Wisconsin Rendevous

We met Nana Sue and Gimpa for a lovely lunch in Hudson, WI.

Gimpa give Norah a lesson in Geography, playing with a puzzle of the fifty states.

Norah finally found a keyboard that she could pound away on!

This is such a brilliant idea to repurpose the increasinly obsolete but still enticing keyboard.

Nana Sue and Norah having fun with a book.

Norah loves reading with Nana Sue.

Library's are such a good place to get out of the cold!

It was a sunny but cold day, so Nana Sue hooked Norah up with some gloves she couldn't pull off!

We had an impromptu wine tasting from Sue and Steve's Wine cave on the shores of the flooded St. Croix River.  We can't wait to toast a bottle at our wedding this summer!

Stroller bunny

Must... Drink...Milk!

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Norah was already dreaming of seeing Gimpa and Nana Sue again before we said good-bye.

We are so excited to see you next month! 

Miss you till then!

Sweet Creek

We went for a day trip to Sweet Creek to celebrate the long awaited coming of spring.  Sean and Kelsey and Dea joined us for the day.  The sun was shining and the wildflowers were in bloom, it was perfect!  Norah is really liking her new baby back pack, which she goes everywhere in, she even caddies for Greg in this rig! 

Sweet Creek

Giddy-up Daddy-O!

Pretty Purple Flowers

Greg and Sean wanted to stop for a family photo... we're just missing Dea.

The Cascade Falls of Sweet Creek

Awesome Boardwalk views.

Trillium in bloom

Trail Daddy

Norah's having sweet dreams about far away places.

Break time.

Top of the Falls

The Lower Falls

Weeeee!

Looking Down

Sweet Family shot at Sweet Creek

March Madness!

March has been a crazy busy month.  I finished yet another term of nursing school and did an internship on the cardiac floor at the hospital and still have a thread of sanity left to hang on to!  It is a relief to know that next term will be my last.  Our nuptial date is rapidly approaching and my to do list is rapidly growing, but somehow it's coming together, piece by piece.  Norah and I are going home for a quick spring break visit to Minnesota this week, she is so excited to show of  her new tricks to her far away fans!  Her latest highlights are an ever increasing vocabulary that now includes 'Up!', 'Appo' (apple), 'Wowa' (water), 'Dah' (down), and she can do the sign for 'cheese', her most favorite snack (it's in the genes!).  She likes to play ring around the rosey, go down slides, dance and spin, clap hands.  She can find her ears, her toes and her tummy.  She knows who daddy is, but much to my dismay she still doesn't say 'mama' or 'mommy' very often, although she is getting better. 

Here are some of the highlights of our March Madness....

 Norah has been exploring the neighborhood...

Finding new parks to play at like this one on Best Lane, 

it really is the best!

Playing in the sandbox at Hideaway Bakery...

Playing on the swings at Bertha Holt elementary

And of course, playing rule of the roost at home!

Hints of Spring!

We have been having the most amazing February, many dry days in the fifties have been drawing us outside more and more.  And Norah is just loving it!  She could spend hours exploring the nooks and crannies of our yard, which has inspired us to pick up the 'Bishop Bombs' more often!  The daffodils are blooming, the trees are budding pink and white, little leaves are getting ready to sprout everywhere!  I just love this time of year and it is even more fun to share it with such an enthusiastic explorer!  She is really teaching me to take my time and enjoy every little details!  Who couldn't use a little more of that!

Catch me if you can Daddy!

Girl on the go!  

She's always looking down to see what's underfoot.  

She's really pretty careful... most of the time!

Petting the daffodils.

It's pretty hard to look and not touch when daffodils are so inviting!

I still have to resist plucking them from the ground!

ROCKS!

Check out those little curls... 

I think she may have inherited something else from her dad!

Norah cruising the sidewalk.

Caddie in training.

Doggie!

Norah and Bishop are good buddies.  Bishop takes all Norah's abuse and Norah loves to share her Cherrio's with Bishop.  All about give and take!

Growing Girl

Norah has been a very busy little girl lately.  She loves to be outside exploring, picking up leaves, sticks, pine cones and rocks.  We have been taking little hikes around the block, meeting the neighbors.  It's amazing how much there is to explore in our own back yard!

Check this out!

Norah loves to read books.  She's even starting to say 'Book!'  

She crawls right up in your lap when you ask her if you want to read a book.  

Gotta say, it's one of my favorite things having her curled up in my lap.

Norah likes to hang out on the deck. 

 Check out her big girl hiking boots!

Reading with Bishop

Norah took her first real digger in the driveway, landed face first.  

But this tough little cookie only cried for a minute, then it was on to the next thing!  

 I think it was harder for me than it was for her!  That's my girl!