Milwaukee Labor Day Weekend: Bookworm Gardens

We drove an hour(ish) north to Sheboygan to visit the Bookworm Gardens. It was worth the drive.

Alice was a little disappointed she didn't find Liz in the Magic School Bus.

The gardens were divided into several different sections. Around each section was a book cupboard with copies of the books that inspired that section. It was awesome. Lots of books were read and lots of fun was had exploring.

"He Came With the Couch" by David Slonim

"Hairy the Dirty Dog" by Gene Zion

"Horton Hatches the Egg" by Dr. Suess

"Playhouse for Monster" by Virginia Mueller

"The Three Little Pigs"

"Twitch" 

"Winnie the Pooh"

"Goldilocks and the Three Bears"

"Little House in the Big Woods" by Laura Ingalls Wilder

The scariest worm I've ever seen (not a book, just really freaky looking)

"Peter Rabbit" by Beatrix Potter

"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" by Judy Barrett

Milwaukee Labor Day Weekend: The Beach

Last year we used Alan's hotel points to have a weekend trip to Chicago and had a great time. He had enough points saved up to get us another weekend stay, so we picked Milwaukee to get out and explore. Growing up in Oregon, I still think it's a little weird to call anything but the ocean a "beach", but with the water, the sun, and the sand it was hard to remember it was just a really big lake. It was a beautiful morning, not to hot, nice breeze, and hardly anyone else there.

The water was cold and Clark hated it. We didn't do anything besides dip our toes and buckets into it.

This was Clark's first time experiencing sand. He thought it was pretty nifty, and didn't even try to eat it. Win win.

Alice loved the chance to dig and dig and roll around in the sand no one to tell her not to get so dirty.

Elsie loved all of the wide open space to just run and run.

Notice the dark cloud? It was supposed to be a rainy weekend in Milwaukee, but we were blessed with one great morning at the beach. Ten minutes after we packed up and left it starting pouring.

Walking Boy

Ten Months

My little Clark boy is ten months old. He is EVERYWHERE. He crawls as fast as a speed demon and as soon as I turn around he's already across the house in some place he is not supposed to be. He is getting braver at trying to walk and loves to walk holding on to someones hands. Elsie especially loves to walk him all over the house. He will walk along with push toys and has just started holding on with only one hand when he walks. Still no teeth, and I don't think they are ever coming. No distinctive words yet, but I'm am pushing Mama on him pretty hard. Lots of dadadada, babababa, and every once in a while he throws in a little mamama just to tease me. Clark loves to chase his sisters around and is starting to really get into rough housing with Alice.

First Day of School

My first baby is off to Kindergarten. I don't know how she ever got so old. I've gone back and forth all summer between ready for her to be out of the house and entertained by someone else to thinking I never want to send her to school and I just want to keep her home forever. Elsie was super excited and more than ready for it to start.

Alice is in a little once a week co-op preschool with a few other families. She was so happy to get to go to "school" just like Elsie today.

I took Elsie in for her first day and said goodbye at the door. I tried to be brave, but I think she could tell I was close to crying. She gave me a few extra hugs and told me "It's ok, Mom. I'll miss you, but I'll be home later. Give Alice another hug, kiss, and nose from me and tell her I'll miss her." I saved most of my tears for the car ride home and Alan's arms before he went to work. It was much harder than I thought it would be.

Both girls got their giant cookies after dinner for the first day of school. Good day, bad day, or something in between, at least there is a cookie at the end of the day.