Fourth of July

I've always loved the Fourth of July: when I was a kid, it meant root beer floats, crepe paper streamers on our bikes, sparklers, and fireworks. We were in the midst of summer, still with plenty of time to enjoy ourselves until we had to go back to school. As an adult, it means a day off of work, cookouts, beer, and yeah, I still love fireworks. 

Our little town goes all out for the Fourth. They set up a huge beer tent in the park, have live music every day, all sorts of food, a parade, a run, a classic car show - everything you want in a small town festival. Oh, and a tractor-pull! Who doesn't love a good tractor-pull?

We went to the parade, despite the stifling heat and humidity. Some friends of ours live on Main Street and always host a breakfast party. Hundreds of people line the streets, kids with bags to fill with candy. Clare even got her first bite of parade candy.  She enjoyed seeing all of the tractors and fire trucks. She DID NOT like it when a member of the local VFW discharged his rifle 10 feet from where we were sitting. Frankly, I didn't like that too much, either. The rest of the parade was fun, though.

We took Clare to the beer tent last weekend. Ben and I enjoyed the cold tap beer. Clare enjoyed dancing to the live band.

We plan to go the fireworks tonight. That may be proven to be a poor decision, but hopefully Clare will either enjoy them or sleep through them. No sparklers this year, though! We wouldn't want to start a fire. I hope it cools off soon. Now, it's after noon so I think it is time for a beer. Cheers!

Halloween

When I was a kid, I loved Halloween. We always ate homemade macaroni and cheese for dinner, and then went out trick or treating. It was always cold, but that crisp, cool air just added to the excitement of running around the neighborhood getting candy. The best part was when we came home, and my sister and I would bargain with my brother - we're both allergic to nuts, so we traded our nut-filled goodies for something we could eat.

Clare is obviously too young to care about Halloween. However, that didn't stop me from buying her a costume at our local consignment shop. We took her trick or treating at my parents' house. She (we) got four candy bars. In my effort to document every second of Clare's life, we actually took a video of her trick or treating, so I don't have any pictures. However, we took many pictures of her in her adorable cow costume:

Clare the cow with all of her animal friends.

Ready to go with her pumpkin candy bag.

Daddy always makes her laugh.

She was so cuddly in this costume.

They made crafts at daycare! I was so excited to have Clare's first art project, even if she didn't do any of it herself. (The ghost is her footprint, in case it is not obvious in the photo.)

Random October Pictures

Elephant good.

Clare before heading out to the Dane County Farmer's Market. Please ignore the messy, unmade bed in the background.

Ben and Clare at the Dane County Farmer's Market in downtown Madison.

Clare and Grandma Jo during Clare's first Holiday Decoration Dinner Tour. (We get together to look at each other's Halloween decorations. What. It is not weird. We do it for Christmas, too. Oh, and did I mention there is lots of wine and food involved?) 

Something is amiss. Can you get that camera out of my face?

Foot good.

If you watch Parks and Recreation, you'll know why these cupcakes that Rob and Andri sent me for my birthday are hilarious.

My Little Sister Got Married

This is how tired I was after celebrating at my sister's wedding last weekend: On Monday night, I pulled out the dental floss I was going to use, and then chucked the entire container into the toilet.  I don't know why. This sent me into a fit of hysterical laughter, and I couldn't calm down for several minutes. Ben looked at me like I was a crazy person. Which I am.

 

The wedding was wonderful. Katie looked beautiful and everything was perfect, despite the flower girl insisting that "the wedding is messed up" when we weren't immediately lined up in the correct order to walk down the aisle.  Clare slept through the whole ceremony, which was a relief. Some other kids were loud, but at least they weren't mine. She did cry through my toast at the reception, though. I tried not to take it personally.

I am so happy to have my new brother-in-law as part of our family. He is a great guy, and perfect for Katie. I really lucked out with my siblings-in-law. We all get along, which is wonderful.

I was going through my photos, and realized I don't have any of the ceremony, and hardly any of Katie and Andrew at the reception. I guess we'll have to wait for the professional photos for that.

Clare at the end of the rehearsal dinner. She had enough. But aren't her tights fabulous?

The Bride and the Chief Bridesmaid, after our hair appointments and a mimosa or two.

Par-Tay Bus! We took pictures at the Capitol and then drove around and drank Miller Lite. Ah, Wisconsin.

The Bride and Groom with my grandparents, who have been married for 66 years. The band asked them what their secret to a long, happy marriage is. My grandpa: "Don't talk."

The Newlywed game with shoes. They got 6 out of 6 correct. Katie's dress was gorgeous, I'll post a better picture when I get one.

Hmmmm...I see someone got a hold of my camera.

Bed time for Clare. Ben was so sweet - he took Clare up to our room and let me stay and celebrate with my family. I danced and danced, and then spent a half hour pulling bobby pins out of my hair. It was great.

The Yoop

Clare is excited to stay in her first hotel room.

I wanted to post these pictures last week, but housework, work-work, and this whole taking care of a 3-month-old thing kind of got in the way. Over Labor Day weekend, we attended the wedding of a lifelong friend in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Clare got to visit her third state (after Wisconsin and Minnesota), and we got to have our first family vacation.

We stayed at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, near Copper Harbor, MI. I love the smell of pine in the north, and when we stepped out of the car in Michigan we were hit with that wonderful sent. The day of the wedding was sunny and warm. Clare had to be taken away from the wedding due to crying. Hopefully she will not repeat that performance during Aunt Katie's wedding in a few weeks!

On Sunday, we went on a scenic drive with views of Lake Superior, saw the start of a mountain bike race, and ate pasties. It was a fun trip, except for our incredibly loud and drunken neighbors. We didn't get much sleep. Clare did great on the 8 hour car trip, even when her parents' discovered they couldn't follow simple directions and ended up driving the wrong way. On the bright side, we drove home through Green Bay and I got to see Lambeau Field in person for the first time. Just driving by on the Interstate, but still, there it was. On to the pictures!

Her majesty sleeps while her parents scramble to get ready on the morning of the wedding.

The view from our hotel room in Hancock, Michigan.

Clare and Daddy and a beautiful sunset. Of course, this picture does not do the sunset justice.

The beautiful bride and me. We have known each other since we were 3 years old.

Yeah, the weather was not so nice the next day. Clare did not like the wind.

Lake Superior. Brrrrr....

Grandma Jo, Daddy and Clare waiting for our pasties.

Clare lounges by the fire in Grandma and Grandpa's cabin at the end of the day. The rest of us drank wine.

August

Edited to add: CAPTIONS!

At Concert on the Square in Madison.

Yummy, brats are good!

Very interested in the Brewer game.

Clare at her Baptism, with Godmother Aunt Katie.

Happy Clare in her Baptismal gown.

With Aunt Katie - Uncle Robby is there, too.

Clare is very excited to be at her first zoo.

Clare staring in dismay at the empty ice cream cup. "But I didn't get any!"

Sporting her Gopher's shirt during her first trip to the Minnesota State Fair.

With Daddy at the Fair. She did pretty well at the Fair - at least until the bus ride home.  Then she was pretty mad.

Clare at the Fair

On the bus on the way to the Minnesota State Fair! Deep fried pickles, plz!

With Aunt Katie at work at the Fair. Where is my Pronto Pup?

There is so much to see here. And can I please have a Sweet Martha's Cookie?

I am feeling left out of this whole eating thing. Everyone is having frozen cider but me! But I do love my friend Beth.

Boring.

I am not too sure about this cheese curd.

It is nice to be carried around. Everyone is going to drink milk and have cookies. At least I can have milk!

On Vacation

We drove up to the Twin Cities last Friday. Clare did well in the car - the normally 5 hour trip took an extra hour - but that doesn't seem so bad. We have had a busy week!

On Saturday, Clare got to go to a ladies lunch with her two grandmas and two aunts. There was almost a fight about who got to hold her, but luckily everyone remained calm. Except Clare, who had a very poopy diaper, and was changed on the floor of the bathroom at Psycho Suzi's. I told her she might spend some time in this bathroom talking to her friends about boys someday, but that she should wait until she was 21. She was unimpressed. She was, however, enthralled by the enormous fake plant that was right above her head.

On Saturday night, Grandpa and Grandma kindly babysat so I could go out to eat with my mom, sister, and sister-in-law. While I walked to the restaurant after parking in downtown Minneapolis, breathing in the diesel fumes, I actually felt like a real adult doing a real adult thing. It felt good. And dinner was amazing. Especially since I didn't have to inhale it or eat it cold. Clare slept through the night that night - and we both slept in the next morning. That felt good, too.

I am dumb and can't seem to rotate this picture.

On Sunday Clare got to meet some of her second cousins (or second cousins once removed? Or first cousins once removed? Anyway, Ben's cousins' kids) at a graduation party. Then - the best thing ever happened. Ben and I got to go see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 while Grandma and Grandpa babysat. It was glorious. And can I just say - I am so sad that the Harry Potter era has ended. I loved the books and the movies. I am looking forward to the day when I can read them to Clare.

I also got to see lots of good friends - and Clare got to meet her future BFFs/Possible boyfriends Gavin, Parker, Will, Claire, Alice, Carter, Archer, Adam and Ben. We had a picnic, a get together at a friend's house where we all sat around with our nursing covers on while the infants took turns eating, crying, and passing gas, and we took turns at the kitchen table snacking; and a backyard BBQ. It was so fun to see everyone. I miss you all, and wish we could see you more.

Now, we are off to the Fair where I intend to eat my weight in fried food. And then give up fried food.

Clare at her first Caribou Coffee. Mom used to work there back in the day.

At the zoo in Oxbow Park near Rochester. "Mom, can you put that camera away already?"