Art, Bouncy Houses, and Birthday Cake

It is amazing to think that it has already been two weeks since Amy and the girls left.  Life has returned to normal for us and Owen will be excited when my parents come for a short visit next week. I seem to be slowing down at a high rate of speed, I am sure that he will be happy to have two people at his beck and call again.

Last Saturday was my birthday and we celebrated by having a day of adventures. The John Michael Kohler Art Center holds the Mid-Summer Festival of Arts every July. It was held last year when Owen and I were visiting Brian so we were really looking forward to going to it again. They block off all the roads surrounding the art center and art vendors from all over the mid-west come to the event. There is everything from acrylic painting to silk screen shirts, hand-crafted furniture to blown glass ornaments. Owen takes art classes (and will hopefully go to preschool) at the art center and was very excited to see his teacher, Miss Keeley, and create some art of his own.

Painting at the festival. I love that he wanted to rock his rain boots and shorts. 

Checking out some art.

After a nice snooze we made our way to the Kohler Company Picnic. Nothing could have prepared us for what we saw.  Poor Columbia and JELD-WEN's picnics are just pitiful compared to Kohler's.  There was unlimited food, drinks, beer, ice-cream and cotton candy. You could choose from hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, chicken sandwiches, broasted perch, corn on the cob, watermelon and mashed potatoes. The Schwann's truck was there supplying 10 different frozen treats. We counted 8 different bouncy houses, a ferris wheel, gravitron, climbing wall, tea cup and ladybug rides and a giant bungee/trampoline thing where kids could jump 20 feet high.  Pony rides, petting zoo, Bingo and a ridiculous amount of carnival games rounded out the activities. Owen was in heaven with all the bouncy houses, much to my dismay. Of course the pony ride and petting zoo ranked pretty high also. By the end of the afternoon his feet were as black as coal, a good sign he had as much fun as he could! Owen was pretty excited about the picnic and was convinced it was my birthday party.

Dont mind the random guy....but this is what we saw at the entrance.

Loves pony rides!

Owen was very proud of himself...going down the big kid slide!

Our original plan was to go to the Craverie, Kohler's chocolate shop on Saturday night for birthday cake and ice-cream. They have a wonderful seven layer chocolate cake that they sell by the slice. I figured that would be perfect and we would not have a whole cake sitting in the house....bad idea mom. I didn't feel the best after being outside in the heat all day so we decided to go on Sunday.  Owen was put out that we didn't have cake and ice-cream on my birthday so on Sunday we changed our plan and made a cake together.  Owen requested we have a dinosaur birthday cake so we made a dinosaur out of blueberries and raspberries. In the end the little man was very happy and that is all that counts.

 Owen helping unwrap my presents. Brian framed some of his artwork, I love the way it looks!

Making cake! He loves helping in the kitchen.

Licking his lips already....

Frosting the cake. Good thing it was only for us!

You might need to use your imagination...it is suppose to be a T-Rex....

Licking the candles is the best part! Owen would drag the candle through the frosting to get maximum coverage...it is amazing how quickly they pick up on that!

We have had a few heat advisories over the past few weeks but thankfully they would only last a day at a time. On Thursday and Friday we finally got a decent amount of rain. All of the counties in Wisconsin have been declared drought emergencies so we were very thankful to see the rain. It is amazing to see how dry it is and the farm that we have our CSA (crop share) through has been talking about smaller vegetable shares and potential crop failure. I never dreamed we would hear about crop failure or drought conditions when we moved here!

Owen running through the water puddles after the big rain...such fun!

It is hard to believe that 6 weeks from Monday we will meet the littlest Hedlund. On hot/humid days that seems like forever and on other days it seems to be coming very fast. We are really looking forward to meeting the little one. Owen has felt the baby move and talks about it being in my belly. He also talks about how it can play with his toys (we will see if that really happens!), I have a feeling it will be a rude awakening when our visitors leave and it is just the 3 of us during the day! 

 Until next time keep your fingers crossed for cooler weather and more rain!

Heat, Humidity and Adventures

The last two weeks have been a little crazy and a lot of fun in our household. My sister and nieces came to visit us for 10 days starting July 2.... 10 days of fun, adventures, heat and humidity. I think that we have finally recovered from all the fun. Owen has done well adjusting to life with just his parent again... today was the first day he didn't wake up wanting to sneak attack the girls.

Our adventure started by picking up Amy, Madeline and Meredith in Chicago on July 2. Owen was so excited to see his cousins. I love seeing him run up to our visitors at the airport and give them big hugs. He has such a special relationship with Madeline and "MerMer", the time and distance away hasn't changed it a bit.  

So excited to see MerMer!

They are finally here!

Tuesday the girls were treated to an Owen special... an early morning sneak attack! Little did they know that would be their alarm clock for the next 2 weeks. We had a relaxing day at the house, one of the only days without multiple adventures. Owen was able to show them all his toys and take them to the first of many trips to the pool in the afternoon.  That evening Amy, the girls and I went to the Sheboygan river to watch the annual Venetian Boat Parade sponsored by the local Yacht Club.  We  were debating between the boat parade and a moving in Ravine Park. I am so glad we decided to go with the parade.  Brian and Owen stayed at home since it didn't start until dark and I regret not having them come.  All the boats were decorated in patriotic lights and paraded up and down the river. It was such a neat experience and will be added to our annual 4th of July festivities! Unfortunately, Tuesday was the start of the excessive heat warning.  Little did we know what we were in for....

Sneak Attack! The girls alarm clock!

Sneak....

Attack!!!!

Venetian Boat Parade held every July 3rd. 

The 4th of July was the most unbearable day of their visit due to the heat and humidity. Due to the US Women's Open, Kohler didn't have a 4th of July Parade so we went into Sheboygan to watch theirs. It started at 9:00 a.m., but even then the heat was unreal... We only stayed for a little over half because it was so miserable. The farmers market was open so we stopped and bought some homemade ice cream on the way to the car, a little treat/break from the heat.  The rest of the day we spent in the comfort of air conditioning. We did venture out to Kohler's Annual Sousa Concert and Fireworks in Ravine Park.  It featured special guest John Philip Sousa IV who narrated the history of the music in between songs. The fireworks were great and it was fun to have patriot music playing while watching them. The only thing that would have made it better is  if the heat and humidity broke....

Ready for the parade!

Watching the parade

At Ravine Park for the concert and fireworks.

Festivities at Ravine Park. 

Thursday was another low key day for us as we were trying to recover from the 4th. It was still very hot and humid and none of us were dealing well with it.  That evening the girls decided to try playing tennis.  Needless to say, they will not be going to college on a tennis scholarship! That night we decided to make smores.  This was a first for Owen and still still asks for "sticky graham crackers."

Mer's hair kept growing bigger and bigger in the humidity!

Sticky graham crackers! Yum!

 Friday we decided to try and get some relief from the heat and went to Fireman's Park at Elkhart Lake. Imagine a cross between Dirty Dancing, Gidget (if she was on a lake instead of the ocean) and the original Parent Trap. Elkhart Lake is a fun little lake with a wonderful public beach.  We spent most of the day playing in the lake and cooling off. That night Kohler had a street fair called Fairway Festival. It was located at the shops of Woodlake so we walked to the event. They had food, beer/wine, a children's carnival and a live band.  The kids had a lot of fun playing the games. I felt a little like the no fun police because I made Madeline and Meredith return the two goldfish they won.  The last thing we need in this house is two more creatures to care for!

Elkhart Lake before the crowds of people showed up.

Relaxing after lunch

Of course Kohler had toilet related games at the carnival.... toss the roll of TP into the toilet!

Dinosaur dig for Owen

On Saturday, Amy and the girls drove down to Waterford to visit some of our extended family. Owen and I were planning on going but the heat and humidity caught up with me and I decided to stay home to rest. They had a great visit and I wish we could have made it. Thankfully the excessive heat advisory had expired and we were closer to normal temperatures on Saturday.

2nd and 3rd Cousins together. Amy had not seen Brenda or Kim in 20 years.

On Sunday we went to church together, then Brian and I went to see to US Women's Open and Amy and the kids went on an adventure to Lake Michigan.  Brian was given tickets to the golf tournament by Kohler and it was a fun experience.  We had Skybox passes and I don't think I will ever watch a tournament any other way. Free food/drink, shade, comfortable seating and a breeze created by fans is the only way to go. We did walk a few holes just to get the experience. Unfortunately our timing was off and we didn't get to see any of the big names.  After a few hours in the sun I was ready to go home and rest again.  Camera's are not allowed at the golf tournament so no pictures of it...   Amy and the kids had a great adventure at Lake Michigan, playing on the beach and walking out to the light house. I wish I could have been in both places at once, but it was wonderful for Brian and I to have a "date" together. 

Amy and the kids at the lighthouse. 

Monday brought another big adventure, this time we went down to the Milwaukee Zoo.  They had a new dinosaur exhibit that Owen loved, we had to go through it twice. Other favorites included the giraffes, orangoutangs, seals, flamingos and warthogs. Much to Owen's disappointment we did not see any zoo poo, but I think the dinosaurs made up for it.

Petting the baby dinosaur.

Owen got brave the 2nd round and was willing to put his hand in the mouth.

 On Tuesday I had a doctors appointment, Amy was able to come with me and the girls stayed behind with Owen. It was nice to have another family member meet my doctor and sharing the joy of hearing the heartbeat.  That is one of the best sounds in the world and it was fun to share it with my sister.  Later that morning we went shopping at the Shops at Woodlake, toured the Design Center and had lunch at the American Club. The girls thought the Numi demonstration was hilarious and enjoyed picking out their favorite bathrooms in the Design Center. Lunch at the Horse and Plow was yummy. We were able to check off tasting a Wisconsin delicacy while we were there, Fried Cheese Curds. I think the girls would prefer mozzarella sticks but they did enjoy them. Amy thinks they taste like a grilled cheese made on sourdough.

 Skyping with Grammy and Grandpa. M&M were dying to see what it was like from our point of view.

At the design center... the wall of china is behind them. :) Owen is still not sure about sitting on the toilet.

Walking back from lunch...think he loves his cousins?

Wednesday we went to the Farmer's Market again and to the Children's Museum.  The kids all had a great time at the museum. It was nice to be inside for the morning and have a fairly low key day.

Farmer's Market

 The girls 1st farmer's market purchase. Raspberries... :)

A favorite exhibit at the Children's Museum. It was hard to pull them away from this one.

The closest thing anyone will get of a belly shot...

Thursday we spent the day at Elkhart Lake again. It was very relaxing and a little less crazy than our last visit.  The shore has a very gradual slope so it is perfect to take Owen to.  It was a perfect last day in Wisconsin!

 Friday was a sad day in our house as we packed up the Bush's and drove them to Milwaukee. We did have one final adventure, finding a County Road PP sign to take thier picture in front of.  Brian now has two other people that agree with him and think that a road named "PP" is hilarious....

Owen and Mer looking at pictures we took during their trip. Do you think he likes her?

County Road PP

We had such a wonderful visit with Amy and the girls.  I hope that we were able to give them a good taste of Wisconsin.... I know we seemed to eat our way through their vacation! Sampling Culver's frozen custard, Cravery Chocolate, Brats and Fried Cheese Curds were a must!  It was so nice to have them experience what our life is like out here.  It went by way to fast and I hope that they can come visit us again next summer!

A horse named Chuck

Summer is officially here in Wisconsin. The heat and humidity seem to have set in and I am very grateful to Willis Carrier... the inventor of air conditioning!  We have had a few good thunderstorms already. We are still not use to having a thunderstorm roll in at 3 a.m. It just seems to go against everything we know about weather.... not sure if we will ever get use to that.

Father's Day weekend was full of adventures for our family.  On Saturday the Sheboygan Yacht Club hosted the 2nd Annual Harbor Fest.  It was a fun festival at the Lake Michigan harbor that raised money for the youth yacht club program.  Owen had a wonderful time, it is hard to pick his favorite activity.  The first thing he wanted to do was go on a pony ride. Since he was first in line he was able to pick which horse he wanted to ride and he requested the brown one, Chuck.  He still talks about riding the brown horse.  Our adventure went onward to the petting zoo where Owen fed goats and sheep. He was also excited to pet the baby chicks and rabbits.  The Coast Guard Station was open for public tours and Owen was able to get into their rescue boat and "drive" and honk the horn. The Coast Guardsman joked that we had a lingerer because Owen was in no hurry to get off the boat, we could have left him there all day and he would have been quite happy. Much to my apprehension, the bounce house came next. I was very glad that the kids bouncing were Owen's size and he had a wonderful time.  Thankfully, the Home Depot tent was next to the bounce house and we were able to convince Owen that making a helicopter would be as much fun as bouncing. He was a little dangerous swinging the hammer but all in all the "copter" was a success.  Unfortunately a huge thunderstorm rolled in and we had to make a mad dash to our car in the pouring rain. It cut our day a little short but we had a great time.

Owen and Chuck

Hanging out with the Coast Guard

It can be hard trying to hit that small nail....

Owen's goofy new smile... and the finished "copter."

On Father's Day  the Sheboygan County Airport hosted a Wings and Wheels Show. Imagine a combination of the Hildabrand Tractor Show, the Klamath Cruise, a model train exhibit and a small/vintage air show all on a smaller scale. Owen was over the moon looking at the tractors, planes and trains. When we arrived the life flight helicopter was getting ready to leave on a medical call. I had not been that close to a helicopter taking off since my days at ODF.  There is something about the sound of the rotor blade combined with the scent of jet fuel that still can get my adrenaline flowing.   We spent quite a bit of time looking at tractors, planes and trains then finished the day with Owen sitting on his favorite tractor.  I think that his love for tractors will always stay with him but we are glad he is branching out to other forms of transportation!

Getting ready to watch the "copter" take off.  (For those wondering and the concerned Grandparents, Owen was not on Brian's shoulders when it took off, the rotor wash would have probably knocked him off....)

One of Owen's favorite tractors.... it has a plow!

Owen was excited because this is like Papa Jim's tractor.

Airplanes! 

Watching the model trains.

Finally getting to "drive" the tractor...

We are settling into our summer schedule.  Owen wakes up and immediately wants to go outside to play in his sandbox... it takes a while to convince him that eating breakfast and changing out of his jams is a good idea.   The morning is spent outside playing then after a quick snooze most afternoons are spent at the pool or playing in the water in the backyard. Owen has become quiet dangerous when he has the hose, no one is safe when the sprayer is on.  Running through the sprinkler is also a favorite activity. Of course he wants either Brian or I to run through it with him so we all get cooled down. I have a feeling that this will be a fun filled summer with Owen.... without much rest!  He is a boy on the go....

Just call me Joel Goodson....

 Running through the sprinkler.....

 Such Fun!

In the last month Owen has seemed to grow up a lot. I know that will seem even more apparent when the little one comes in September.  He has transitioned from calling me "Momma" to "Mom."  There are times that I hear him yelling for me from upstairs or from the living room and I wonder where my little boy has gone.  One day Owen was in the living room having a snack and yelled "Mom, more crackers." It made me think of Will Ferrell'ss character in Wedding Crashers, yelling from him mom to get him meatloaf... all I could think of is "oh my...."  It is fun to watch him play with his friends and get more daring on the play structures.  It is wonderful but a little bitter sweet watching your little ones grow up.  

The next 2 weeks my sister Amy and nieces Madeline and Meredith will be visiting. We are so excited for their visit and are gearing up for Kohler's 4th of July celebrations. It will be a very busy week here in Kohler as the US Women's Open is playing at Blackwolf Run.  All of the extra tourist in town might  make it a little crazy but it also brings lots of fun. This week there will be a movie shown in Ravine Park and a big street fair celebrating the golf tournament. It will be a fun week and the Bush's will get the full Kohler experience!