You know 2023 is off to a good start when you get to host an out-of-state artist in residency for a week (a.k.a. my aunt Cha Cha). We eagerly planned for Chelsee’s arrival so that we could be her personal welcoming committee at the airport, and sure enough, we saw her plane descent from the clouds just as we approached the French Island exit ramp!

Of course, this was strictly a work trip, but Genesee and I were determined to sneak in some cooking, sledding, and board game shenanigans with Cha Cha. We also invited her to pick us up from school one day to see our lockers, classrooms, and Mel-Min’s revered pet therapy dog, and then I requested her presence at my indoor soccer match so I could have a superfan! But after that, it was down to business for Cha Cha because she had to kick off an Arts and Healing program at a local middle school.

It’s no surprise that Cha Cha worked wonders in that art room, and I was also not shocked that all the kids loved her, but just to be clear, she’s OUR aunt and while sharing is caring, giving her back to us is a non-negotiable.