Happy 8th Birthday, Carson

You are our beautiful, artistic, energetic, smart boy and we love you from head to toe. We look forward to all the adventures ahead for you this year, including travel soccer, skiing, 3rd grade (!), more travel memories (especially to somewhere warm, where you’d like to go), and everything else that will make this coming year fly by.

To celebrate your birthday this year, you had a few friends over and had fun in the yard. For your family birthday party, we met at The Filling Station and had pizza, mac n’ cheese, and, most impressively, Rainbow Cake from Carlo’s Bakery, which was a favorite of yours during our trip to NYC last December.

I’m making a note, because I want to remember, that you say, “Oh, my!” sometimes when you’re surprised or impressed. Maybe it will stick with you, but if not, now we’ll know. :o)

Clearwater Beach 2022

Love these two. It was fun to get away for a few days to play in the sand and see some sights – the aquarium, zoo, and some good meals. They were good travelers, too – helpful with their own bags, reaching to push the elevator button or open the hotel door – interested and talkative – polite.

More adventures to come!

2021 Year in Cities

During 2021, one or more of me, Lindsey, Harvey and Carson spent at least one night in each of the cities listed below. If it was less than all of us, I note the initial of the first name (C for Chris, L for Lindsey, H for Harvey, and Ca for Carson).

  • Traverse City, MI (our hometown)
  • Sonoma, CA (L – Jane’s 40th)
  • Amelia Island, FL (L – work conference)
  • Baldwin, MI (C – firm retreat)
  • Bandon, OR (CL – our tenth anniversary!)
  • Hood River, OR (CL – visiting the Mocks)
  • Ishpeming, MI (CHCa – visiting family)
  • Mackinac Island, MI (celebrating Dad’s 50 years of practice)
  • Interlochen, MI (CHCa – camping with Gpa Terry & Gma Robbi)
  • Thompsonville, MI (NYE 2021 / 22 weekend torchlight parade!)

Weekend Update – Magnetic Sand Edition

A fun-filled weekend – now Sunday evening as I write this.

On Friday, we played at the Traverse City Country Club with Grandma and Grandpa Jonkhoff and C, B, M, and M, and painted pots. Harvey and I stayed later, and putted around. It’s fun to see him be interested in playing golf, although he can decide how much he likes it in the long run.

On Saturday, the boys and I had a lazy start, and then went to the RC Car shop to check on my miniature Hummer. It wasn’t done – not even started! The boys eyeballed the other RC cars and picked out their favorites. We escaped with only an antenna and battery.

In the evening, the boys and Lindsey drew an entire city in chalk on the driveway. Harvey drove his RC car around and parked in different spots.

On Sunday, we went with Grandma and Grandpa Rogers, K, T, L, and E and had lunch from Art’s Tavern at the playground and then went to Bohemian Beach. There was black sand sand at the beach, which we learned was magnetic in nature. This was proved later at home by Harvey and Carson in the garage with magnets. They’ve asked Uncle Brian for stronger magnets!

Lindsey and I watched two movies this weekend:

The week ahead – will Carson lose his loose tooth?! It will be the first on top to go.

On Children

By: Kahlil Gibran

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.