Offer It Up

 

I'm nearing the end of the shawl for my niece.  A few more evenings of knitting and this puppy will be ready to take a soak and get blocked.  I have about a third of the border left.  It has taken me two weeks to get this point.

 

After this project is over, I'll pick back up on my basic cardi.  I need to do something for me.  Maybe I'll make a pair of socks also.  I certainly have a stash of fingering weight yarn waiting for me.

 

In non-knitting news, my life is still very much consumed by my mom's health and my children.  Blake and I went on another college visit Friday.  This time to the University of Cincinnati.  Unlike his sisters, he really liked the campus and can see himself going there.  We have a few more campuses to visit.  We'll see next year where he ends up.

 

While in Cincinnati for the campus tour, Blake and I stayed in town to visit my mom.   I probably won't get down there again until mid-April.  I had hoped to get down for Easter, but the plans for Easter with my mom are too early in the day for my family and I to attend.  We would have to get up way too early and possibly miss church.  It upsets me that things couldn't have been arranged to be a little more accommodating for us since this may very well be the last Easter for my mom.  I'll stop complaining now.  Since we are going to be staying home, I'll just focus on making it nice for my family.  As my mom would say "Offer it up."

Road Trip

Kristin had her spring break this past week.  Instead of heading to a warm climate, she and I went to Milwaukee and Chicago to check out a couple dental schools.  Wednesday was spent in Milwaukee touring Marquette University.  Thursday and Friday were spent in Chicago.  On Friday, after a quick tour of Midwestern University, we headed downtown to check out the Art Institute of Chicago.  I wished we had had more time.  You could spend days in that museum.  We did a fairly quick walk-through and hit most of the galleries.  We skipped the modern art ones since that genre doesn't appeal to us.  Here are some highlights.

A seated Buddha

The Spinner (my personal favorite!)

American Gothic 

One of Monet's Waterlilies 

St. George Slaying the Dragon 

After the museum, we headed out into the cold to find the bean.  We didn't realize it until we found it that we walked right past is as we went from the parking garage to the Art Institute.  Like true tourists, we took a picture of ourselves reflected in it.  We sort of look like 'Umpa-loompas' because of the angle of reflection.

The sky was clear on Friday which made for some great photos of the Chicago skyline reflected in the Bean.

After that we trekked up Michigan Avenue.  We didn't buy anything but I did see an outfit I'd like to recreate.  I'm not that skinny, but I think I could still pull it off.

After that we headed up Lake Shore Dr to visit one of Kristin's friends from college who went home to Chicago for Spring Break.  Kristin took this picture as we passed Navy Pier.

We'll have to make another trip there in the summer when the weather is warmer.  There is a lot more to explore.