Thursday, August 28, 2014

Our Six Months in Madison, Wisconsin

So, let me start out by apologizing for all the missing pictures from my previous posts. Somehow the links got broken. I thought about going back to re-find all those pictures and fix the links, but let's be honest - that's probably not going to happen. Who has time for that nonsense anyways? I hope your'e not TOO  disappointed...

It has really been super long time since I have written a blog post but I have been contemplating starting up again for quite a while and I guess today is the day! I don't have anything else better to do and it's better late than never right?!? At least that's how the procrastinator inside me justifies it...
A lot of changes are happening in our lives this year. In February the company Mike works for, RS&I, asked us to come to Madison, Wisconsin for 2 months while he worked on fixing the branch and hiring a new branch manager. Due to unforeseen circumstances that 2 month commitment quickly became 3 and then 4 and eventually 6 months. Before we knew what hit us it was August! While it has been long, interesting, sometimes boring and occasionally excruciatingly lonely, we have been so grateful for the opportunity we have had to be together as a family this whole time instead of Mike having to travel back and forth. And Elliot and I were even lucky enough to go back to Idaho for a visit in June paid for by Michael's company. We have experienced so much and been able to do and see so many fun things while we have been in Wisconsin.
Here are a few of the fun things we have been able to experience thus far. Prepare for a picture overload...

The beautiful Wisconsin State Capital Building - 

Chicago - Including traditional Chicago style deep-dish pizza at the original Lou Malnati's! 






Henry Vilas Zoo - The FREE Zoo in Madison, WI. Elliot loved the Giraffes! 



Milwaukee, WI - Including a Brewers baseball game (Elliot's 1st MLB game & Mike & I's 4th together). We stayed at a beautiful historic hotel in downtown and attempted to see the Great Lake Michigan but there was so much fog you couldn't hardy see 20 feet! (The second time was much better!)













The Olbrich Botanical Garden. There was a live band there the night we went and it was so much fun to explore the beautiful grounds - minus the hoards of mosquitoes everywhere.







The Wisconsin Dells - The Water Park Capital of the World! 





Alright, I could keep posting pictures ALL DAY LONG, but I think you get the idea! In addition to all these fun things we were also able to celebrate Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, 4th of July and my 27th birthday here in Wisconsin. Needless to say it has been a fun-filled 6 months but we are more than ready to settle down and get back to our regular lives. In just 8 days we will be loading up the car and heading West back to Idaho with a pit stop at Mt. Rushmore along the way. We can't wait to see all our friends and family again but I have to admit, there is a lot I am going to miss about Wisconsin. First and foremost is the humidity, the super intense rain & thunder storms, and the amazing Madison 2nd Ward and all the delicious, cheap gourmet cheese & meat you can possibly dream of. One thing I will NOT miss is living in this stinkin hotel! 
Onward and Upward! I can't wait for our next 6 months of adventures! 

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