The Newest Zomboracz

A photo post: everyone with Kaylin. It is fun that our immediate family is expanding so much these days!

Ben and I are heading up to Wisconsin tonight for the turkey day festivities and so QT with the family. Should be fun.

Hope everyone enjoys their turkey.
Kate

Still Alive

Still here, just not much time for posting.

We are going through an incredibly amount of crappy weather, although I shouldn't complain, the fall was relatively good to us, but the sun hasn't shone the whole week.

I am thrilled to have to only work 2 days next week before heading up to Wisconsin for a yummy thanksgiving, hopefully somewhat relaxing and some crafting happening. I have been very busy lately and it has felt fabulous! Getting a lot of stuff done, working on holiday gifts and some decor and preparing for the little bud. We got a crib this week and the room is starting very slowly, to piece together. I am excited for my families shower next weekend to get some more stuff to play with, baby stuff really is just so cute.

Work is fine, been very busy and it has been a bit tiring, just lots of programs, meeting to get to and the like, plus just a lot to get taken care of especially as I prepare for my 3 months off at home with the baby. Taking care of camps and making sure that when I come back I won't be completly overwhelmed.

I am starting prenatal yoga tonight, meet with my doula next Tuesday and have my 28 week appoinment with fun labs next Wednesday.

Happy day,
Kate

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Inland North You may think you speak "Standard English straight out of the dictionary" but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like "Are you from Wisconsin?" or "Are you from Chicago?" Chances are you call carbonated drinks "pop."
The South
The Midland
Philadelphia
North Central
The Northeast
The West
Boston
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

Took this quiz, wasn't thinking to much about it, but they nailed the Wiscosin accent, not many questions to come to that conclusion.

Kate

We've Become Aunt Kate and Uncle Ben

So Sarah gave birth to Kaylin Anne early on Monday's a.m. Everything went great from what I can decipher. My brother isn't much for words. He described the experience as wierd.

So ben and I are heading up to Wisconsin for my birthday and to see our new niece. Our family is expanding and we are excited that little bud will have such a close in age cousin.

Sorry no pictures, my parents forgot their camera on their first trip to the hospital, so hopefully after this weekend.

Instead you can feast your eyes on Ben's last (but maybe not final of the season) fishing trip to Stony Creek. Ben has been making the most of the Illinois water and has fished a lot this past season. He got 5 different licenses this year, not to shabby for one season, New Zealand, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Illinois- he is quite happy with his successes, this fish was caught on a very cool crayfish pattern that he invented himself!

Baby Update

So the girls are either in or entering their 5th month on this planet and who isn't happy with a picture post.

Not much going on. It is my youngest brother's 26th birthday, so Happy Birthday to Bill. It is hard to believe that we have all past the quarter century mark.

Had a good weekend, but want more. It is so hard to leave the house right now. I just want to clean and get things organized or make things for this child growing inside of me. My energy is finally back up and I don't want to use it all up at work and it feels like just when I am getting on a roll with projects at home it is time to go back to work.

Oh well I will survive. we are still awaiting the arrival of our neice, I am sure it isn't quite such a wait for us as it is for my sister in law. She had been on bed rest for too long then reached the date where everything is good to go and is now just waiting. She isn't technically due for another 3 weeks, but after needing to be so cautious, it must be hard to then continue waiting. I am hoping for some time in the next week and a half so that we have a good enough excuse for me to leave my house for my birthday and make a trip up to wisconsin. Fingers crossed.

We have been having some cold weather but the sun makes it all worth while. It is beautiful today, just perfect crisp fall. The trees are all aglow with their fresh fall colors lit up. Pray that the weather is this good tomorrow, I don't think I can handle another gloomy day with preschoolers.

K

Well we are back from our trip. We had amazing Pennsylvania fall weather for the majority of it (all but the last day), were able to see some of our favorite people, enjoy our favorite spots and engage in some family drama. A good trip, but with my nesting instinct on full force, one I was happy to be home from a couple days early and happy to have 3 days at home before returning to work. We got our garlic planted, a cold frame built, nest boxes for the new chickens, all wallpaper removed from the soon to be craft room, closets organized, laundry done and picked bushels upon bushels of apples with our friends at the pomology labs. I was trying to include some cider pressing pictures, but my computer here at work won’t read the cd. Well call me a liar because Francine’s computer can read the disk and this will now be a full-blown picture post. the top picture is Mark pouring cider into the big glass things where the fermentation will take place- carboy? Anyway I really like the lantern lighting. Below are the press, the crank spinning in the cool light and the boys workind hard.

The cider pressing was pretty cool and I had some fun with Mark’s digital camera. The press that Eric’s friend Brett owns is absolutely beautiful. Most of the pressing has been yeasted and put away to ferment, but we did get to enjoy some fresh cider… yummy.

Work is going all right. I am still looking for a bit of motivation. I feel the rut seeping in and don’t know where to start pulling so that I can get out of it. I did have a wonderful butterfly afterschool program this past week which lifted me, but then a gray day seed program with more gray faces than I have ever seen on preschoolers. They were all tired, the rain kept us inside for most of the time and I just felt off. Today is sunny again, but cold! We are supposed to get down to the 20’s this evening. Luckily we are getting some wood and will have our first fire of the season this evening. This will help, as I really hate turning the heat on before the first of November. So hooray for heating up the wood stove for the first time this season.

What else… no new niece yet, Sarah has held onto that baby and Kaylin should be in a safe place now if she were to come early, so that is good. We are hoping to get up to Wisconsin the weekend of my birthday just for a get away. Ben is hoping to anyway, I may still be in homebody mode and unwilling to leave unless there are no projects needing completion. My belly continues to get bigger which is fun, but I don’t think that I am looking forward to strangers knowing that I am pregnant as this still continues to be a very personal journey for Ben and myself.

I am off to the social security office and then a meeting. I hope everyone is enjoying fall.

Kate

About Time!

Wow, it is hard to believe that I haven’t posted once in September. It has been a busy month, but still… Things are good, baby is growing and our little family is fairing well with this fall weather. We have had the two most beautiful days I have experienced in too long. Fall crispness, gorgeous lighting and most importantly the perfect temperature. Apples are abundant, and as they are one food item that I am good to eat at any moment, I am happy that it is their time for harvest. We have 3 bushels at home waiting to become sauce and have been eating a lot fresh, plus numerous apple crisps, pies and the like.

We are heading off for a vacation at the end of this week, and I am so thrilled to be getting away for a while. Work is fine, but I feel like I am in a bit of a rut, not feeling challenged and hope to come back somewhat refreshed and with some goals as to how I can best carry out the responsibilities of my job, while being creative and innovative.

Happy Fall!

Happy Anniversary to Us

So we celebrated our first anniversary this past Sunday. Thanks to everyone who made phone calls, we heard from so many people, I was shocked!

Ben and I headed to a movie and out for pizza, nothing to fancy, but relaxing and fun. We saw little miss sunshine, which was great. Had popcorn, which I snuck in illegally, but I just can't eat the theater crap being pregnant, and popcorn is such a good snack, I also can't go the duration of the movie without eating... so comprimises need to be made.

The weather here sucks at the moment, I am very happy with the coolness of is, but man I haven't been able to photosynthesize in 4 days, and I feel like sleeping... no one should have to work under these conditions.

I hope to get some pictures developed soon, to inspire some more blogs. It has been hard finding things to discuss, things are kinda boring at the moment... but sure to change and pick up soon.

Kate

Remembering Tim

My friend sent an email this past week while we were on vacation and I found a newslink. Just wanted to share about our friend Tim from Lambertville. It is very sad and tragic. He was great guy and one of the nicest people we met during our time trying to make friends in the small town. I got to see him everyday in the coffee shop that I worked in and he always gave us seasonal tours of his beautifully landscaped yard. And of course he was around for the night life, we could get drinks at the Hawk, which is where he was last seen, a block from our old apartment.

Posted: Friday, 07 July 2006 7:36AM
Man Found Dead as Result of Flooding
LAMBERTVILLE, NEW JERSEY (AP) -- Last week's flooding along the Delaware River in New Jersey has apparently claimed a life after all.Searchers recovered the body of a 39-year-old man from Swan Creek in Lambertville.Timothy Groff was last seen last Thursday after leaving a neighborhood restaurant as water from the river poured into the creek. He was not reported missing until Tuesday.An autopsy shows the landscaper had drowned.Preliminary figures released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency estimate the flooding caused about $14 million in damage in the Garden State. FEMA says about $8 million was in Mercer County and $6 million was in Hunterdon County.The White House has yet to respond to the state's request for federal disaster assistance.

Photo Share

I just discovered this photo of Rachel and May and have to say it is one of the most beautiful photos I have seen of a mother and daughter. Just absolutely precious. This little babes are getting big!

Here are May and Natalie in May's crib- such good little friends.

Have a good weekend and next week, Ben and I are off to South Dakota to enjoy a bit of a vacation.

Kate

I'm just so tired

So, this post is long overdue, but I am just so tired that I have been skipping lunch breaks, so that I can go home earlier and nap. I was all pumped for my second trimester to begin with a huge ressurgance of energy-didn't really happen. On Saturday I was so excited, Ben relieved me from the market at 10, so I could get a nice nap in and then be productive, but instead my stupid "on call" duties, for my very intense job had to kick in because a girl at work was sick and I got stuck at the nature center. BOO!! that pissed me off, so I was tired again in the afternoon, didn't get much done and continue to feel a bit like a slug.

Camp is ending this week and then Ben and I are off to Sioux Falls. We get a week vacation that begins at my cousins wedding. I am really looking forward to the time with Ben and my family. I hope that the weather keeps cool and that I don't have to pee 3 times a night from my tent. No liquids after 5:00!

Rainy day beginning here for the camp day- no free swim! Gotta go figure out a plan.

Kate

My reasons for not posting much

So, I haven't been posting much on this blog lately, or really I haven't posted much with content worth reading. I have been busy documenting life on a different site because I am pregnant and have been overloaded by this first trimester- me being tired and not really doing many cool things due to the heat and the need to nap.

but now all is out in the open. My MVP family members know the news, we have heard the heartbeat and we are ready for the world to know that we are going to have a baby in February- although I won't be telling my boss until she is back from vacation. But things are progressing well.

Ben and I headed to Wisconsin this weekend, shared news with my brothers and grandmothers, celebrated this and my dad's birthday, saw Matt and Sarah's new house, went fishing, got out in time for an awesome thunderstorm that we viewed from a coffee shop and got up at 5 this morning to drive back. My sister in law is looking great in her 5th month of pregnancy and I only hope to look that good in another few months.

It is so f bomb hot. I don't want to go outside, and in all honesty cannot handle the heat. I melt at home and can only get off the couch enough to eat and pee (which happens more often than I like). Camp has been rough to handle with the weather and the pregnancy, but I only have 2 weeks left and we are off on vacation for a week- I just know that August is going to fly by.

Hope everyone is well.

Kate

wisdom is a pain in my ass

So, I have been having a bit of a toothache, my back right wisdom tooth has decided to barge through the back skin and hurt like hell. My gum has swollen up and I don't feel like eating at all, but am really hungry. It is a big pain, which will hopefully end in the next day... why do they suck so much.

Work is not really fun. I have too many projects that I am not looking forward to working on and it is making me procrastinate too much. A stupid report for the board, where the truth must be stretched, planning for the district's 100th anniversary which is over a year away and planning camp for next summer... I would really rather be napping, or even going to the pool, hell I would rather be doing anything to be honest.

Craft night this evening, half day tomorrow, and then two days to work before heading to Wisconsin for the weekend- woohoo! I just realized that it is a payroll week though and I really need to get that done on Friday before I leave because I am coming in late on Monday morning- we'll leave WI in the early morning so we don't have to drive at night with the typical summer traffic.

Sorry that I am boring.
Kate

Monday Potluck

So we had our third weekly potluck last night. Lots of fun. We set up the driveway table and were taken back to last summer when we ate out there all of the time.

I am sorry that I don't have a cute picture of Luca to post. He showed up in just overalls and a had with a whistle attached. Some of the first apples of the season were available and we had apple pie...yum!

the heat is still present, oh how I really don't enjoy the heat of july. I will be enjoying Rachel's a.c. this evening for Stitch and bitch. I think I ate too many blueberries yesterday- my tummy is upset- I know a great thing to share.

Wow I am really pretty lame... but that is all I got.

Kate

Nothing New

Sorry to say that there is nothing to report. we have had some good storms the past couple of nights, making sleep come easy, but making a day of camp not so much fun. Overcast today, not really getting in my necessary photosynthesizing, so my energy is running low. I am ready for a nap. Our weekend was full... not really recalling what of. Oh, yes, worked the farmer's market, picked brocolli at the farm, had a lovely bbq at Francine and Scotts, played bocce and washers, froze lots of brocolli and corn (yes, it's time for corn on the cobb!) and I think I napped... watched the world cup final, Ben fished and we concluded the weekend.

Time is flying. We are officially halfway through camp! doing staff evaluations and preparing some leaders for thier last session. This time of year does fly by when you look back at it. Just those first weeks that seem forever long.

hope all is well for all you all.

K

Some pictures from the weekend

So we had that great grill out on Sunday and Rachel got a few pictures developed. Patricia is rocking the hair. And of course the typical hang out on the driveway.

Me and May at Strawberry Jam- it was f bomb hot, so please excuse my sweatiness.














And Little Natalie at one month old!

Our 4th of July was pretty tame. I picked a lot of blueberries with Mark and Lori Kae out at the pomology labs and watched a movie. The heat broke that night, which has been wonderful... I am not a lover of the heat of summer, but thankful for all of the tomatoes that are coming into ripeness.
Work has been busy, and a bit dull. I am thrilled that today is Friday already, having a holiday mid-week, does really make for a short week. No big plans this weekend, just working the market and catching up around the house, praying that the cool weather will stick so I don't become a slug!

I am going swimming with the campers today, hoping to get out of my afternoon lulls...

Love to you all.

Weekend Update

So we had a pretty fun filled weekend. headed up to my great aunt and uncle's 50th wedding anniversary and got in a little family time. Everyone's trip into town was short lived, so I didn't even see my brother on Saturday, but Ben and I did get to enjoy my little cousin Michael's baseball game- the 7 year olds were quite impressive. We got to visit Kati's new shop- Fire Up, where we actually saw some kids we know from Urbana in an article about the shop painting pottery. The shop is beautiful, the woman who designed it and has now sold it has great taste. So good luck to the faletti's new business. We also visited the red tower in Peoria, with a giant woodpecker on it's side.

Came home, tried to prepare for our Sunday bbq. Headed over to Timmy's for dinner and a cocktail party. Not too late of a night... Then the meat fest celbration. Ben smoked briscuit, pork shoulder, beef ribs and baby backs and grilled up some elk. People brought wonderful side dishes and we had a great meal. The heat was present, but everyone survived.

Wow that was a boring post. Hope everyone is well. I am off to pick blueberries and enjoy my day off tomorrow.
K

Tagged

Did you know...
Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Environmental Educator—to be exact the Environmental Public Program Coordinator
2. Coffee Bitch- pretend manager of the shop!
3. Camp Counselor- living with 12, 9-year-old girls for the summer.
4. Bartender- also waitress, hostess and all at the same time as the morning coffee girl. I gave everyone in town all of their poisons.

Four movies I would watch over and over:I am a movie junkie and watch a lot over and over… this is really hard and not a complete list. I guess there are a few that I watch more than others…
1. Bring it On! (yes, this movie is fabulous, who doesn’t love over the to cheerleading? You’re a cheertater and a pain in my ass. Get it dictator, but as a cheerleading captain… so clever!)
2. Zoolander—I too just learned to turn left.
3. Princess Diaries 2- not really sure what it is about this movie, but I love watching it while crafting. I think it is a weird girly fantasy, dream that I forgot about from childhood and this reminds me.
4. Keeping the Faith

Four places I have lived:
Since Birth:
LaSalle, IL
Peoria, IL
Decatur, IL
Waukesha, WI
Leaving out Champaign, as I am virtually back here now.

In my adult life, since college
1. Madison, WI
2. Mukwonago, WI
3. Lambertville, NJ
4. Urbana, IL

Four TV shows I love to watch:
This is really all I watch in the week…
1. Gilmore Girls
2. Friends- on DVD now
3.
4.

Four places I have been on vacation:
1 New Zealand and Australia- most recently!
2. Seattle Washington and the Olympic Penninsula
3. Ireland, England, France and Belgium- 3 European Vacations
4. East third of Canadia (that’s how I say it!) down the east coast of the states to NY- train back to Milwaukee, all in a painted van prior to that.

Four websites I visit daily: (as often as I can)
1.www.trent.blogspot.com ( a very cheesy, Hollywood gossip site, but very funny and helps keep me up to date without those magazines!)
2. http://www.madeater.blogspot.com/ (This has lost a bit of my attention lately, but was great this summer all about an eating local challenge, coupled with lots of good recipes, and amazing food photographs… really shows that ben and my ethics are not crazy, but really cutting edge… man we are awesome!)
3. http://www.insubordiknit.com/ (cool lady, who spins incredible knit worthy yarns… also homeschools and writes about her son.
4. New: http://www.etsy.com/ ( I am thinking of selling my wares! This is where I will start, this site is great for crafters, reasonably priced and a good place to put myself out there. It is still in the works of thought process, but stay tuned)

Four of my favorite foods:
those that know and love me, know that we love food and are surrounded by so much good food- Ben working on the organic vegetable farm, the farmer’s market being 4 blocks from my house… oh I am so excited for that to open up on May 13—so soon! Here is what is on my mind right now as I am waiting for it to be at lease 11:45 before I eat lunch.
1. Veggie Soft Shell Tacos—man do I eat the best tacos in the world. Sometimes with winter squash, swill chard, yogurt, just recently with lots of green garlic—so f-ing good.
2. Pizza- made by me, none of that take out crap- although Gumby’s Poky sticks were my fav while drunk in college.
3. Hanger and Skirt Steaks… a true delectable gift from the land that sometimes passes my palette if Stan hasn’t sold them all off.
4. Sandwiches, what a diverse item. You can make it out of anything and I especially like them vegetarian style. Ben whipped up some spinach pesto today, layered it with some roasted red peppers (roasted and frozen after the wedding), some organic farmers cheese from the food coop, originally from Wisconsin, good salt and pepper… and maybe a surprise, because I didn’t see the whole thing made. This is what is awaiting me in the fridge and tempting me to start lunch now at 11:15… I love avocado, tomato sandwiches with lots of freshly and coarsely chopped peppers. And I am also down with a pb&j, preferably with my own homemade jam, or others.

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Anywhere with Ben
2. In the woods, I am going there in 30 minutes for my lunch time walk and exploration- new flowers in bloom everyday)
3. At my house, crafting or digging in the yard, or getting our roof top garden going
4. in WI with my family… I haven’t seen any of them this year and miss them!

Four Friends that have been tagged that I think will respond: (only if they don’t have better things to do… I obviously don’t… I just wanted to post to my blog and this gives me an easy post)
1. Sandy- as a blogger gives you an easy post as well. Congrats to Brett on his job!
2. Cathy- I know you check email and are at home!!!
3. Katie- come on you know you want to answer this!
4. Jane- my mom- let’s hear what you got to say!

Man I love pressuring people… don’t let me down!!
You've been tagged, so here it goes...delete my answers, replacewith your own and send it back to me and on to other friends!

Happy Spring

Well things are picking up pace wise here at work. I have tons of interviews, lots of spring programs and a camp program to figure out and of course a boss to handle-though she has been good this week.

things are good on the home front, day light savings isn't agreeing with Ben, he is mr. cranky pants in the morning. But the daffodils are up, the scilla are blooming, the grape hyacinths are poking thier heads out of the ground, tulips are growning tall and the maples are budding. We had big storms on Sunday night, neighbors yard currently looks like a deforested piece of land (big tree cracked in half). The chickens are laying eggs and we are preparing for 3 new arrivals (chicken wise) on April 28th!

I have been crocheting a ton, lots of fun, I am so proud that I learned to go in the round. Making baby toys. Rachel's shower was on Saturday, lots of fun, Cathy's is coming up at the end of the month and little Patricia is turning one. April is busy. Very much looking forward to seeing my family in a week + 3 days. Our long distance is still out, so if you want us to call you and you are long distance, it ain't happening. so you can call me. We will be home this evening. Cleaning and drinking some awesome new glarus beers that our friend Andy delivered on Monday night.

Hope you are all enjoying spring... it is officially here. I think it is time for a good bit of grillin out!!

Kate

a brief update

I know, I haven’t posted in a really long time. I was sick for four days and that was preceded by Spring Break Day Camp here at the nature center… virtually me, 25 kids, four leaders on rotating schedules and me here all the f-ing time. Needless to say the children being the germ vectors that they are, all the work with no breaks and feeling delirious, plus a mid-week boss intervention that hurt us all emotionally sent me into a whirlwind of sick., that then jumped from me to Ben and has left our house looking like a tornado hit and our beer only stocked with beer from when the college roomies were in town…

That was a real fun time. Rachel, Connie and Tanya drove in Friday night from Madison, Molly drove in from Omaha and Katie came in for lunch on Friday after a detour in Bloomington visiting her brother. It was a great time. Drank a lot, talked a lot, made lots of gnocchi and had some fun with highlighting our hair.

I am now trying to get a hold of myself before the busy season really sets in. I need some time at home to just organize, get the spring cleaning bug out and maybe overhall the basement. My tulips are blooming, crocuses may be passed and the daffodils appear to be waiting for something exciting, they have been promising a bloom for the past couple weeks, but nothing.

In other news my brother has some good news coming his way. A diamond ring involved. That is very exciting and I can’t think very clearly as I sprayed some adhesive in my office that wasn’t really a good thing to spray in a closed in area… my brain is a bit frazzled. I still plan on posting new Zealand pictures the question is when and I will just keep you all on edge.

Love ya,

Kate

Thank goodness for Fire!

So we are still amazed at the fact that we are starting fires in our living room. the wood stove is amazing, cranking out the heat for the house. The glow is entrancing and it is just wonderful to have a greater control over the costs that keep you warm, plus the house is warmer than ever... even my grandmother would be toasty! Just wanted to share some pictures of the stove, for those of you who haven't been able to visit to see it yet!






We are reuniting with our friends this evening for a belated v-day party and struggling to stay awake as the hartman-menzel couple kept us up until 3 this morning. Happy weekend to everyone!

For all of those concerned, we did in fact arrive safely home Monday night. Today is the most tired I have been, struggling to pay attention at work, through a preschool program and am going to meet with the boss to catch myself up at work. It is definately not fun to have to get back into the swing of things, but nice to be in our home with a stable place, different clothes, a full size pillow, comfy bed (while we survived tent camping for 5 weeks, get a little old), a full size towel (2ft squares are hard to use at times), our kitchen with 4 burners, an actually sink with soap to wash our dishes, a brush for my hair... oh the things you miss!

I am now just tired and ready for some good sleep. The jet lag is hitting me hard currently and I am not being productive at all.

I just wanted to add 2 pictures (downloaded from the internet, for those who can't understand how I could have pictures already without a digital camera) The Kauri trees were amazing, no branches until 60 ft. up and really big.
The tasman sea was awesome as well as the Pacific ocean, this picture is from where the two collide.

Hope you are all well.

Kate

We're coming home

Sorry that I haven't updated, trying to get in as much as we can. Winding down and I will update the blog with a huge new zealand picture journal in the next weeks or so.

We are trying to deal with leaving, this place has everything, and is perfect. I haven't had an asthma attack the whole time, have felt more healthy than ever before and am just sad that this place is all the way on the other side of the globe from everyone that I love. I will be a mess upon returning home, I always am upon returning from another country, just missing vacation and the like. Trying to adjust back to the previous life that you left behind and hoping that you aren't in a rut that you have been trying to avoid.

We are back in auckland after huge trees, huge sand dunes and the meeting of the Pacific ocean and Tasman sea, great sandy beaches, lots of swimming and good relaxing. We are taking our trusty rental toyota back today, tear.

Am looking forward to seeing you all, so don't make me wait too long.

Look forward to the pictures, they are going to blow you away.

Kate

Heading north

We are departing the south island via ferry from Picton and heading to Wellington. We are reaching the last leg of our journey. It is very sad, but it will be nice to be sleeping in a bed and showering more regularily.

Yet to come though are the oldest trees in New Zealand, (think sequoias) hot springs, swimming in the pacific, a volcano hike and hopefully some lord of the rings hot spots-- most of the filming took place around Wellington and the north island.

We spent the night last night on a beach (the campsites are amazing!) and did winery tours all day yesterday which was nice.

Spent the days before in a great cute cabin at Pelourus bridge, a huge river with great deep swimming pools. It was awesome, lots of rocks to jump off and stuff. Did a sea kayaking tour of the marlborough sounds, beautiful and have been eating really good food!

Have to find some fresh water to drink! Hope everyone is happy with february!

Kate

A quick update

Just in Nelson trying to figure out how to book some stuff for our next track. We are in great sunny weather, starting to sweat. Did some fishing the past two days, ben "caught" a huge brown trout but wasn't able to land it. It was very exciting though.

We are heading back into the bush tomorrow. Should be beautiful, perhaps dolphins and lots of water, rivers to ford and an opportunity for swimming!

Saw two of the glaciers here. that was incredible. they looked like raging rivers magicked to be frozen. Very cool and up close to them like having the air conditioning on outside. We had an awesome beach front campsite on the Tasman sea, the snow capped mountains and glacier's providing an awesome backdrop for the night. The sunset was great and we took lots of black and whites on the beach. Ate a great meal and slept well.

Last night we were on a lake that was incredible, but incredibly infested with sandflies! Luckily we ate early and then found shelter in our tent. We woke up with them swarming all over the tent and got the hell out of there as fast as we could!

We are off to book things.

A lazy morning

We have worked our way south and our now heading back north. Saw sea lions and yellow eyed penguins on the south coast along with beautiful beached. were in Dunedin and saw the royal albatross and seals playing in the water. Are finally getting into some farm country and seeing road side stands and signs for farmers markets. Visited a sheep/wool farm, oh the yarns. I am planning on knitting myself a sweater out of the natural wools I found here. They are cheap! and beautiful and I am thrilled to have found some wool.

We have some fishing to do today, should please ben, still haven't caught a fish, but had a bite!

The weather is warmer in the south opposed to the mountains, but we will be in the mountains tonight, so back to long johns. Had a great bed last night and a shower, those are good to.

We were in Milford s0und three days ago, took a boat ride on an overcast perfect milford sound day, got to venture out to the tasman sea. It was beautiful. So much water! Seals as well, rocks and just more water. They get an average of 7 meters of water per year! That is a lot of rain, you could just see all of the water pouring out of any mountain crevice it could make it into, lots of falls.

We are trying to find a money exchange to pay for our accomadations last night, ben has left me at the hostel as collateral! They have free internet. Haven't posted due to the fact that it was $1 for 8 minutes and you really can't do much with 8 minutes on a slow computer.

Having the rental car now is fabulous, we can be on our own timetable and it is cheaper than taking the bus for one let alone both of us. Petrol is pricey, but we heard that the new zealand dollar dropped relative to our money, so we are hoping to get a better exchange at the next big bank. things are expensive here, but we are making due. Accomadations are cheap, they have camping sites everywhere and Holiday parks- which you can camp, hook up a motor home or stay in a cabin, regardless you get a shower, we try to stay there every other or third day.

Going out to enjoy the gardens. Hope Ben can get some money in this small town!

Kate

Update Finally: Kepler Track

So we emerged from the bush last Sunday from the Kepler track. It was amazing, challenging, beautiful and kicked our asses at times. Being above the bushline was such a dramatic change. It was incredible. We enjoyed a day in the alpine before an incredibly hard descent that sent our knees into incredible amounts of pain. On the first day of our tramp we only hiked for about 4 hours, and the second day was 10 hours of hiking, with plenty of stops, but we ascended and descended in the same day with heavy packs. We are in good shape now! Day 3 was gorgeous, winding through the valley of the peak we reached, some great forests, and wetlands. This country really has it all. The campsite on the third day was amazing, right on the beach again. There was a hut there, but a family that came in by boat was using it.

we got back to town and slept well on a mattress which was wonderful. Slept great and recovered from our aches.

We're in Love

New Zealand is the most amazing place, with the most amazing air and we havn't see anything. The people are great and the hostel is amazing. We have a great big window with lots of fresh air coming in. It is perfect for a honeymoon.

We went out for Indian last night after our 3 hour flight turned into 6 hours on the plane with computer problems and fixes. Sooo glad that we sat on the plane for that repair!

Today we have been prepping for backpacking, getting food- we found an awesome asian market with dried tofu and vegetarian lamb products as well as couscous and udon noodles, oh and coconut milk in cardboard containers and curry paste, so ben is cooking up gourmet on the track.

Not too much new.

Going to grill up some New Zealand grass fed, organic beef and lamb tonight! Hooray!

Not so much to report on this actual day. wE went to the Sydney fish market and ben cooked us up a feast as I did a round of laundry and we are preparing to depart for New Zealand HOORAY!!

I posted all the days below so don't forget to scroll.

Hopefully I will post from New Zealand soon.

Love you all.
Kate

The Blue mountains

So Friday found us taking the early early train out to Katoomba, a starting point for the many beautiful views of the blue mountians. WE were lucky that we brought our rain jackets as we saw a lot of that and fog. It was an amazing 6 hour hike in the rain forest, through rain (which kept the mozzies away!) and such a thick fog that at times I felt like I was floating amoung clouds. These pics are of what we hiked past and saw in pieces through the fog.

We went up and down over 3000 stairs and feeling really in shape for new zealand.

I had quite a time, drying all of my clothing in the visitors center bathroom. Fun, standing with my rain coat covering me with the drier on for a long time.

We got coffee at a great little joint and had a wonderful day.

Beach Bummin

Thursday we spent bumming on beaches, after a let down visit to a market. We saw lots of surfing action on the overcast day and tramped around to two other beaches north of the ever so Manly beach. It was an awesome day. Lots of rock scrambling, ben saw a baby shark and we investigated tide pools. Oh and saw a sea turtle on the way in off the ferry. Had great fish and chips! Got some sun and loved being in the water. It was beautiful. The ariel shows the beaches north that we went to.

Reason why australia is so cool: Every where there is public access. We were walking atop apartments the other day as that was a public walk way and on this day the coolest thing were the public pools, filled with ocean water on the side of all the beaches, very cool.

We dashed over to Bondi beach (the hot spot in Sydney) for a sunset wine and cheese dinner. It was fabulous.

Ku Ring Gai

So we spent Wednesday at this park. A very hot walk, but not as grossly sweaty as we had suspected. I think this is what a dry heat means. The views were great the terrain tough but we made it. Saw tons of lizzards, cool birds, snakes and sorts. This isn't my pictures, but the view on our hike. Oh and we saw lots of crabs and the coolest Euculyptus trees. They are amazing (the trees) with blood red sap, I honestly thought that an animal had died on one.

We were hoping to see some aboriginal art, but weren't at the right part of the park.

We're here

Sorry I didn't post yesterday, we actually weren't jet lagged and made it a full day in Sydney. Saw the typical sights and started to enjoy the most amazing botanical garden!

The flight was long, but not too bad. The worst part of the trip was the wait in Vancouver, we had a bit of a run around and ended up having to go back through US customs, even though we had just arrived from the US and then they confiscated the last of my tangelos from the coop! Bastards! Anyway we got to do a little nature walk outside the vancouver airport, squished some winter green berries between our fingers and then didn't enjoy the canadian side of the airport long enough before going to the american side--which sucks! Made it to Honolulu, again got to enjoy their outdoor gardens, palm trees, fern trees an almost full moon... it was lovely. The fresh air before the smokers started in on it.

Slept the flight to Sydney, got here and immediately started sweating. Made it to the hostel easy and showered. Okay hostel, nothing remarkable. We are here for 4 more nights. We saw the opera house (didn't tour it), russell crowe's house (i really don't care or like him though, but the hostel dude thought he should let us know where it was and we walked right by it), the coolest ficus trees ever. They are huge and beautiful! Oh and fox bats that are really scary and actually problematic in the botanical gardens. We saw a dead one hanging from a tree, mouth open and scary teeth!

We are taking a train to one of the parks on the outskirts of Sydney today, should be fun!

Hope you are all enjoying the cold, while I am sweating!

Kate

Australia Here We Come

So we deapart early tomorrow morning. Hopefully we will be able to handle the fricking incredibly long flight that is up in front of us. We fly from Bloomington to Chicago, an 8 hour jaunt in Vancouver, 1 hour in Honolulu before making our final flight to Sydney! Hooray! I am so excited and can't wait to be there. Hopefully there is a good movie on the plane, because I know that I am going to watch it, and I wouldn't want to waste that sleep time on crap.

Enjoy the rest of winter! I won't be crying for cold gray Illinois days while I am watching surfers on the sunny pacific ocean. I will be posting from our hostel.

Later,
kate

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

So the nature center is closed this week for cleaning. Meaning a great week of “working from home.” I am doing surprisingly well preparing for our 5 weeks away and hope to leave my job in top shape so that my co-workers won’t have to work too hard covering for me.

It is so exciting to think that I will be in Sydney this time next week and New Zealand the week after that. We are going to most likely rent a car although if we find a cheap one at the airport from a traveler heading home, we may go for it. We have some great tramps picked out, I have conceded on seeing where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet due to time and heading all the way north on the island will take about 5 days, stopping along the way, doing the 3 day backpacking trip, so instead we can climb a glacier and kayak in the sounds on the northern tip of the southern island.

Enjoyed our 4-month anniversary wine. The stash had a red wine and a Wisconsin Port. The 27th of December was forgotten as our 4 monther and we held onto the bottles for the new year. Now we have a dilemma- do we wait until we get back for the January 27th bottles or can we drink up early? Hard call, I may need some wine to get me through ben’s travel stresses.

Alright, I am done pretending to work at the office today, I just cleaned up the worst stinking snake poop thanks to floyd and scared one of our owls off her perch, plus she’s the one with only one wing, so she can’t fly, but I suppose she forgot, she attempted and fell on the ground… shame.

Oh and Cathy found out she is having a baby girl! Sonogram this morning we get to celebrate at stitch and bitch tonight! My last one for 5 weeks.

For New Zealand posts refer to campwedding.blogspot.com

So, I normally try to avoid being to martha stewart ish, craftiness is often associated with her, and I really think that I am cooler, so damn her for having all the staff on her side thinking up things first.

Anyway, I get her Kid's magazine, it is so cute, helps me come up with good ideas to use for programs and this holiday season: gifts. So these are pictures of my button ornaments. it would have been cooler if I were 80 and had a button collection of my own, but I made due with some day camp and purchased buttons. Pipe cleaners really are under-rated you can do so much with them.
It is really hard to pick a favorite. The pictures are pretty cool.

Janet took them for me at the nature center's solstice event, my buttons were up on our lame silent auction. they were a hot item!

So it is the biggest eve of the year. I think that i will just be drinking with my hubby at home. Wow are we lame... no we still are cool we went out last night. Fat city was happening, with orange and blue sprayed all over and Illini fans coming in after the game. Man do they have bad beer there and they got rid of all the good bar food. I ate shitty nachos with iceburg lettuce, jared salsa, gross cheese and not enough jalepenos. At least the shuffle board table was fun and I got to meet the infamous Smoke and Joe, who dominate on Friday nights. Sweet outfits, cigars, and their own finger towels really made for some competitive shuffle board-- I think Smoke, was starting to flare up a bit when Eric took the lead on him. He was hitting the wall at one point when he failed to block his puck, I wanted to assure him that I sucked and wouldn't ruin his game, but there is only so much you can say to a 5'4" man with a finger towel attached to his belt.

Tomorrow is the day of roast pork loin, and our countdown to the honeymoon. As much as it sucked on not going on one in September after the wedding, it is going to be so awesome to go away now. Our friends that just moved to Australia will be meeting us at the airport for 5 fun days there and we have our first few hikes planned for New Zealand. I packed last night- the trial run as I am only allowed 6 tops, 2 pairs of shorts and 2 pairs of pants. I have to take things that I really like and am okay wearing a lot over the course of the trip. It isn't as easy as you might think.

The Wine Stash

I don’t think that I ever gave due props to the most amazing gift that my college roomates, their significant others and Fran gave to Ben and I on our wedding. I just uploaded the rest of the pictures from Connie and Dale and just had to post these for all to see and appreciate.

First off the vessel that it came in. Check this out, not only did it weigh a lot, (just ask my uncle john who moved it into our house) but it was completely hand crafted and designed by Dale, with recycled timbers some of which came from an old(ish) chicken coop (very appropriate for our home). So they brought it all the way to the wedding and then actually used the golf cart to transport it to the art center. Some good shots of this.









Then you can see the double-hinged doors, revealing all the coolest little compartments, which are latched with nails that were bent and also recycled from old wood. there are a lot of hinged on this thing all intricately placed. what a great design.
Then inside each of those, more presents. We were given the best twist on the wine of the month club, the wine from your most favorite people, with hand made cards for each month. See the bottle sticking out. With each is a scroll describing the wine and there is a bottle of red and a bottle of white for each month up until our one year anniversary. The gift that just keeps giving. We have enjoyed some great wine and sampled quite a few that were actually made in Wisconsin... I was suprised how good these were- you know Wi being known for cheese than wine- but hell they go great togehter. So we have really enjoyed the first 3 months. Each time giving us a chance to reminice about the wedding and how perfect it was. Thank you to everyone who made that possible.

Here we are reading the most thoughtful card that went with the gift. I don't know where this idea came from, but I was so honored to recieve something that obviously took so much work I was crying everytime I thought about it. Holy crap do we just have the most amazing people in our lives.

I love everyone today.

I have been working on the coolest presents and am swamped with holidays, but I love these rushes!

Later

Kate

New Zealand

So I just met with Eleanor who is one of the coolest people I know. She brought me a map of New Zealand and a couple of books and I am so so excited to start planning. We really have a lot of work ahead of us, but it is going to be great. Her biggest advice, which is like my motto, was don’t plan too much. Things in this country just flow. I am so excited to meet all the Kiwi’s and hang out. The huts that I was imagining to actually be huts are completely enclosed building with kitchen and all. She recommended some cool towns, great day hikes and all that. I am thrilled. It is so cold here today and the prospect of having summer again in January is awesome!
In other news, we have heat in our house! Ben was able to replace the pipe for the radiator he removed and clean our other radiators, and our house is warmer than ever. We put up a cool new corner shelf in the bedroom and went to menards this morning to pick up the wood stove and chimney. We are going to be grouting tile this evening! The tile is beautiful, we laid it out last night and it just looks so good! This wood stove thing is going to rock! Too bad we will be having second summer in New Zealand and not be at home to use it! No bother, we will use it plenty before we go.
I get to get outside today and do some orienteering with my homeschool group. Damn it is cold. I don’t know if we will last long out there. I may be having them make their own scavenger hunts inside for the other group to follow. I actually think that that is the best idea yet. Thanks blogging for helping me get there!
My day is complete.

28

So my birthday this weekend was swell. I had a fabulous time. Went out in Madison with the gang, had great food at an indonesian restaurant, had fireworks set off in the city for my birthday and was overjoyed with my first experience in a smoke free city. I didn't know it when we arrived but Madison went smoke free in July. Just another reason to love the best city in the nation! It was so rewarding to see the smokers suffering in the shitty weather outside (cold and rainy) and to walk into a beautiful bar and feel like it was the first time being in such a clean bar. The air was fresh and my asthmatic lungs that were overrun with a phlemy cough last week were grateful! Hooray, I know I have family members that smoke, but I am so happy that people are finally thinking that people's right to breath clean air is more important than an individuals right to get their nic fix. It is hard to believe that someone smart is actually making policy! Congratulations to the world.

Today is going well enought although I would like to curse out those godforsaken central illinois winds. My bike ride to work this morning was hell. Just when you think the winds have died down, you round a corner and it is there to greet you. Not to mention this freaky weather that we are having. not that I am complaining but I dress warmer than need be and sweat, yet if I remove, the wind gets me. I will take perfect fall temp (minus wind) anyday of the year. Plus it make's ben's days working out in the fields harvesting much more enjoyable for him and therefore for me!!

Interesting things of note:


Been working hard on getting wedding pictures in albums. I have been making my own albums that are incredibly funky and have made me proud, who knew that quilting batting, funky fabric, cardboard, ribbon and page refills from Michaels could work together so well. I am a little bit scared of becomming a scrapbooking obsessive, but as a control freak I just can't help doing everythign myself. No one had albums that I liked, unless I wanted to spend a hundred bucks, and as a farmer's wife, environmental educator that just isn't happening!

On a wierder note, I was checking up on ms. natalie's blog and hit the next botton and was directed to this girl's blog who I think is me only with a better fashion sense and more metropolitan. She is my idol, I love her. She got married the same day as me and just has so many similarities. I love this whole blogging thing! Although I do feel a little like an obsessive. I guess that describes me though.

I also woke up with some wierd hive bumps on my arms this morning, in case you were wondering!

I am off to another frickin BIOBLITZ meeting. this is truly the event that will never end.