Hello Mommas! I’m Kelly. I’m thrilled to be joining this wonderful group of ladies at DMB. I am a rookie momma myself, as my son Milo is just 6 months old. My husband Brandon and I are certainly enjoying our new role as mom and dad. We are also fur parents to our dog Izzy and our cat Tater.
I grew up in Rochester and moved to Kalamazoo after high school to attend Western Michigan University. I earned my teaching degree and began teaching right after graduation in the Kalamazoo area. Brandon and I settled into life in Kalamazoo, and after a few years of marriage we decided we were ready to start our family. Unfortunately, we struggled for years with infertility, despite meeting with several fertility specialists. In an attempt to move our life forward, my husband took a job back in the Metro-Detroit area and we decided to move back home to be closer to our family and friends.
About 6 months after we moved back, I found out I was pregnant: a magical, wonderful, and completely unexpected blessing! At the time we were temporarily renting in Lake Orion and the search began to find a home to raise our family. We settled on a house in north Lake Orion/Oxford. We moved in about a month before Milo arrived, so we are still in the middle of home renovations and unpacking boxes!
I work as a middle school English teacher for a local public school district, a job that I am passionate about. In my spare time, I love to run and try to run a local 5K every month. I also keep challenging myself to try new workout classes in the area, so I’d love to hear your suggestions. I am a volunteer for Girls on the Run, participate in a few book clubs, and love exploring Detroit and getting reacquainted with the city. You’ll find us down at Eastern Market or at the Royal Oak Farmers Market on most Saturdays.
We love living up in the Lake Orion/Oxford area because both cities have small town charm.
Here are a few of our favorite things to do around town:
Lake Life
The official motto of Lake Orion is “Where living is a vacation” and we agree! The lake itself is only a few miles from our home. We’re really looking forward to taking our canoe out on Lake Orion this summer and spending some time paddling around.
Running the Paint Creek Trail
We also spend a lot of time on the Paint Creek Trail. When we first moved to town we lived close enough to walk to the trail entrance and spent many afternoons running or biking there. This year we’ll be trekking along with a stroller!
Good Eats
My husband and I are by no means foodies, but we do love seeking out good restaurants in the area. You can’t go wrong with Sullivan’s Public House in Oxford. The food is outstanding and the atmosphere is cozy. My favorite dishes are the Irish dip sandwich and the chicken pot pie. Perfect comfort food for chilly winter days.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Sagebrush Cantina. If you’re a fan of Mexican food, Sagebrush has a long history of serving up some delicious food in northern Oakland county. And if you’re like me and in search of the perfect margarita, this is the place to go!
On the List
We have a pretty long to-do list of places to check out still. If you live up this way we’d love to hear your recommendations. Many adventures await our family as we settle into Oxford!
I’m looking forward to my time with DMB and sharing my family adventures with you!