The Little Family visits Madison!

Finally, this Memorial Day weekend, Sharon and all three of the boys came up to visit!

A great time was had by all!

The biggest highlight was probably the tour of the office facilities. If you haven't been here, this place is the most colorful and creative office environment you could imagine. Every building has a different theme, with art works, decorations, and props galore. The conference rooms are also themed. The boys had a blast exploring everything from the Indiana Jones tunnel, to the Subway tunnel, and even the statue of Elvis! We didn't even make it to the training center to see the Star Wars rooms (Droids and Jedi), or the three auditorium sections (Shake, Rattle, and Roll) with the Blues Brothers themselves seated outside.

The Capitol building is another Madison landmark we got to check out. It's at the very center of downtown, and it is the very highest point in the city. From the Observatory on top, you can see pretty much the entire city, including both lakes which surround the isthmus that is central Madison. Check out this cool photo: http://www.joleneplautz.com/

From there, we moved on down to State Street. This is a six-block stretch which connects downtown to the University of Wisconsin campus. Lined with restaurants, clothing stores, arts and crafts, music stores, and people! Very reminiscent of downtown Yellow Springs, and a fun trek for the whole crew.

Last but not least, we went over for dinner and fireworks at the Brat Fest! (That's Brat as in Bratwurst... not brat as in the three sons we raised!) Good food, great music, and a fun way to cap off a long weekend of getting to know our future home. We listened to a remarkable local band, Rigel. Billed as a Celtic rock band, they played a variety of styles with flair. So much talent! (And it didn't hurt that Chad was smitted by the young lady playing the fiddle.) First time I have ever seen a young lady who could play the fiddle and riverdance at the same time! Check out their music at: http://www.rigelband.com/index.php

That's all I have for now. More thoughts ahead on "Moving Forward" with my career and with life. Thanks for dropping by!