Spring Break Project: Reading in the Sun

I haven't posted about this next week's project yet, and there's a good reason for it - we're going on vacation!  This week is spring break and Richard's parents are taking us along with Richard's brother Chris and his girlfriend Tia to Florida.

What a wonderful way to spend spring break - where the sun is shining and it's lovely and warm!  We'll be visiting Richard's grandparents and family but we're also going to Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter which I couldn't be more excited about!  I grew up with those books and I have enjoyed them throughly and I think the theme park will be quite fun.

I guess this is a round about way of saying that my only project this week will be reading, and I plan on getting a lot of reading done while we're in transit.  I've already finished two of the five books that Caitlin loaned to me, but I'm going to take a couple of my own books for the trip - I certainly don't want to lose borrowed books while on vacation.

Eagles of Prairie du Sac

Last weekend Richard and I took a quick trip to Prairie du Sac, just a bit west of Madison, to watch the eagles and get away for a night.  It was really amazing to see so many bald eagles congregated in one place, and I even got a few good photographs.

It snowed the entire day we came home.  Big, heavy, wet flakes.  It was beautiful but a little hard to drive in.  On the way home we stopped at Hawks Inn, where we got married, just to see it in the snow.

Summer Calendar: These Days are Just Packed

Looking at the calendar I realize that this summer is set to be full of travel and fun little adventures! So many places to go, people to see, and things to do!

I suppose all this traveling started two weekends ago when I went to River Falls to see Jennie and go to the 100 Mile Yard Sale. And it continues tomorrow (already!) when I go up to Oshkosh for the graduation celebration of Molly, my roommate from sophomore year. She's darling and I can't wait to see her! I plan to leave early so I can spend some time bumming around Oshkosh, maybe hit up a thrift store or two and visit my ladies at Atomic Katz.

Next week its off to North Carolina for my cousin Beaty's wedding. It will be a great chance to see my grandmother, my aunts and uncles, and some of my cousins. I certainly hope Anna will make it to Beaty's wedding as she has another wedding to be at the night before in Charleston, and I miss her so!

In June I'll be heading by train to New York for a mini family reunion which promises to be full of Italians on buses. I don't leave until 3 pm on a Sunday so I plan to spend my last morning partaking in the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market which is just blocks from the train station. I especially enjoy traveling by train, it's leisurely and often feels like I get an extra day (or two) at the beginning and end of my trips.

There will be more traveling, and even more little local adventures, but I will leave the rest of my wanderlusting for another time.

Etsy Art Discoveries - Let's Go

Three's Company - 8x10 Print $25
from Believing is Art

Airplane Dropping Hearts - Print of original mixed media painting $20
from Deified Art

Faux-Polaroid Print of a Fountain in London $7
from elizabethonetsy

London Love II gocco art print $15
from artsharkdesigns

Etsy Vintage Discoveries - Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

You Mean the World to Me, Vintage Map Dishes $12.95
from Bird-in-Hand

Vintage Sterling Silver Solid Jet Airplane Travel Charm $7.50
from One of a Kind Wisconsin

Vintage Florida Postcard - Silver Meteor Trains (Unused) $4
from Vintage Plum

Roses and Romance Vintage Motoring Couple BIG Brooch $15
from Vintage in Bohemia

Home again, Home again

It was a quick trip out across the state to visit friends and we have already returned. But these people are certainly worth driving 10 hours round-trip! I miss them dearly already, and it is hard to deal with the fact that they are no longer a mere hour's drive away.

Ninja Stories II

We even managed to make a quick jaunt to Minneapolis and accomplished wondrous things on a strict time table! We dropped by two locations of Ax Man Surplus stores, and I managed to lose only $16 on complete necessities.... and a pirate flag. I hear rumor, although I'm not sure how true, that they are run by the same entity that embodies American Science and Surplus, which will still hold title of "favorite junk store ever" in my heart. It was a complete and wonderful surprise to discover Ryan, an old friend, working at one of the Ax Man locations. We planned so much on the fly for this trip that I didn't have time to get ahold of him when we decided to go into Minneapolis - it was pure serendipity that we should find him at the first place we stopped.

We also managed a 35 minute trip into Ikea, which is probably record setting. We have been looking for good recycling bins for a year now, all the while knowing they had exactly what we wanted at Ikea but not being close enough to a store to make the trip for just those things worth while. We got in, found the bins, made a tiny detour though toys, bedding, and 'As Is' and got out and onto our next stop - The Mall of America!

Previously, I had never been to the Mall of America, nor had I necessarily wanted to go but I remember how awed we were as teenagers when the Mall of Georgia opened, and I am all for amusement parks in odd places (Dutch Wonderland, anyone?). It was totally worth the 45 minute expedition. I got to see the Apple Store, mostly Richard's doing, and Lego Land, for which we are both to be blamed, and watch the log flume which really does get you wet. It was fun, we didn't spend any money, and while I may not say no to a mall trip the next time I'm in Minneapolis - I never have to do it again.

ps - I'm reopening the photography/art shop on etsy - natajean.etsy.com - there are a few prints up already, and everything should be in full swing by next week

On the schedule for tomorrow:

- Shopping with Mom

- Further organizing the studio

- Stock photos

- Calling about potential nanny job