Day 1 in WI: Promised Pics

Since I am legalistic, this is yesterday's post (I passed out on the couch last night before I got a chance to get it published). I still have to write something for today. 31 or bust!

So, while the two 3s were making their way to Friendville and Lily was temporarily keeping a safe distance...


...Michelle and I, thanks to her wonderful husband taking charge of all five children, made out way to the Elk Lodge to hear Rachel Coleman give a presentation.


If you don't know who Rachel is, you've obviously never been to my house. In my house, and many others, she is an icon. She is, in her words, "a rock star to preschoolers." And it's true!

Though, I must admit, I love me some Rachel as well.

She has played a significant role in my child's development. The program that she co-created with her sister, Emilie Brown, has brought communication into our home well before Playette was able to speak. And that's HUGE, people. HUGE.

So, not only does my kid have a second language that connects her to so many more people, she can tell us her wants, needs, and desires, and has been able to do so in increasing complexity for a long time now.

Plus, she can impress people with her mad signing skillz. I can't say that I don't enjoy that. Take that, stereotypes! My kid can learn, and teach, yo!

Rachel told that room full of parents her story and how it related to the creation of Signing Time. She shared with us how she dealt with unexpected challenges. She had me BAWLING. And then she sang, which made it that much more messy for me.

It was a great messy though. I'm so glad that I had that opportunity.

After a lot of chatting and snacking once the presentation was done, Michelle and I headed back to the house. But first, we stopped at the grocery store, where I discovered that that whole Packer thing?

It's serious.

Not only was the whole store decked out in the signature colors, but so were the snacks.

Check out these Rice Krispie treats.:


How can you not love people that color coordinate their snacks?

I have to wonder what the cashier was thinking when we stopped to take this pic. I mean, it was midnight and I was being a total tourist.

That reminds me. I look really sleepy in this pic, huh? There's a good reason for that. I had had a long couple of days. In my next post, I'll tell you why.