Duuuude…

I very much intend to work in Wyoming on a dude ranch this upcoming summer. After carefully perusing the ranches is the aforementioned state, here are the 3 that I will be sending applications to:

The Hideout Lodge and Guest Ranch

Eatons's Ranch

Paradise Guest Ranch

It's a Family Tradition

We Wistes have a certain sense of . . . well, let's call it style. These images certainly speak towards our desire to wear a lot of denim.

Progress

What does progress look like?

I began this morning with 900+ emails. I proceeded to delete 7 of them. I now have 894 emails in my inbox. In the words of our cousin, Lawson, "That's what I'm talking about!"

Routine

Well, I wasn't really intending to blog this morning, but now, Liz and I are getting into a great, early morning routine. I guess that blogging is becoming a part of that; a way to clear my head or share a bit of the past/future before putting myself to work.

Since this blog is titled, "Routine," I thought it might be interesting to show some ancient tools of routine that came from Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Gladiator fights anyone? Do you think that they had season tickets for regular attendees?

Proof that cast iron is the toughest pan in the world: this one made it through a volcanic eruption and still looks like it is pretty well conditioned. 

My friends and I were pretty sure that this was a toilet. Me, being the super mature one of us all, took a picture of it. Do you think they would have read stone-tablet-newspapers or vellum-novels while sitting on this throne?

This is probably the routine you can expect if you live in the shadow of an enormous volcano. 

Well, I must now sign off in order to continue with my version of the daily grind…

Ballerina Beauty

Good Monday, Y'all. In perusing the internet before beginning my morning work on my 'T', I came across this article. It is short, tear-inducing, and prompts one to think about what all is going on in this big world. Just click the link:

Ballerina Article

Renewed New Beginnings

We are the Coolest!!!

So...I am starting this blog post with a prime example of a graffiti shot (of which I took plenty while in Italy and Norway; graffiti and statues and food are the 3 main categories of photo subjects). This one in particular is a shout out to my lovely sisters and our Mom (because the noun is in its feminine form) - you, us, we are all the coolest!!! **If you would like to see the  photo that I had posted, please ask to see it in person as, post-posting it, I realized that the words had some bad connotations that I would prefer not headline our blog; you can also ask for a clean and a dirty translation**

 This is a picture from the night that we ate chocolate pasta. For all of you out there wondering, the answer is "No, chocolate pasta is not a good idea," (just ask Truman.). I include this picture for two reasons: 1) We live in a land full of wonderful people. Let's take this week to particularly enjoy them. 2) There is cheese (most of it homemade) on the table. I like to make a point of including at least one picture of cheese in every post. Let's also take this week to appreciate cheese!

Last, but not least, a cute kid. I feel like Clarence has been bonding with all of us this past week - if I entertain him properly, he lets me hold him, even if Liz is around! We are all looking forward to seeing our piccolino, Charlie degli occhi blu, and of course his MaMa!, our darling, Becky. See you soon!

Truman's pumpkin patch.

~Becky

Run for the Arts.

 We did it!!!

Not the most flattering pics, but whatever. Like KT said, how you feel you look when you run and how you actually look when you run... not the same. But I think we were all pretty proud of ourselves and each other. Go team Black Hammer, division Wiste girls.

~Becky

Me'nage a' Trois.

And not the wine...

Liz and I have been enjoying Pamela Druckerman's Bringing up Be'Be' so much that I thought she might also like to read this story, an article written for Marie Claire. Not really about parenting.

~Becky

Ta Ta, this is for you...

Your welcome,

Becky

Choo Choo!

Charlie had a wonderful second birthday party with everyone he loves the most. Thanks everyone for coming :)

I've so many pictures to share, I thought I'd space them out a bit and start with his party, which I only have a few pictures of. Someday I hope to get scrap booking again, at which time I may need a few more of the event if anyone has some good ones. So, check back again soon... 

~Becky

Getting knitty with it.

Check out this link (http://www.winonadailynews.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_bf436afc-e9b4-11e1-b40b-0019bb2963f4.html) to the Winona Daily New's editorial on August 20th, in which they implied that knitting is the most boring activity imaginable...and then Yarnology's response which I have posted below. (Yarnology is Winona's yarn store.)

They are still waiting to see if their letter makes print.

Now I must go blanch some more green (and purple and yellow and multi-colored beans) for the freezer. Double eviction on Big Brother tonight (yikes). And then go to bed early (yeah!).

~Becky

R & R (Routine and Relaxation... and much canning to do).

ahhhhh (big sigh) we are home. And we are going to stay here for a couple of weeks anyways. We had so much fun, and Charlie was actually able to stay on a pretty good schedule because of everyone's help, but it feels good just to be home. This morning Charlie crawled up into bed with Travis and would kiss him, and then say 'more' and kiss him again.Obviously somebody missed their daddy.

I got up this morning feeling like a lazy bum, but for some reason decided I needed to get out for that a.m. jog I've been neglecting, and it felt so good. The air was crisp, but not too cool. Just a perfect kind of day. Half way through Charlie signed potty, and was able to wait almost 10 minutes before we got to the Visitor's Center (Thank you for being open Winona Visitor's Center!). He had one wet diaper all day today, not counting one after his over 3 hour nap. He was such a honey all day, and played in his sand box for an hour while I read some more of my library book, Bringing Up Be'Be', which I am finding to be an easy read about French parenting.

I've got some fun things planned for Charlie when Trav goes back to school on Monday (and we will have lots of one on one time together). We're going to start working on some projects, artsy things, counting, listening to music, etc. Any ideas for a two-year old? Please share... we also accept substitute teachers and may go on a few field trips.
The first "unit" will be on Native American studies, due to the Great Dakota Gathering & Homecoming on September 14-16. So i.e. we will check out some related little kid's books at the library, listen to pertinent music, think up an art project, etc., etc. And I get that he is so little he might not get everything out of it I want him to, but I like the idea of exposing him to different things (he LOVES music and dancing, so why not try some different styles out and see what he likes). Plus it will be fun for me, too; and I hear they have delicious Indian tacos at the gathering.

~Becky

The Cheese Vacation.

Everybody knows the moon is made of cheese... says Wallace to Gromit. http://www.wallaceandgromit.com/films/granddayout/about.html

I am recommending this short film to Katie and other cheese lovers, as it is on Netflix and pretty dang cute. Wallace LOVES cheese, and is unable to eat crackers or drink tea without it.

I am not a huge animation fan, though I do prefer claymations. And Shaun the Sheep, which I very much enjoy, actually made his first appearance on Wallace and Gromit (A Close Shave). Plus they're British, and I am into a little British television phase (for the second time).

Ta ta,

Becky

Goat Man.

I found this article unique and pertinent in some way to our blog.

Goat Man.

And the sort of disappointing follow up story.

~Becky

*Well, now my post doesn't totally make sense because they seem to have replaced the first article, which was full of mystique, with the second article, so both links lead to the conclusion.