New Street

We live on a small cul-de-sac, technically in unincorporated Marin county.  Our cul-de-sac was pretty banged up--lots of cracks, pot holes and general disrepair.  The 9 homes on our street got together and petitioned the county last year for re-paving, and we were told "No".  But we were persistent...and eventually our street got the attention that it deserved.

They closed down the street for two days, and ripped it all up.

The result: smooth as ice!  A great surface for the kids to scooter and bike on, and well worth the effort.

.

Johnny's Wedding and a Midwest Reunion

We have been busy.  We got back from Tahoe, washed, unpacked, started first grade, and then it was time to pack up again.  This time to the midwest to celebrate the marriage of my cousin John to his new wife Diana.  Alaina and I headed out a few day early so we could visit my mom and dad who were not able to make the trip up to Minocqua.

 

We enjoyed some nice weather in Chicago.  Alaina got her second haircut at this cute little shop in downtown Park Ridge.  And, of course we enjoyed some Chicago pizza!

  

On Friday, my parents, Alaina and I headed up to Milwaukee to visit my grandma.  She looked great, and we had a nice lunch together.

Jason and Ethan landed in Milwaukee at 2pm, and the four of us headed to the  northwoods for the wedding.  Minocqua holds a special place in my heart.  It is where my grandma and grandpa Harris lived while I was growing up.  I have fond memories of spending Christmases and many summer days at their home on Bear Lake.

The drive up was a long as I remembered, although the speed limit is now 70 much of the way.  We headed directly for the rehearsal dinner, which was well underway, but we were welcomed anyhow.

It was wonderful to reunite with my mom's greater family--many of whom I haven't seen since my wedding 8 years ago.  And although Ethan and Alaina do not have any first cousins (yet), there are 10 second cousins on that side that they got to meet and play with!

We stayed in a cabin with my cousin Angie and her 4 kids, as well as our family friends from Norway.

Besides the wedding, another highlight was the loggers breakfast at Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty. This restaurant is a Minocqua icon that has been around for ages (or at least since I was a kid).  It is an all-you-can eat breakfast with all the fixins.  Here is a cousins picture and a cousin's kid's picture out if front:

  

John and Diana had a lovely wedding, and the kids loved tearing it up on the dance floor.

                         

On Sunday, we hung out at the cabin, where Jason and Ethan learned how to fish from Angie's husband Kurt:

We then headed to visit my grandparents old home (post about this coming soon) before dropping Ethan and Jason off at the Rhinelander airport.  Alaina and I then made the drive back to Chicago (ugh), and flew to SF on Monday afternoon.

Overall a really fun, super-busy weekend.  We will need a vacation to recover!!! LOL.

New School Year!

So the school year has begun.  Ethan is officially a first-grader, and Alaina is now in the "horse room".  Ethan was really excited.  Alaina not so much (there were a lot of tears her first day).


Here are a few first day pictures:

  


   


A first grade development: Ethan gets his own desk!

 We will see how the year goes!