ArtPrize 2012

Ryan and I spent the weekend in Grand Rapids to check out ArtPrize and especially to visit Chris Cox Photographer’s photo gallery on Division Avenue (or as Chris calls it, “The Ave”)

Saturday morning Ryan’s parents came with us to check out all the fun ArtPrize stuff downtown. My favorite thing was the giant human-sized pinboard that you could push yourself into.

We also got to stop by to see our friend Matt’s art, “Crime Wave”, which was voted one of the top 50 of 1500 entries. Matt and Kim were in our small group in GR. If you ever need a bronze sculpture commissioned, our friend Matt Large is your man.

Saturday night we grilled out chicken and Chris, Kyle and Sarah came over too. Sarah is expecting TWIN GIRLS due in February. It will be so fun to double the little ones on the Cox side of the family.

To top off my visit, I got to meet my dear friend Bree’s newborn baby girl Taylor. She was as precious and squishy and gorgeous as any baby I’ve ever met. I miss my sweet GR friends.

More Pics from Cox Cottage

Family Vaca at Cox Cottage

Each summer since Ryan and I started having babies, his parents have blessed us with a week at their cottage in Michigan to reconnect as a family. This summer was no exception. Last week was filled with sunshine, bike rides, floating around on the pontoon, swimming, kayaking, grilling out and spending time together without TV or Internet to distract us. It was beautiful. The weather was gorgeous on Monday so we spent the day on the pontoon – parked at the dock mostly, because it was so windy. Then the temps started dropping and by dinner time we all had our jeans and sweatshirts on. We continued adding more and more clothing throughout the night and into the day on Tuesday. BRRRRrrrr.

The chilly temps didn’t stop us from enjoying a family bike ride around the lake. (I’m amazed at how slimming that yellow sweatshirt looked on me!”

Ryan grilled us a delicious dinner, then surprised Ruby with a trip to the Dairy King for an ice cream cone even though it was past bedtime. Ruby was in heaven.

First she smelled the ice cream, then she dug right in!

Weekend with Bryan and Michelle

VACATION!! Woo-Hoo! We loaded up the van (Grizwold-style) and enjoyed a gorgeous Pure Michigan sunset on our drive up to Cox Cottage.

Our friends/neighbors from Chicago, Bryan and Michelle joined us at Ryan’s parent’s cottage for the first weekend of our vacation. It was a spontaneously perfect alignment of calendars that ended up with them being able to drive over from Chicago on the same night that we drove up from Columbus. There is nothing like relaxed time spent with good friends. We had no agenda, no plans, didn’t need to go anywhere or do anything – we just hung out together. It was so good and we were reminded how precious our friendship is.

Their little baby Elliot is not such a baby anymore! He and Ruby spent hours playing with buckets of water in the yard.

Ryan and Bryan took Ruby and Elliot on the kayaks and we spent time floating around on the pontoon, sitting in the sunshine, and of course, grilling and consuming delicious food.

Thanks so much for making the drive guys! We loved seeing your faces and can’t wait to meet baby #2 in a few months!!