Things after things

I've neglected to put up pictures for a long time. My apologies. New job, coldness, it all adds up to me being lazy. So here are some things that happened *note that November was one of the worst months ever, even though these photos don't really show it*:

The best Des Moines doughnuts,


Grandma's 85th birthday in the hospital,

a somber looking Thanksgiving but it really was a good time,

I hung out with some of my favorite kiddos,



giant wooden nickels everywhere.


Many things have been happening but my camera and my self haven't felt up to being out and about to capture it all. I'll work on that as spring comes along.

Yes We DID!

Well I did cry, and they were the happy tears!

This week I started a new job, Barack Obama won the presidency and the world suddenly seems like a better place. It was instant.

I've never been a huge patriot, nor have I been terribly 'anti-America' (except for say these last 8 years) but this election made our entire planet feel like there is hope. Friendly mobs filled with people so against W. who are now out there waving American flags and crying with joy. Who knew that we could hit the 'reset' button just like that? I realize the problems are the same and the wars are still going on, but this still changes everything. Watching Kenyans, Germans and Australians crying and screaming with happiness at our new president, to see how much they cared about what was happening with us was really eye opening. I knew it was big for us here in America but it means a lot to them too.

I can't stop smiling. And I'm happy to say for the first time that I'm proud to be an American.

Good job people.


“We ain’t what we want to be; we ain’t what we ought to be; we ain’t what we gonna be, but, thank God, we ain’t what we was.”

I'm probably going to cry either way..

..but come on America. Let's do this thing.

Winnie the Pooh & the Blustery Day

The Johnson County Poor Farm & Asylum (http://johnsoncountyhistory.org/)


The wind is making the whole day seem like a mini tornado


While out pumpkin shopping I saw a peculiar van which said "Invisible Children".


Upon investigation, it turns out that InvisibleChildren.com is a group that helps the people of Northern Uganda. They are trying to improve the educational system by sending educators and volunteers to Uganda and getting the word out via a film they shot a few years ago. I learned something new.

After picking up some pumpkins I walked about the cemetery and listened to the crazy wind.

It has suddenly become fall...

Sorry to the four people who look at my blog! I have been AWOL and lacking a card reader for my new camera. Well, I finally got one.

There have been birthday parties,


(the birthday girl)


Homecoming parades,


bugs...


that threw shadows.


It appears that I hang out exclusively with children. This is not entirely false.

I finally made it to the eye doctor. He promptly dilated my eyeballs!


Monsters came to visit!


As did Chris.


What up cool Jamal?

And just today I made a pie. Apple variety.

Summer Time in the City

Jamal and I spent some time in Burlington, Wisconsin in July. Jman had some coffee.


They had pretty flowers,


pretty cats,


pretty houses,


and some interesting National Geographic Magazines.


Shortly thereafter I had a birthday. My mom instructed the guy at Dairy Queen to make some sort of "modern design" for my annual ice cream cake.


For this birthday I was given a new digital camera. It has a 'sunset mode' which I've only gotten to try out once and it was through my window screen.


In the last couple of days my mother has been making tons of key lime items, such as this pie that she insisted Jamal try, as he had never had it before. He likes it!


I also went to Wilson's Apple Orchard. They have some good apples, which I picked and placed in my apple bucket.

I'm gettin' older...

but that's okay! Look at this...

The Sweetest Lion

I've been busy with these nieces and Wisconsin the State.



A cake I made for my uncle's birthday. He lives in Texas now but he loves those Hawkeyes.


...I'll be adding more pictures soon. I have to get a card reader for my new camera.