October plans start to crystallize

It's hard to believe this is the 101st posting we've done on this blog...I hope y'all have gotten as much out of it as we have. We also really appreciate the efforts everyone else puts into their blogs--it allows us to feel connected to the family, even though we're a thousand miles away. Here's a couple more pix of the new baby--don't worry, I'll soon try to post a gallery of larger, higher quality images on the pix link to this blog.

Pictures, of course, are no substitute for face-to-face time, so I'll put down some thoughts about our planned trip in October. I have a meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, from October 9-12, so we plan to drive up to lower Michigan the weekend before. We'll visit Hope's family during the first part of this trip, then I'll go to Cleveland while Hope and the kids remain at her parents' house. On Friday, October 12, we plan to meet in northern Ohio and head westward to Madison, with the intention of dining at Morel's in the evening. We'll stay overnight in Madison, then head south on Saturday, finally arriving in Monticello on Sunday (hopefully, before the Packer game!).

I think we'll stay at a hotel in the Madison area that night--not because we don't want to stay with family, but this is a work-related trip that is being paid for, and we'll try to get a room at a hotel with an indoor swimming pool so that the kids (and anyone else, for that matter) could take a dip while lil' Stephen gets doted on... Our staying at a hotel would also free up space for other family members that may want to stay in the area, but don't get taxpayer money to do so...

We haven't absolutely locked ourselves into these plans yet, but this is our current thoughts. We are still planning on going to Rhinelander for deer season, but this too could change.