I shot that photo during our latest trip to Maine. My family had walked ahead a bit and I watched them as they carefully hopped from one tree stump step to the next. The water was still ice-cold since it was mid-spring so our little one was a bit hesitant at first about falling in. I remember my husband telling her “It’s okay. Just go slow and be patient…you can do it!”
While researching nature quotes this week, I read one that reminded me of that day & this particular image I captured…and it’s a wonderful reminder to slow down a bit. Great advice for all of us in this hectic world we live in:
Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience. — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Here are several other great quotes — hope you all find something fun to do outside this week!
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. — Albert Einstein
All good things are wild and free.— Henry David Thoreau
Two roads diverged in a wood and I — I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.— Robert Frost
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.— Lao Tzu
If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere. — Vincent van Gogh
The Earth laughs in flowers.— E.E. Cummings
In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt. — Margaret Atwood
Flowers at the Chicago Botanic Garden…looking forward to seeing more of these this year!
What adventures do you have planned for this season?
Stuffed cabbage rolls are great, but making them always seems so time-consuming. After trying several different cabbage casserole recipes over the years, they all had the same issues…either lacking in flavor, were too water-logged, or just plain boring. We wanted a casserole that was full of flavor, not overly watery/wet, easy to assemble, on the healthier side and would reheat well for lunch or dinner the next day.
We came up with a combination that hits all of our requirements and it’s now a family favorite.
Reheats beautifully in the oven or microwave – you can easily heat up a portion in a skillet over low heat (put a few teaspoons of water in the pan & cover for a few minutes).
It’s super easy and we’ll often make it ahead of time during the weekend and then pop it in the oven after work on Monday for a fabulous dinner (*bonus* — not having many dishes to clean on a busy night).
I like to bake, but the true baker in our house is my husband. Most of the baked items I post will be his creations (just wait ’til Christmas cookie season…his cookies are not only tasty, but absolutely gorgeous)! He’s quite the purist when it comes to ingredients and when we bake and things are typically always from scratch, but several years ago I picked up a copy of The Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn and found a chocolate cake recipe that we both love.
We’ve made these cupcakes for all sorts of occasions…the version you’ll see here was made for our daughter’s Frozen-themed birthday party.
Many chocolate cakes that we’ve had over the years are either too dry or not nearly chocolatey enough. This cake is light and fluffy with a fantastic chocolate flavor and is wonderful with or without frosting. They also freeze quite well (unfrosted) — the texture becomes a bit more dense after they’ve been frozen, but they are great to keep on hand in the freezer for those days that you need a bit of a chocolate fix (without eating a whole cake).
The batter is beautifully glossy with a silky texture that gets quite thick after mixing it.We made our favorite frosting, added a drop or two of food coloring to get the correct “Frozen” shade. The birthday girl was on sprinkle duty and she also added the blue candies on top. Such a fun way to get the little ones to help in the kitchen!
Hope you give these a try — they’re a great treat!
I am a total autumn & winter gal — but waking up today with the bright sunshine, blue skies and hearing the early-morning chirping of the birds that were out and about definitely put me in a springtime mood!
After visiting the Shedd Aquarium, walk along the lakefront for a couple of blocks & make sure to see Buckingham Fountain! The fountain is turned on in early-April and stays on until late-fall.
We’ve been planning some upcoming outings, especially since the wee girl has her spring break from school in a couple of weeks. They will most definitely include the Chicago lakefront & downtown areas…so many options.
There’s a lovely view of Chicago’s skyline from the terrace of the Shedd Aquarium. We usually pack a lunch and eat outside when the weather permits.
We’re a short car ride or quick train ride from all the wonderful things Chicago has to offer, so we frequent this great city of ours quite regularly. Our 7-year-old has her favorite museums, zoos & aquariums & we’ve held family memberships to several of them for many years — much more cost-effective than paying the admission fees upon each and every visit. Best part is that we get the added benefit of not waiting in the long, general admission lines since we can use the “members” lines instead. It’s also super convenient that two of her favorites happen to be right next door to each other.
We typically visit the Shedd Aquarium in the morning, have lunch and then walk over to The Field Museum for the afternoon.
I’m planning to go more in-depth in future articles about the various museums in the Chicago area, but for now, here’s a taste of a few of our favorite photos from recent visits to the Shedd Aquarium & The Field Museum.
One of my favorite jellyfish photos that I shot at the Shedd Aquarium – they are such mesmerizing creatures!Every kid seems to love “finding Nemo” in the Clownfish (a.k.a. Anemonefish) tanks. This little fellow was a treat to watch last time we were at the Shedd Aquarium.Seahorse is the name given to 54 different species – you’ll find several types at the Shedd Aquarium – they’re all a lot of fun to watch!These little ones were masters at camouflage. They finally swam where we could get a better peek.
After our mornings at the Shedd Aquarium, we head next door to The Field Museum. Kids are so used to being told where to go and what to do, so we typically let our daughter guide the way during our museum excursions and decide which exhibits to see. We’ve found that this decision-making factor during our adventures has been a great way to pique her interest in the exhibits, even from toddlerhood. It’s been cool to see what she gravitates toward during each visit. I’m so glad that we’re raising a museum-lover!
Her favorite exhibit at The Field Museum is the Evolving Planet. This wonderful section takes you through 4 billion years of life on Earth and all of the various Mass Extinctions. Since she was about 18 months old, we cannot tear her away from this area.
Just one of many dino displays – makes every kid (and adult) dream of becoming a paleontologist!Daspletosaurus display at The Field Museum.Close-up shot of the tail of a Triceratops at the Evolving Planet exhibit.I’ve always loved this Charles Darwin quote – proudly displayed in the last room of the Evolving Planet exhibit at The Field Museum. So cool!
Hope you’re planning some fun upcoming adventures with your friends & family! If you’re in the Chicago area, make sure to head to some of our wonderful museums this season. You won’t be sorry!
