October

I don't know why I have been so lax about posting anything on the blog lately. But I will makeup for it now by sharing a ton of information in one post. So here it goes...In October we...

Went to a pumpkin patch,

 where we ate some apple cider brats, (Oh, they were so good.)

and we picked out a pumpkin or two, 

and we almost went on a hayride.

 We also...

Hosted a little Halloween Party!

 That's right, I dressed like a pirate and made the kids do crafts. That is just the kind of person I am.

 Cuties!

We also went to Chicago to go to the temple,

where Truman suddenly turned into a giant!!

While in Chicago we also visited...

Chess Records 

Howlin' Wolf and lots of other Blues artist recorded there. I am sure you all know who Howlin' Wolf is and love Blues music so you are green with envy now.

We ate a CheezBorger, CheezBorger at the famous Billy Goat Tavern . Click on the link or watch this to see why it is famous.

 

We went to 

The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago

The museum was great! It wasn't very big so Truman didn't have time to get bored and it had some truly beautiful displays. (It helps to have Jack there with you to explain everything. So if you go, I recomend you take him with you.) It is, of course, located on the University of Chicago Campus, which is also beautiful.

We went to the Shedd Aquarium. which was large and full of fish.

Look at Trum in this penguin suit, hilarious and cute at the same time!

and of course we couldn't miss the site of the

Haymarket Square Riot 

or the Lego store for that matter

 Chicago was definitely fun.

Back at home we carved pumpkins

And went Trick-or-Treating.

Notice that Truman's costume is different in these pictures. He wanted to have a "scary" costume for the actual trick-or-treating. So we turned him (with the magic of the glue gun and face paint) into a knight who had been stabbed. 

So all in all a pretty good month. Do you feel like I shared enough info about our family? Do you want to hear about the day Trum and I got our hair cut as well??????

Madison

There are a lot of things that I love about living in Madison. The beautiful countryside that is just 5 minutes from my door, seeing all of our friends again, the friendly service at all stores and restaurants (even McDonald's), having our closest family only 5 hours away instead of 17, the AWESOME library system, Jack's short commute, and the delicious Mexican food (I am sorry but all you can get in the DC area is Tex-Mex or Central American food. That is NOT the same thing.). But one of my all time favorite things about living in Madison is going to the Dane County Farmers Market at the State Capitol. I lo-ove it!

 It is huge and fun and you can get such great stuff there!

 

Gorgeous Fruit and Vegetables!

Beautiful Flowers and Plants!

All kinds of Jams and Jelly's and bottled goodness. I got some pumpkin butter, so good.

(this is for you Lisa) Some lovely, natural wool and yarn.

All kinds of neat-o stuff. I take cash and I only spend what I have, or else I could go crazy. Jack and I always get a fresh scone and visit this cheese stand for a sample.

Even Truman likes to go.

He likes the fresh cider and maple sugar lollipops.

ANY-WAY, it's awesome, and I love it.

Okay, end of unpaid advertisement.

Hats We Re-Discovered While Packing

Perhaps, just perhaps, we should stop buying (and keeping) so many hats.

Unfinshed Craftiness

Does completing a billion unfinished craft projects from around your house count as packing???? 

Because if it does, my July was very productive.

Okay so I made these in June for Father's Day. But aren't they cute?

Finally! I finished this wreath of crepe paper roses! I can't even remember when I started it.

I finished an apple book for myself, now how do I pack it??? P.S. Notice how spiritual we are with the Bible and what not.

How about this festive fourth of July head band?

I have other projects that got finished as well but I didn't finish the project of taking pictures of them.

How We Celebrated

The Fourth of July this year.

On July 2nd we explored Antietam Battlefield. I am in love with Burnside Bridge. I took about 20 pictures of it.

After we were done exploring we settled in to listen to the Maryland Symphony Orchestra and watch the fireworks with our friends the Olsen's and a few grasshoppers. We also enjoyed a gentle rain shower.

We, of course, went to the annual Derwood Ward Fourth of July Pancake Breakfast. It was fun and breakfast was delicious. The Primary President (aka me) provided some messy craft projects for the kids.

In the afternoon we went to watch the Nationals vrs. the Cubs game. It was indeed hot but fun as well. What could be more American than watching a baseball game in the DC??

After all of that we were exhausted, so we just went to bed instead of seeking out another fireworks show. Still, I feel like we beat that Holiday like a red-headed step-child. I know that makes no sense, but I thought it was funny. And that is all that matters.

Clarification

I just wanted to make a couple of things clear.
First of all, yes, I do, sometimes, call Nylons, stockings. That is what my Grandma Isaak called them and she was awesome. She also called her sofa "The Davenport", she wore "slacks" not pants, and her footstool was a "hassock". She also made a roasted chicken dinner every Sunday, could sew, crochet and knit beautifully, always had cookies in the cookie jar and Jolly Ranchers and Kraft caramels in the candy dish, would let her granddaughters wear her nighties (night gowns) to bed when they stayed the night, had the most musicals on video tape ever, she had a marvelous "dress up" box, she would call you "Twinks", would buy you which ever cereal you wanted when you stayed with her and she truly believed that you were wonderful. See, I told you she was awesome. By the way I never, ever, call "stockings" panty-hose because that is just an unattractive word. Don't you agree?

Me and Grandma, circa 1978. Excuse the blurry photo of a photo, I was too lazy to get out the scanner.

Second of all, yes, we are moving. To Madison, Wisconson. And yes, we are lucky. We loved living in Madison and now we get to do it again. However we will only be there for 10-11 months. Jack's work is paying for him to go to school again so he can finish his PHD course work. He is determined to get his doctorate and has been working on getting this paid for for awile and I am so happy that he has this opportunity. We will of course miss everyone here. But we will be back next summer. We are not sure where we will be back to, just yet. But it will probably be either Virginia or Maryland. How does that sound?

Beautiful Madison!!!!

And third of all, there is no third of all.

Endings & Beginnings

It is that time of year, and I guess, that time in our lives, for endings and beginnings. At least that is what it seems like to me.
The soccer season ended a while ago. It was a pretty good season (other than the whole, Truman punching a teammate in the stomach during practice, debacle). Truman had some really good coaches this year and I feel like he learned a lot. He, of course, is still more interested in goofing around, but he is improving. Jack feels that we should try a martial art class next fall. So I guess we will see how that goes and maybe come back to soccer next spring.

Today was the last day of school for Trummels. Also his last day in first grade. And his last day at Bel Pre Elementary School since we will be in Wisconsin next fall. It was a little sad for me today. Trum of course was just happy for summer to FINALLY start.

There are some nice beginnings right now of course, like the beginning of summer, the beginning of swimming at the pool several times a week, of sleeping in and of not wearing stockings to church. We also have the grand beginning of Truman's ability to ride a bike to be happy about. That's right, it finally happened. Through Jack's determination alone and with no help from me and against his own will, Truman can now ride a bike. And of course now he thinks it is great and is so proud of himself.

This is kind of a beginning. We got new playground equipment at the park by our pool. It is, according to Truman, totally awesome. I think we also got a batch of young hoodlums to go with it. I heard some not so new and not so welcome swear words while we were there earlier. If Jessica had been there she would have given them the what's for. But I just decided to go home, wimpy and lazy.

And this is sort of a combo of a beginning and an ending. We are starting to sort through our stuff and decide what to leave and what to take with us to Wisconsin. So we are "beginning" to pack, but it is the "ending" of our time in this apartment.

Anyway, I am a big, mixed up, combo of happy and sad right now.