Sometimes the best part of a family outing is discovering what captures your child’s attention.
A deer resting among the trees. Turkeys moving through the woods. A gummy worm “hidden” along the trail. Or a baby’s face that brings out a smile bigger than anything else all weekend.
This week brought a little of everything: a hike in Troy, a Sunday picnic with school friends in Rochester, and dinner with close friends in Clawson. Together, those moments reminded us how much there is to enjoy close to home when we make time to get out and connect.
A Woodland Walk With a Sweet Surprise
Our outdoor adventure took us to the Stage Nature Center in Troy, where we saw an abundance of deer and turkeys.
There is something special about sharing those sightings with our daughter. Walking through the woods becomes more than getting from one end of a trail to the other. There are reasons to stop, look closer, and notice what is happening around us.
With her nature booklet in hand and a stuffed bear along for the adventure, our daughter had plenty to keep her interested. The deer and turkeys gave us real woodland discoveries to enjoy together—but the trail held another kind of surprise, too.
Our daughter found “hidden” gummy worms along the way.
Apparently, a nature walk can offer both wildlife watching and a little candy-related motivation. We suspect the gummy worms will hold their own alongside the deer and turkeys when she remembers this hike.
For us, the family photo from the trail captures it well: three smiles, a well-loved stuffed companion, and time together in the woods.
Stopping for a closer look. A little explorer records her discoveries.
A closer look at the trail: nature-booklet discoveries and a moment to make notes.
A Sunday Picnic With School Friends
On Sunday, we met up with school friends at Rochester Municipal Park in Rochester.
We had a picnic, the kids played on the new play structures, and we explored Paint Creek. It was a chance to spend time together beyond the school day, with room to play and an afternoon of simple outdoor fun.
The photos tell that story beautifully: Our daughter smiling on the picnic blanket, the kids gathered on the oversized park chair, and ducks floating beneath the creekside branches.
There is a lot to love about an outing that combines a picnic, a playground, and water to explore. Each offers a different reason to linger—and another opportunity for the kids to enjoy being together.
As parents, we appreciate these chances to get to know the families who are becoming part of our daughter’s world. School friendships can open the door to connections for the whole family, and a picnic at the park is a lovely place to start.
Dinner With Friends at Gus’ Snug
Another highlight of the weekend happened over dinner at Gus’ Snug in Clawson, where we met close friends.
The dinner photo captures our group gathered around the table, but the sweetest part of the evening was watching our daughter beam over our friends’ baby daughter, whom she absolutely loves.
Watching your child show affection for someone smaller is its own kind of milestone. The same girl exploring the trail and playing at the park has so much tenderness to share.
Good company made the evening special, and our daughter’s joy around that little girl gave us another reason to smile. It was a lovely way to spend time with people we love.
Making Room for These Moments
Looking through this week’s photos, we see more than a list of places we visited. We see curiosity, growing friendships, and the people we are glad to have in our lives.
The kitchen photo captures another milestone: our daughter and Mom working together on the first official homework assignment of her scholastic career. Her task was to create a scrapbook page describing who she is and what she loves. Surrounded by photographs and craft supplies, they worked on a page all about our daughter and her interests—a little introduction to herself as she begins her school journey.
For us, it was more than a craft project. It was the first of many assignments to come, and a chance to pause and appreciate the curious, creative person she is becoming.
That is a big part of the heart behind Mitten Mornings Coffee Company. We are a Michigan family building a business while raising our daughter and making room for time together. The trails, parks, dinner tables, and everyday experiences we share are part of the story behind the brand.
We hope your next cup gives you a moment to think about what you would like to make time for, too. Maybe it is a nearby trail, a picnic with friends, or dinner with someone you have been meaning to see.
And if your family hike happens to include a few “hidden” gummy worms, we certainly understand.
What little discovery made your family smile this week? We would love to hear about it.
—The Mitten Mornings Family