Grape Potato Salad

Yes, you read that right. Yesterday while looking for something resembling food to make using the meager number of fresh, not spoiled, ingredients found in our house, I came across this recipe. Guess what? It was great AND my kids loved it include picky Sylvia. I would add a little less red onion and a few more potatoes on the next go-around. I think for now it is my new potluck staple.
Happy 2nd day of summer! What are you cooking up these days?

Side note: Yesterday I exclaimed to my husband that " I haven't cooked in like three weeks" He nodded and said, "I KNOW!" What? Wasn't expecting that answer but when I thought about it,  he was right and it was undoubtably true. When the school year is winding down/I get sick and busy,  time gets away from me I forget to feed my family. Any one have bright ideas on how to handle this better in the future?

Sylvia loves to pose for the camera. Such a goof and getting so big!

New Era

A few weeks ago I took a new job and quit my current one. And last Friday was my last day of school. For the last eleven years, I've been a classroom teacher teaching Bible and Science. Sometimes both, sometimes just Science, for a few years, just Bible. I've loved it. But I am also ready for something new.
This past year has been a whirlwind.. life has been crazy busy.. and I felt the calling to SLOW DOWN. So for now, for next year, I am. I took a new job teaching AT (Academically talented) kids 1.5 days a week at a few local schools. I will do this for at least one year and maybe I will do this for the next ten. Who knows? What I do know is that doors were opened and I walked through and it feels so good to not have to anticipate another year like this one. I have to say that I AM GRATEFUL for this opportunity and for summer and don't know what I would do without this break. I've been sick for two weeks and am finally starting to slow down and get well again. So are my kids.

I have lots of goals at this new "pace" of life. I want to foster creativity, make time to explore and make time to play with my kids. I also want to learn to live more simply. I'm excited to pursue doing more crafty things and working on a vintage etsy store with my friend Vonda. Maybe I can do the world

some good with the camera and my computer skills.

A new calling, a new blog post. Maybe I'll actually have time to do this more frequently again.

Picture {Left to Right}: Monroe, Emily, Chloe and Sylvia

For now, my very favorite new picture of Sylvia at her last day of ballet class with her friends last week. They were just the sweetest group of kids/parents and the high light of our week this spring.
She learned so much and really improved over the 12 weeks we had class.  Ms. Laassa, her {current} idol, is the most kind, fun, patient, energetic person she knows. Maybe it is because she dresses in sparkles and flies around the room like a dancing butterfly, I don't know.. but this mom is grateful for people like her in this life! Happy Summer all. Cheers to something new!

Fun {first} Day Hike

 Despite the West Nile virus warning, today the girls and I went to Blanford Nature Center for a hike and had a splendid time. It was nice and cool in the woods and we saw lots of wildlife. Sylvia was enthralled! Above--pink shoes! Sylv loves her new hikers from the thrift store;-)

 Sweet Claire in the backpack

 Look mom, I'm hiking!

I love this little three year old to bits!

Good times;-) Love my days at home with the kids. It is a super busy time of year and this was just what we needed to enjoy this day. 

summer photo shoot--saraleophoto.blogspot.com

My very talented friend Sara Leo took pics of the girls about a week ago. Aren't they precious?

Our smiley babe--Claire Annelise. Five months old.

She loooves to drool.

Sweet sisters. 

Serious sylvie.

Sweet sweet sylvia. So big already at three and a half.

Bat Watching & Sister-Love

Claire bear and her big smiles (not related to post title but loved this picture). She is 5 months old already!

Bat-watching with a blue cast on a summer night...fun times here in Graps. Last night we had a second bat in three weeks swooping in our bedroom. Time to get serious. It is SO GROSS & freaks me out to wake up to a bat swooping. We paid our neighbor to come over and inspect/fill holes in the roof... and still we get a bat. I can only hope it is a fluke but my gut tells me otherwise.. sigh. It has been an eventful summer of skunks, bats and raccoons around here.

Me and Claire hanging out looking to see if bats come out.. none were found. Back to square one.

The cripple hanging out with me.. three weeks down, 9 to go. 

Sylvia decided to make a fort around Claire the other day. C was a great sport.. although she got a little freaked out when she was enclosed entirely. No worries, we were supervising. They are playing together more and more.. Claire just loves sylvia and watches her every move. Sooooo cute!

She is not quite sure but not crying ...yet.

And... she disappears! Oh sisters.. so fun!

Food: Not a fan of the Solid Stuff

Mackinac Vacation Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

We had an amazing trip to Mackinac Island with my family. To remember the event, I created this photo album. Enjoy!