Picture Frame

September 14, 2013

This is the painting I finally finished last year, about April, I think.

Ryan got a router, a while back, as a gift. He'd been wanting one, one of the purposes being that whenever I completed a painting, we wouldn't need to buy an expensive costume frame. He'd be able to make it and we'd be able to stain it exactly the color we wanted.

So, since we've moved into our house, I've already hung this painting up, so Ryan found some good wood and made a frame for it  and stained it and everything.

I think it turned out great, especially for being his first frame. It's been fun having a crafty husband; now I just need to paint more. ;)

Michigan Visit: Part II

June 3 - 8, 2013

Ryan got to help with some projects that Chris and Alisha had been wanting to do, while we were visiting in Michigan. One of those projects was this goat stanchion. Ryan planned it out, cut the wood, and put it together. It turned out really well. Alisha was able to try it out right away and it worked nicely.

Another thing he made was this soap-making mold. It was impressive how quickly he was able to make it. It will be fun to see what kind of soaps come out of this.

While we were visiting, Jared's other cousins, Thomas and Sup, came to visit too. He loved having so many kids around to run around and play with. Thomas let Jared play one of Jared's favorite games with him: sword fighting.

In addition to making Tuna Pot Pie, I got to make a desert pie. I chose to make a berry-meringue tart. It turned out pretty good. 

While we were visiting, I got to see Alisha sheering the sheep, which was pretty cool! We also got to see how they get the honey out of the honey cones, using what I thought was a huge ice cream maker. The kids took turns helping with that. Jared had to get the hang of it, and wasn't very fast, but he had a lot of fun giving it a try.

Our last day seeing Thomas and Sup, we went to the Dunn's, their grandparents house, for a triple birthday party for each of them and their cousin.

We had a lot of fun playing games, eating dinner and cake, and watching the boys open their presents.

To celebrate their Papa Mark's birthday, Chris's dad, the Wells had a day planned to go fishing with him and their Grandma Wells, at Buell Lake. Ryan and I love fishing, so it was a real treat to be able to go fishing with our nieces and nephew. This was also the first time we took Jared fishing that he was old enough to be part of it.

At first, we tried fishing with bread crumbs and some bait, but this boy we met, who was catching fish very quickly, let us have one of his worms and then we were catching tons of fish. The Wells were able to take some home for their small fish pond, near the back of their house.

It was one of several great days we enjoyed while visiting our favorite Wells family, while in Michigan. We had a great time and can't wait to go see them again!!

Michigan Visit: Part I

May 29 - June 3, 2013

Last June, we got to visit Ryan's sister, Alisha, and her family, the Wells, in Michigan for about a week and a half. We had a great time with Chris and Alisha and our three nieces, Katie, Elena, and Eliza and our nephew, who was just older than Jared, Ben.

We did a lot of fun and interesting things while we were there and found some things we could help with around the house. Ryan got to help chop down a dead part of a tree out in the front yard. I'm still not sure if that was work or play for him. :)

I wasn't used to seeing so many animals around, except for the times I'd been to the Clio house before. They have chickens, goats, emus, sheep, etc. I think Jared had as much fun as me going around to see them every now and again. He loved to make those poor geese run away from him every now and again.

Jared loved having so much space to run around and play in, and having a jungle gym right there in the front yard. I think he found his second home. :)

We made a trip over to get some bees one day and went to Lake Huron before heading back home. That was beautiful and a lot of fun. It was the first time Jared and I had been to one of the great lakes.

We got to see some old friends again while we were there. The Seavers and the Edmunds and a few others who stopped by or we were able to see at church.

Katie and Elena had a field day at their elementary school one of the days, and Chris and Alisha where helping with one of the activities, so we all went and had a great time! They did things like tug-a-war, obstacle courses, and dodgeball.

 There was a little bit of free time that the kids got to just play on the jungle gym. Jared loved having so many kids around and getting to see the different ways they'd play on the jungle gym.

 Jared didn't know how to do most the activities, but he found his own ways to have fun.

 Ryan watched over the younger kids and did most of the games with them. The kids seemed to have a lot of fun with uncle Ryan being a kid again. :)

I got to make my special Tuna Pot Pie recipe for everyone while we were there. Some of the kids enjoyed, and some not so much, but it was still fun to make it for them. ;)