Growing with the Garden:

Como Conservatory

Just for fun, I thought I'd compare pictures of Evelyn's growing up.  We frequently visit the Como Park Conservatory during all times of the year - a brief retreat from the Midwestern seasons - a touch of the tropics, exotic and floral paradise!   

We love all the rooms of the Conservatory, but especially enjoy the quiet solitude of the North Garden.  The first glimpse of the Koi pond offers a great observation post for inquisitive little children.

December 2009

October 2011

The Farm: In Pictures

Autumn's Best of Weather

October at the Farm

We seem to have picked the most beautiful weekends to head up north this year.  End of September camping trip in the Porcupine Mountains of Upper Penninsula Michigan  and Apple Fest two weeks later.  The leaves were at the peak of changing color, the fields recently harvested and beautiful weather keeping us outside all day.

Autumn Amusement

Apple Fest 2011

I should also note that this marked the time for Evelyn's first amusement park rides... successfully... on her own!  It was a huge deal for her (okay... for me) to go on the mini ferris wheel all alone.  I think the enticement was that she got to ride in the PINK ferris wheel car with another little girl (also wearing pink).  After the thrill of going around and around, stealing views of Lake Superior, the Island and surrounding vistas, she was full of energy and excitement and wanted to go on every other ride possible!

New Bedroom, fit for a Princess!

Transformation and Inspiration:

Whimsical Playspace for a three year old

As our little lady approached 2 1/2 and started asking for a big girl bed and wanted to plan playdates, we realized it was finally time to transform "Ian's Office/Erin's Dressing room" (aka: Bryon/Sarah's Room, Shawn's room and Siobhan's room) into a space fit for the imaginative whims of our burgeoning three year old.

Being an architect, I lavished over the design opportunities and ideas and finally settled on creating as much open play space, framing the windows with cubbies and shelves and transformed the north wall into a magnetic surface for alphabet magnets and art.

Five coats of Metallic primer

Painting over the primer with  Springtime Peach

I'll give a few words of advice: We used Metallic primer from Rustoleum and found that it really took five thin coats to cover the wall space and perform adequately.  Shake and stir the primer constantly - the metallic sludge quickly sinks to the bottom and needs to be suspended in the primer.  Use fans - we make a concerted effort to use eco-friendly, low-voc paints in our house and unfortunately, this primer blew that practice out of the water.  It smells completely noxcious and you have to use mineral spirits to get the splatters of metallic paint off your hands.  Sigh... but it's so cool!

Magnetic Wall!

First test of the magnetic primer - it works!  It now proudly displays the latest artwork from ECFE school and her potty chart - du jour.

The Princess Playroom/bedroom is complete!

 We Did it!!  By the middle of September, we have the completed bedroom!  I'm proud to say that we've been able to keep it clean and organized and have hosted our first playdate quite successfully!

Guess who loves her new room?!!

And they lived Happily Ever After

Fairy Tales

by Evelyn McKiel

This is the summer of the dancing princess... of fairy tales and other fancy stuff!

Dancing at the Irish Fair August 2011

The common outfit for Miss Evelyn has been her ballet dancing shoes and a fancy princess dress... gone are the day of running shoes and jeans.  Bring out the velvet, sparkles, swirling skirts and dancing shoes!  Magic wands and Rapunzel towers.  I'm reminded daily that she's Snow White, baby Mary is Rapunzel and mommy is Cinderella.  Daddy?  Oh, he's the SCARY monster that chases Snow White.  Don't worry though, we can defeat him by giving kisses...

Imagine all of this make believe and imaginative play... Evey with a twinkle in her eye, spinning around on one foot and saying "you playing with me, mommy?  Let's dance!"  Melts your heart!

Christmas 2.0: Holiday Spirit

Merry Christmas Eve!  

Wishing you a holiday that is Merry and Bright!

We have enjoyed the holiday season - watching how Evelyn has gotten in to the holiday spirit!

1. She loves Santa and has asked "Want Dora Socks Santa".  
2. Loves everything sweet... Candy Canes, cookies, frosting, Chocolate milk
3. She's a busy baker, making cookie cut outs and frosting her cookies and delicately placing red decoration balls on her tree cookies!
4. Sings Jingle Bells: "Shingle Bells, shingle bells, shingle bells, shingle bells... Hey!"
5. A true Minnesotan... she loves Santa's "Moose" (reindeer)

Thanksgiving 2.0, Volume 2

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Sightseeing: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Since we were only in Pittsburgh for a few days aside from Thanksgiving Day, we decided to focus our sightseeing - exploring the area near Siobhan and Pete's work!  We met Pete for lunch and walked around the Bloomfield neighborhood near his work.  Good lunch at Lot 17, Yuengling Beer and a pit stop at Paddy Cakes bakery for thumbprint cookies and cookie sandwiches!

Next Stop: Carnegie Mellon and University of Pittsburgh Campus

We drove through the hills and valleys and took in the sights of Pittsburgh - each neighborhood and borough different from the next!  After lunch in Bloomfield, we drove through the Carnegie Mellon Campus and University of Pittsburgh Campus.  Our destination was the Cathedral of Learning - a fantastic example of gothic architecture and a true testament to learning and knowledge!  While admiring the magnificence of the 42-story tower of knowledge, we couldn't help but be equally impressed with the Carnegie Library and museum.  On a cool fall day, Evelyn had fun kicking her feet through the leaves in front of the library and running around with daddy looking for the dinosaur statue!

Dinosaur Statue outside Carnegie Library

Cathedral of Learning

University of Pittsburgh Campus

We were completely unprepared for the amazing interior of the Cathedral of Learning and of the Nationality Room classrooms!  The first few floors of the building contain classrooms that are designed, decorated and furnished in historic splendor, dedicated to a particular nationality.  Again, I have to say that this is an awesome way to be immersed in the seeking out of knowledge, wisdom and education!  We were especially fortunate to visit while the rooms were decorated for the holidays - also culturally traditional decorations!

Czechoslovak Heritage Room

Italian Heritage Room

Evelyn taking in her first studies
in the Swedish Heritage Room

Commons Room

Thursday, November 25, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving!!

Senan and Evelyn play trains

The epitome of sharing and
cuteness!

Fall Photo!

November 2010
Evelyn, 22 Months

I LOVE this photo!  I love the setting, the beautiful day of play and exploration, a day full of wonder!  Evey is on the verge of running off down the  path - Grandma's hidden garden!

Fall Frolic!

 Running here and there and everywhere!  A beautiful, crisp November afternoon was spent playing outside in the leaves.  Raking up leaves and jump, jump, jumping into our piles.  Babies was along for the fun and exploration!  Running around the tree and up and down the block - pausing momentarily to "peek-a-boo" around the maple tree!

Peek!  Peek-a-boo!

Blog Updates - Seeking Advice!

Hello my faithful followers - I appreciate your readership and involvement in the life of the Taylor House Trio!  I've now been blogging for over two years and have entirely enjoyed the process.

In an effort to continue the momentum into the next few years, I am ready for a make over.  Or, more specifically, the McKiel Family blog is ready for a make over.  I am thinking of ways to increase the interaction between our blog and you, the readers.  Would you take the time and share some of the things you enjoy about the blog?

1.  What stories or post topics are of interest to you?  
2. Do you like the pictures more than the stories or vice versa?
3. Should I "change it up" and post stories about other parts of our lives? Crafty Corner posts?  What's Cooking food posts?  Oh the Places we go post?
4. How frequently should I post?  More often?
5. Do you want to contribute?

Como Zoo Boo and our Evey Bug-aroo!

We are fully in the throngs of fall and autumn weather.  The leaves have all changed and many have fallen to the earth.  The days are becoming shorter and there is a crispness in the air - a subtle signal of the change of seasons.

Little Lady Bug!

Our activities on the weekend take full advantage of the outdoor harvest activities!

This weekend we visited Como Zoo for their annual fundraiser Zoo Boo!  It was the perfect atmosphere for Evelyn to trick-or-treat; all the volunteers were dressed as various animals and there were cute and clever scenes set up throughout the zoo grounds.  I think that Alice in Wonderland's Tea party was the most interactive and a big hit with Evey.  She fell in love with butterfly and flower scene and kept climbing the little fence to run up and touch the flowers!  Oh, what a little rebel!

We had the debut of Evey-lou the lady bug-aroo!  She cooperated with wearing her costume and was enthralled by all the other kids in costumes too!  A strawberry blow pop was by far her favorite candy (the only candy we let her have).  We even ran in to our friends from ECFE - Thalia the buzzing bee!  Quelle chance!

I would recommend Como Zoo Boo to people, especially with younger children.  Though there were people of all ages, I think 2-6 years old is the perfect age for the awe and activities.

Tips, tricks and notes to others:

• Purchase tickets ahead of time - the lines are long to get in; 
• Either Park and Ride the shuttle or plan to park a ways a way and walk;
• Come early when it opens - we spent close to 90 minutes at Zoo Boo and had a great time!
• The food vendors are all open during Zoo Boo - you can grab a snack or dinner; some of the treats handed out suffice for nourishment 
• Attend the event and bring your friends!  It's a great fundraiser for the Como Zoo!!!

Apples!

At some  point, I'd better blog about the farm and our adventures at the Sullivan's Old Ollie Aumberg Orchard and Apple Cider Fest!

  Two weekends ago, the family all went up to the farm in Northern Wisconsin (Grandma and Grandpa's farm) to pick apples and press cider.  This is what keeps us healthy all season long!  There's nothing quite as wonderful as a cold glass of freshly pressed cider on a crisp September day

First we make our way into the apple orchard - riding in the red wagon behind the old tractor.  The trees are laden with apples - ready for the picking!  Look how rosy and sweet those apples look!  Hope these one's aren't out of my reach!

I get to wear one of the apple picking bags and use an apple picker to reach way up high while standing on the ground.  Evelyn is my little helper by hand transferring each apple into my bag.  

Sometimes, though, she finds it more amusing to throw the apples on the ground... until she tastes her first apple!  All it takes is one bite for her to be in apple heaven!  Over the next three days, she asks for "Ap-pull" at every opportunity and still asks for "Ap-pull Juice" at every meal.  

Grandpa reaches way up high, while on a ladder.  He's quite a pro at picking the right tree near the far eastern edge of the orchard.  It's very zen. Before long, he'll pick a few bushels of apples that need transporting back to the tractor.  

Meanwhile, Evelyn is content lounging on another ladder, eating her third apple of the day.  Eventually, she feels compelled to climb the ladder.  It's a good thing Auntie Leen was there to help her!

 

Antique Apple Orchard; variety unknown

Just imagine ~ it takes one bushel of apples to press into one gallon of Apple Cider! Here's Evelyn helping to carry a bushel basket of (a few) apples!

 Here comes the juice ~ keep filling up the gallon jugs!  It was especially tasty to sneak a glass under the apple press for an extra fresh glass of Cider!  All in all, I think we pressed about 24 gallons of Cider and still had plenty of bushels of apples to send home with everyone!  Apple pie, apple crisp, apple sauce... Oh how tasty you are!!

100 % Organic Apple Cider

Nursery is Ready!

Ian and I were very busy today - getting everything ready for baby's arrival! Ian finished the last details in the Nursery - installing the carpet and moving all the furniture into place. Meanwhile, I was sewing cradle sheets and decorating the house for the holidays. I didn't quite get to baking Christmas Cookies... that will have to wait until later in the week or next weekend!

Here's a picture of the Nursery all set up! All we need now is baby!

And here's a picture of the light fixture that Ian installed last night (after getting home from Mike and Megan's wedding).

If you remember the room before... this is an amazing transformation! I have to admit that I wasn't sure Ian would finish before the baby's arrival... Alas... C'est fini!