Carrie – Page 9 – thosecoolkims

Happy Halloween

Last night we headed off to the Arzate’s annual Halloween Party. Each year, the party gets better and better. The kids all get along so well and now that they’re getting older, they are really into dressing up! Ruby has been excited about being WordGirl (from PBS Kids) since the summer, so we made her costume (actually, Daddy made most of it!), and she kept it on ALL NIGHT LONG!

Everybody got into the spirit, and they even made “Mummies in a Blanket” and Crescent Roll Fingers with “Bloody” (Food Colored almond) Fingernails!

Ed + I went the cheesy clever route, and went as “The Appetizers”.
Introducing Pig in a Blanket and Deviled Egg!

Things get meta: Pig in a Blanket eats Pigs in a Blanket!

Transformations after dark!

We look forward to more fun on Halloween night when the gang comes to our house for Trick-or-Treating!

It’s all happening

It’s been written, and now there’s even a cover! It’s really happening. Not a whole lot of details at the moment, but I do know this: Coming to bookstores near you in Spring 2014!

Michigan/Ohio Trip 2013, Days 4-5

Whew, lots to catch up on! We spent a few days in the Columbus area to learn a little more about my mom’s side of the family. We got to check out my mom’s hometown in Lockbourne, have dinner in German Village and spend a little time on the Ohio State University campus!

Lockbourne, OH – The church my mom went to as a kid. My grandpa used to ring the bells here in the morning, too.

Nelsonville, OH – Two cousins meet their Great-Grandfather for the very 1st time.

Columbus, OH – German Village and the legendary Schmidt’s Sausage Haus!

Columbus, OH – Clowning around outside of Schmidt’s Sausage Haus

Columbus, OH – Ruby gets a tour on campus at Ohio State University: Papaw’s alma mater and where he and Grandma met!

Columbus, OH – Ruby with “Brutus”, OSU’s mascot!

Columbus, OH – Cousins on campus!

2268 Brooklyn Rd., Columbus OH — The 1st place I ever lived, my parents brought me home from the hospital here after I was born!

A roadside market and a stormy sky somewhere in route from Columbus back up to Toledo – we found our Amish Trail Bologna and picked up some honey here!

Lots of time in the PriusV!

After our three days in Columbus, it was off to Toledo and time to get ready for both the Rickard reunion and Facey reunion. More to follow!

Michigan/Ohio Trip 2013, Days 2-3

The past two days have been a whirlwind of great times with family. So much in fact that I have neglected to take pics of people! :( Today was a low key day with Mom and Dad, driving through Dexter and Ann Arbor. I got to catch a few views of my beloved red barns, we found an incredible park to play at, and Ruby had her 1st Zingerman’s sandwich!

We even got to have a date night with Rachel + Brian while my parents stayed back to watch the kids! It was so much fun to hang out with them that I forgot to take any pics!

Yesterday was equally as great. Mom, Dad, Ruby + I spent the day in Tecumseh with dear cousin Kay and Dave. It was a wonderful day — Kay made her amazing sausage gravy and biscuits for me and we celebrated Dave’s birthday with cake! We had a blast visiting most of the day and then we headed out to Adrian to place an order at my cousin’s pizza shop so we could bring pizza to the reunion on Saturday. Then, we were off to Deerfield to spend the evening with Wes & Brenda and the family! We had fresh sweet corn that was delivered from the farm that morning, delicious veggies and beef sandwiches and some super scrumptious desserts! We loved seeing everyone and the highlight of the evening was Wes busting out his guitar so Ruby could get her 2nd private concert! Ruby was just as enchanted with the music as she was the 1st time we visited in 2011 and she was just 9 months old.

Smalltown USA (Adrian, MI)

Ruby gets a special concert from Wes …

This was her 1st time seeing Wes play when she was 9 months old!

Loving this time with family … leaving Michigan and off to Ohio tomorrow!

Michigan/Ohio Trip 2013, Day 1

Our epic family vacation to Michigan and Ohio has begun! We got to spend time with my awesome cousin Rachel and her family today — they took us to breakfast in Ann Arbor and we hit up Erie Orchard and Cider Mill in the afternoon. It was an awesome fall day; chilly, light rain, an amazing sky — and we had Cider & Doughnuts just like real Midwesterners! We ended the day at the Anahid’s house in Troy for an amazing dinner — we met up with my parents and Kay & Dave. Kaily, Carolyn & Hassan and Sahra and Parisa were there too, and we had everything from homemade hummus to Hassan’s homemade Persian ice cream with rosewater and saffron! In one day we logged just over 200 miles. It was a blast!

Ed, Ruby, Brian, Baby Dexter, Jack and Rachel