Our main mode of operation since school started? One day at a time. And if you know me, you know how wildly out of character that is. But between work, school, sports, social events, house renovations, it’s honestly the only strategy that makes sense. Shockingly, it seems to be working—no major balls dropped yet. Who knows, maybe this fall will end up being a season of growth for my Type-A self.
The kids are officially one month into school and thriving. Thomas adores his teacher, Miss Greenfield (fun fact: Natalie had he, too, in 3rd grade) and comes home daily with stories to share. Natalie made the leap to middle school this year and didn’t miss a beat. At GRCS, middle school runs from 5th through 8th grade—which is a pretty big maturity spread—but she’s loving it, unphased by being the youngest in the school this year.
Activities-wise, Natalie has her plate full: middle school volleyball, piano lessons, and now violin through the school orchestra. She also just wrapped up a week of “Zoo School” at John Ball Zoo, where she observed meerkats and even went behind the scenes in the aquarium. This girl has always loved animals, so getting to spend her school days at the zoo? Dream come true.
Thomas, meanwhile, is living his best life in flag football. Two practices a week, Saturday games, and the fact that his team is still undefeated makes it all the sweeter. Youth Football Night at the Varsity game was a highlight—he and his teammates got to run the field, welcome the players, and be introduced at halftime. He’s soaking it all in, and our athletic director/coach Kirk Sunberg deserves credit for building such a strong youth program.
Work life is humming, too. At Mercantile, we’re in the final stretch of our Eastern Michigan Bank acquisition. A few weeks back, I joined our retail banking team for a road trip to visit all EMB locations—complete with an ice cream truck in tow. Because really, who doesn’t love ice cream with their merger? The week prior we were deep into strategy planning around customer experience, and last week I joined our leadership retreat in Detroit to focus on the bank’s long-term priorities. A full stretch of go-go-go—but then I got to swing the pendulum the other way.
That reset came at a lakeshore wellness retreat with nine wonderful women, hosted by my friend Kristin Ruud. We packed a lot into 24 hours: yoga, watercolor painting, a private chef’s dinner, wine tasting, and a morning nature hike. Slowing down is hard for me, but it was a good reminder that stillness and quiet aren’t such bad things and something I should try and do more often.
Jeff has been on the road plenty, too. This week he’s in Maryland for a CEO Summit, but the real treat for him is what comes after—his version of a wellness retreat: attending the Ryder Cup in New York. Meanwhile, Team DJs is gearing up for the winter season, and honestly, so are we. Bring on the snowflakes.
Before summer officially wrapped, we spent Labor Day weekend at the lake with the perfect mix of summer (80° sunshine) and fall (sweatshirts and bonfires). Tubing, grilling, s’mores, and Michigan football on the outdoor TV checked all the boxes. But the highlight? Welcoming our newest Kladder cousin, baby Sadie Rose. She’s grandbaby number eight—seven girls and one boy. Thomas is the lone wolf, and he doesn’t seem to mind one bit. Sadie belongs to Jeff’s younger sister and brother-in-law, rounding out their sweet little family of four with Sarah Jo, age two. The cousin snuggles were endless.
Back home, house renovations are underway—slowly but surely. Outdoor work on the back courtyard and new roof are complete, and this week the basement demo begins to prep for Thomas’s bathroom. Excitement is high, but let’s just say I see more wellness retreats in my future.
Earlier this month we also had a magical night at Frederik Meijer Gardens: a private dinner in the gardens, the Vance Joy concert, and—pinch me—an invitation to meet him afterward. Vance is super tall! We had gorgeous weather, great food, and live music… and had the best time with close friends. And forgive me, there was a professional photographer there capturing the evening and I had a difficult time selecting only a few… especially when the camera captures Jeff with a garden cat. Did you know FMGs has three cats who live in and patrol the gardens for rodents!?
Now we’re diving into all the Fall things: fundraising galas, networking events, football, our upcoming family trip to Harry Potter World (we’ve only got 5 more hours on our audio book left!), and as many cozy nights by the fire as we can fit in. If the start of the season is any indication, I think this fall is going to be a good one. See you in October!
