The Cabin

My family went up to the cabin this weekend. We wondered around and my padre even showed my sister and I how to shoot! It had been years since I visited and it was nice to see the place again!

Group Shot

Hiking up to the cabin

Found a skull

Padre teaching me how to shoot!

Somehow, we all managed to hit the target :)

Memorial Day Gathering

The Mattmiller side of the family got together for a cookout this weekend. Its been awhile since I have seen the entire crew so it was nice to spend some time with folks. I scored some decorating stuff for my apartment from my Grandpa which is awesome! Pretty excited to figure out how to use some old suitcases :)

We also braved the basement and found some interesting items. Including a bazillion trucker hats and beer that is 20+ years old! So we modeled some of our findings. What a fun day!

Katie being outdoorsy

Old school baseball hats!

International Crane Foundation

A couple weeks ago, I went back to where my career got started. The International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, WI. It was great to all the new exhibit work - I love it! I could have spent all day wondering around and staring at the beautiful birds!

Awesome recycled glass pathway

Goofing around in the new exhibits

Black-crowned Crane

Whooping Crane

Parents and me at the Whooping Crane exhibit

Hanging with my favorite crane species!

A Little Family Time

I got to go to Wausau for a couple days over the holidays. Spent time with the family and a few friends. It was great to just relax and see some faces that I hadn't seen in awhile

Katie, my parents and I on Christmas Eve

Grandpa Don!

And of course, I had to harass the big black dog for a little while...

Coffee Table

So, I got this really awesome birthday gift. My grandpa built me a coffee table for my apartment using reclaimed wood. I guess this wood is about 130 years old and has lots of cool looking knots and holes. Its awesome!

Me and my grandpa with the table

The table in my apartment - looks great!

View of the table from the top

Happy Holidays!

Here are a few pictures of my trip home for Christmas! It was a fun but super quick trip. Can't wait to bust out my new snowshoes...if we ever get any.

Mattmiller grandkids and great-grandkids

annual picture of Checkers under the tree

Weekend Up North

My grandparents came to visit me this past weekend. It was a fantastic change of pace from the past week. We just moved slow and relaxed and saw some sites. On Friday I showed them around where I work. On Saturday, we hit up the Duluth and Superior area. We went to Canal Park as well as a couple Wisconsin State Parks. In addition, my Grandpa showed me some of his childhood stomping grounds.

Lighthouse at Canal Park

Manitou Falls at Pattison Park State Park

Little Manitou Falls at Pattison State Park

Shortly after my Grandparents dropped me off at my house,  my housemates asked if I wanted to go to Duluth with them. So I hopped back in the car and went to Canal Park and Superior Street with them. On the way home we grabbed pizza in this cute little place in Moose Lake.

It was a fun filled, relaxing weekend and a bit of what I needed!

Family Reunion

Well, this past week was the family reunion. I met up with the parents, grandparents and aunts, uncles and cousins for a few days in Door County. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the trip!

Close up of a dragonfly

Sunset

Cave Point County Park

My parents and I

Time Flies

I know its been awhile since I last posted. Life got busy with the holidays and work.

I went home for a couple days over Christmas. Like every year, Christmas Eve day was spent with the Mattmiller clan. It was nice to see everyone - I had lots of fun playing with my cousins and had my Grandpas amazing ham. Christmas day was then spent at our house and the Grandparents came over. It was a great relaxing couple of days with good food. I also discovered a new way to enjoy my coffee - add mint hot chocolate. Delicious and tastes a little like a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha :)



Apparently, I was super good this year because I got lots of really fun gifts - a bunch of books from my wish list, a thermarest, some new socks and Blue Planet / Planet Earth. If any of you have not seen the Planet Earth series it is worth checking out because the footage is breathtaking!

Following my much to short visit to Wausau, I returned to the Audubon Center where I had to psych myself up for Family Escape Weekend. Basically a bunch of family descend on the center for 4 days full of activities. My favorite program was called Animal Care and Handling. Basically, families could come into the barn and see the critters up close. It was super cute to see the little kids holding salamanders and getting excited to feed a frog or touch a snake.

And with that, another year draws to a close. 2009 has been a year with ups and downs but I am certainly enjoying where I am now. Hopefully, 2010 continues the positive note that this year is ending on. Until next time...

~*~HAPPY NEW YEAR~*~

THANKSGIVING!!

I spent a couple days in Wausau for Thanksgiving which was great because I got to see lots of family and friends. Thanksgiving day was spent at Greg and Jess's. My Grandpa made ham which was one of the highlights. While eating dinner at the kids table (yes I realize that sounds crazy but this year, you sat at the kids table if you were under the age of 26) I looked over and saw I have the same eating habitats as my 6 year old cousin. We both had pickles and ham. I also taught everyone the art of eating a Tim Tam. My cousins loved them and wanted another Tim Tam instead of birthday cake!! Overall, a nice and relaxing weekend - can't wait until Christmas :)

BUSY BUSY

The last week or so has been super busy with lots of teaching and various barn duties. Teaching wise, it was a stressful week. Not because of the students (most of who were really excited to be at Audubon) but because of what I was teaching. It was a lot of new lessons that I had never taught before. I also taught some high ropes which was great because I dont have to think alot anymore when I teach it :)


In the barn world, I am now offically checked off on handling all of the education birds. This is awesome because I got my last key AND do not have to wait around for people to birds out for me any more. Our Barred Owl was the last bird I had to be checked off on. She didnt make it easy - she sat out in the rain and evaded me for a bit. She then pooped on my ungloved hand for good measure. When I was finally done, I was damp and kinda gross.



The other barn related thing is I passed my rehab test YAY!! I finished the test around 1:45 pm on Tuesday. At about 2:45 pm the center got a call about an injured red tailed hawk so I got to jump in the car and do my first rehab animal.



Perhaps the most exciting thing from the past week was Amanda's Wedding. My cousin got married so I spent the weekend in Wausau. The wedding was beautiful and I got the chance to see a lot of family.


Well I best be off. I have to pack for my charter school visits. No rest for the weary.