The LaRoy Family Blog

2012-01-17T22:35:00.000-05:00

The kids building habitats for their new HexBugs.

2012-01-15T22:35:00.000-05:00

Jason playing indoor soccer!

2012-01-14T22:34:00.000-05:00

Sophie is making me some cookies!

2012-01-13T22:34:00.000-05:00

Painting fish!

2012-01-12T22:33:00.001-05:00

Eating oats in a jar for breakfast. The kids love it!

A new found interest in legos.

2012-01-08T22:33:00.000-05:00

Sophie got an owie on her lip.

2012-01-07T22:33:00.000-05:00

The Syrian gifting camel visited us last night and left presents (camels) in our shoes!

2012-01-06T22:33:00.000-05:00

It's warm enough to look for worms, without jackets, in January!!

And pretend to be mountain lions, too!

2012-01-02T22:32:00.000-05:00

Playing Crokinole!

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! Watching the ball drop.

And sleeping through it!

2011-12-31T22:32:00.000-05:00

Playing Rivers, Roads and Rails.

Daddy and Jason finished a whole game. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa L.

2011-12-29T22:31:00.000-05:00

Sophie playing with Leah and Leah and Lucas and Lucas! Yep, all 4 of them.

2011-12-27T22:31:00.000-05:00

Thank you Grammy for all the Playmobil! I think it's a hit!

2011-12-26T22:30:00.000-05:00

Bedtime books with Grandpa and Grandma L!

2011-12-25T22:29:00.000-05:00

Day 25: Merry Christmas!

Heading out to open presents!

The kids found the pterosaurs in their stockings and took off flying, ignoring everything else!

They liked their hobby horses, too.

Daddy and Jason playing a new math dice game!

And Sophie telling a story on the new story board.

2011-12-24T23:28:00.000-05:00

Day 24: Read 'Twas the night before Christmas!

Getting the tradition leg of lamb ready.

Celebrating at Grandma and Grandpa L's house. The kids all liked Sophie's Squirrel game.

Opening presents back at home.

And finally reading 'Twas the night before Christmas. We read it 7 times this year! Each time from a different version, including our new version where we can listen to Grandma and Grandpa L read it for us!

Ready for Christmas morning!

2011-12-23T22:27:00.000-05:00

Day 23: Make eggnog!

And our tree is ready!

2011-12-22T22:27:00.000-05:00

Day 22: Go on a nature walk!

We found some really amazing looking fungi growing on a tree.

And our friend found a bird's nest!

2011-12-21T22:26:00.000-05:00

Day 21: Happy Solstice!

Here is our sun bread!

And a blueberry goat cheese yule log!

And a Solstice gathering with friends.

Making candle holders.

Celebrating at home.

2011-12-20T22:25:00.000-05:00

Day 19: Make cookies!

Day 20: Happy Hanukkah!

We celebrated by reading books, making latkes and paper menorahs, and playing dreidel games.

Here's a hint for tomorrow...

2011-12-18T22:25:00.000-05:00

Day 16: Las Posados!

Day 17: Decorate candles.

Day 18: Drive around to look at lights.

Here is our favorite house all lit up! (it's ours!)

2011-12-15T22:24:00.001-05:00

Day 13: St. Lucia's Day... The kids got a new book, Lucia and the Light!

Day 14: Make paper snowmen.

Day 15: Make funny soaps for the grandparents!

Here's the pics we took to create our soaps.

2011-12-12T22:23:00.000-05:00

Day 11: Go to Uncle Jerry's for Christmas.

Day 12: Wrap presents!

The playsilks are done and ready to be wrapped.

Sophie was very excited to give her cousins playsilks. She wanted to make sure they all got under the tree okay.

2011-12-10T22:22:00.000-05:00

Day 10: Make Christmas crafts!

And mommy and daddy get to do out to a Holiday party.

2011-12-09T22:22:00.000-05:00

Day 9: Celebrate the full moon!

The present is the book Grand Mamoon.

Going on a moon walk with Grand Mamoon

2011-12-08T23:31:00.004-05:00

A present waiting for tomorrow's advent... How exciting!

2011-12-08T22:31:00.000-05:00

Day 8: Paint a holiday table runner.

Sophie decided when the table runner was done, she wasn't. She painted a place mat, too.

Here it is finished. Looking very festive on our table!

2011-12-07T14:46:00.002-05:00

Day 7: Go on a nature walk with friends and make a wreath!

Here's Cameron, Ana, and Sophie enjoying a break on a log they found.

Sophie and Cameron decided to turn it over to look for worms.

Back at the pavilion to explore our findings and construct our wreath!

Here is our finished product!

And with the leftovers, we brought them home.

I made a little swag...

Jason made a birds nest...

and Sophie made a wall decoration.

2011-12-06T23:19:00.001-05:00

Jason had his first ever music class concert!

2011-12-06T21:20:00.001-05:00

Day 6: St. Nicholas Day!

Check your shoes for gifts because St. Nicholas visited last night!

2011-12-05T22:20:00.000-05:00

Day 5: We made ornaments for gifts. They aren't finished so I couldn't post pics yet.

Here's our window hanging from the other day.

2011-12-04T22:18:00.000-05:00

Day 4: Listen to Christmas music in the car.

We went to our niece and nephews baptism today.

Here is Sophie holding Lucas' hand.

2011-12-03T22:18:00.000-05:00

Day 3: Decorate the tree.

We decorated the big tree and the little kids tree today!

And the house lights are on, too!

2011-12-02T21:07:00.007-05:00

Day 2: Get our tree!

Searching for the perfect one to cut down.

Jason and Daddy with our tree!

Mommy and Sophie with our tree!

Sophie spent the whole time finding and eating snow.

Helping Daddy carry the tree to the car.

All set up and ready to decorate.

2011-12-01T21:07:00.003-05:00

In December, we do a multicultural advent activity calendar.

Day 1: Make holiday crafts and gifts.

2011-11-30T07:04:00.000-05:00

Jason decided he wanted to clean off Daddy's car for him before he left for work.

2011-11-28T21:04:00.000-05:00

This is why you should never give a pet to a 2 year old. Don't worry Kitty is okay!

Jason sharing Peanut with his friend Ana.

Cameron gets a turn holding Kitty.

2011-11-27T21:03:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving at Grammy and Grandpa S's.

The kids and Uncle Mark playing Hungry, Hungry Hippos.

2011-11-21T20:46:00.003-05:00

We had a lovely time at Hawk Woods....

going on a nature walk,

gathering in the lodge to share a meal,

listening to stories on the trails,

and hanging out with our friends.

2011-11-21T20:44:00.000-05:00

Putting the surprise in banana surprise muffins!

2011-11-20T20:48:00.000-05:00

Pics of the kids...

All smiles!

Cuddling with mommy.

2011-11-17T14:31:00.004-05:00

Sophie left the cracker box out. Needless to say, the dog found them. I heard him struggling from the other room. He was stuck!

2011-11-16T14:31:00.000-05:00

It's never to cold to look for worms.

This time we found snails, too!!

Exploring fungi!

2011-11-16T12:56:00.002-05:00

Our postcard project! We only have 12 states left... Can you help us?

We need Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. Click here to see our list!

2011-11-15T21:04:00.001-05:00

We went to a tour at The Parade Company. They put on the Detroit Thanksgiving Day parade.

We got to feel the fur of the lion on the Wizard of Oz float.

And see how they drive the floats on the inside.

The whole fam in front of the Michigan float.

Sophie and I checking out the Emerald City.

Sophie wanted a picture in front of the orange and yellow car.

Jason, Sophie and Ana liked the snowmen.

Their costume material board was a great textural experience.

The kids even got to get up on a float!

Nothing is better than a field trip with your best friend.

2011-11-01T18:09:00.003-04:00

Watching the m's from M&M candies float to the surface of the water.

2011-10-31T21:49:00.002-04:00

Happy Halloween!

Jason, Ana, and Sophie are ready to trick-or-treat!

Taking a break under a tree.

Our pumpkins and milk jug crafts.

Sophie showing off her new tattoos.

Will it sink or float?

Skittles in a pan of water.

Jason, ready for bed with his candle.

2011-10-30T21:46:00.000-04:00

Carving pumpkins!

Sophie likes sorting the seeds.

Jason drew his jack-o-lantern face....

And Daddy carved it!

Jason and Sophie's pumpkin. (Sophie picked hers from a stencil)

Our scarecrow pumpkin man.

Daddy teaching Jason how to shoot a bow.

2011-10-29T21:44:00.000-04:00

Halloween at Grandma and Grandpa LaRoy's!

Our new niece and nephew, Leah and Lucas.

The boys: Daddy, Jason and Lucas!

The girls: Mommy, Sophie and Leah!

The four 'big' kids in their costumes.

All six grandchildren ready for Halloween!

Watching Daddy and Grandpa try out their bows.

Tackling Grandpa L.

Leah, sleeping in a laundry basket.

2011-10-28T21:42:00.000-04:00

Making leaf crafts.

Sophie loves deviled eggs!

Sophie's window craft...

and Jason's, too!

2011-10-26T21:41:00.000-04:00

Crafting dinosaur lapbooks!

Experimenting with vinegar and salt and coins. It makes for shiny pennies!

Sophie helping daddy work, again!

2011-10-25T21:40:00.000-04:00

We had a tour of the Cranbrook Bat Zone!!

I love how Sophie just had to get right in there to see the bats up close!

Jason, our owl, in front of the owl and fox at the Life on Earth exhibit!

They had a beautiful butterfly collection!

And zebra mussels... but unfortunately I can see those whenever I want now... at our lake....

2011-10-23T21:38:00.000-04:00

The leaf pile at Nana's and Papa's house (Benny's and Jack's grandparents).

Happy Birthday to Jack!

Sophie and her new best friends, Zoe and Cassidy.

2011-10-22T21:35:00.000-04:00

Sophie loves watching daddy work.

He's teaching her about cars... and she's listening so intensely.

2011-10-18T21:33:00.000-04:00

Awww....

2011-10-16T21:32:00.000-04:00

Our postcard project! Can you help us finish??

2011-10-15T21:32:00.000-04:00

Jason is in the striped hat!

What you can't see in this picture is Jason scoring a goal! You can kinda make out a little bit of his striped hat between 2nd and 3rd players from the left.

2011-10-14T21:29:00.000-04:00

A little Halloween preview... the costumes arrived today!

Our dragon...

And bunny!

2011-10-13T21:27:00.000-04:00

What are these bugs all over our backyard?? Anyone know?

Here is our lovely apple tree!

Such a beautiful sight!

And the last of the flowers in the sunflower house!

2011-10-12T21:40:00.000-04:00

Sophie wanted to make bread... with a little help from mommy.

2011-10-12T21:35:00.003-04:00

I planned a nature scavenger hunt. The kids had a blast at beautiful Bear Creek Park.

Jason even found a salamander!

Jason and Sophie with friends, playing after the hunt.

Click here for the scavenger hunt sheet.

2011-10-10T21:33:00.000-04:00

We colored rice for a future project.

Sophie mostly played with hers... and asked for orange and yellow rice.

All our colors!

2011-10-08T21:31:00.000-04:00

Jason, watching his teammates play at their soccer game.

Our little goalie!

The team made their first goal! Here's the goal scorer and his teammate making a victory lap of the field.

Jason's in the red jersey in the middle.

2011-10-07T21:16:00.001-04:00

Jason wanted to see what it was like to go to another country. We packed a picnic lunch and headed to the Ojibway Nature Center in Windsor for the morning.

While walking on the trails, we found a brown snake.

Jason and Daddy checking out a huge hole in a tree.

Such a beautiful place.

We had a beautiful morning.

The kids liked the Nature Center inside displays, too.

2011-10-06T19:25:00.001-04:00

The girls...

Aunt Anna and Leah,

and Mommy, Sophie and Leah.

The boys...

Uncle Nelson and Lucas,

and Daddy, Jason and Lucas.

2011-10-05T19:24:00.001-04:00

Introducing our beautiful new nephew and niece, Lucas and Leah!

2011-10-04T19:37:00.000-04:00

Black walnuts from our yard.

Sophie helped me crack them.

2011-10-04T19:23:00.000-04:00

We tried out the new merry-go-round at the zoo!

Sophie picked the Camel.

Jason liked the triceratops.

2011-10-03T19:22:00.000-04:00

Sophie and Cameron enjoying a snack during their older siblings Pony Class.

Jason learning to groom a pony.

Sophie eating cookies!

Jason hugging Cricket the pony.

Sophie even got to ride at the last class.

2011-10-02T19:22:00.000-04:00

Playing in PJs.

2011-10-01T19:21:00.000-04:00

Starting the soccer game! (Jason's in blue with the striped hat)

Get the ball!

2011-09-30T16:00:00.000-04:00

We made Dragon Land!

2011-09-29T16:00:00.001-04:00

The kids love their new sheets that match the lights in their bunks!

2011-09-27T21:44:00.000-04:00

Jason and his friend helping out with the puppets at the Nature Center field trip.

Sophie liked the smooth tree.

Our friends...

Sophie climbing way too high on the rocks outside.

2011-09-26T15:44:00.001-04:00

Sophie playing with her water gel sensory tub.

2011-09-25T21:44:00.001-04:00

Playing with the guinea pigs outside.

Sophie and Kitty

Jason and Peanut

2011-09-25T20:43:00.000-04:00

Jason's pony show!

Sophie climbing the fence.

2011-09-23T20:48:00.002-04:00

Jason finally had some 5 year old photos taken.

2011-09-23T18:54:00.000-04:00

Daddy and the kids!

2011-09-21T20:53:00.000-04:00

Our autumnal equinox wreath we made from branches, leaves, seeds and flowers picked on a nature walk with friends.

Fermented apple cider. Looks a little crazy. Tastes really yummy!

2011-09-18T22:47:00.003-04:00

Mommy picked fruit this evening in the backyard. Making cider tonight!

Daddy's little helper!

2011-09-17T22:47:00.000-04:00

Soccer Fest!!

Jason was excited he got to play goalie!

Coach Daddy pile while we wait for the next game.

Jason is goalie again!

The team getting their trophies!

Go Wranglers!

2011-09-13T22:41:00.000-04:00

Canned tomatoes homegrown by Grandpa S.

2011-09-12T22:37:00.001-04:00

Jason's Pony Class

Sophie and I explored the farm while Jason was in class.

At the end they get to parade their pony and take a pony ride!

2011-09-12T22:37:00.000-04:00

It's the full moon today, so we made moon calendars!

Here's Sophie's all done and on the wall.

Fresh picked concord grapes from our backyard!

2011-09-11T22:36:00.000-04:00

Daddy made pretty colors with the color mixing trays!

2011-09-10T22:35:00.000-04:00

Jason's first soccer game! (Daddy's first as coach!)

Sitting on the sidelines with friends.

Go Jason!

Here we go Wranglers!

Yay team!

And a post game worm hunt, back home.

2011-09-06T22:35:00.000-04:00

Cranbrook House and Gardens

Trying to get a group shot never works...

Sophie exploring near the pond.

Jason liked the bridge over the water.

Flying like bats...

Enjoying friendship!

2011-09-04T22:34:00.000-04:00

Enjoying Labor Day weekend at the lake.

The three boys playing on the see-saw.

Sophie and Jason love the FAST boat!

So do Benny and Uncle Mark!

Grandpa S. helped Sophie and Benny a little with the boat trailer.

2011-09-03T14:35:00.003-04:00

Our three year old goldfish, Honey, died. Jason and Sophie helped dig her grave near some flowers.

And they painted rocks to mark the site.

Here's more coloring mixing.

With Daddy, too!

And Sophie likes to scoop and pour beans!

2011-09-02T22:35:00.000-04:00

Mixing colors in our color mixing trays.

2011-09-01T21:34:00.000-04:00

We traced the kids on paper and colored them in.

Jason

Sophie

2011-08-29T23:33:00.000-04:00

Sophie and Jason checking out Sophie's bunk together!

And making it into a fort!

Sophie all tucked in. Goodnight!

2011-08-25T21:47:00.000-04:00

Our tadpole is now a tree frog named Hoppers.

2011-08-23T21:47:00.000-04:00

The kids love their new beds!

2011-08-22T21:47:00.000-04:00

We got new bunk beds!

2011-08-21T21:46:00.000-04:00

Swimming in Traverse City at the beach!

A beautiful day for a swim.

And a train ride with Grandma and Grandpa L.

Sophie loves the train!

Our train riding fam.

Sophie loves riding in the Beco on Daddy's back!

Grandma and Grandpa's boat!

Getting ready for bed with Grandpa.

2011-08-19T21:45:00.000-04:00

Piggy back and front ride on Daddy!

2011-08-15T21:44:00.001-04:00

Sophie teaching Grandpa about a new app.

Coloring with Uncle Mikhail.

Tracing hands.

Swimming with Aunt Rosie.

2011-08-13T21:44:00.000-04:00

Reading bedtime books with mommy!