Day 1 – August 3

For the first time in OVER 2 years I had an overnight trip! What a rush! Karyn and I took a two day trip to see the scenic Wisconsin…. Ok so the scenery was MOSTLY corn fields (seriously – where were all the cows????)… and we had a ton of rain on the road… but it was so much fun!

We started out the morning of the 3rd all dressed up with a cooler full of drinks and a bag of snacks. We had over 4 hours on the road… first to the bed and breakfast and then on to Madison Wisconsin. Miss Echo had to show off her all in white fashion as well.

Walking Iron Bed & Breakfast was lovely (HERE). We had the William Thompson room (HERE). Trust me the bathroom WAS decadent. What a tub!!! And so much space. We lucked out and the other guests were not yet checked in so we got a chance to peek into ALL of the bedrooms they have available. Ours was one of the smaller but they all were equally amazing. They certainly put a lot of work into each and every room in the house. The dining areas were lovely, the hallway and stairs so gorgeous. Check in was simple and after we brought in our bags and such we HAD TO take pictures. The B&B has a continental breakfast the morning we are there, a spa we did not use and complimentary drinks including tea and coffee 24/7. The wi-fi was a little wonky (they were having issues and trying to get it repaired) but otherwise our stay was AMAZING.

After properly photographing our temporary abode it was time to head into Madison for some shopping and dinner. There are some absolutely LOVELY craft stores to peruse in the capital city of Wisconsin. We started with art supplies and cross stitch bits. Our GPS sent us on a few adventures this trip. They led us right over to the WRONG mall which had us have the happy accident of finding not only Sephora but a food place called Potbelly that was absolutely amazing. Karyn had had it before in another state and was unaware that it was a chain. We had flatbread. So yum!

I have to admit it was fun to be out and about without kids AND dressed up all fancy. I finally got to wear my birthday indulgences… my brand new rose patterned skirt and red crinoline. Not only comfortable but the compliments!! I lucked out and before Karyn got here found a fitted t shirt to match for now. I look forward to budgeting in a blouse from the Tatyana store one day!

Apparently Madison Wisconsin is the place to go if you want to find an amazing selection of yarn. It was in a rather dead mall but well worth the bungled up GPS instructions. I could easily have indulged hundreds of dollars worth of amazing yarn. Restraint was hard to find!!! Thank goodness for a budget and the realization that we still had another day of fun in Wisconsin to come.

After shopping and dinner at Potbelly and MORE shopping it was time to find a 7-11 to try a slurpee. Not quite the same as back home but a definite improvement on the Icee! Almost a taste of home and an awesome reason for such a fun odyssey.

After all that fun it was back to the B&B for a well earned rest! 

June 8-9

Weekends count with Ken’s new 5 day schedule, and we are working hard to make them count. Sadly the weather did not work exactly according to the original schedule.

I did forget to mention that on Friday we had to take the money Gammie had sent us treat treat the kids, and with no slurpees in sight… we went with Icees! Thank you so much for 5 happy kids!!

Sugar crash under the dolly blanket thanks to Gammie also

It is definitely garage sale season in our neighbourhood. So we spent a little more time hunting for some gems… Saturday was our day.

Pretty headbands at a steal

Our other prizes

Took Trinity forever to get her turn with the crown

Sunday was supposed to be a picnic at one of the many many lakes here in Minnesota. Sadly Sunday was the day that the rain decided to pour down. So instead of the picnic at a park we packed up and drove into the city and had an IKEA visit. MEATBALL STORE!

Waiting for food

We wandered, we checked things out, we planned for the future and all with Bree, Lily and Scott. Our Lily Bean is growing and growing and growing… of course I had to make Ken hold her…

What a face

Lily Bean

And get in my own picture time.

Lunch with friends at our favourite store is a good compromise to a rainy day. Scott mentioned to Bree after that he had a great time talking with the twins. It makes me so proud to know they can carry their side of a conversation with an adult they are just really getting to know without my help or intervention.That got us home in time to spend some quality time with the cousins. THEY are done school for the summer so longer visits on different days are starting up. This time they were home over Sunday night into Monday.

Gaming time

Popcorn!

Not a bad couple of days!!

Baby with her Baby

August 2-3

If you have 5 kids and a free hubby (DONE DONE DONE his contracts) what should you do? Well if you are a homeschooling family… you start like you did the day before – breakfast and then right into the review books and letters to the people who have stepped up to be our pen pals. Right now they don’t really understand how much work they WON’T be doing once we get all the first letters out but we are working down out list quite doggedly. Some even people the boys have never met before!!

Hard at work at a letter/picture (Gavin)

Now with the schooling out of the way, the kids dressed and the husband not tied to the computer beyond his morning’s job hunt (go Ken go!!) what to do? Well there was this promised LONG awaited outing… Victoria Secret and my first proper bra fitting and purchase of a proper NON nursing bra in over 9 years!! We had coupons that had come to the house in the mail recently and I ended up SAVING 120.00 while spending well under 100 and within the allotted budget… how so? Well we ended up with close enough to the target amount to get this really nice travel bag… which is also ALL of Lisa’s Secrets you will see… Victoria lets hers all hang out, me… not so much!

The bag!

In front of the store. All Trinity wanted was the bag it all came in!

After VS it was time to drive around and keep an eye peeled for MORE garage sales… check back at an old haunt and show the kids more of the beauty of the area. I have decided that next week or so we shall start collecting pictures of interesting street signs… trust me there are some REAL giggles. 

So now I have TWO new books to read… AND a list of suggestions (I had already read some but so neat how Barnes and Nobles does that!).

The two newest acquisitions

Suggestions

We had to make a stop off at a gaming store we remembered from years back that had moved to a NEW location that was HUGE so that the kids could each get a die. They do love having dice around! At 1.50 a piece certainly no hardship. Oh but don’t forget about lunch – TACO BELL!

Taco Bell

YUM!

This marked the beginning of our solo weekend. Nana and Baba headed off with Ken’s brother Joe and his family to camp for the weekend. We opted to stick around here so that we could work on some discipline issues, enjoy each other’s company and sort through a few more items we have laying around. Ken’s folks picked up some storage for our bedroom so I was able to further organize… and everyone knows how happy that makes me!!! 

Echo checking out from the inside out

We had a slow start to Friday as I finally have a more minor version of the rest of the family’s cold. But we did get out the door in the afternoon… for the ever magic garage sales (more squinkies and a spelling boardgame) and then the main attraction for the day – once we found it (two parks named the same on different streets in the same town???) – Andrew’s baseball game. The first of the tournament.

Andrew action shot

Another very hot day so the kids were a little fussy but we had a blast! Ken took pictures, Echo played with her Anthony and the boys played at the park. We always have fun with the Novaks. 

Watching from some shade

Echo and her Anthony

Andrew’s team won! And on that positive note we said see you LATER (that still brings a smile to my face) and headed off down the backroads home. We lucked out on our travels and came across ANOTHER garage sale… this one with everything for 25cents!! I picked up a zipper up sweater (just needed a wash), a push/ride car that we had up north and sold (seriously a QUARTER!) and a car that came with dominoes that turned out to be a gem. You fill the car and then let it go and it sets dominoes in a line!!!

She was so excited she wouldn’t let me put her pj’s on before she got onto it!

Don’t forget a stop off at Sam’s Club and an attempt at Slurpee in the form of a Coke flavoured Icee… head’s up… it is NOT the same thing!!!

Not quite

In the end the kids were pleased, we got to spend the day with friends and that night Ken and I sat around and did nothing! I just hope the rest of the family is having as much fun camping!!!

Cheering for our best boys!