Our Sunday Celebration

On Sunday, we went up to Green Lake with Tracy and her girls, my grandparents, and my aunt Chris & uncle Mike to celebrate my grandpa's and Chris's birthday. It's a restaurant on a beautiful lake, so when Kate got fussy, Dan just took her outside and let her run around in the gardens. She loved it!




Making amends with Maxine, who now tolerates Kate




This is a weird picture of her, but it shows her beautiful outfit so well (and it's from my mom, naturally)




Aunt Chris, Grandma, Grandpa, Tracy


The grandparents and grandchildren (and great-grandchild)

Toddler Clothing Quirks

Kate's at that age now where she likes to wear funny stuff all the time (well, when we're at home). For example, she often wears shorts on her head now (it looks like a Pope hat they way they stand straight up), or her latest thing is in the pictures below. This bunny thing was part of a decoration from a Sees candy box my mom gave us at Easter, but Kate wants to wear this thing on her head all the time. We say she looks like a little doctor (you know, how they have those headpieces with the light).




She loves this wagon from my aunt Chris

Sidewalk Chalk

Since Kate loves to color and draw, and it was a beautiful day out, I decided that this morning we'd use our new sidewalk chalk we got the other day. We had so much fun! Sometimes I really miss having a cuddly newborn baby, but then again, there is something so great about having a toddler that you can *do* things with! Everything is an adventure with Kate; when I told her we were going to go color outside, her face lit up and she ran to the door. I absolutely love staying home with my little girl; every day is something new with her!


I love this picture of her!




Gleefully admiring our creation


A close-up, although you can't really see it that well.

New Year's Resolution #5 Complete!

With Dan's paycheck today, we completed our last New Year's Resolution, which was to beef up our emergency fund to $2500.00. Yay! Although we're not done; the Dave Ramsey plan we're following says to get six months worth of expenses in savings, so that is next on our list. Hopefully we'll get that done by spring.

Madison Children's Museum

On Saturday, we went as a family to the Madison Children's Museum. It was so cool! I actually bought a membership for Kate & myself, since we'll be going a lot during the week, I'm sure, since I'm always looking for fun, educational things that we can do together.

She had a blast! She loved the blocks; we sat there and built structures, knocked them down, rinse, repeat. She also loved the water area (and, unlike at Olbrich, she was allowed to play in it this time!) There was also a mixed-media studio where they could do arts and crafts; I think we'll wait until she's at least two to do that. But when she's old enough, it will be so fun! We also went on the tour of the authentic log cabin that was common in Wisconsin throughout the 1800s. It was so interesting to see, but all I have to say is, people in the 1800s obviously had a lot less stuff than people do nowadays! I can't imagine living in an enclosure smaller than my garage!

The museum was kind of crowded, though, seeing as it was Saturday, but I'm sure that going during the week will be better.

Afterward, we went to Brickhouse BBQ; I thought it was so good when we went there with Meghan and Adelaide that I wanted to take Dan there, too.


She looks so adorable in her smock!


You mean I actually get to play with water this time?




Having so much fun building!


Putting the blocks away






Beautiful dress!


Peering down from the pirate ship's mast




Reading a book inside this cozy little "pod"

Summer Fun

Kate & I have been having a lot of fun this summer! Last Friday (the 5th) we went to the zoo together; I know we go there a lot, but she loves the zoo! The lions were very active, as were the seals, and Kate enjoyed seeing those a lot.

On Wednesday the 10th, we met Meghan & Adelaide for lunch at this new place called Brickhouse BBQ. Afterward, we walked along the lakeshore path, because it was an absolutely gorgeous day. It brought back a lot of memories of my favorite year of college (sophomore) when I lived in Tripp Hall. That was a beautiful walk home every day after class!

Thursday, we met Dan for lunch at Sprecher's. Kate didn't want to eat her grilled cheese, because she'd rather have my sauerbraten. Yes, my 18-month-old eats sauberbraten. She certainly is an adventurous eater!

Friday, I took Kate to Olbrich Gardens and we had a great time looking at all the different gardens. She loves to go up to flowers and "smell" them; it's so cute. She did get rather mad, though, that I wouldn't let her climb in the fountains. Luckily at this age, she's still rather easy to distract.


Kate & Adelaide at their lunch date





Look at that hair!










She loves to help push the stroller






By the elephant outside the Thai garden


Giving the elephant a hug. She does this now whenever she seems animals in books; she hugs the page like she wants to hug the animal itself. It's so cute!

The rest of my mom's visit

My mom was here almost a month (Wednesday, July 6 until Monday, August 1) and it still seems like it went by way too fast! But, we got a lot of stuff done for the remainder of her visit:

--Fish fry on Friday night at the Esquire Club with my mom, Tracy, Kirsti, Katrina, my aunt Chris, Dan, Kate & Grandma
--Breakfast on Saturday morning at the Original Pancake House, and again for lunch on Sunday
--Church at the Deerfield Lutheran Church on Sunday morning to hear her play the prelude and the offertory. Kate loved the music, obviously; she just got so mad that I wouldn't let her go up there and play the piano with Nana!
-A BBQ on Sunday night with the Hines, my mom, grandma, and Colin. That was super fun; we had Dan's famous burgers (with Swiss cheese, bbq sauce, mayo, and onion straws; so good!), hot dogs, brats, chips, corn on the cob, and angel food cake with strawberries.



She found this hat and put it on; funny girl!




This is her "funny face" as well call it; she scrunches up her nose and smiles; it is so cute!


I'm glad you like to read, honey, but you don't need to sit in your book bin.




Love this face!


I love this skirt on her




She loves her pasta, and she loves feeding herself even more!


All dressed up after church on Sunday!




Three generations after church




Aww, Kate, why do you not look at the camera?