Just cool stuff...

Most of our hot days are spent in the backyard. We turn over rocks, dig in the dirt, and snack from the garden. Our latest finds...a heart shaped strawberry (can you see it?), a orange spider egg sack, and a itsy bitsy snail, who my daughter named Snailish.

Backyard snack...

Our tallest sunflower is pushing 13 feet. The yellow finches and

cardinals love the high-rise snack bar.

Baking day...

Taking advantage of the cool weather, running the oven all day... Honey whole wheat bread and blueberry muffins loosely based on this recipe.

Up North...

Photo via flickr

Headed up north to Higgins Lake, then on to Charlevoix. I'm thinking it'll be too chilly to actually get in the water, but I'm sure some other possibility will present itself. Did I'm mention we'll be sans kiddos...

Etsy find...

Aren't these the cutest wire sculptures ever?

De Beaux Souvenirs on Etsy.

Naptime...

Yes please.

Image by Annika Vannerus via the style-files.

New peeps...

First roughs of a few images I'm working on. A new cast of characters.

Her latest drawings...

♥


♥ Lots of presents + a bunny

♥ Chased by snakes

♥ Her very first "Keep Out Ava" sign, for her bedroom door. She has no clue she hung it up with a National Rifle Assocation sticker, but that makes it all the more hilarious! :)

Into the woods...

After the blast the girls had in the country while staying in Tennessee, we've decided to plan a few staycations across Michigan. I think they are finally old enough (3 & 5) to weather a camping trip, {hooray}, and there's lots of beautiful places in Michigan to venture off to. Last year on our way home from Chicago we stopped at the Warren Dunes State Park on Lake Michigan. The beaches were beautiful, there are trails to hike, and the campgrounds make for affordable accommodations. Who doesn't love sleeping under the stars, camp tacos, and smores? I'm game. Now to stock up on camping gear...

A few more Michigan staycations can be found here, via Cookie Magazine.

Photo courtesy Cookie Travel.