I made a hat with the targhee DK from Mitchell Wool Co. that I picked up in Wisconsin. I think the colorway is bonfire or campfire or something. I think a better name is straw bales and corn pools. The hat is smooshy and I love it.

Today we played at the orchard, visited the zoo, and built with Lego. Audrey is an amazing person. I’m proud to be the mom of such a kind and curious child.

I wear Crocs around the house. They are comfortable and keep my feet happy. I was thrilled when I discovered Kitty with a Cupcake sells knitting croc charms. They arrived today, and my ugly banana crocs have never looked cuter.

I recommend both a pair of Crocs as house shoes and the knitting charms.

This morning the kids and I got in the car and headed to my Dad’s hometown. It is a small town about two hours away that is home to the world’s largest grotto. I spent a lot of time in West Bend as a kid, but have not spent much time there since my grandparents died. My aunt and uncle live and West Bend, and they spent the day showing us around.

We visited the sod house at the historical museum. It was a timely visit, as we are reading On The Banks of Plum Creek, where Laura and her family live in a dug out for the first part of the book. I’m very glad I don’t have to live in a sod house.

We went to lunch at the Wagon Wheel, a tasty place that serves so many fries with your meal I left what would be considered two baskets of fries at most places on my plate. Audrey was cold, so she snuggled with Bob and Patti.

At the Grotto I showed Audrey the pond where I learned how to ice skate. Every time we saw the pond I told her about it. She found it really annoying, so I kept doing it.

I showed them the best place to hide when playing hide and go seek in a shrine. It’s Jesus’ empty coffin. I feel just a tad sacrilegious typing that. My cousins and I used to play the best games in the grotto.

I showed them my favorite room in the grotto.

After the grotto we headed to the local soda fountain. I had a real soda fountain cherry coke. Audrey tried a root beer float. It was a good time all around.

Once we were hyped up on ice cream and soda we got back in the car and headed home. It was a nice visit, and I’m glad we were able to spend time with my aunt and uncle.

I keep psyching myself up to camp in a tent. I love to travel with the kids, and we could go on bigger adventures on our tiny budget if I could just get in a tent. I have anxiety, and camping along with the kids terrifies me. I don’t know if I will ever be brave enough to camp alone with the kids, but thanks to a great homeschool group, I have camped in a tent with the kids.

On Sunday afternoon we packed up the car for a night at Elk Rock State Park. We had the youth group area, so we were a short drive away from the main campsites (you know, the fancy ones with electrical hook ups and toilets).

It was a small group, with four families staying over night. Two of the families had kids close in age to my kids, an they all had a ball together.

The other moms were great. They are the kind of moms that I would want to hang out with even if it wasn’t for the kids or homeschool stuff. I loved sitting around the campfire talking to them while the kids played. We even had wine in little plastic cups. It doesn’t get any better than that.

It was cold at night. I was thankful for good camping gear. We slept in hats. In the morning we had breakfast, sipped coffee, and headed to visit the Peace Tree.

I’m bummed that I just discovered how fun camping is with a group. I don’t want to have to wait until next year to get back to the campground.

The kids and I just finished Little House in the Big Woods, so we decided to go visit Pepin, WI and Laura Ingalls Wilder’s birthplace.

We visited the museum in town and visited the cabin (reproduction) on the original homestead.

We visited the shore of Lake Pepin and collected rocks, just like Laura. Unlike Laura, we did not collect so many that we tore the pocket out of our skirts. The museum gave the kids little bags to put the rocks in.

While at the museum we picked up a new passport. We’re pretty excited to add more stamps.

On our way home we stopped in Decorah to have coffee with my niece.

It was a long day of driving, but it was filled with fun and the audio book of Little House on the Prarie.