Annual Arbor-icide

We loved it so much last year, we did again this year!

The biggest part is finding the right one, and goofing off in the process.

Cutting down a REAL tree.

Ta-da!

Our merry crew!

Let it be Christmas!

Giving Thanks.

We started out our Thanksgiving morning delivering for Meals On Wheels.

I couldn't believe how much Sophia LOVED this.

It was like Trick-or-Treating in reverse, and she's asked to do it again and again.

We had an incredible view from the building where we were delivering.

Detroit skyline, and we still got to see some of the parade.

Then Thanksgiving feast with some of our favorite people on the planet!

How does she do it????

Of course we all had to perform...

...In order to get our pie.

My favorite holiday by far!

And don't forget the 30+ person conga line!

Greenfield Village

I finished reading "Little House In The Big Woods" with Sophia, so we went to Greenfield Village to see just how "Mary and Laura" lived and made food.

I love exploring with this little girl.

Just Dancing

Help Often: Gleaners

We got to go to Gleaners Food Bank and help pack apples for kids to take home from school.

We packed apples for 3 hours! 

But it was so fun, and I was so proud of how much Sophia loved it.

Pizza Night!

Family pizza night- we've been doing it for almost 10 years, and it's only gotten better.

Little chef loves to make pizza!

at least someone is happy about the snow...

Never grow up...

I am such a sucker for this little one.

playing hooky

Sophia's at school, and mom and dad are playing hooky and seeing 'Interstellar'!

Having a school-aged child is AWEsome.

Bossy Girl

Sophia's teacher always lets her regulate the line in dance class.

She loves it, and I love that she wants to lead and be "bossy".

Day at the DIA

We're back at one of our favorite places.

Sophia can't get enough of drawing here.

And we got to see a fantastic presentation on American Indians.

My favorite thing he said was that we are the keepers of the earth for the seventh generation of our children. That the greatest symbol is the circle, because we are all connected.

The End of Fall

The leaves have all fallen, but that doesn't stop us from crunching them...

People put their leaves on the street to get picked up.

Sophia refused to walk anywhere else, and it took like an hour to get around the block.

Life Lessons

The important skills I'm passing on...

First Day of Clinical!!

Feeling like a real Nurse Practitioner!

So excited to be starting clinical!

A Big Day In A Nerd's Life

Sophia got to watch Star Wars: Episode IV (let's just forget about 1-3, ok?) for the first time.

In the words of Rick, "This is a really big day in a nerds life."

Let's just say she was a fan.

Date Night: Rock Climbing!

Hanging 40 feet in the air, only supported by a rope in the hands of your spouse?

It's like some crazy trust exercise.

We ROCK (the vote)

you know I wouldn't do it if it wasn't for the sticker...

Checkmate.

Sunday morning checkers.

Love these two.

Dios de los Muertos at the DIA

We love spending time at the DIA, and got to see this years Oferendas for Dios de los Muertos.

They always have local artists construct elaborate offerings to all sorts of things and people.

I thought this one for Robin Williams was really well done.

The more traditional looking ones.

They had about 25, and they were all so cool to look at.

Then Sophia wanted to do drawing in the galleries.

She drew about 20 pictures (no joke)- we were there for over an hour.

It makes me happy that she loves art so much.

One of the docents asked to sketch Sophia.

Literally 2 minutes later.

It really makes me want to get a professional portrait done of her.

Rick also drew for over an hour.

He was mesmerized by this contemporary piece. 

It is fascinating, and looks like Jay-Z to me.

Then we got to have a snack and listen to an erhu (traditional Chinese instrument) concert in one of my favorite courts in the museum.

Such a fun afternoon.

Little Cinderella

Sophia LOVES Cinderella, and likes to pretend she is Cinderella.

So she actually ASKED to wash the dishes so she could sing the "Sing Sweet Nightingale" song.

Parenting for the win.

And I got her making a pie.

Love her.