WiSCONsin Craftin'

It WAS a good weekend!  But a LOT of hours in the car on Friday and Sunday.  Robb and I headed to Wisconsin to see Maddy.  I WOULD say Matthew too, but we didn't see him until Sunday.  He was running a 100 mile race with his team in Minnesota and got home late on Saturday night.

We stayed Friday night in their apartment and enjoyed the extended visit with our girl.  The next day, she and we headed to the local gigantic farmer's market,

 picked up some supplies for a SSSN (Super Secret Steak Night) and then enjoyed some local food where the waitresses were on rollerskates, bringing food to your car. YUM!  

This is a brat burger on pretzel bread.  mmmmmmm

Then went back to the apartment.  We didn't really have much else to do after a nap, other than talk until  Maddy suggested a project.  "Hey Mom...  Do we have time to make some curtains?"

Um.. yeah!!!!!  So she and I headed to JoAnns and hunted and hunted for the perfect fabrics.  She was discouraged at the prices, even WITH the 60% off coupons we both had.  But then I remembered that the muslin is in 108" widths and not the normal 45-60" widths.  We would be able to use one width of it to fit a window, so all we'd need is the length.  Whew!  That saved a ton of money and there were some cute prints in the muslins, IN the colors that she wanted!  $8 on one window and $13 on the other.  Yay!

We also picked up some curtain rods and we were in business.  I sewed like mad from 4pm to 6pm and got the panels done.  The sashes didn't get completed until after dinner. 

Gotta clear that table for the steaks!! 

While I sewed, Maddy worked on a photo frame wall display and their house is now a home.  Pinterest is our friend!  

Didn't it turn out beautiful?

Robb and I headed off to the hotel as he hadn't gotten a lot of sleep Friday night.  We've been told that it takes about a week to get used to the trains that run past the windows.  He figured out the train schedule during the night though.  They're timed to pass the apartment building every time you're about to drift off.  We'll remember that next time.

STUCK by a train again...  They're living on the WRONG side of the tracks!  But the lake air was fantastic and the car company was great so it was no big deal.

We stopped by their apartment on Sunday morning and Matthew was home by that time. Yay!  Headed to church.  

The church service that morning included the installation of Maddy, another teacher and the new principal for the church school that she's teaching at.   And then a huge picnic that featured a dessert contest, yard games and a trivia game for the grown ups.  One of the questions was, "What was the instrument that Mrs. McT played in high school?" a) clarinet b) tuba  c) accordion  d) saxophone

Me: Mom: waving my hand like crazy.  Oh, it's all done on paper??  Oh well.  I knew it. (C)

Matthew's family was along with us and we all got a tour of her classroom and all the work she'd done getting ready for school, which starts on Wednesday.  She's going to have a great year!

We got to meet a LOT of the kindergartners that she'll be teaching.  SO cute!

And even though this pic only shows their backs, it shows the close bond that Maddy and her dad share.  I love it.

These two couldn't have been placed in a better place for the talents that they both have.  

God knew best, obviously.

I just wish it were closer.