Hello Kitty girl

Kate is three! We had a whole weekend of celebrating, including a trip to Build-A-Bear and dinner at the Olive Garden (they were late with our food so we scored free desserts - yes!) Keith also put his artistic skills to use and produced a Hello Kitty cake. Kate has been telling everybody - including complete strangers - for months that she is having a Hello Kitty party so we couldn't let her down :) She loved being the center of attention and knowing it was HER day and HER party. What a cutie.

Yay! Flowers from daddy!

Posing for the camera with different expressions....I think this is her "mad" face. I laughed when she did this, because this is definitely NOT what her mad face looks like!

Who is she planning to kiss???

All her loot. This is one lucky kid!

Happy birthday Kate! We love you!

Hoosiers

Indiana. What do I say? The last month has been kind of a roller coaster, but I think I have decided that I can handle it here, and maybe even like it a little. Lately we have been doing this thing with the kids where they rate things on a scale of 1 to 10. So I think I'll do that with Indiana.

The weather: 8

Actually it's been kind of hot and sticky here, but the warmth just feels so NICE because it reminds me we are in a warmer climate, with a shorter winter and more tolerable temperatures as things cool off. At least that's what I'm anticipating. Indiana, don't let me down.

The people: 10+

I don't think I have ever lived anywhere where everyone from the mail man to the bagger at the grocery store is so stinking NICE. And it's completely genuine too. Sometimes they are almost too friendly, like do I really need to hear your entire life story? Cute accents too. I love it. Even the hillbillies/hicks/hoosiers are friendly and make me laugh. I can't believe these people actually exist, missing teeth and all!! A little bit of culture shock but I'm working through it.....

The roads: 3

Super narrow and windy, with no shoulder at all. And the same road will have 3 different names depending on which section of the road you are on. So driving is kind of unpleasant, which leads me to the next topic...

The radio stations: 2

All I can find are country stations, and 80's music that I haven't actually heard since the 80s. It's killing me. But's that's ok, I'll just focus on looking at what's around me (assuming I can stay on the road doing it!)

The scenery: 9

Rolling hills, trees, really it is just a beautiful part of the country.

Shopping: 4

Target: yes. H&M: no. Gap: no. Costco: no. So yeah the shopping could be better, but that is what the internet is for, right? Plus we could always go to Indy, which is only an hour or so away....

Food/restaurants: 6

We have Panera which is good, but no Culvers (Cameron is dying, he loves that place). There is a Chipotle.... I'll take it, although it is a lame substitute for Cafe Rio. The best part is that our favorite ice cream - Graeters - is sold at the local grocery store. How in the world am I going to lose the last 5 - ok 10 - alright closer to 20 pounds if I have Graeters around?????

So those are my first impressions of Bloomington Indiana. I am hoping to get over all the ups and downs of moving and start feeling at least the teensiest bit settled. I still really miss just about everything about WI. I guess it just takes time. sigh.