Ben tries out his new day setting

Today Ben, Wendy, Ben's friend and I visited Ben's new setting.  He will be spending his days at MARC-South, and the people here are wonderful!  He did a great job on the bus...more pics to follow...

The new driveway!

Okay, so the new driveway is in, but there are rules...
No parking on it for a week
No turning the wheels without the car moving on it
No looking at it funny
No jumping up and down on it

(just kidding about the last two)

But be sure to come over and see it soon!

Fun in Laona

There's always lots to do in Laona.  Here are a few examples...

The wild wolf river

The kids and I stopped at the Wolf river on the way home today.  We have driven by many times, but today decided to get out and touch it!

Girls reunited...mini road trip

While the boys made their way up to Laona after the great driveway event, I met Becky after her ferry ride,

retrieved Kristin from her senior trip in Green Lake,

and was immediately abandoned by both as they wanted to ride together...FINE!!

I found a place to hike on the way up North...so there!

New driveway!

We have gone back and forth for years about whether or not to get our driveway blacktopped, and after this 21st year of Frank having to rake gravel out of the grass he decided it was time.  I don't know who was more excited...Frank, or our little neighbor Leo, but everyone enjoyed the show!

Senior skip day

I think it's great to get invited to your kid's senior skip day...Kristin took a friend and a picnic lunch to Devil's lake and invited me for a part of the day...thanks Kristin!

Unknown neighbors...

We met a new family of neighbors today!  Here is the mom and her children (you have to look close in the background).  Aren't they beautiful?!

Big day for Ben!

Well, it's official, Ben is a legal adult just about everywhere in the world, and he now has the papers to prove it.  He rode the bus to the DMV and got his ID just like a regular guy...we are so proud!

We arrive...

We wait...

We celebrate!!

My idea of swearing...

Ben

Over the last year lots of people have been involved in helping to create a plan for Ben for his post-school years.  Ben has been visited by a number of people in order to determine his needs and to match them with services so that he is well cared for. 

Yesterday he was having another visitor to assess him, so I stuck around to participate in the process.  While I was there Ben was lifted into the stander that was so lovingly created by Rosie for him years ago.  All of us in the room discussed the value of this gift in terms of helping Ben to stretch, accept physical therapy and, um, well, move things through his system, (if you know what I mean!).   I'm incredibly grateful for Rosie's gift to Ben and her friendship in my life.

Syttende Mai again...

Besides the pictures, there were two acts that couldn't be captured with still images.  Be sure to click on the videos to get the true flavor of these...

Syttende Mai (May Seventeenth in Norway!)

We've never celebrated our Norwegian heritage by attending Syttende Mai, but this year after church we headed over to Stoughton and had a ball!!  Here are some pictures of the special day.

UW Graduation Day!

This year is the last of our small classes, and they have been a very tightly knit group.  All have grown into wonderful teachers and I look forward to working with them all as peers over the next years!

End of the year field trip

Kristin has some great field trips coming up, and I got to go on one yesterday.  Once there, we ate lunch...

and on the way back, we saw this!  Click on the video to see something really cool!

The fun has started already!

We are already enjoying our time with Becky...pranking, biking field trips, movies and dinners out...

Becky's here!!!!

Becky is staying with us this summer to help me with Ben (and play with us!), and she came today...yay!!

only in Sheboygan...

 Kristin, my Mom and I had a great time in Sheboygan.  Driving around the old home town and seeing some things for the first time...how could I have lived here for so long and never noticed a funny sign like this?!

Then to Gosse's so Kristin could have one of the "best cheeseburgers in the whole world"...

Dinner and a Mommie

Kristin and I traveled to Sheboygan to wish my Mom a happy Mother's day!  On the way we stopped to drop off a birthday gift to Racker...(happy birthday Racker!)  Of course, then Kristin (and the uncanny powers of the iphone apps) found us a kitchy cafe to dinner before we ended up in the old hometown. 

New Dirt!

I think I've always loved fresh dirt...just ask my mom...but even I am a little daunted by the prospect of having to move this dirt pile into the garden.  But the garden will be so great once all of this nutrient-rich soil is in there!  I'm going at it one shovel full at a time...come on over to help if you want!

Happy Becky Fans!

You can probably tell by the faces that we love our most recent graduate.  Congratulations Becky!!