Kwik Trip Family Appreciation Day

Yesterday we went to Daddy's work for their Family Appreciation Day.  Ellaree was so excited to go to Daddy's work and to be able to go inside.  Usually if we are with him we sit outside and wait for him. So this was a huge treat.  It was very interesting for myself also to meet all the people he talks about, put a name to a face, and to see the warehouse and get a little more background on the place.  We did not expect to stay for over 3 hours but that just tells you how much fun and activities they had.  I didn't get as many pictures as I should have, I was too busy either chatting or taking care of a kid. 

In the kids area they had two bounce houses...one with a basketball hoop and slide and then this enormous thing that Ellaree loved (hint she is in a pink dress).  Lorelai was too small for it and was not one bit happy to sit in the stroller and watch her sister.  I have been informed that this would be way cool to have for her birthday party. 

They also had face painting and free gifts.

Here we are ready for the hayride.  They gave hayrides around the facility and talked about the expansions that have been and to come.  Very interesting Daddy was off getting his paperwork ready along with hooking up his trailer as he was already running late.  But he did run back and made it just in time to go with us.  Did you see the stroller got to come too, since we thought Harry wouldn't be coming two of the dispatch guys lifted it up so that it was easier on me.  They were all wonderful to help.

They also had semi rides where we all got in and daddy took us for a spin...Lorelai drove.  Warehouse tours (Ellaree loved the banana cooler and to see the donuts!), lots of food, tours of each different trailers they use and lots of people to meet and visit with.

Countertops and Sink

Harry and I have not had good luck with Menards.  We got our countertop back from that guy...his joints were awesome and matched right up, Menards did not very well however.  Also, we were so caught up in the countertop dilemma that we didn't notice that they ordered the wrong color sink for me.  I wanted a bisque (kind of a light brown/tan color) versus white which is what I have.  It will all work out but I just thought it would go better with the colors of the countertop and tile.  Also it wouldn't show so much of the dirt and mess.  White is very bright but we will live with it.  Have to right, the countertop is in and not coming out.  haha

At the end, by the window, Harry will build me double baskets that will pull out for my potatoes, onions, tomatoes, etc.



My new dishwasher that I have had since May is finally in and working.  I am thrilled that it is up and working.  Makes my life lots easier.

Next I believe is either tile or installing the can lights.  But just as soon as I tell you that he will do something different.  Until next time I have more to report on our kitchen.

Bored + Wallpaper

What do you do when you are bored while going to the bathroom?  Peel wallpaper off the walls...I guess.  I found Ellaree peeling wallpaper off my bathroom walls this afternoon.  When I asked her why she would do that her response was "I didn't like it so I was helping you out mommy".  Ok yes I hate the wallpaper but I was living with it.  So now onto another project.  It can't stay like this as there are a couple large chunks taken out.  Thankfully it is drywall underneith.  But now the question...who wants to come help take wallpaper down?  No one...I didn't think so!

Canoeing

Saturday we went canoeing with Emily.  Even though she had to cancel on us for Friday, she invited us to go canoeing with her sisters-in-laws, mother-in-law, friends, niece & nephew-in-law.  I really wanted to take my camera with me to capture Ellaree's first time out on the big Kickapoo River but I was warned that if I got it wet I was still not getting a new camera.  It was worth a try.  Anyway, so this is before we got ready to go into the water.  We borrowed Maddie's life jacket that doesn't fit her anymore and Ellaree would not take it off for the whole trip.  I even had to convince her why she could not wear it during our drive to the canoe place.

We had a great time on Saturday with Emily.  We are hoping to do it again soon.  Maybe with and maybe without children and men! 

PBS And Zoo Weekend Fun

The whole day was crazy weird but you could totally see that God's hands were in our day.

This past Friday me and the kids headed down to Madison to a PBS Open House at the Campus lawn.  Originally when we were making plans to go down, my good friend Emily and her little girl Ruthie was going to go with us.  Well unfortunately Emily had to back out.  So I got Laurie and the kiddos on board as they were in Verona and it would be lots of fun.  Well that morning Laurie had to bail as Reece was very sick.

Well since I was already down there, I was not going to let this stop us from having fun.  I would just do it by myself. 

Ellaree getting Clifford ears

Ellaree getting a Super Why cape

Martha Speaks was just coming out when we came by so we were right in front...but of course at the last second Ellaree got scared.  Can you see where she is...hint by the blue stroller

Mr. Steve is singing...hint in red.

I had to stand on the park bench and hold Ellaree up to see Mr. Steve.

Ellaree felt very overwhelmed with all the people there.  Therefore we only stayed for about 20 minutes and headed to the Henry Vilas Zoo.  This zoo I love as it is free and it is so awesome.  This was in our plans with Emily and Laurie therefore I just kept on trucking on my own.

We were having a great time when we headed towards the buffalo and low and behold there is our good friends Katie and Jacqui from church with their kids and other church friends.  They were so gracious in inviting us to spend the rest of our time with them and have a picnic with them.  I felt bad not having any food to contribute but they had plenty and invited us just the same. 

We had 11 children, 4 mommies and 2 Gramas

Ellie Baldwin and Ellaree are such good friends and loved to hold hands, walk all along together and see all the animals together.

Miss Ellaree the monkey

Just so you do see that Lorelai and Harry did have fun that day too

Do you see Lorelai getting all excited about the animals.  Don't recall for sure what we were looking at at that time but she was into it.

Kitchen Oops Update

Well yesterday Harry took the countertop to Holmen and dropped it off at this guys house to have him fix Menards blunder.  Now the weird part was that the guy wasn't home...just drop it off here.  For all we knew he could have taken our countertop and ran.  Not likely since he only had part of it but still you the thoughts that go through your brain...oh wait maybe that is just me.  Anyway, the guy did call Harry last night before he started cutting to make sure he was doing the right side and explain more with him.  So this morning after work Harry went back and picked it up. So all in all it was done much sooner then if we would have sent it back to the factory but we will have to wait now until Saturday or Sunday to have Harry try again since he is running both ends of the day this week at work. 

Kitchen Oops!

Sunday we headed to McFarland to get my wonderful inexpensive refridgerator that I got off of Craigslist.  I was told that this trip was cutting into our kitchen work time even though we had to stop and see our good friends Nick, Sam and Baby Adi.  We had a great day on Sunday.

Monday Harry worked all day on the kitchen and I helped when not busy with running errands for him, swimming lessons and when kids were not awake.  Well around 9 pm we had finally gotten to where we needed to be to set the countertops.  I was thrilled and our friend Mark came up to assist Harry.  Well once they were in the kitchen with it, it all started to go south.

Harry thought the sink was too big and not fitting...when in reality it fits just fine.  The company cut our countertop 1 inch and 1/8 too long.  We got out all our paperwork as I keep every little document that appears to be important.  Thank goodness.  Harry immediately got on the phone with Menards to explained that we had the right measurements it was the gentleman that helped us that entered it incorrectly.  All to be told that it was our responsiblity to double check before ordering his work and therefore it is our expense to have the countertop recut.  Well the company will not take it back to cut due to the sink being installed already.  So they gave us a guys name that does cutting out of his garage and they have sent people to him before.  It is going to be around $80 out of our pocket.  But that is better then reordering which would be around $800 for the one section.  I guess you can't have a project without something going wrong.

Today on Harry's way to work he was dropping off the countertop at this guys house and I believe will pick it up tomorrow.  So at least we get it back within a couple of days but still it is irritating.  What do you do. 

One wall is drywalled and mudded (Harry's favorite job in the whole world...not!).  My kitchen is graduatually coming back together.  I continue to take pictures.  Some day maybe I will get more up.