Hoosier hijinks

This weekend, we invaded the campus of Indiana University to visit my sister/cousin, Abbey, who is a freshman there!  The leaves were just starting to change, which combined with all of the gorgeous limestone buildings made for spectacular scenery.  Being showed around by a beautiful coed didn't hurt either.  We started the visit with a quick walk to a favorite campus eatery.

We told Charlotte to be on the lookout for Goldilocks -- we hear she likes to sample your pizza if you're not looking.

Waiting for a table was worth it -- the pizza was delicious!  Charlotte ate two big pieces.

While I dropped the boys off at the hotel for naptime, Charlotte inspected Abbey's dorm room.  She declared it to be awesome.

Ta da!

I talked to my mom on the phone during the drive up to Bloomington, and she told me to look for evidence that Abbey was using the Swiffer duster that Mom sent her in a care package.  Really?  You sent her a Swiffer duster?  Not sure whether Abbey's friends would understand how funny and appropriate that was coming from my obsessively clean mother.

The view out of Abbey's window is beautiful!  This was one of the few brief moments of sun we saw all weekend.  Otherwise, it was a typical rainy midwestern fall weekend.

While Petey napped and Corey watched college football, Abbey and I took Charlotte downtown to WonderLab -- a fun science museum for kids.  She met a big dinosaur,

got to bang on a lot of things, and much much more!

After a fun dinner at Yogi's sports bar, we headed to the Memorial Union (the student center) to let the kids wreak havoc.  We came across not one, but two wedding receptions.  Petey tried to trip a couple of groomsmen and then attempted to crash one of the parties, but we snatched him up just in time.  Charlotte liked seeing the ladies in the pretty dresses.

There's a break in the rain -- let's go outside to run around out there so we won't ruin anymore weddings!

When we first arrived, all four of us had on our Indiana shirts.  When Abbey showed no hint of embarrassment, I was super impressed.  We changed the kids before dinner, but Corey and I decided to keep looking as dorky as possible on the off-chance we might run into some cute boys that Abbey knows.  No such luck.  It was a gameday (although the game was away), so we just blended into the crowds.

Sunday morning, Abbey took us downtown for brunch at a great restaurant that even had a special back room in which to stash all the families with obnoxious children.  Good thing -- Petey was especially obnoxious and was ejected from the premises (by Daddy) while the girls finished eating.  Here is the little rabble-rouser with his new favorite toy.

IU's campus was beautiful and everyone we met seemed very nice.  I think Abbey's Hoosier blood will carry her through the initial difficulties of moving thousands of miles from home.  We can't wait to come back at the end of October to see the IU/Northwestern Homecoming game.  I'm already getting pressure from the Northwestern side of the family -- will we be wearing purple or red?  Maybe both??