Scenes from Wisconsin
I've been back in Basel since Tuesday morning and have somehow managed to continue procrastinating the horrendous job of unpacking. I'm actually halfway done. I unpacked one of my big bags earlier today, but still have to empty the second of the two big bags I brought back with me. I decided this morning that before I could do any unpacking I had to totally rearrange my closets, etc. to make room for my maternity clothes. They needed a place to go rather than just sitting in stacks on the bedroom floor. That meant taking lots of my "regular" clothes into the basement to make room. It's a very strange thing to be packing away some of my favorite things that don't fit me anymore, knowing it could be quite some time before I wear them again.
With all the Fasnacht excitement, I haven't posted any pictures from Wisconsin. Frankly, I didn't take that many because there really wasn't much that was picture-worthy! I did a lot of shopping, ate lots of my favorite American foods, and spent lots of time hanging out with family and friends. Here are a few photos of my favorite kids in the whole wide world (my niece and nephews).
A couple months ago, my sister got a red convertible Mini Cooper. It may not be very practical for a family of 5 (plus dog) living in Wisconsin, but it is SO CUTE! Here I am with Natalie on our way to her piano competition. The judge gave her a "superior" rating-- the highest possible! If she gets "superior" 3 years in a row she gets a trophy, and Natalie LOVES trophies! I was visiting them last summer when her softball team got a trophy and she literally slept with it. Natalie is ALWAYS wearing a hat (baseball caps, fleece jester hats, wool caps, hooded sweatshirts) and I think this was the only time I ever saw her without a hat (other than at church).
Natalie's not the only one with musical talent in the family. Connor, her older brother, plays piano and clarinet (although he's never taken piano lessons... he's just teaching himself), sings in the school musical and church choir, and just got an electric guitar (he wants to start his own band). Here he is at the piano. The funny thing about this picture is that the painting on the wall used to hang very prominently above the fireplace in my parents' house. After my Mom died and we had to decide what things to keep from their house, my sister ended up taking lots of their furniture and art because the style fit perfectly in their house (and they had just built an addition onto their house). At times I felt like I was staying in my parents' old house as I looked around and saw my Mom's decorating touch everywhere.
Friday night fish fry is a Wisconsin institution (and not just during Lent). We decided to go out for fish last Friday night, but unfortunately so did everyone else in the greater Milwaukee area. The restaurant (which is actually a German restaurant) told us it would be 45 minute wait, which is 40 minutes too long for 3 kids to wait to be seated for dinner. So we opted to take our fish fries home in carryout containers instead. Bennett and I enjoyed a couple 7-Ups in the bar while the fish and potato pancakes were being cooked (or should I say fried). For some reason, Bennett is in this phase where he refuses to open his eyes for photos, which is unfortunate because he has these beautiful blue eyes that he must have inherited from my Dad. I tried to talk him into keeping his eyes open for at least one photo, but he is a VERY strong-willed and passionate almost-5 year old, so there's no arguing with him.
Last, but not least, here's Grady's cousin and look-alike Phoebe (wearing Natalie's baby blanket). Phoebe has certainly used up all of her nine lives, still living more than a year after her terminal cancer diagnosis and surprising all of us with her newly discovered youthful disposition.
With all the Fasnacht excitement, I haven't posted any pictures from Wisconsin. Frankly, I didn't take that many because there really wasn't much that was picture-worthy! I did a lot of shopping, ate lots of my favorite American foods, and spent lots of time hanging out with family and friends. Here are a few photos of my favorite kids in the whole wide world (my niece and nephews).
A couple months ago, my sister got a red convertible Mini Cooper. It may not be very practical for a family of 5 (plus dog) living in Wisconsin, but it is SO CUTE! Here I am with Natalie on our way to her piano competition. The judge gave her a "superior" rating-- the highest possible! If she gets "superior" 3 years in a row she gets a trophy, and Natalie LOVES trophies! I was visiting them last summer when her softball team got a trophy and she literally slept with it. Natalie is ALWAYS wearing a hat (baseball caps, fleece jester hats, wool caps, hooded sweatshirts) and I think this was the only time I ever saw her without a hat (other than at church).
Natalie's not the only one with musical talent in the family. Connor, her older brother, plays piano and clarinet (although he's never taken piano lessons... he's just teaching himself), sings in the school musical and church choir, and just got an electric guitar (he wants to start his own band). Here he is at the piano. The funny thing about this picture is that the painting on the wall used to hang very prominently above the fireplace in my parents' house. After my Mom died and we had to decide what things to keep from their house, my sister ended up taking lots of their furniture and art because the style fit perfectly in their house (and they had just built an addition onto their house). At times I felt like I was staying in my parents' old house as I looked around and saw my Mom's decorating touch everywhere.
Friday night fish fry is a Wisconsin institution (and not just during Lent). We decided to go out for fish last Friday night, but unfortunately so did everyone else in the greater Milwaukee area. The restaurant (which is actually a German restaurant) told us it would be 45 minute wait, which is 40 minutes too long for 3 kids to wait to be seated for dinner. So we opted to take our fish fries home in carryout containers instead. Bennett and I enjoyed a couple 7-Ups in the bar while the fish and potato pancakes were being cooked (or should I say fried). For some reason, Bennett is in this phase where he refuses to open his eyes for photos, which is unfortunate because he has these beautiful blue eyes that he must have inherited from my Dad. I tried to talk him into keeping his eyes open for at least one photo, but he is a VERY strong-willed and passionate almost-5 year old, so there's no arguing with him.
Last, but not least, here's Grady's cousin and look-alike Phoebe (wearing Natalie's baby blanket). Phoebe has certainly used up all of her nine lives, still living more than a year after her terminal cancer diagnosis and surprising all of us with her newly discovered youthful disposition.
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