keep 'em laughing

The library breathes a sigh of relief as soon as we walk in the door.  Or is it when we walk out?


These are the guys.

Spent a week with these guys.  Yep, that's the guys.  Pops with the glasses and Gram with the very long face.  Ha  ha ha ha.  Artwork by PJ.

 

Though I'm sure all the time we spent with the Grandparents playing and reading and watching Christmas movies will be the true memories the kids hold forever, this day trip to the Aquarium was certainly the most adventurous, er, exciting!

 

Thanks for and to the family!

 

 

HOME

Mainly I'm putting these photos up here so I can look at them myself.  

You probably know, but I REALLY LOVE CHRISTMAS.  Can't probably explain it all in a little blog post, but it is truly the reason for the season which creates extra goodwill in my heart especially during this time of year.

As our family sets to travel a bit in the next month, I thought that while it is so fun to be off and running, here and there, and even out and about, there is a reason to join back again soon.

HOME.

Playing the Games!

 

 

The kids and I spent an hour hanging out at camp before lunch recently.  While the kids played, I drug everything out of the game cabinet and went to reorganize.  It's my gift, really...organization.  It's a DNA thing...the need to dump out something and put it back. (tongue in cheek...)

When the kids tired of their games, they came over and helped me stack stuff back in and throw away garbage.

I'm sure it lasted, like, 24 hours before it was a jumble again.  It is a well loved and oft used place at camp to hang out.  Not just for camp kids, but guests as well!

 

 It's good, though, to pass on these obsessive compulsive, I mean, awesome abilities to the next generation!!!

 

touch o' the green

We've been back to one of our "new" favorite hiking trails.  It was one of those days you had to wear your sunglasses because the grass and hills were so green!  Good thing the boys were wearing red and not their favorite football gear!


*This was a month ago!  It's such a funny photo, though, it's worth a share!  I should have a matching picture of what those background trees look like now!  Time to take more pictures, I
guess!*

Find the Gnome

Here we are on a recent hiking trip, trying again, to "find the gnome".  I think this year's gnome has a red shirt on and is an ornery 10 years old!

 

Peepin' Toms

I took this photo while hiking at our living history museum.  Do you think Ma Ingalls minded these two aliens from the future checking out her home?

Name That Store

Can you name this store?

Uff-Da!

Syttende Mai

The Norweigan Heritage Days are serious business around here in South Western Wisconsin (think Summerfest, but without the music). 

Everyone seems to turn a bit "Swedish" if you know what I mean!

Our family walked/rode in the parade on behalf of Living Waters.

It was really fun and very strange to be on the side of the candy throwing population!



an afternoon with friends

A recent outing proved to be just as educational as it was fun!

:: observation of mama & baby calf ::

:: forest management hike ::

:: beekeeping ::

:: the birth of a frog pond ::

:: dam building ::

Lately on our adventuring outside, the kids have been completely unable to hike or trounce around without having sticks.  We've been listening to stories of the gang of Sherwood forest, as well.  The sticks often become swords to fight the evil PJ (well, Prince John in this case).

I'm starting to think, too, that most of my photos of our days are centering around PJ.  I prefer to attribute it to him being the only one I can keep up with!  A Mom has no favorites, after all!!!

Collage

:: New Smyrna Beach : 2012 ::

There were so many pictures to choose from!  I'd like to write out some of the memories and accompany more pictures.  And now that I have my laptop up and running, thanks to Paul!!!, I'll get on that!

home and hearth

We've been enjoying all the newness of our holiday traditions this year.  Being gone for two weeks in the month of December, though, we've definitely kept it simple.

If nothing else, but having done that alone, it is a good reminder to keep it simple.  We've wrapped up our last day of school now, and are on to a two week break. 

Certainly not a break from learning.  But an attempt to rest and regroup and enjoy those last few traditions this wonderful season affords us.

what a camp is....

One of the places we're steadily growing to love is "camp".  It's where we work, it's where we play.  We fellowship, practice, and prepare our faith within it's confines. 

It's a place we're inviting you to share, as well!

 

 

The hiking is really great!  And the friends are pretty good, too!

okay, not

You're starting to catch on to me, now.  I have w-a-y more pictures than inclination to share them.  Thus the back log of summer pics as we near winter.  I'm trying to get more "real time" in our blogging; like, we work on something at home and *bam* up it goes on the blog the NEXT day.  Until then, enjoy the summer pictures and soak up the last of that summer sun.

This place, sadly, was NOT one of our summer favorites, but we're hoping it will grow on us, since it occurs just down our road.

Yes, it is an antique tractor pull.  Did you guess that?

We tortured the children through the slowly moving farm vehicles for about 45 minutes.  They were unconvinced there was really a contest going on as the tractors literally moved as slow as snails.

There were no flames coming out of the smoke pipes and no sinister names like "freakin' farmers" on the sides of the tractors (yes I mean you Walworth Co Fair). 

And while the earmuffs were great for photographing, the tractor noise barely grew beyond the sound of my children whining "can we go now."

And so we go....