Fall Explorations

Devil's Lake State Park has been a favorite of our this summer.  The beach is so approachable, shallow for a long time and it was mosquito free when our yard was overtaken.

This makes it an extra special place to take good friends and I look forward to many more fall hikes up the bluff, as both boys can walk all the way up on their own (with minimal whining and the promise of a lollipop or honey stick at the top).

River has become a little hiker this summer and has made the trip up three times now.

A view of Lake Wisconsin.

Potholes.

Thank you fall visitors!  Hope more will be coming our way.

The City Museum

 We are fortunate to have family in St. Louis, and every time we visit, we find another amazing place.  That city is loaded with so many awesome adventures and while I am not a big city girl, I never feel overwhelmed by St. Louis.  Our trip down in February, was the boys first trip to the City Museum!  We have been waiting since Asher was a babe and at ages 4 and 6 it was fabulous for them, though took the 4 year olds (there were 4 of them along for the trip) a bit of time to warm up.  If you have younger kids take them upstairs first, as the first floor is a lot to take in at once.

 The outside is a climbable sculpture.  In fact that is what I would describe the whole place as, though I am sure that their website describes it better.  I love this place, it is beautiful and engaging and really the most perfect place in winter for Asher.  He was in his element, exploring, climbing, crawling, sliding.  I think he was the only one upset upon leaving after 5 hours.

Cave of the Mounds

We are trying to get back into our exploring groove.  We still play outside a lot, but adventuring past our backyard and nearby sledding hills for an outdoor activity hasn't been our main focus.  But in the past month we have visited this lovely nearby treasure twice.  We all have a key to the mound- our membership to go as many times as we would like to this year.  And with the boys interest in all things really, really old (dinosaurs, fossils, ice age...) this place is a gem and amazing experience for them.  Another thing within 30 minutes of our home.

The flow stone.

 The boys and some stalactites.

 Their silhouettes.

 Walking the thinnest path in the place.

 Maybe a column has formed here?  Otherwise just stalactites and stalagmites.

 For sure a column in the middle.

Asher has plans to work here when he gets older and attend their summer camps.  Truly remarkable place to enjoy.  Always 54 degrees, and not crowded in the winter.

Knitting, knitting and more knitting

With the boys in bed at 7 and more dishes done throughout the day, my world has opened up and my me time has been very relaxing.  I need to get this post done quickly so that I can get back to it a few finishing touches need to be made for this weeks birthday gifts.
 I started out with a wallaby for each boys and for uncle zak- so three sweaters completed by the end of october and then my obsession really began.  I finished two cowls for myself.

Then after realizing that my boys were still wearing hats that I knit prior to Asher's birth, I was on a huge hat kick.  I lasted for three months.  I cast on this double knit hat, the hardest knit had I have ever attempted and realized quickly after starting it for a third time that I couldn't do it while having to interact with human beings, so I worked slowly and then gift knitting kicked in and I will soon be picking it back up and hopefully finishing this for my mom before winter passes us by.  The yarn is a fabulous wool, silk blend and the perfect colors for her.

 a skein of green turned into a couple of hats for my boys.

 and a skein of Chroma and 2 skeins of Cascade 220 in gray turned into 5 hats all that look somewhat like this one below.

 A noro hat for me is at the bottom of the stack.

 From hats, I moved onto what I believe is a love affair with peace fleece starting with 5 mittens knit from one skein, green of course for these boys.  I'll share the super easy mitten for any hand pattern next week.

 The biggest sets of projects came below as my nieces model  Reese in her green Bulle.  Oh my, I love this pattern.  It is fun to knit and so cute.  Six have been made so far, though two still need their pockets.  I changed it up a bit by my forth.

They have pockets!  I love pockets, kids love pockets, everyone needs more pockets.

And then there was Audra's birthday coat.  Which may be the niece gift of the next year... we'll see, it has a lot of stockinette, and while I adore the pattern and fit of the garment, I am not sure if I will knit four more.

 This is the Phoebe sweater.  If you have a daughter and can knit, make one.

 And last but not least, River's unfinished birthday sweater.  Although to my credit is was completed for his birthday, but I didn't like the collar, so I tore it out and am re-doing it with a new knitting idea.

Next onto the needles after a few more mittens, a first sweater for the mama around here.

Pictures on the Wall

 It does seem that framed art is one of the last things you take care of when you move.  We did a decent job getting most things up quickly, but the pile of frames in my bedroom closet and box of pictures 15 months later seems to say otherwise.
I had plans for this wall for quite some time.  I purchased three canvas prints and then cut up some fancy boards from menards to the sizes I wanted, sanded them a bit and then spray painted them.  I adhered all of my photos with modge podge, super glued a hanger to the back, lamented over their perfect placement and hung them on the wall (still not perfectly as I didn't have the patience to measure.)  I love, love the result.  The sun lights up the colors and the room is filled with us, making it more like our space.

Wall hanging project number two, went in the newly slated entry way.  I was feeling pretty cool when the pizza delivery man (our first one in 16 months here in WI) gave me a nice complement.  It started with an obsession to figure out how to do lino-block cuts and make something cool for Ben for his birthday.  He got a fish of some sort, I got some WI stamps.  Then I found some vintage maps.  Cut stencils for River to do some watercolor work and needle felted a geographical map of Wi.  The assortment need a few new frames, but I just need to get it on the wall: project complete, or at least in a stage where we can enjoy it.

 River's watercolor.  I just cut out a stencil, painted the back with rubber cement, let it dry completly, attached it to watercolor paper, gave him only yellow and blue colors, let that dry and then removed the stencil.  Super easy, with great results.

 My needle felted Wisconsin, inspired by this map.  I love needle felting, such a fun medium for making pictures and my brains has a few more ideas.