shhh… it’s a surprise

21. Feb
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These 50 States
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1 Comment

About a week ago we surprised my parents. It. Was. Awesome. The funny thing is that I dreamed of showing up at their doorstep years ago to tell them I was pregnant, but that opportunity came and went. So, when I was sad about leaving them at Christmas, Doug had the plan to visit them in February as an early birthday present to my mom (and secretly to me as well). And what Michigander wouldn’t want to travel to the southern coast the weekend of a crazy snowstorm. Maggie was a champ on the plane ride down (and I planned for weeks ahead on how to conquer the plane ride … more on that to come). We rented a car in Pensacola, FL and arrived at 11pm on Friday evening. We rang the doorbell and Maggie greeted her grandparents with giant hugs. We took the next few days to enjoy Mardi Gras parades (more on that to come…) and eat the freshest seafood right from the gulf. This will be a special trip in my memory book – and a warning out to all that I love… you never know what time I will ring your doorbell to say “hello, I love you”.

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conversations in seattle

It was about two years ago that we headed off to Maui and thankfully Doug scheduled a lay-over for a day in Seattle. We knew we were pregnant at the time and I remember Seattle with conversations of what it would be like to be a parent. I love discovering new places with my best friend and our travels together are filled with some of the best talks.

cold creative days #traveltuesdays

So technically this post would be a staycation – but when you have such an outstanding art museum within an hour drive – there really is no excuse. I love to visit the museum on cold winter days. On days when my creativity is feeling a little grey the work inside always inspires me to think beyond my mind’s capabilities. My first real connection with art was at the Dayton Institute of Arts when I was in high school. Most Januarys I would spend almost every day after school walking through the galleries. It was there that I first understood the meaning of modern and post modern art. As I get older, I struggle to appreciate this art even more. Perhaps it is because I have embraced logic too much or that simplicity feels like a luxury in life. Either way – I can’t wait to start seeing art through the eyes of Maggie. We have a treasure in Detroit with the DIA and I think an afternoon off and a creative session at the DIA is in my near future.

up up snap of the day

While watching the snowfall in Michigan today, I thought of one of my most memorable snowfalls – our visit to the Grand Canyon. It was in March and we were wondering if the flakes would hold off long enough for us to see the canyon. We had such luck that we arrived and the clouds cleared and we were amazed at the beauty and epicness (yeah it needs it’s own made up word – it is just that amazing) of this natural wonder. I can’t wait to take M back to share this with her.

Have you ever had a nature experience like that?

My magazine cover debut…

When I opened my mailbox this past month and received one of my favorite travel magazines, Travel + Leisure, I felt a great sense of arrival. I had made the cover. I had sat in one of those beautiful ocean front chairs (exactly a year ago today). As a kid I had always dreamed of traveling the world and it is truly amazing to see some of the places I have discovered in the pages of a magazine. I am a traveler. Can’t wait to make my next cover…