From a big lake to the big river

I wish I knew how to caption my pictures. The first is of us looking over the Mississippi. The second is of the Mississippi. The third is of Effigy Mounds. 4th - Mississippi, 8th - Monona Terrace. The others are obvious after you read the post.

My parents were here for a week and saw quite a bit of southern Wisconsin. They saw Lake Michigan and the Mississippi and a lot in between. They arrived last Tuesday. We had a really fun week.

Highlights:
We did so much it is hard to write about everything so I thought I would highlight some of our favorites.

On Wednesday mom, dad and I toured the capitol and walked around downtown Madison. We also saw Monona Terrace, which is a Frank Lloyd Wright designed building on the shores of Lake Monona.

On Friday afternoon we toured Wollershiem Winery and had a jolly good time, so good we bought a case of wine which allowed Jimmy and I to join the Caseclub...or a nice way of saying the wino club....haha. It was also my parents' 35th anniversary, it was also the winery's. We thought it would be fitting to take a picture with their sign.

On Saturday we went to Milwaukee and since it was raining we toured the Milwaukee Public Museum and my mom got to see a great lake for the first time. Lake Michigan.

On Sunday we went to Wyalusing State Park in Praire du Chien. The park is located where the Wisconsin River meets the Mississippi. We also walked through Effigy Mounds State Park. This park was unique because it contained Indian burial grounds (mounds) and ceremonial mounds in the shapes of bears and birds. The mounds were on a high cliff overlooking the Mississippi.

All in all we had a wonderful time. Mom and dad got to see the Mississippi River and see a small corner of Iowa as well as a very foggy and rainy Lake Michigan. Just think you can see all of this too and much more. Come visit anytime!!

2 days, 4 kids

Over the weekend Jimmy and I took care of his sister's four kids. Sam 13, Jack 10, Ella 6 and Joe 6. Here was the commentary from the weekend.
"When are we going swimming"
"Ella hit me in my privates"
"Ella is on my side"
"Stop touching me"
"I didn't do it"
"Are you peeing"
"When are we going swimming"
"When are we going swimming"
"When are we going swimming"
"Joe sit still, stop hitting"
"Don't push that button, it is someone's doorbell"
"Three strikes and NO ONE will see the movie"
"GO TO BED"

We actually had a really good time with them. Friday night we went swimming at the apartment. Then on Saturday we went to the zoo. The quote about 3 strikes is because Jimmy and I planned a little surprise for the kids but if one of them got three strikes from being bad it would cause the whole group to miss their surprise. Luckily, they were all good and we got to go to Chili's for lunch and then to see WALL-E.

Needless to say that after our weekend Jimmy and I are on quadruple birth control!! haha

New Job.

Just a quick note to post a picture of my new building at UW. I found this picture on their website. I didn't have my camera, imagine that, when I visited my job on Monday. I will post a better one later. The building kind of reminds me of Duke but with red brick instead of slate/grey rock.

I will start on August 1st. I was hesitant to post anything work related since I am in denial that my long vacation is coming to a close in a few weeks.

It is in a great location. It is across from State Street, the lake and the Red Gym, Memorial Union, which are all prime spots on campus.

One of those nights.....

I am writing this feeling absolutely exhausted. Last night Jimmy and I went to bed as usual. Around 1am we awoke to a horrible thunderstorm with very large hail and lots of lightening. I went to the computer to pull up the weather channel hoping the storm was moving out of our area only to find out that it had just started and a huge band of storms were headed our way. I headed back to bed trying to ignore what was outside. Then around 2:15, an ear piercing alarm went off. My first reaction is what is that noise, then my worst fear....a tornado....what do we do??? RUN for the basement!! We grabbed some stuff. I know you aren't suppose to grab anything in these events but I did so very quickly..glasses so I can see, wedding ring, purse, flip flops and a rain coat. When we started down the hallway we got too see all of our neighbors and their pets headed down the stairwell. Everyone looked lovely. Hair matted, sleep wrinkles, glasses, very disoriented.

Well, it actually wasn't a tornado. It was a fire alarm. Glad I had my raincoat. Not sure why I grabbed it in the first place. I guess in my slumber state I figured since it was raining I needed a raincoat. Jimmy grabbed his too. So, now instead of the basement we are all forced to stand in the horrible storm outside. We looked like the news anchors as they forecast a hurricane trying to be brave and weather out the storm to get a good story.

Glad I had my purse equipped with car keys.

Turns out that the roof was leaking and set off a fire alarm on the 3rd floor of our building. We all headed back upstairs and went to sleep. An hour goes by and what do you know the alarm goes off again. Now I feel my college days coming back. In Gardner Hall there was about a week or so that the fire alarm went off every morning somewhere around 2-4am. It got so repetitive that I had shoes, coat and AppCard sitting by my bed so all I needed to do was pick them up and head down seven flights of steps. It was always funny to see everyone in the dorm that early in the morning. (Brings back memories, 7th Floor Girls!!....if your reading this)

Finally, we get to bed around 4am. With all of the excitement I couldn't go back to sleep.

Lesson learned: keep purse and shoes under bed so you can grab them and run, wear wedding ring to sleep

What exactly do you do all day?

That is the question I have been getting from my friends and family. Well you see, since June 6 I have been officially unemployed. I do have a job lined up. It starts on August 1st. But until that time, I will remain in a very relaxed state of mind.

What do I do during day?
Well, I normally don't sleep too late. I watch Frasier and the Gilmore Girls during the morning. Then I walk, get groceries if needed, run errands and then go to the pool. I have even been cooking dinner!! Yes, I know Anna is cooking, what a concept.

Today for example I watched the Golden Girls, Frasier and the Gilmore Girls. Then I went to the Farmer's Market and got peaches and honey. Then to Ann Taylor Loft. My dear friends this is the first time in three weeks that I have visited this store even though it is one block away. That takes discipline. I bought a shirt even though I had planned to buy many things but did not see much that I liked. Then I went to grocery store, ate lunch and now I am here typing.

I figure this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to do nothing but relax, read, watch tv, workout...shop. I might as well make the most of it because when August 1st comes around I have to go back to work, back to real life.

I hope you are having a good afternoon. I should go I have lots of nothing to do! =)

Concert on the Square

Note: The picture above has nothing to do with my post. The is a doorway at Wollersheim Vineyard. I didn't take any tonight at the concert but felt that I needed a picture anyway.

Jimmy and I attended another concert on the square tonight. I will say that Madison really knows how to celebrate the summer. I guess they have to because it is so cold and snowy during the winter. The concert was good and our picnic dinner was too. It is really interesting to people watch at the concert to see outfits and what other people are eating and drinking.

People are serious about wine trinkets. I mean they have special stands for their bottles and stands for the glasses so they do not have to set the glass on the ground. There was one picnic spot that had a low small table with a white table cloth and candles. Plus wine bottle and wine glass stands. They had a swanky picnic set up. We on the other hand had a black blanket, two chairs, sandwiches, fruit and wine. I liked our setup...most people had setups like ours except of course for the swanky couple.

Nothing much to say tonight but I wanted to post something just to say I didn't neglect the blog.

Thunderstorms...oh my

Thunderstorms here are a whole different ballgame than in North Carolina. Don't get me wrong back home we have nasty storms and hurricanes. This place on the other hand the storms seem much scarier. You can see them coming for miles with black clouds, rain, wind and hail. Heaven forbid there be a tornado. I think I would probably faint before I could seek shelter in our underground parking garage.