Another Day, Another Lake

August 1 meant one more month until autumn--for September is an autumn month to me, even if it's still warm out.  And it meant one more month until my birthday month and our anniversary month!

This August 1st also meant a trip into Wisconsin!  I had a family portrait session at a client's lake house, and they invited Fernando and me up for the weekend.  In just a little over two hours, we were at their house and Lauderdale Lake!

The view from their front yard.

Steve and Stephanie took us out on their pontoon boat for a tour of the lake--there are actually three connected lakes--and to scout out possible locations for a portrait session.  We had so much fun talking and enjoying the scenery that we decided to just do portraits in their yard.  Fernando posed for me while the family changed clothes, and I got some good ideas for different spots to shoot in.

The C. family portraits will be put up on my photography website soon; for now, suffice it to say the camera went away and we enjoyed a great meal grilled by Steve, and an evening filled with laughter and fun.  We went back out for a midnight swim; Stephanie and I stayed on the boat while Steve and son Ryan and Fernando went for a swim in one of the bays.

We didn't get to bed until 2:00am!  After a lazy morning and yummy breakfast made by Stephanie, Fernando and I took off for home, making sure we purchased a case of Spotted Cow (Wisconsin brew; we loved our initiation to this flavorful brew!) before crossing the border.

As soon as we pulled into our driveway, I grabbed my camera and started snapping this thunderhead that was looming toward us.  Most of the rain missed us, but the clouds were an impressive sight!

Mammatus clouds as the storm approached.

Back to life,
Christine

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Marriage and Football

August 30.

We left the wedding of Jason and Gianna and drove straight to Wisconsin for Thomas' first football game of the season.  Enjoy the game highlights in pictures!

Back to life,
Christine

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Part Two -- The Mousehouse!

After trekking into the Wisconsin woods to find our Christmas tree, we followed the H. family to our next destination:  The Mousehouse.  (Only in Wisconsin.)

Officially, it's the Mousehouse Cheesehaus.

We created a tradition that the guys have to pose in front of the Mousehouse with their tough-guy stances.  This was the best they could do:

Joseph is smiling (a rare thing to capture), so that made me happy.  Meanwhile, inside the Mousehouse, they have these:

Hey, we're in Wisconsin.

We really do root for da Bears.  Go Bears!  And Bears fans are not afraid of a little cheese.  Or cheeseheads.

They also sell fudge.  We bought some.  Or rather, Fernando bought some.  He likes fudge.

The mice at the entrance waved goodbye.  :)

We continued down the highway and ended up at Cracker Barrel for dinner together.  What fun!

I caught some scenes through my window as Fernando drove.

The car warmed up and I was happy.  What a beautiful day with friends!


Back to life,
Christine

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Over the Border and Through the Woods

Time for our (now) annual tradition with the H. family!  Three years running, we have joined our friends crossing the border (the Wisconsin one) to go to CaPaul's Christmas Tree Farm.  This year we followed them up the day after Thanksgiving, caravan-style as usual.  Although it was the season's coldest day yet, everyone was in a chipper mood, with college students home for their break, and special time together with friends.

A couple of retired reindeer.

Here is our story in pictures:

College student in a sweatshirt, 18-degree wind chill...

Our family.

CaPaul's has this nice, warm building--an extra-large room, really--where they serve hot apple cider and have Christmas-y things for sale.

It has been my personal tradition to purchase an ornament every year, with the goal of having our Christmas tree decked out in nothing but snowflakes and glass icicles.  It's mostly snowflakes so far, since I can't ever find glass icicles.  This year, Fernando purchased the large gold one in the image above (on the right), and a plastic box of 10 gold snowflakes.  So, I've already been triply blessed this Christmas--I have gifts from my husband, snowflakes for my tree, and mementos of our little annual trip into the Wisconsin Christmas tree woods!

Stick around for Part Two of this little trip...!


Back to life,
Christine

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Visit my photography website