Vote NO on CON CON

On Election Day, November 4, Illinois, voters will be asked to decide whether the state should hold a Constitutional Convention (Con Con) to rewrite our state's governing document.

The last time voters were asked if a Con Con was needed, they rejected the notion 3 to 1. We should do the same this year.

There are many reasons to vote NO on CON CON:

• It will cost taxpayers as much as $100 million- money that could be better spent on education and critical services.
• It would open the entire constitution for major changes, threatening important protections and allowing special interests to push their narrow agendas.
• The state constitution can already be changed by amendment. In fact, Illinois voters have amended the current constitution 10 times since 1970.

A Con Con would be costly and unnecessary. Please join me and vote NO on CON CON on November 4.
Thank you.

Some of my favorite things...

My favorite season has arrived! I love how fall stimulates all of your senses.
I love the bright changing colors.
I love cool crisp nights.
I love the sound of leaves crinkling under foot when going for a walk and the sound of the dogs rustling in the leaves.
I love how excited Drew gets that it is hunting season.
I love the smell of burning leaves and the first fire of the season in the fireplace - we have not made a fire yet.
I love fresh the crunch of fresh apples.

Getting Taller & Growing Up

Drew & Alex went up North for a little work and a little dose of relief for hunting fever.

Alex has grown up so much! How is it that he is old enough to have a hunting license & to carry a gun?! When he took the hunter safety course in the spring, he only missed one question on the final test.


Some of the new season softball team at the kick-off party last weekend.

With mixed emotions, Ashley is not dancing this year - the first year since she was 2! Middle school seems to agree with her. She is doing well in school and has taken on another sport - volleyball.
We just barely got home from a softball round robin tournament that the Lady Dawgs hosted to shower, change and get to Rainbow Installation.

Alex's Birthday "week"

Tonight we celebrated Alex's Birthday (which is actually this coming Wednesday) with a family dinner, laser tag, arcade games & bowling.

Cora enjoyed her Cherrios.
Julie & Geoff practiced dominating the arcade.
Drew took a try as an airplane pilot.
Ashley practicing driving.
Grandma & Grandpa playing with the girls.

The big kids bowling.

Then there are these two "hunting dinosaurs".

Thanks Grandma & Grandpa!

Happy Birthday Week Alex!

You and your friends should have a great time!

It's one of those days when you can't believe how awesome life is.

Wow are Alex & Ashley tall!

It was raining too hard to go apple picking but we had a great breakfast and a great time doing other funny things in the rain.

For as dry as we were not, we really don't have a good reason why we didn't come home with apples!

The apples in the tree above ~

Alex, Madison, Spencer, Ashley, Zach & Riley.

This goat was trying stay dry.

There is a habitrail like structure for the goats.

You put food in the can and use the pulley to move it up to the top of the goat crossing.

Alex feeding a lama an apple.

Zach feeding the little goats. They were really cute.

Here is a little goat that we all thought greatly resembles our Maddie.

We'll keep Maddie.

Spencer's nickname is Busy Bee so she had to have a picture with her home away from home.

Seeing that we were with our great democratic friends,

it was fitting that we came across a donkey.

Only in Wisconsin... Kids "riding" on top of a train right next to the freeway.

The semi in the back adds a nice touch.

This morning was really fun even if it has rained for the last 3 days and it is not stopping soon.