Summer Vacation: Madison, WI (Part 4, Week 4)

Our last week in Wisconsin was a busy one. It always is.

It doesn't matter how long our visits, there are always a few things we want to do that we don't end up having enough time for, and we often spend that final week - or least the last couple of days - trying to cram in as many activities as we possibly can.

Grandma and Grandpa needed to have two large trees in their front yard taken down, so Grandma scheduled the operation to take place while we were in town so that the kids could watch. They LOVED it. 

Will very politely introduced himself to all of the workers, but then he used his secret squirter ring to spray them with water. I worried that Grandma would need to pay the company extra on account of the less-than-desireable working conditions (constant questions plus water fight provocation), but the workers assured me that my parents' house was their most enjoyable job of the day.

Will gave water-skiing another go this year, and made it up for approximately one second. We managed to photograph the before and after, but unfortunately that one second was missed. If you think Will looks kind of miserable out there, you'd be right. It was about to storm, so the already-chilly water was compounded by clouds and wind. He was FREEZING.

We took three horseback riding lessons while in Madison, from a great ranch called Madison Horse Connection (I'd highly recommend it should you live in the Madison area and want to learn more about and how to ride horses). My parents plan to vacation at a ranch out west this fall, so they're taking lessons in preparation for their trip; they were nice enough to let the kids and I - and Tom, the weekend he was in town - join in on the fun.

We did quite a bit of baking during our time in Madison. Actually, we did quite a bit of baking in Nebraska, Iowa, AND Wisconsin. I like to bake.

Will's favorite were these ninja cookies.

We ended our vacation with another trip to the Union and then Alt-n-Bach's Bar and Grills to celebrate Grandpa Paul and Connie's birthdays.

It was a great trip, and going home was almost as difficult as it was to drag Grandpa and the kids away from the pinball machine in the bar...

Peace out, Wisconsin - see you next summer!