Michigan Family Vacation

Well It's been nearly 6 months since I last posted. Life with three young kids is oh so busy and I've been working on putting time into my education blog so this little family photography blog has been neglected.

I miss it.

I miss writing and journaling our lives just for me. I miss not having to put a picture that's "Pinterest worthy" like I have to worry about on my education blog.

My goal is to hang out here more often. I love having this outlet to keep track of our family life.

I thought sharing photos of our recent family vacation would be the perfect time to start posting again!

Last week we spent 5 days and 4 nights in Michiana, MI near New Buffalo. We rented a house on the beach with good friends! The weather was perfect and we had a wonderful time.

Family Picnic

I've been so behind on posting.  On August 6th we went to a family picnic ( my mom's side of the family) and I thought I'd post a few shots from the day! 

  

Cousins

 

         Beautiful Ana- My cousin's little girl!

Her Birthday Gift

Mallory received a brand new tricycle from us on her birthday!  She needs some help riding it but with some practice were hoping she figures it out and will be cruising around independently in no time. 

These were taken in what we photographers call the "golden hour"- which set the scene for beautiful lighting!

Jillian, watching from the sidelines!!

An evening with bubbles

It's amazing the joy and fun that $15 bubble machine can bring on a summer night!

 

Some non-bubble shots from the evening 

Popsicles and Barefeet

There are few things that capture the essence of summer more than popsicles and barefeet...

Music in the park

Sticking with my goal to attend free fun Chicago area activities this summer we went to a children's concert in the park sponsered by the Grayslake Park District. It was a beautiful summer night and we all had a great time! Here are some photos from the evening..

Daddy took a few of Mommy and MalloryD!!dy..

Trying some of Daddy's drink

A moment with daddy and Jillian...

Mallory loves to give Jillian kisses!

Early Summer Fun...

I hate to say this but once again it's really been much too long since I've had time to post in my blog!! Any sort of extra time I get without baby I've been using to study for a class I'm taking this summer. I always have ideas for things to write about or photos to post but finding the time to acutally do it has been the challenge. Here's some photos of some fun activities Mallory has participated in this summer....Great America, The Beach, Fireworks and Grant Park.....there's sure to be more fun to be had and hopefully post/write about!!

Swimming Days and Lightning Bug Nights

I wish I could take credit for this whimsical saying, I read it somewhere long ago where the author used it to describe her childhood summers. I liked it so much I never forgot it and felt it was a fairly accurate description of my own childhood summers. Even as an adult I like to think of summers this way. Although I might not be riding my bike to the beach everyday and spending hours catching fireflies like I did in my past, I like to think of my adult summers as providing me with my own versions of those simple good old days. Sitting on the lawn sipping fine wine at Ravinia serves as an adult version of the lightning bug nights and hitting even one Chicago street fest in the summer provides the same spirited care free day as spending days in the sand used to. This past Friday Mallory and I spent the day at Old Orchard Mall with my good friend Paula. We walked the streets of the outside mall amidst the new Christmas Lights, all bundled up in our latest winter gear with the crisp cold air hitting our faces. With the last of our “Indian Summer” days behind us, it really hit home that summer is indeed over and the bitter cold winter days are soon to arrive. Before I resign myself to runny noses, dry skin, sky rocketing heating bills, and the many other miserable characteristics winter brings I’ll take a moment to be grateful for the sunny days we had and know that at the end of every long Chicago winter is another summer filled with swimming days and lightning bug nights...or street fest days and Ravinia nights. Either way it makes surviving the impending storm that much sweeter.

Mallory's First Trip to Old Orchard Mall