And a new bike...

We are just back from vacation and school started yesterday, but I'll get to that soon, I promise!

As M3 began mastering the bicycle, we realized the blue bike was just too small for him! He looked like a hamster on its wheel. So to the local bike shop we went and lo and behold...the perfect used bike!

Taste of Freedom!

Yay!! M4 has finally conquered his fears and started riding his bike without training wheels!! He has gone round the block several times without stopping and has gotten only a few scrapes. He is very determined. Not only is it freedom for him, but it is freedom for me!! He was getting darn heavy on the Trail-A-Bike!

Camping!

After we left Madtown and our friends, we made our way to one of our most favorite places to camp, Wyalusing State Park, where the Wisconsin river meets the Mississippi (official term: confluence). Since we are forgoing our usual big summer camping trip for California this summer (whee!!), we got in two quick nights during this Wisconsin visit. At Wyalusing, we lucked into a bluff campsite and got to watch fireworks go off in the distance on Saturday night.

Here are M and M at a scenic spot overlooking the rivers.

On the way to Treasure Cave.

There is a big storm just to the left of M4 in this pic. We left just in time and drove home through some torrential downpours.

A short trip, but sweet. Maybe we can get in some camping weekends this fall. We did discover that one of our air mattresses has a leak. Boo!! And also that one must have s'mores even if it takes two hours to get your wet firewood going!!

Friends...

The subject of friends has been on my mind a lot this summer, so it was particularly great to meet Pete and Paula and the girls in Madison last weekend. Let's just say I am missing my old friends, particularly with Jenn's move to Carlisle. So we spent a gorgeous summer evening on the Terrace (of which I only got a few, terrible pictures--just go see Paula's beautiful pics here and here):
Then we met up again the next day for Art Fair on the Square, African food, the Capitol, the Zoo, and of course, Babcock ice cream! Geez, we did a lot!

Kids cooling off and checking out the capitol dome.

A fine looking quartet. S and N were particularly awesome about hanging out with M and M, keeping an eye on them, and letting the parents catch up and reminisce. Thanks, ladies...Oh, and M and M got a picture with this high school girl who had made her prom dress out of duct/duck tape. She and her date are among the top finishers in the nation in a Duck Tape sponsored contest!

Talent in the family

I always look forward to summer laziness...and then summer always ends up being busy! Mostly because we take time to visit people or they take time to visit us. And that is the best kind of busy-ness, but it doesn't lend itself to spending time on the computer (not such a bad thing, in my case!!). So herewith, I will take a few days to try to get up-to-date with some of our summer highlights.

Up first, our first trip to Music in the Park all summer was to see cousin Aaron play!! How cool is that? He played acoustic guitar in a an Irish (Scottish?) music trio. It was possibly the first rain-free, truly beautiful Thursday night we've had, so it was extra special to be able to sit with Gina and Mitch and listen to Aaron. The kids had fun running amok with their friends, and then we all went to La Cabana for dinner. We rode the bikes home after dark trying not to get fireflies in our teeth.
Sadly, I didn't get a picture of Aaron playing because he was behind the music stand. I didn't want to make him nervous by stalking around the gazebo trying to get a good shot!

Ring around the rosy!
M4's hair's a-flyin'!!

Chicago

Three weekends ago now (sheesh!), we went to Chicago for Mark's 20th college reunion. 20th!! We stayed with the fabulous Navarro clan. Yes, Mark's fraternity brother was Dave Navarro. Just kidding!!! Not THAT Dave Navarro. A much better one! So here are the collective kids in the cool stone bench circle on campus. It echoes your voice back at you if you stand in the right spot. We also went to the Museum of Science and Industry, which so rocks!! The highlight of our trip was the German U-boat tour, but there is so much to see. It would take a few days to really fully experience everything. Sadly, I forgot my camera. But that didn't keep us from having lots of fun.

By the way, M3 wants to live in Chicago when she grows up. She also wants to go to Grinnell, U of Wisconsin, or U of Chicago. Guess we're brain-washing her right!! But, um, I think only the first choice is affordable. And that's only cuz we get a MAJOR break. She and M4 were having a big discussion in the car yesterday, because she thinks she is a city girl and M4 thinks he is a country boy, and M4 couldn't understand why M3 wouldn't want to live on a farm with animals?! It was settled that she would be OK living on an "animal farm" but not a "crop farm." Wait 'til she meets George Orwell.

Again with the busy!

So it's been almost a month since I put anything on here. You gotta problem wit' dat??! Two weekends in a row out-of-town: one in KC with the whole family as you can see from the sweet pictures here:




(I love this last pic; it truly displays the cousins' personalities! V doesn't want to be contained...she's always on the go, and O is just chillin'.)

And one in Chicago for Mark's 20th college reunion, hanging with the fantastic Navarro family and getting to see old friends and their children all grown up. Of course, I forgot my camera for that outing. Then we hosted two parties for new Chemistry babies and friends who are moving away (boo!). So now it really feels like summer! M3 is swimming in the mornings, and we have some art and science camp activities coming up. But mostly we're just hanging out...especially at our amazing new aquatic center!! I'll try to get better at posting!