Super Post!

Ok, so just imagine that this is actually split up into three posts and posted over the last three weeks. Nobody wanted to see any pictures anyway...did they? I'll start with the most current and work my way back.

Last weekend I went to UW-Eau Claire to see the President. No...not the current one, the next one. The doors opened at 11:00 am and the event was scheduled to start around 12:30. I knew there would be a line, but I didn't want to get there TOO early. I ended up making the hour drive and getting in line about 9:50. At this point the line was probably a half-mile long already. I ended up not getting into the building until around noon...so I spent over two hours out in the 20 degree-ish weather. I passed the time by trying to stay warm and chatting with a woman in line next to me. We were from different eras...my first foray into presidential politics was casting a vote for Gore in 2000, hers was supporting Eugene McCarthy's run for the job in 1968. Still, generation gap be damned, it was fun sharing the time with a like-minded person.

To anyone somewhat familiar with UWEC's campus, here's a map of lower campus with a crudely drawn line of where the line was. The event was held at Zorn Arena and that's where the line started. When I got in line, it was at the very bottom of the hill (follow the green line!). A little while after that, the line was up around the hill and out of sight. The first picture after the map is looking back, up the hill. The second is looking toward the front of the line (which can't be seen).

Once in, we got a great bleacher seat. It was nice being able to sit, be warm and watch the excited people stream in and fill the place up. Below is a picture of Senator Obama speaking and then a similar picture but pulled back to see more of the crowd.

It was an awesome experience.

I found out later that before addressing the people inside, he went outside and talked to the many people who got turned away. I thought that showed a whole lotta class. Here's a video of that speech, outside of Zorn Arena.

A few weeks ago Julia had a friend sleep over for the first time. Julia and Sophie had a lot of fun together, although it was pretty obvious that Julia was not at all used to having to share her toys.
They danced...

Impatiently took turns playing on PBSkids.org...

And even fought over an Elmo doll in the confines of their sleeping fort!


When Mandy's parents came to visit a few weeks ago the surprised us and brought Mandy's cousin Alexis along. It was a very happy surprise for Julia, who is very fond of Alexis. Julia got a lot of special treatment...like getting her hair done up.
Finn wasn't left out of the fun though. He got some help riding around on his little car.