Then…

It was December 3rd, 2010 and we were at my mom’s house for dinner. We were eating Lou Malnati’s deep dish pizza (sausage) and Cindy wasn’t due for another week. She had finished her last day of work before maternity leave, and we were watching the Hawks beat up on the Canucks (Hawks won 3-0).

It was starting to snow outside as well. 3 hours later, it was still snowing when we pulled up to the hospital, as Cindy was starting to go into labor.

The morning of December 4th, Christian was born and our family was complete. Cindy continued to glow as she was beginning her first day as the amazing mother she is today. And this was the view from our maternity room at the hospital.

It was a pretty winter wonderland scene, fit for our handsome, winter baby.

And Now…

Today, it’s December 3rd, 2016, and we’re having Christian’s 6th birthday party tonight at, where else, Lou Malnati’s.

While there’s no snow in the forecast tonight, we’re expecting our first 1-3″ of snowfall to arrive tomorrow morning. Although we won’t have the same view from 10 floors up at the hospital maternity ward, we’re still sticking with our planned visit the zoo to celebrate Christian’s birthday and all the wonderful memories we’ve had since then and enjoy the winter wonderland as a family.

And, I while I can’t speak for Cindy, I know for me, when they’re starting to serve slices of pizza at the party tonight, I will be having at least one slice of deep dish sausage. :)

Happy Birthday, Christian!!

The post Twas the night before Christian… appeared first on Kris, Cindy, and Christian.

While we’re here, Papa is capturing moments with Instagram and tagging them with #Disney2014. If you’re here, though, you probably don’t use Instagram. (If you do, check out @krisnelsonphoto.)

Never fear, this page will keep being updated automatically as our trip progresses, so feel free to come back as often as you like.

Once we get home and the dust settles, we’ll have a more formal recap here on the site.

Until then, enjoy!

#Disney2014

The post The #Disney2014 Stream appeared first on Kris, Cindy, and Christian.

For this trip, as I did two years ago, I decided to capture our happenings on Instagram. Below, you’ll find those photos as they tell the story of our more recent visit to what seems like our home away from home…

Thursday

As with all our drives up north, we stop about halfway in Sheboygan for our last sip of Starbucks until the return trip home.

Christian finds an Etch-a-sketch at Starbucks? Talk about #tbt :) #summer #roadtrip – instagram.com/p/qkTUkmLBtO/

The drive up was rather uneventful, which is always nice. This time, rather than staying at the Bridgeport Resort like we have been doing, we had this view waiting for us at the Westwood Shores instead.

Our view for the next few nights #summer #roadtrip #doorcounty – instagram.com/p/qkiqJ_LBnN

Thursday Night

If you thought that view was great, you have to see what the sunset looked like that night from down by the shoreline.

A great first night #doorcounty sunset for our #summer #roadtrip – instagram.com/p/qkw_PwrBt-/

Friday

For our first full day in Door County for this trip, we hit a few quick stops before heading to The Farm in Sturgeon Bay. This was our second time here since Christian was born. Sure, he likes the animals and all, but he hasn’t found a tractor yet that he hasn’t wanted to (pretend) drive.

Big tractor, little boy #summer #roadtrip #doorcounty – instagram.com/p/qmhQlPLBqE/

From there, it was time for lunch, and another favorite of ours – grabbing deli sandwiches at Main Street Market in Egg Harbor, and heading down to the Egg Harbor Marina park for a little picnic.

Picnic lunch at the Egg Harbor Marina park #summer #roadtrip #doorcounty – instagram.com/p/qmsXmLLBtY/

From there it was time to hit the road to do a little driving, a little shopping, and ultimately having Christian take his nap in his carseat while Mama and I try to find a nearby coffee shop that stays open passed 3pm.

We came up with a little theory about why our usual coffee stops were closing at 3pm during the summer – that’s probably when most folks switch from coffee to wine for the rest of the evening ahead. :)

Friday Night

After finding a new (to us) coffee shop in Sister Bay, Christian was once again awake and it was time for dinner. And where else to stop for dinner than Joe Jo’s in Ephraim.

It’s not truly a #doorcounty #roadtrip without dinner, and gelato, at Joe Jo’s – instagram.com/p/qnEZzWrBj_/

And you can’t have pizza at Joe Jo’s without also having gelato, and while Christian and I shared some stracciatella, it seemed an opportune time to share a selfie, too.

The gelato selfie #summer #roadtrip #doorcounty – instagram.com/p/qnIzcSrBqa/

On any other night, pizza and gelato would make for the perfect end of a day in the Door. But tonight was special because… we’re going to the drive-in!!!

20 mins to gates open #summer #roadtrip #doorcounty #planesmovie – instagram.com/p/qnMa35rBvR/

I don’t remember exactly how long it’s been since coming to a drive-in, but it’s definitely been awhile. #summer #roadtrip #doorcounty – instagram.com/p/qnQWTZLBli/

I mean, how cool is that? Not only are we in Door County during the opening weekend for “Planes: Fire & Rescue”, but the SkyWay Drive-in in Door County is showing it on opening night?

We hadn’t had an amazing stroke of movie-luck since we got to see the movie “Miracle” right on Waikiki Beach during our honeymoon in 2004.

Needless to say, Christian had a blast watching a movie from the car, and seeing a brand new movie (after watching “Cars” and “Planes” practically daily for the last few months) was a huge bonus. Here’s to hoping he remembers that experience for a long time to come.

Saturday

Seeing as it felt near-impossible to top a day like Friday, Saturday was a primed to be a much more laid back, play-it-by-ear type of day.

And those, like most days, start with coffee at KICK in Sturgeon Bay and walking around downtown after that. This time, being Saturday, we found ourselves at the weekly Farmers and Craft Market.

Checking out the farmer’s market on the gorgeous #doorcounty day. #summer #roadtrip – instagram.com/p/qo5rY0rBsc/

Mama and Christian #summer #roadtrip #doorcounty – http://instagram.com/p/qo7xA1LBgn/

From there, we slowly moved up north for a little walking and shopping in Fish Creek, where of course, we had to stop at Kid Works. It always amazes me the things our little 3 year old remembers, but when we recognizes a toy store from the view from his carseat after only going there twice in 18 months, it’s uncanny.

Not to mention the fact that he knows exactly where the toy cars and trucks are the moment he walks through the door.

Anyway, as we sat and had lunch at Stillwater in Fish Creek, we watched trolleys driving back and forth on the busy road, chartering guests for a nearby wedding. With that, the question for Christian was whether or not he wanted to see where all the trolleys were coming from.

So we went, just to check it out. But before we knew it, we had tickets for a 60-minute tour with the Door County Trolly, Inc.

Our first trolley tour with @doorcountytrolley #summer #roadtrip #doorcounty – instagram.com/p/qpWArOLBlC/

All aboard #summer #roadtrip #doorcounty – instagram.com/p/qpWc0aLBmG/

We weren’t sure how Christian was going to handle the tour at first, but he was great. While there wasn’t much that we saw on the tour that we hadn’t seen our own over the years, we definitely learned quite a bit from our tour guide in just an hour’s time. Definitely recommended.

Saturday Night

Now, when I said we were making up Saturday as we went along – as evident by the impromptu trolley ride – we did know that we wanted to go back to P.C. Junction for dinner. We were there last year, too, but didn’t get the chance to sit inside where all the fun happens.

And when I say fun, I mean…

Our drinks are here… #summer #roadtrip #doorcounty – instagram.com/p/qplsnlrBjq/

If you know our son well enough to know how much he likes cars and trains, just like every other 3 yr old boy in the country, you probably pictured his expression to be something like this.

Someone really likes the idea of sitting in front of train tracks while having dinner. #summer #roadtrip #doorcounty – instagram.com/p/qpmbTdrBlM/

From there, you’d probably think that couldn’t be topped. Well, when in doubt, ice cream. :)

Let’s see how this on ends. #summer #roadtrip #doorcounty – instagram.com/p/qptCPzLBvu/

Even after all of that, will still had time to make it back to our room before sunset.

Sunset view from our room before heading to the pool to tire out one rather energetic toddler. #summer #roadtrip #doorcounty – instagram.com/p/qp1f8-LBvI/

Alas, to our dismay, our attempts to tire out Christian in the pool at the resort were for naught. But even after a short time in the water, he was winding down for the night.

Sunday

It’s always tough waking up the morning we have to go home, but it still starts like any other. With a coffee run.

One last fuel up before we start heading for home #summer #roadtrip #doorcounty – instagram.com/p/qrdUH4rBif/

As with Saturday morning, we headed out on foot one last before the drive home. And that meant walking to the steel bridge one more time.

One more stroll over the Michigan St. bridge. #summer #roadtrip #doorcounty – instagram.com/p/qrfTUMLBmi/

From there, it was time to hit the road. And, as with our journey north, the trip back south means a stop in Sheboygan for lunch and Starbucks. So for lunch, that meant sandwiches at JJ’s. Well, sort of.

Stopped halfway home for lunch. He didn’t want his turkey sandwich, so he decided to make a chippy sandwich instead. #summer #roadtrip – instagram.com/p/qr2mGlLBpJ/

And if you’re wondering, he only took about two more bites and that was it.

Finally, just like we have a hard time making the entire drive home without making a few stops, neither can the car. So, when we stop to gas up at the Oasis near home, we stretch our legs.

Last stop before home. As always, having to stop and watch the cars drive under the oasis. #summer #roadtrip – instagram.com/p/qsKfSjLBgy/

Fin

And there you have it, another Door County road trip in the books, and recapped with our makeshift Instagram journal for the trip.

While this will not be our last visit to DC by any stretch of the imagination, this view of this year’s summer road trip will be a great way to relive these memories for many, many years to come.

Until next time…

Enjoy!
– Kris

The post Our Summer Door County Road Trip – 2014 Instagram Edition appeared first on Kris, Cindy, and Christian.

And of course, it was a chance to take more portraits as well.

Here are some of our favorites of Mama on her special day…

You can see all the photos in the Mother’s Day, May ’14 photo gallery.

Mother’s Days Past

Keeping with the habit of watching our son grow year after year, here’s the collection of Mother’s Day photos from the last four years.

2014

2013

2012

2011

Enjoy the photos!

– Kris

The post Mother’s Day 2014 [Photos] appeared first on Kris, Cindy, and Christian.

And while we still have another day and a half to go, we already took some great photos on Friday, that hopefully will be joined by more from Saturday and Sunday.

In the meantime, I started reminiscing about how many times we’ve been up here already, both before and after Christian, and it’s hard to believe we’ve been coming up here for seven years already. Yup, seven. Check it out for yourself.

Family Fun

And even though he’s only pushing 3-and-a-half years old, this weekend is Christian’s 7th trip up here, too. No wonder he’s been asking by name to come up here lately.

This was him on his very first trip in 2011, at just six months old, and even trying baby cereal for the very first time while we were up here, too. :)

Annual Family Portraits

In addition to all the fond memories of our visits here as a family, it’s only natural for me – as a photography enthusiast – to mark these occasions with an annual family portrait as well.

While somewhat stressful at times, depending on Christian’s cooperation level, it’s proven to be well worth it year-after-year.

2011

2012

2013

2014

Fond Memories

I have to say, it’s pretty amazing and humbling to be able to look back at those photos, and their associated memories, and not help but feel blessed about how wonderful these first few years as a family have been for us. And how great it is to have a place like Door County where we can visit year after year, that’s not too far from home, but far enough to feel like a world away.

I can’t help but get even more excited as we begin to plan our first extended family trip up here in 2015, which itself could be the start of another annual tradition altogether.

Sure, it’s going to be an absolute blast taking Christian to Disney World in September, and no doubt something he’ll never forget (at least in the near term). And I still dream of the day we take him back to Maui for his 5th birthday, get him out on a whale watch, and see his eyes light up when he sees his first whale breach in person.

But when it comes down to it, there aren’t too many things that could top these long weekend road trips to Door County, both for their brief escapes from our hectic everyday lives, and the long lasting memories that keep us coming back so often.

Whether near or far, I hope all young families like ours have a place that means as much to them as Door County means to us. And I can only continue to hope, as our little boy grows older, he learns to cherish these trips and the family time together, and begins to realize how much they mean to us, as his parents, too. :)

– Kris

The post Fun at the Door [Photos] appeared first on Kris, Cindy, and Christian.

As has been the family tradition from even before he was born, we headed to the Public Landing in Lockport for Easter dinner with Cindy’s family. But before we left, we took a few photos at home first.

After a lovely dinner, and the usual post-dinner nap on the ride home (for everyone except Papa, of course), we took advantage of the absolutely beautiful weather and played outside for the first time this year.

We even had time to head over to Grandma’s for a bit, getting a chance to get the old tricycle out of storage.

Lastly, it was time to unwind at home, and reading through Christian’s Cars book before getting ready for bed.

And of course, that was the same book he was reading from the last post.

All told, it was an absolutely perfect day.

If you’d like to see more, check out the Easter, Apr ’14 Gallery for more photos.

Easters Past

As I mentioned, Easter has been a great time to compare how much our son has grown from year to year.

Check out Easter 2013 and Easter 2012 to see for yourself.

And let’s not forget his first Easter, either, at 4 months old.

I always loved that shirt. :)

Enjoy the photos!
– Kris

The post Easter 2014 [Photos] appeared first on Kris, Cindy, and Christian.

The latest video shows Christian with a lower-tech, good ol’ fashion book featuring his favorite Disney Cars.

For those that don’t get to see Christian everyday or on a regular basis, you’ll probably be surprised on how he’s able to carry on a full conversation by himself, articulate what he’s looking at, and the like.

For us, who’s been hearing him talk (and talk and talk) for going on two years now, it’s another one of those moments where you step back and admire how fast he’s grown already, and start pondering where he’s headed next.

Enjoy,
– Kris

The post His Cars Book [Video] appeared first on Kris, Cindy, and Christian.

Christian decided he wanted to take pictures with his iPod (I wonder where he got that idea from) and we captured this little clip while he went around snapping portraits of some of his toys.

I guess when you take a daily photo of your child everyday of his first year, and some many times after that, he gets used to the concept pretty quickly.

Almost two years old

To think, how the world was so different 30 years ago when I was his age. And while I didn’t get serious about photography until much later in life, he could be getting started a lot sooner than I did. Still many years from now, obviously, but it does make me excited by the thought of it.

Enjoy the video,
– Kris

The post The Junior Photographer [Video] appeared first on Kris, Cindy, and Christian.

Da Birthday

For whatever reason, I hadn’t noticed until just now that the birthday post early in December didn’t get published like it was scheduled to. Oops!

Oh well, it seems like it was forever ago already, but that’s the nice part about this blog – you get to go back and relive all those moments with just a few photos.

You can find that forgotten post below.

Xmas Morning ’13

As with years past, it was creating spending both Xmas Eve, Xmas Morning, and Xmas Dinner surrounded by family.

With Christian now 3 years old, it was fun seeing him get so excited for the season, talking about Santa, getting upset a week before Xmas that Santa hadn’t come yet, you name it.

One of the favorite memories this year will have to be our slumber party next to the tree…

And of course, opening presents the following morning.

You can find all those photos in the Xmas Morning, Dec ’13 album.

2013 in Video

As things have settled down, I’m also just now getting around to updating all the videos and playlists of Christian as a two year old, so be sure to check out the Christian at Age 2 page to see the playlist and watch the videos.

And last, but not least, one more video from this New Years Day of Christian putting up Grandma’s handmade decorations on our Xmas tree just days before it’s time to take it down.

To think, this was him two years ago on New Years Day!

Happy New Year!

So with that, we wish you all the best in 2014. It’s going to be an exciting year for us, especially considering it’s time for our first Florida trip, if you can see where that is going. ::wink::

Oh boy!

– Kris

The post That’s a Wrap! appeared first on Kris, Cindy, and Christian.

For those that haven’t already seen the photos on Facebook, here’s a quick teaser post for some of the 3rd Birthday Party photos, with a link to the rest at the bottom.

You can find all the rest in the 3rd Birthday photo album, as well as photos from the previous b-day bashes there as well.

Enjoy!
– Kris

The post 3rd Birthday Party [Photos] appeared first on Kris, Cindy, and Christian.