Field Trip Day...

...otherwise known as we are sick of winter and sick of being trapped indoors and it's March, for goodness sake, time to stop hibernating so let's do this thing...

We headed to Madison today. Yes. In the snow and sleet and less than stellar road conditions. And we went to see

our state's beautiful, beautiful Capitol building.

At 8 am we were lucky enough to have it mostly to ourselves. 

Full of echoing footsteps, the distant hum of elevators and the smell of coffee it seemed an even greater juxtaposition of relatable and majestic on this gray, damp day.

We wandered on our own for an hour and then took an official tour with a group of Third Graders from a local school. We learned a lot.

Like, for instance, we learned about this, just one of the glorious murals in the Capitol building. 

It actually has nothing to do with Wisconsin but is in fact the illustrated and allegorical wedding ceremony that commemorates the union of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans when the Panama cannel was built.

I think this photo, in the Governor's room, is so amazing. It's like a glimpse into our state's future. Because one day some of these eager little minds might actually sit in these exact same seats and help run things.

The view from the roof top of the nearby Children's Museum. It ended up turning out kind of moody and arty. But mostly I was just trying to get a shot that didn't include the iced-over plexiglass barricades.

On our way up to Madison we dropped our Cat off at a clinic for a surgical procedure. We very much missed her and had a few teary moments, worrying about how she was doing. So drawing a little picture helped.

As did quite a bit of walking, warming up with Chai, Almond milk lattes and a gluten free brownie or two. 

A little iPad art, some Trader Joe's shopping, (found my Medjool dates...you have been updated...) and a good long wander through a Barnes and Noble bookstore didn't hurt either.

By the way, I realized today, that last thing is ten times more fun with a child in tow. Really.

(I love the tongue. You know some serious creating is going on when the tongue is out...)