Summer is officially winding down here in Michigan. The kids went ‘back to school’ with staggard first days straddling Labor Day Weekend. This year Natalie joins Mrs. Kingma’s first grade class at GRCS and Thomas is taking three full days of 4s-preschool with Mrs. Jansen also at GRCS. Go Eagles! I recently signed up to be both kids’ room parent and we’re already looking forward to Thomas’ first field trip next month to Post Family Farms.
August had a few running ‘themes’ including two 80s events, lots of live music, two 40th birthday parties and plenty of lake time. We had a riot wearing neon and dancing the night away to live bands at both a neighborhood pool party and a couple’s golf event at Kent CC. The pool party ended with an energetic game of dibble-dabble and while our crew didn’t win first place at the golf outing we proved our worth by dancing our butts off to the 80s cover band Funkle Jessie. Everyone went home winners from both events.
Live music continued with a series of visits to Fredrick Meijer Gardens including a girls night out for one of their Tuesday night local concerts, tickets to 38 Special and the Annual Great Garden’s Party. The outdoor amphitheater continues to be our most favorite Grand Rapids music venue.
We also celebrated two friends 40th birthdays in August. Our sweet friend Krista turned 40 and her husband Todd hosted the perfect backyard summer party for her complete with all the yard lights, cheese boards and wine. And we toasted to 40 years for our friend Sarah with a mini trip Saugatuck with girlfriends. (piano bar) didn’t know what hit them.
We believe August is arguably the best month of summer weather in Michigan and so naturally we spent most of our time outside on water. We enjoyed a fun family overnight at Pickerel Lake courtesy of the Westra Family as well as a long weekend with our family at Lake Bella Vista over Labor Day Weekend. We even cruised the great Michigan lakeshore with a cooler full of sandwiches and bubbly, toasting to the weekend!
Golf will continue this fall for as long as the weather will allows us to. I played in my last outing of the summer with one of my OGs Lindsay Rademacher for an Olympic Themed 18-hole scramble and best ball. We placed second in our flight and lined our pockets with $65 worth of pro shop cash.
Soccer begins this month! Our schedule ramps up this year as Thomas joins for his very first season as well as adding Wednesday night practices for Natalie. Furthermore, Jeff is co-coaching Thomas’ team along with Jared Van Vels whose son Harrison is also on the boys team.
I recently attended the Brilliance Awards at the JW Marriott with fellow board members from Grace’s Table supporting our Director Lisa Anderson for Woman of the Year. And while she did not come home with the final award, we were incredibly proud of her achievement of being included in the top 3 nominees and representing Grace’s Table in such a visible way. Also, YOU ARE INVITED! to find out more about Grace’s Table at the Grace’s Gala fundraiser scheduled Wednesday, October 6th at the Downtown Market. Tickets are $50 a person and includes an open bar, appetizers and the opportunity to bid on three major pieces of artwork. Please join us. You can purchase your tickets here.
Last week I flew to Scottsdale, AZ for one of my oldest girlfriend’s bachelorette parties. Chelsea Lassen and I met at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo, MI as young girls just beginning to figure skate. We’ve stayed friends through grade school, college and beyond and it’s a joy to take part in her wedding celebrations as one of her bridesmaids. Scottsdale was the perfect scene (pool time, hiking, dinner reservations, dancing) to celebrate her last days as a single woman and we are looking forward to her and her fiancé Darryls wedding in October in Ashville, NC.
There is a flurry of work happening at Steelcase this fall as we approach NeoCon the first week of October as well as a handful of big announcements including new products and the start of our new CEO Sara Armbruster. Jeff continues to spend the first part of each week traveling to Detroit for DJs splitting his time between branches. And while the commotion at the office makes for fantastic dinner table conversation in the evenings it does, however, have an impact on the quality of the menu - Gaslight Kitchen’s on speed dial and lots of ‘Pirates Code’ happening over here. * Pirates Code = every man for themselves!!
And so, from our pirate ship to yours… enjoy all this glorious PERFECT September weather! Cheers.
Postscript: a couple more things worth mentioning…
Ted Lasso (Apple + TV Show) – It’s as great as you’ve all been saying it is. Watch it!
The Light Between Oceans, by M.L. Stedman - It was a recommend from the Kladder women and so far, so good.
The Drop Out (Podcast) - With a handful of recent flight travel I’ve been consuming lots of content including the timely podcast The Drop Out about the story/trial of Elizabeth Holmes and her company, Theranos. I’m captivated.