you don't have to go far for fun

There are so many good cities to explore in the midwest. I absolutely love Galena, IL. If you need nature, then I suggest Devil's Lake, WI. That is one of my other favorite places. They're both fun, peaceful, and have lots to do.

If you want big city fun, then you will not be without choices in the midwest. Chicago, Peoria, Quad Cities are just a few good choices for Illinois folks. Wisconsin has Madison, Milwaukee, Lake Geneva, and so much more. You just never know what you will find around each corner. You can find choices around every turn.

Milwaukee is one of my favorites! We recently took a boat tour around Lake Michigan, which is something I have never done. I grew up near those views and they are still wonderful to see. The art museum, children's museum, Summerfest, Harley Davidson museum, Miller brewery tour, and restaurants are just a few of the millions of choices for anyone to enjoy. It is a city of choices, for sure. 

We have seen concerts, ballets, comedians, and performers in Milwaukee. Gambling and the state fair are more options. And you have to catch a game at Miller Park! Yes, I said Miller Park. It will never be anything else for this girl! 

There are so many fun museums and options for kids, too. We love the children's museum and aquarium. The lake front is so much fun. The dining and hotel options are endless. I try to see as many places as I can. 

The world is a big place and there is so much to explore! I want to go everywhere, see everything, and squeeze it all in. I love nature, cities, adventure, tourism and all the things. However, if I want to stay close to home and have endless opportunities for fun, then Milwaukee it is! 

It's about that time!

 

Fall is on the back burner, ya'll! We already hit up Curran's Apple Orchard to get our apple cider slushies with a dozen apple cider donuts. And now it's time for the best fall food of them all... Soup season! You make a crockpot of chili for football Sundays, I make soup.

We already made our loaded baked potato soup and even bought bread to make bread bowls. I can already feel the warmth of the crackling bonfire, smell the spiked hot chocolate, and envision the leaf piles waiting to be jumped in. Don't get me wrong. We LOVE summer! No work, no alarms, no worries and tons of camping and day trips, BUT fall... Sigh...

Football, soup, bonfires, movie marathons by a fire in the living room, pumpkin decorating, homemade costumes, fun townie events. I love it! Even as I write this, my heart is fluttering with all the happiness from those cutie fall crafting sessions. Before I get too far ahead of myself, though, our favorite weatherman is informing us it's going to be a HOT weekend. Oh, Illinois! Get it together! Lucky for me, I get one more crazy summer weekend with flip flops and swimsuit options before I pull out my oversized sweatshirts and fuzzy fleece socks :)

18 summers- no more, no less

Trying to really embrace the concept of only 18 summers right now! She is growing too fast for me to comprehend, too fast for my heart to keep up. Every age and stage brings new challenges and new adventures. 11 is a good age for all the summer fun we have planned right now. I miss naps and her squeaky toddler voice, bathtime shenanigans, and baby snuggles, but now she can choose things, plan things and participate in all the fun things the adults like, too.

Just yesterday she asked how she can help me (I was doing paperwork-boo). I asked her to start the cookies. Low and behold, that kid cranked out 2 dozen chocolate chip cookies with minimal help on measuring or clean up! I finished what I was doing and had one less item on my to-do list. She had sense of ownership and responsibility AND math practice ;) She loves to bake and it was a good break in the rainy day.

18 summers of fun and adventure... We have been to Ohio, Michigan, Florida, zoos, camp trips, flights, day trips, baking days, pj days, no phone zone days, all the things you can think of. This summer is extra special because we have a few big camping trips planned and a family trip out of state. To say we make the most of our summers and our time together is an understatement. We squeeze it all in while still taking rest days, spa days and movie marathon days!

This summer's mother-daughter bucket list looks a bit different. She's been blessed and had many fun opportunities already, but I always let her choose 5 things to do each summer. This summer she has a summer baking day on her bucket list. So, sit around and cook and bake all day??? Basically, the cost of flour and whatever else she can come up with. Sounds good to me!

Here's to a safe and happy summer. Here's to memories and sunscreen and belly laughs that hurt. Here's to inside jokes and new recipes and amazing photos. Here's to #11. And the 7 that remain :(

getting up to Devil's Lake

Getting outside has always been the name of the game. Are you stressed? Bored? Feeling lazy? Frustrated? Sleepless? Get outside. Even breathing fresh air is better than nothing. We went to Devil's Lake this weekend to celebrate a Birthday outdoors-style. 

Devil's Lake is by far my favorite place in Wisconsin. It's God's Country. The thousand foot rock faces, the crystal clear lake, all the types and shades of trees just remind me that we are merely specks on a map and only one part of a bigger picture. You pick a bluff and you start moving. Soon it's just you and the sound of your beating heart against the wind, trees, and rocks. 

You have to focus and watch your step. You have to walk cautiously and keep your balance. When you're in the bluffs, don't step back too far or you're going down. It's like a naturistic, poetic lesson in life. The whole time you're climbing, the beach may be packed or the campgrounds may be booked solid, but you would never know.

We have been hiking here with our daughter for at least 3 years. Each year she gets more confident and stronger, so we can go further. Each year she gains more endurance and adventure. It's a lovely progression to see how far she has come in all the pictures. She has to pay attention. She has to watch her step. She has to pace herself and be patient. Hiking is teaching her things that I sometimes can't. 

Next year she wants to climb up the side of the rock face to reach the top. She wants to rappel. She wants to be adventurous and because of her sense of adventure, I will look into it. We want to encourage her as long as something is safe. She wants to come back and do more which makes me so happy because I love it!

We had fun with minimal effort. No money spent. No reservations made. We wore old shoes and smiles on our faces. I can't wait to see how far we can go next year. Remember that nature is good for you. And free!