Just us....

So here is a post that is not really related to wedding details.....While we were in Rhinelander, as I mentioned before, we stayed at the home of Mike and Mary Rhode. Their kids are all college age and up so they had three rooms in which our family, plus my parents, could spread out. We were so, SO grateful for this. It allowed us to travel up there a day or two earlier that we would have if we'd had to rent a hotel and it also allowed us to be a bit more relaxed and spread our stuff everywhere. The kids could get closed in a room for naps or go to bed early without the rest of us trying to figure out what to do with ourselves. Of course it also meant we could hang out with my parents, as well as my siblings, since we had a 'home' to spread out it. All that to say that we thoroughly enjoyed making ourselves at home at the Rhodes for the 5 days we were there!

So now I'll share some pics of just us and some of the things we enjoyed while we were in Wisconsin. The highlight was the outdoors! Our kids enjoy being outside here at home, but one's own yard gets a tad boring after a while and the adventures are never-ending at someone elses house=)

For example, one thing Jesse enjoyed taking the tennis ball that he found and rinsing it off in their rain water barrel=)But the favoritest part of the 'great outdoors' for all of us was the wooden walkway behind the Rhode's house that led a long, straight path through the woods to a dock that extended out onto a lake. BEAUTIFUL!We took several walks out to the dock....

The kids had fun but probably not as much fun as Matthew and I had when we headed out there around 10 pm one night under the light of a full moon. I can't tell you how pretty that was! But you'll have to take my word for it since there is no photographical proof=)

Here are my kids in an impromptu photo opportunity=) And here is the rascal that I live with on a daily basis....sometimes he's so cute, and other times....!!!

On another night we headed out to the dock with Kendrick and Jenna and had a great time laying under the stars and chatting away about all manner of ridiculous subjects=)

On our way home after one of our walks the kids humored me yet again - I couldn't resist the scenery and made an attempt at getting some cute pics of our kiddos=)

I have to admit it's hard to come back to South Dakota - like - no wonder the government had to offer the land out here for free to people so someone would take it! But I'll get in trouble if I continue....I love the life we have here and the people that are a part of it, but seriously, Buffalo Gap is not exactly what you'd call picturesque after visiting a state as green as Wisconsin. The trees were just beginning to change while we were there and we really enjoyed the pretty surroundings.

"Thank you Lord for the variety we can enjoy through your creation!"