Home is where the heart is

There is a part of me that will always consider Wisconsin to be "home" - no matter how webbed my feet get. It was very clear to me, as I was driving from Minneapolis to Phillips (I had lots of time to think - I made the round trip twice, at three and a half hours plus each way), just where my roots are.

I grinned the whole way, I think, as I was listening to the Eagles - passing row upon row upon mile of corn, past about and equal number of silos, churches and taverns, through towns with populations listed anywhere between 97 and 3000 (most in the 300-600 range), and through countless intersections for County Road X (or C or B or H).

It was so fun to re-introduce my boys to the place of my childhood. They had a great time riding bikes, playing with cousins and going to the park at Grandma BooBoo's house and riding four wheelers, feeding the deer and picking apples with Grandma Donna.

Here are a few of the highlights:

Glen and Maddox and Jayce "helping" Great-Grandpa Chuck peel potatoes. Maddox and Jayce hit it off - after he left for the day, Maddox kept asking "Jaaayce?" and saying "Me!" (translation: he wants to play with Jayce more).

The boys with Great-Grandma BooBoo and Great-Grandpa Chuck.

Great-GREAT-Grandma Kreiling with Great-Grandma Donna, MumMum, Glen and Maddox.

Nothing is better than a Grandma's lap..... except perhaps a Great-Grandma's lap.

Picking apples with Great-Grandpa Tom. All of the apple trees were LOADED with apples this year! Mmmmmm... Grandma's apple pie......

Riding the four-wheeler with Great-Grandpa Tom was a favorite activity.

This is one of my favorite places on this earth - on the four-wheeler trails at the back of Grandpa's property. Especially during this season - the trees were starting to turn, and the woods smelled so good.

Glen sneaking up to a deer - he got pretty close! I think he got scared before the deer did..... Grandpa has several "pet" deer that he feeds every night - the boys loved it.

Another favorite childhood memory.... fishing at Deer Lake. Unfortunately, we had a north wind, and the only thing we caught was weeds. (Glen and Maddox did manage to chase and capture several snails on the beach, though).