Besides unpacking, putting nail holes in our walls, and trying to shake off our clingy children, we've squeezed in a few other things since we moved here six weeks ago.
Like a trip (or two) to the zoo. Where my favorite animal was this little bear.
Isn't she cute? (She's a Mary-Beary.)
No trip to the zoo is complete without a ride on a train. (Why is that?) Our kids are the orphans in the picture. Greg and I are mean and made our kids ride on the train by themselves. As COZY and COMFORTABLE as those other parents look, Greg and I were too cheap to buy ourselves tickets.
***
We also had some time for a home improvement project. Actually, we didn't have time for it, but we did it anyway. (Correction: GREG did it.)
I believe we have been fully initiated into home ownership, as most of the month of August was spent at Home Depot. My children have spent HOURS on these riding lawn mowers.
When I think of our first month in Wisconsin, it is the above image that comes into my mind.
Here is another lovely picture from Home Depot.
Is that an awesome picture, or what? My daughter in a soccer jersey, a tutu, Princess underpants, purple Crocs, with two pink purses, and sitting on a giant riding lawn mower. So very Mary!
(The underpants are a big deal, as we also re-potty-trained Mary while trying to unpack. A summer of traveling equals a summer of Pull-Ups. So some retraining was in order...especially as we had Mary's first day of school looming large in the future. Nothing like a deadline to get me off my derriere to get my kid's derriere out of diapers.)
***
We also spent plenty of time in August rediscovering year-long forgotten treasures. (The joys of unpacking--especially when much of your things have been in storage for a year. It was Christmas in August!)
***
Our month was shaping up to be really boring for the kids, so in an effort to find something for David to do, I signed him up for swimming lessons at the community natatorium.
Yippee!!
He had a great time.
They turned out to be great lessons! David ended the summer as quite a strong swimmer. Much of that is due to the many evenings Greg took the kids swimming at the Jewish community center while I unpacked ever more boxes.
***
One day we took a quick jaunt to suburban Chicago to check out three important things: The temple, the Ikea, and the Legoland Discovery Center. I think we will be making this two-and-a-half hour drive rather regularly during our tenure here in Wisconsin. (We also hope to occasionally venture all the way into the city center--we have great memories of Chicago!)
Mary and the temple.
David and the temple.
***
We (barely, it felt) managed to get ready for the BIG DAY. The first day of school! I cheated a little, and earlier I posted a picture that was actually taken on kindergarten orientation day, which was the day before the first full day. So this is the real picture of my boy on his first day of kindergarten.
I love this kid.
It was also the BIG DAY for Greg. It was his first day of school too! So this is Greg's official first day of school picture.
(As you can see, he was going for a run before heading up to campus. You can also see how Mary spends her time--begging her dad to carry her around.)
***
On a lovely September Saturday afternoon we drove to Greg's fancy (expensive!) parking spot, which is close to the fun spots in downtown Madison (good for our family outings) but not very close to the engineering building (not so good for Student Greg).
We walked over to the Memorial Union on campus.
Once inside we treated ourselves to some super fresh ice cream (yummy!) and headed out back to enjoy it on the lake.
Greg fulfilled his fatherly duty of eating all the quickly melting ice cream that the kids and I couldn't consume fast enough. (By the way, super fresh ice cream melts much faster than Culver's frozen custard, to which we are of late more accustomed.)
David was inspired to dance with the waves of Lake Mendota.
And Mary adeptly climbed up and down the railing sporting her new flip-flops (which are her most recent obsession).
After the ice cream, David and Daddy walked out onto the lake, while Mary hung back with me.
Beautiful!
We concluded our outing with a little walk up State Street. This is a picture of Greg pushing the stroller up State Street towards the Capitol, and he is about to get run over by a bicyclist. Very Madison.
***
My birthday happened somewhere in there. Mary enjoyed making (eating) the frosting.
And I enjoyed my cake. I was informed it was a Hello Kitty slash Lego Hero Factory cake. We have big imaginations in this family.
On my birthday (coincidentally) David and Mary were finally inducted into to world of Webkinz. (Thank you, Eliza, Luke, and Evan!...I think.) It was very exciting.
I have one more picture that was taken on my birthday that has nothing to do with my birthday.
Yes, that is Mary eating a granola bar and trapped in the chair while David's Webkinz chews her bum. Just what you always wanted to see. Next year I will try to take pictures of BIRTHDAY things on my birthday.
***
This is a weekly sight in our life again.
Greg hasn't mowed a lawn since Ohio.
He has a little helper again. But this time it's Mary.
***
One week after the FIRST first-day-of-school in this family, Mary had HER first day of school! Yay, Mary! (We are so proud of her for rising to the occasion with potty-training! And for WOWing her teacher with her brilliance!)
Mary chose very carefully where she wanted her first day of school picture taken. (She's standing in front of--and blocking-- pictures of her responsibilities, of which she is quite proud.)
***
Just a few weeks ago we were treated with a visit from Grandma Evie! Hooray! She spent a lot of time on the floor playing with the kids. Because of a home football game (Go, Badgers!) and pre-race Ironman events, we didn't do the usual Madison sightseeing downtown. (She'll have to come back for that. Hint, hint.) But we did drive through the lovely rural countryside to the House on the Rock. (I cannot explain the House on the Rock. It is too weird for words and too weird for camera. I refer you to the Internet. But I did take a few pictures.)
***
My mom was here the weekend of the Ironman. The biking portion goes right by our house. Literally. This is the view out of my bedroom window.
I am in awe of people who run marathons. These people swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and THEN run a marathon. I was in physical pain just THINKING about it.
 |
| Credit for this picture goes to Mary! |
Mary enjoyed riding her bike beside the race route.
Yes, we're startin' her early--she'll be an Ironwoman in no time!
***
Phew! Is that enough ketchup for you? It is for me!
Let's hope for a little less catch up and a little more regular blogging.
Good night.
