Georgia O'Keeffe Museum

Outside the museum

Black Hollycock and Blue Larkspur Georgia O'Keeffe 1930

A great quote explaining why O'Keeffe paints big flowers.

       

After coming thought the Raton Pass we stopped at a the first tourist information spot. Really what we wanted was a current New Mexico map. What we found was a flier for the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe. Knowing she's my favorite artist Nathan suggested we stop. I hesitated knowing stopping would delay our arrival in El Paso but was convinced by the fact that we don't know when we'll be in Santa Fe again.
Looking back we're all glad we stopped. The museum isn't huge but it's beautiful. Actually the first beautiful thing we noticed was the city of Santa Fe. It's classic desert southwest in appearance. The buildings are stucco, the town square a some small festival with mariachi music and performing folks, and there were budding trees and blooming flowers making their first spring appearance. Inside the museum we looked at beautiful works of art. Georgia is known for her large scale flowers, desert landscapes, and abstracts. We saw examples of them all as well and photographs and a history of her work. We bought a few small prints that I've framed now that we're home.

New to Us All: New Mexico

Heading south on I-25. Do you see what I see? MOUNTAINS!  

Near the Raton Pass on the border of CO and NM

First New Mexico sign

Off we go into the wild blue yonder....

     

Colorado: Take One

Wait...I thought Colorado had mountains??

Jordan and the quietest guest, Stanley.

   

Our first night was spent with Nathan's brother Jordan. He kindly put us up in his bachelor pad. After 15 1/2 hours in the van a tent would have seemed homey so his spacious, comfortable lower level apartment was more than we could have asked for. His sweet girl friend Danielle and her puppies were over for the evening. The kids and puppies frolicked in the yard while the adults visited. We hit the road again the next morning with the promise we'd be back again on the following Thursday. 

Next Up: Nebraska

Our first day our goal was to get to a northern suburb of Denver and stay the night with Nathan's brother, Jordan. This meant traveling out of Wisconsin, across Iowa, across Nebraska, and halfway across Colorado. We didn't stop much or for long but here are a few shots along the way in state number two of the day.

Welcome to Nebraska

I spy a Water Tower Hot Air Balloon

Bridge? Nope. Over the Road Museum

Snow Geese Migration: There were millions of birds on the horizon and in roadside ponds

       

Entering Iowa

Ready to cross into a new state: Iowa

Hard to read but the sign says IOWA

Not sure what this is but the Iowa tax payers could complain 

Strange "Welcome to Iowa" art

A few short hours after leaving our driveway we crossed the mighty Mississippi and entered Iowa. The morning was actually beautiful. Watching the sun rise is a reminder that God has chosen to bless us with another day in his grace.      

Hit the Road Stanley

At 5:16am CST we hit the road. The kids were buckled up, duffle bags were loaded, snacks & meals were packed, the gas tank was full, the GPS was set, and we were off.

Who is the flat guy tagging along? That's Flat Stanley.

Where where we headed? Our ultimate destination was the Caauwe homestead in El Paso, TX.

Spring Break 2013.

At the hotel

   

Following our winter hiking excursion we headed to a hotel as a "winter get-away." We watched silly cable tv shows, played games, swam in the pool, cozied up to the fireplace, enjoyed the jacuzzi, and relaxed the day away. Nice way to spend a February day off of school.

Navarino Hike

"ice skating"

Lovely Lydia

winter walking      

my boys

 We planned to spend an afternoon snowshoeing at Navarino State Nature Area. Instead we hiked as we were short on snow. No one seemed to mind since being outside in the sunshine and fresh air even without the snowshoes.

Ordinary Days

Lydia and her snow fort.

Just like a spa: Nathan drying Lyd's hair after bath while she plays k'nex.

The boys asked if they could read on our bed. Apparently they meant IN our bed.

Daddy snuggles at the end of the day.

     

I haven't been great about blogging for the last, oh six months or so. There isn't a great big reason it's just that life is busy and we've been enjoying it. When I do blog I usually blog about events, holidays, and activities. Today when I was going through months of pictures I found some that just made me smile. There is nothing "special" about these pictures, they're ordinary. That's why I chose to include them. They're the moments that happen every day and the moments I wish I could freeze in time and return to over and over. Sure the big days in our life are special but sometimes it's the little moments. The moment for an extra long bedtime hug, the chapter that had to be finished before bed since the mystery was about to be solved, the silly things my kids make & do, these are the moments that show we care, we live, and we love.

Habitat Art

Plum Pigeons

Family Home

 

Back when  I was working on our Nutcracker I had done some shopping at the Habitat for Humanity Restore looking for certain pieces and/or general inspiration. One day one of the volunteers asked if I'd like to participate in their community art event. The plan was for local artists to take old windows and create some kind of art to be auctioned off to support Habitat for Humanity. I said I'd help with one window, couldn't decided which old battered window I liked best, and ended up taking home two. After some consideration and some work this is what I came up with for my two windows. The pieces were auctioned off in February for $150 each.

Mosquito Hill on Nathan's Birthday

The sled dog team.

Coming at us.

Down we go.

Trying to eat ice cream when it's freezing outside.

      Nathan's request for his birthday was snowshoeing. Mosquito Hill Nature Center in New London was hosting a winter fest day with snowshoeing and there was actually snow on the ground so off we went. Most of the trails were closed for lack of snow but we were able to make one loop around the main trail before the kids picked the "winter olympic games" instead. We watched sled dog demonstrations, did a little sledding, and played silly games that involved rubber chickens, toilet seats, and eating cold ice cream. We finished the day with mugs of cocoa and homemade chicken noodle soup.

Happy Birthday Nathan. You are an amazing husband, father, and head of our family. We love you so very much.

only snowman

one fine looking snowman

This year was a record setting winter in Wisconsin but not in the usual way. Snow falls and accumulation were extremely low and the temperatures were much higher than usual. The kids received a snowman kit for Christmas from Aunt Kristi & Uncle Matthew but only had the opportunity to use it once. Here Hans and a classmate used it in the first snow we had in January. He lasted less than a day before the sun did too much damage for him to stand. We hope that next year we can make some more of his relatives! 

Party Time

The birthday table as they got ready to sing Happy Birthday.

Looks like they're having fun.

Our Birthday Girl.

Bombarded with presents!

      For Lydia's sixth birthday she had her first "friend's party" a few weeks after her actual birthday.  Most of her kindergarten classmates were able to make it. She also invited her brothers despite my efforts to send them off for the day. We made paper airplanes to throw, made an airplane project to take home, decorated t-shirt for the kids to keep, had pretzel dogs for a snack, and then they all decorated their own cupcakes before we sang happy birthday. In the eyes of a six year old it was a smashing success.