Vacation!

Over the past week, Joshua and I found ourselves riding in the car on our way to Wisconsin for our annual vacation to visit his grandparents.  Following our arrival on Friday, we had the best seven days of weather ever, low-to-mid 80s and sunny nearly every minute.  Usually we have one or two rainy days which we use for side trips to Duluth or Hayward, but not so this year.  Every day was spent on the beach and boat and visiting with family.  Here are some picture highlights.  (Yes, I did let my pregnant belly hang out with no shame.  Guess what, tan bellies are much more attractive than white ones!)  

Last Friday, we said our goodbyes and traveled to Milwaukee.  Joshua's cousin's bachelor party was scheduled for Friday and Saturday.  Trying to entertain myself for two days in a strange city wasn't appealing.  Lucky for me, Dad is always up for a road trip.  We met up and spent Friday evening and Saturday all day exploring Milwaukee.  The Harley Davidson Museum was a hit.  We stumbled upon a croquet club.  We took a trolley tour of downtown, and we explored the lakefront, taking in all of the yachts and sailboats.  What a fun weekend!    

Joshua and I made it home late Saturday night, Sunday morning, really.  After sleeping in, we got some chores done around the house.  Things are finally starting to feel settled here in Monticello.

Monday morning we were back in the car to Peoria to close on the house.  Things went smoothly at the closing table.  We received two calls from the buyers throughout the day with questions on the washing machine and hose spigot, but haven't heard from them since.  That chapter is officially closed, which is a bittersweet feeling.  What a relief to be done with that mortgage and maintenance.  How nostalgic I feel for the days when our house was the hub of fun social gatherings with family and friends.  How grateful we feel to have lived in such a lovely home for three years while coming out ahead of renting, with lots learned in the process.  

Now that the housing saga is over, with all loose ends tied up, I'm excited to be able to relax and get ready for this baby.  We had our first appointment in Champaign today.  The car seat, stroller, and mattress are ordered.  Dad has addressed the crib safety issues.  (We're using the crib that Shaun, Kati, and I were in as babies, and safety standards seem to have changed in the past 25 years.)  Mom found an adorable vintage dresser at an auction and has it painted and ready to go.  She also spent countless hours working on an alphabet letter project that will be revealed later.  I have fabric galore to work on curtains and other finishing touches, projects for this week.  Time to get this nursery done up!