SUMMER - FUN AND FAMILY!!

Wow - our summer has been a whirlwind of activities. One of the most important and exciting was July 1st. It was our42nd wedding anniversary, but the most important event was Ivy's adoption finalization ceremony in Madison. Grandpa and Grandma, along with big cousins Finnian and Adalia and Auntie Kersten attended the proceedings. Ivy was given a choice of several stuffed animals from Judge Steven Ebert - she chose the huge teddy bear above, and kept it close until she got home.

After the ceremony was over everyone was thirsty and we headed for Starbucks where we enjoyed coffees, lattes, mochas and very tasty hot chocolates and for some of us, a little nibble of wooden pears... After that it was time for a nap for the star of the day and a quick visit to the Children's Museum for Finnian, Adalia, Mom-Kersten and Grandma B. It was a very special day and we went home happy and tired.

When I was growing up we always had a 4th of July celebration in our little city of Buffalo City. I have always looked forward to that, its a day where nothing is expected of anyone, its just a time to get together, meet old friends, eat too much and just enjoy!! This year may have been the last one due to dwindling numbers of members of service groups who generously give their time to set these activities up for all of us. Our family came home for this year's celebration and enjoyed picnics, swimming and outdoor pizza nights. Adalia waited patiently for the "bounce houses" to open - her facial expression tells it all!

Then it was on to the petting zoo - hmm, this guy looks like he may have had enough attention for the day but the kids were loving it.

My brother, CSM Dick Brommerich, in the annual parade, driving General Norris Abts, of Fountain City. It appears he recognized his nieces and great nieces and nephews on the parade route.

As we reflect on our weekend, one including pizza on the farm, visiting with great aunt Karen and great uncle Dennis, swimming - which included some daring "cannon balls" for Adalia - riding ponies, eating hot dogs, brats, chicken, and milk shakes and watching fireworks; let's not forget what the day is all about. Thank a veteran when you meet one and keep our active military personnel in your prayers.

2nd Post to Weekend with Adalia

After all the work of planting flowers while holding up to certain fashion senses it was time to relax and play at the playground - the sand was just the right texture to mold and squish between the toesThen it was on to heavy equipment training, honing in on skills which might come in handy if she ever starts her own construction company,
The swirly slide was the only one that didn't have a puddle of water on the bottom from the overnight rain - whatta ride!


High swinging techniques were next on the agenda.

Of course we had a snack time with apples and water and ok, a couple cheetoes - we know Mom really encourages a diet concentrated on those! (It was 10 total Mom, and we shared those). After two big days of so much play and work we packed up and met Mom, Dad, and Finnian at Wason's in Galesville before we all headed back home. Our house is a little quiet tonight, a little too quiet, but we will look forward to some more fun another time - summer is here and there will be lots of time for overnight stays and playing in the park. The next visit will require a check on the flowers we planted this weekend and, of course, the park will be waiting along with six more cans of silly string! Until then - sweet dreams Adalia, and good luck at 1-2-3 Blast-Off summer school next week! And yep, Finnian - your turn is coming up!

Weekend With Adalia

It was Adalia's turn to spend some vacation time at Grandpa and Grandma's house. She was a very busy girl, so busy in fact, that she had to extent her stay by one night to get all the activities in that we had planned. There were lots of jobs to get done, followed by plenty of fun STUFF.


First she was Grandpa's Golden Retriever in a game of boomerang.....


Then we remembered Grandpa's stock of Silly String in the laundry room and had lots of fun spraying several colors all over the front sidewalk....

On to can #3.......... there were so many colors to choose from, you can't just quit at one!

Then it was time to WORK.....watering new flowers in the vegetable garden

It helps to be in style when patting down new vincas in Grandma's

front flower gardens.

We had so much to do please refer to Post #2 for the rest of the weekend's activities.

Memorial Day Weekend

Can I have a bite of the big hot dog Daddy?

We celebrated the weekend by spending some time in Madison with Ivy and her Mom and Dad and her Grandpa and Grandma Kurdylo and Auntie Christine who are visiting here from Virginia. Madison was celebrating its BRAT FEST - Ivy got to see the BIG Clydesdale horses and enjoyed the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile.....

After a stop at Trader Joe's for some wine , Ivy danced a little jig on top of a box of wine.



On Monday the weekend turned to more somber duties - here are (L-R) Orlin, my brother Dick, and Orlin's brother, Dan, just before the Memorial Day services at the Buffalo City Cemetery.

After services at four local cemeteries, it was time for lunch and my annual Bloody Mary with beer chaser at the Golden Frog in Ft. City. It's a meal in itself - and afterward I reward myself even more with a relaxing afternoon nap. Hmm, I look a little disheveled - this was the FIRST and LAST drink for me - REALLY!!

Thank you to all our veterans and especially to those who gave the biggest sacrifice of all. Have a safe holiday.

Time to Garden

Finally! The day I've been waiting for since January. Yesterday was a beautiful day and it was time to plant peas, beans, radishes ....and Basil! (With a guard fence to keep out the neighborhood rabbits).

Then it was on to flowers.....this is my huge, crazy hosta which absolutely LOVES its home in my front south facing flower bed.... tomorrow a friend of mine and I are going to a local nursery to pick out more annuals for the flower beds.


I got my window box filled .....

and still have these left to do.....

I still need plants for pots we place around the house, some hanging pots, a variety to put in several other flower beds and my garden border......and can't forget my tomato and pepper plants.....oh so much to plant, so little time - Wisconsin needs more spring and summer weather and a lot less winter snowy stuff.

HOME!

Ah-how good your own bed can look after 10 days on the road!

Got home safe and sound - good night, sleep tight!

Assateague Island

Our last couple of days have been spent at the amazing Assateague Island off the coast of Maryland. I must admit when Jim suggested this several months ago, I was a little hesitant. I think this was one of the highlights of the trip. Of course the DC sights were wonderful, but we knew what to expect, while the sights and sounds of nature on this island were awesome. This island has had wild horses, (called ponies), roaming on them for several hundred years. There are several theories on how they got there - I favor the theory that a ship headed for South Africa was wrecked near the island and the ponies that survived swam to shore and these are the ancestors of those survivors......at any rate, they are very used to humans and do and WILL invade any camping equipment left out. This gal was interested in what we had in our coolers. They are NOT tame horses, and are dangerous and can be nasty, so we were warned to keep our distance and keep our camping area free of food.

This gal did not give up - "hmm, wonder what they may have under here - sugar lumps anywhere?"

After we safely tucked everything away from the horses, we headed for the beach, finding shells and horse shoe crabs, and built BEAUTIFUL "drippy castles" in the sand, with the Atlantic Ocean pounding against the beach just a few yards away.

Then it was off to the next leg of our adventure with these great cupcakes Grandma Falvey found at a neighborhood bakery. There wasn't a crumb left from these treats.

Today we headed back toward the Midwest - taking time to stop in Big Pool, Maryland to visit an Army buddy of Orlin's. They had not seen each other since bootcamp back in 1964 - we had a short, but nice visit and hopefully Steve and Joni can travel to Wisconsin at some point.

We are "convoying" back home with Jim's sister and her children from Virginia. Tonight we will stay in Sandusky, Ohio and will take off from here as soon as everyone has their breakfast in the morning, hopefully reaching LaCrosse by evening. We take turns traveling in the motorhome and the van - the kids LOVE the RV, and the adults take turns having a little quiet time in Kathleen's van. I'm looking forward to getting back in my garden - and OUT of a swaying RV!