so proud of him. I see him now and then when I volunteer in his classroom.

Unfortunately he’s been up at night with bad dreams several nights in a row every other week. I know it’s normal development happening, but still, it’s hard. Jason is a hero and takes care of him every time he’s up at night. I find it near impossible to face the day if I’ve had more than two nights of poor sleep. Being woken once is fine, especially if it’s at the same time each night, but two or three times (or five) like Oliver has been at random times is hard to cope with. I hope he grows out of it before the baby comes. Jas really is a super human or something (robot? cyborg?). So kind and reasonable. He’ll even make eggs and toast for us after a night like that. Anyway, wish us luck.

Nabby has adjusted to Oliver being away too. I think she actually likes having her own space most the time. She plays and goes places with me and makes new friends at parks VERY easily. I love having her around. Here she is making things and chowing on a snack one morning.

Loads of fall colors out and we pick up some halloween costumes (I didn’t make them this year).

We found a babysitter and went out to eat. Seafood! I had a massive bowl of cioppino and my husband of seven years ordered grilled salmon. I really liked the cole slaw with balsamic vinegar.

Then we walked down main and joined a free east coast swing dancing class near Lena’s. It was so cool. Ella, Count Basie. I remembered some steps from 12 years ago and Jas was really fantastic.

That’s our Ann Arbor wolf that plays the fiddle. He’s always there. Where we danced was upstairs, to the right of Lena’s in the background.

This was a nice Saturday morning. We tromped around the botanic gardens and explored the children’s section mostly.

Nabby says this is “Mary” her sheep. If she had a goat it would be “Miss Goat”. Have I mentioned that she has her own goldfish and named it “Miss Mom” but just “Miss” for short.

We found a cabin down the trail.

We settled ourselves inside and then Oliver kindly served us some soup.

Spent a couple Saturdays this summer at the zoo. Very nice new elephant area and naked mole rat wall. Naked mole rats live socially like bees. They have workers and a queen and live… like bees. Did anyone else know that? I didn’t before this summer. Of course I pay for it, but I appreciate the vast number of outdoor lunch tables and how clean the place is overall. We always take our own lunch and let the kids play at the “bear den playground” for a while to shake off the long drive.

The crowded “backyard” kids education building. I’ve avoided it in the past because often my point in going to the zoo is to spend time outside. Good idea for winter. It was our last trip before our pass expired so I didn’t fight going in or rush to get out and looking back the kids had a blast in there and I have some photos I like. Oliver loved the video room where he made up some pretty amazing dance moves with animal puppets on his head. He figured out where the camera was and watched himself on the screen for 20 mins or more.

Kabillions of animals. Lots anyway. Rhinos, penguins, cheetahs, polar bears, seals, giraffes, zebras, jellyfish, giant crabs, giant roaches (yes… live roaches..bah), gorillas, monkeys, poison tree frogs, birds, fish a plenty, and more. And buzzards (on the wall by the giraffes).

We spent a Friday/Saturday camping at Ludington State Park the 1st and 2nd of August. First time camping with our kids. The heat and a thunderstorm had me thinking the kids would wake up as zombies, but they slept fine and had a great energy level the next day.

I loved camping as a kid. On this trip we did a lot more laying on the beach and a lot less hiking than I did with my family growing up, but there were still cheetos and those tiny individual boxes of sugar cereal. Sort of nostalgic for me.

I think the beaches here in Michigan (west coastline) are the best I’ve been to. The water was warm and shallow for a 100 ft out and the waves were super fun to play in. Really fine, clean sand to build with too.

The second day we walked to a lighthouse. There aren’t a lot open to the public to climb up. This one had a tour and gift shop. I liked the lighthouse so much I bought a miniature of it with a string to hang on the christmas tree.

Click on the first photo and look through them with the arrow keys (or just click on the photo with the mouse to see the next one). There’s so much better that way.

We did a lot over the summer. This was such a great trip. No colds, no throwing up. Even with the super early flight everyone slept well. Doesn’t get better than that in my book. My parents picked us up in Salt Lake and spent the afternoon with us checking out Temple square and the new shopping center. At home Grandma pulled out her old creepy crawlers machine and made bugs with the kids. There were nerf gun wars and swinging and swimming outside. One day we went canoeing in the Uintahs. We went swimming at scera pool, ate at Bombay house, and played with cousins. We saw the dinosaur museum and visited Julie and Jill. Then I got to spend fourth of July with Sue and Kyle. It had been a REALLY long five years since I’d seen Sue or shared a holiday with both of them. I loved it! Click on a photo and use the arrows for more captions.

. . . where all the women train for marathons, all the men have piercings, and all the children eat falafel. These are stereotypes and not really fair ones because even Jason refuses to go for the earring look (and I’m glad) that many respected, professional men here sport. Like Levar Burton, but Mr. Burton doesn’t live here, just lots of guys have his style. Never mind, it should say, “all the men talk about football”.

Football season is the real news around here now that school has started. The marching band sounds as good as ever.

We took a pizza to the practice field a few nights ago and watched them rehearse. Nabby and Oliver brought toy instruments and played along. Nabby is good on the kazoo saxophone. Oliver loved conducting.

Can you see my kids on the left? They were trying to do everything the band did.

Squirrel holes out front

Jason carried Oliver on his shoulders and Nabby in his arms to the van when it was over. And left his backpack!!! We drove away without it and it was not there the next morning when we realized and went to look. Lost and found hasn’t seen it. He didn’t lose any expensive electronic gadgets because he doesn’t use any, but his grading work from t.a.ing an executive education course this semester was on a jump drive that was in there. That grading took him three nights (8 to midnight) to refinish. And his favorite umbrella is gone. Probably the homeless person with it now needed it more.

Squirrels are noteworthy too because they’re digging tiny holes all over the lawn to find seeds? worms? bury stuff? Funny things those little guys.

The other day Nabby came up with this invention.

Nabby: “It’s a weapon necklace.”
Me: “Oh.”
Nabby: ” When they put it on it hurts and kills them!”
Me: “Wow, I don’t think I’d want to put it on.”
Nabby: “It only hurts bad guys Mom, when they put it on. Good guys can wear it and it doesn’t hurt them. Bad guys steal it and then DIE.”

Very tricky. Treasure that protects itself.

So, I’m expecting a baby in April. It’s very exciting, especially for Nabby. The other day she made this baby sized version of the “weapon necklace” and asked me to keep it safe in my room till the baby arrived. Let’s hope the baby is a “good guy”.

A few moments later she came back with a second baby necklace.

Nabby: “This is if you have two babies mom. One girl baby and one boy baby.”

Very thoughtful of her! She’s been busy making lots of things lately with Oliver. We put together new robots. Hers has a crystal studded tummy and key nose. Oliver’s rolls, instead of walking with feet, and features a key and keyhole (on it’s chest) to start it up.

They’re off to Kindergarten and preschool. Oliver has already drawn five pictures, made two collages, two number charts, gone to the library, the music room, the art room, played in the gym, and eaten “Bosco sticks” at lunch. I have mixed feelings about the required all day kindergarten in AA. It’s emotionally exhausting for him. He’s been picking fights with Nabby and refusing to do anything we ask. I think he really needs a de-stressor like exercise. Hopefully the crabbiness will dissipate as he adjusts. I’ve read it might take a couple months. Maybe he needs 14 hours of sleep. Anyway, it’s all part of the game I guess and I’m confident he’ll be fine at some point. His teacher is top notch and very caring and that makes it easier.
Nabby’s at preschool with all her best friends from church and play groups. She’s learned 4 songs, hunted for bugs outside singing “the ants go marching” (she still loves holding worms), played store, learned how to write an A, cut shapes with scissors, and played a game she loves involving a train.
Both kids say they like going. Nabby claims she just talks with her friends the whole time. If I ask her about more specifics she remembers the other stuff. Oliver said one day while picking him up that he wished everyday was a school day. Everyday, all day, is a school day for him so I’m not sure what that means. He must just really love it!