Let the Wild Rumpus begin!
Courtney and Kelly are channeling Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are
while playing with the mural my dad painted.
Last week, my family flew back to Madison, Wisconsin. You gotta love their (our) sense of humor. As I was leaving the terminal at the airport, the security guard said, “Welcome to Des Moines!”
They had a monster snowstorm a few weeks ago and the snow was melting. Yes melting. It was a balmy 35 degrees when we arrived.
Everyone took turns walking Charlie Brown Spot.
There was a beautiful park nearby.
My dad came down to breakfast armed for combat while shaking his fist.
We celebrated a birthday. Doesn’t everyone look happy?
The kids wore their party hats too!
We went out another night to celebrate life and
…slurp oysters.
Yes, that is a huge slab of butter on a bread plate.
We had to buy cheese. After all, we were in ITS land. We drove to the Decatur Dairy.
The kids needed their fix.
Kind of a small home for a cheesemaker, don’t ya think?
Men of cheese…
On our way back to my parent’s house, we stopped at the grocery store where I found the mother lode of sausage. The man from the meat department asked why I was taking a picture of the sausage display. I don’t think he understood that in Boulder we don’t have huge cases just for sausage.
While I was packing up, I discovered a clove of garlic in a pink bag Courtney had brought Christmas Eve. I was a few cloves low. I brought it to Breckenridge, but forgot to return it. That garlic traveled all the way to Wisconsin! I had to immortalize their reunion as we left for the airport.
Traveling with garlic should keep all those pesky vampires away. Right?
We’ll be back to visit the Land of Happy People and Cheese after the lakes thaw out!
This is an aerial view of Madison, Wisconsin. The State Capitol is located in the center of the isthmus.
When we arrived back at DIA, it was a frigid 9 degrees!
Do you have any travel plans for 2013?
Loved this, Susie. Great to get together with your family and who could ever argue about the merits of cheese and sausage? And, yes, it has been very, very cold here. I think it was probably the Broncos undoing…
LikeLike
I was raised on cheese and sausage!
I think it was all the Broncos fault! We arrived at DIA at the end of the 4th quarter and stayed to watch the double overtime. It was so disappointing. When we walked out into that frozen air, I thought of the fans in the stands for all those hours and how they must have felt walking back to their cars… Brrrr…and …Grrrr!
Thanks for coming by!
LikeLike
Brrr and Grrr is right! I felt the Grrr even if I was all cozy in my warm house.
LikeLike
So true! I heard that it seemed as though a few plays were called in favor of the Ravens and Patton lost his confidence. It makes me feel so much better about choking in tennis matches when the pros do it too! Hahaha!
LikeLike
It was a really weird game. Officiating took forever – they stopped play on many occasions to decide what had happened, reviewing videos, etc. – meanwhile the players were standing around getting colder and colder. I think that interrupted Peyton’s rhythm. But overall, just amazingly frustrating to watch.
LikeLike
Oh. That explains a lot. Thanks Cathy!
LikeLike
Loved this post. I’m glad you all had a wonderful time…, and my my, all that cheese!!! 🙂
LikeLike
Lot’s of cheese and cheesy happy people are the best! Thanks M!
LikeLike
You had my attention at cheese… I love it!
LikeLike
Hahaha! It is going fast! There is nothing like fresh cheese from the Dairyland!
LikeLike
Looks like you had a fun trip. LOVE cheese. Who doesn’t? Let them be outcast! Just kidding. That’s so funny, the guys was curious why you were taking pictures of his display. I guess he doesn’t get too many people snapping away as much. Didn’t you mention you were going to immortalize his display? 😉
LikeLike
I think was too busy trying to defend my picture taking. He was pretty curious, like I was going to do an expose on 20-20 or something! I should have handed him a card. I always forget to pass them out! 🙂
LikeLike
Curd is the word.. haa Great trip and great sharing!
LikeLike
I loved that! Hahaha! Thanks for stopping by for a virtual cheesy snack!
LikeLike
Looks like you had a wonderful visit. Your dad’s mural is awesome, and I love his combat hat! Great photos, Susie!
LikeLike
Thanks Lynn! It was a great trip even if it was only 5 days!
LikeLike
Delightful! Wonderful mural – some real talent there.
Winter Wonder Dog lives there – he’s beautiful
LikeLike
Thank you so much!! My dad is a pretty amazing artist!
Charlie is a big dog and is a real crowd pleaser… 🙂
LikeLike
Yumm! Butter and cheese! Your Dad is quite and artist. Whose birthday?
LikeLike
My mother-in-law’s boyfriend!
It is truly the Dairy State. 🙂 My Dad can create anything from a table leg to a watercolor. He is a master of media and still going strong at 86!
Thanks for coming by!
LikeLike
I can see where you get your artistic eye, and quite possibly also your energy.
LikeLike
Thank you! That is so nice of you! He is very talented and the happiest guy I know… 🙂
LikeLike
Great pictures, Susie!
My 2013 travel plans include Alaska and another motorcycle camping trip 😉
LikeLike
Wow! Cool! Learning how to motorcycle is on my bucket list…. 🙂
LikeLike
great post! happy to see the home land in images 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks! I am still eating slabs o cheese and will be for a while… 🙂
LikeLike
I love cheese
LikeLike
Me too!
LikeLike
Cheese Curds in Wisconsin is our Happy Place! Really great blog you have here, but we’re probably biased because we are happy cheese head people. Happy to come across another Happy Cheese Native! Don’t let our bling Hollywood image fool you (our lake in Wisconsin can be seen here: http://ducttapeandbubblegum.com/2012/11/20/3-steps-to-mindfulness-and-3-myths-of-meditation/) Cheese Heads Rule! Oh, and we can’t forget: Go Packers! (And Badgers!)
LikeLike
Hahaha! Thanks for following!
I have always said that they can take the girl out of the Land of Cheese, but they can’t take the cheese out of the girl. My blog is pretty much like me, a happy place. 🙂
I will check out your lake!
LikeLike
I love your photos! Especially one at the park and all “cheesy” family pics! 🙂 It was actually this blog that made me look for some holiday photo essays as you hardly find more spirit anywhere else but I love yours so much more. Take care 🙂
LikeLike
Very cheesy shots of beautiful people, indeed!
LikeLike
Oh thanks so much! It was a blast and we are still eating our cheeses. Cheesy photos is right!
LikeLike
Prime Cheddar! 🙂
LikeLike
I love the “Old Age Combat” hat. That’s my favorite pic!
LikeLike
That is hilarious isn’t it? He came downstairs with it on! Hahaha! He is the best!
LikeLike
I have never been to Wisconsin, but I would be in heaven with all of that cheese!
LikeLike
It is a beautiful place with all of its rolling hills and thick vegetation. The cheese is cheap, so we bought several pounds! So fresh too. You would love it!
LikeLike
Looks like such a great time and terrific pictures! I love cheese! I need to visit Wisconsin one day myself.
Man, it is cold out there! Here in NYC it’s like winter has not arrived yet.
http://www.blog.theregularguynyc.com
LikeLike
You photo essays speak volumes, Susie! Nice work!
LikeLike
Thank you so much! Picture=1000 words!
LikeLike
Excellent trip. So glad I could come along!
Scott
LikeLike
I am glad that you came along too Scott!
LikeLike
Family and cheese 🙂 What more could you wish for?
LikeLike
A woman after my own heart!
I am still working on the story and will drop you a line with a few questions soon! I will give you a plug in the forward… 🙂
LikeLike
Liked solely because of the Sendak reference. One day I want to experience a white winter.
LikeLike
Oh hey! Come to Wisconsin or better yet come skiing in Colorado!
LikeLike
One day! I might be travelling to America some time this year in your summer though
LikeLike
Where are you?
LikeLike
Oh my gosh I don’t know how I missed this. You know I love cheese! I want to go to there.
LikeLike