Summer Wrap Up

Its been several weeks since my last post and though I could probably have found the time somewhere to sit down and write, it just didn't happen. We have been running around with all sorts of projects and activities. Here are some of our highlights. 

The season for camping is abbreviated this far north so you have to make the most of summer. Since we had the kids with us we wanted to find a campground with a beach and one that we hadn't been to yet this year. Karen had a few suggestions for us and after checking them out online we settled for Klienke Park. It is a small campground in Michigan's upper peninsula (the UP) along the Green Bay shore of Lake Michigan. 

We took off after Erin made it home from work for the hour long drive from Oconto to the park. The sky was overcast and the clouds were dark and about to burst. As with every. single. camping. trip. we've taken this year it was going to rain. We arrived early afternoon on a Friday thinking we would get ahead of the crowd but to our surprise all of the good spots on the shoreline side were taken. Erin spotted a trio of young guys that looked like they were setting up the camper as we circled the park a couple of times. Then she suggested we ask if they were setting up or packing up. Just so happened they were leaving and gave us their spot. I think it was the best one in the entire place. We pulled into place, ready to take the popup off of the hitch when it started. It seemed to come all at once. A downpour. Luckily it only lasted about 10 minutes. 

Getting settled in.

A little overcast after the rain.

Perfect little beach.

It seems Clayton is still figuring out how to smile for pictures.

Waiting for Erin and Chelsea to get back from showers.

Beautiful Morning.

It turned out to be a great weekend and we may have found our camping spot for many, many weekends to come. 

Clayton and I happened to get a day all to ourselves and we were due for an adventure. I spent a good hour trying to think of something fun and out of the ordinary for us to do. Then it hit me. What about a baseball game? I pulled out my phone and couldn't believe that the Milwaukee Brewers were playing a day game! It was fate, we had to go. Milwaukee is a 2 1/2 hour drive south for us so we had just enough time to get home from running errands and pack a lunch for the road.

Road trip.

I have been a big baseball fan since I was very young. My first MLB game was in Kansas City to watch the Royals on a church trip. I also got to watch the Mariners play in the old Kingdome in Seattle as well as a couple of Texas Rangers games in Arlington TX. Since moving to Wisconsin and being this close to a MLB team I have been itching to get to another game. And I was a bit surprised when Erin told me Clayton had never been to a Brewers game. Appleton, which is only about an hour from home, has the Timber Rattlers which is a Brewers minor league affiliate and he has been to a couple of those but a pro game is a rite of passage for a little boy. Its a few hours but really its a moment of your life. Your first game. The green grass, the sound of the loud speakers and crowd, the smell in the air. Baseball is the only sport I've seen that I would rather watch live than on a tv.

Coming up on Miller Park

We had the cheap seat but still a great view.

Clayton needed a new hat.

Now, I'll forever be a New York Yankees fan but GO BREW CREW.



As the summer came to a close we needed one last hurrah before sending Chelsea off to Kindergarten. The city of Green Bay has a small amusement park called Bay Beach, complete with everything you need to work off the sugar you're giving your kids. We met up with our friends Bill, Danni, and Gabby for the day.  

Bill and Gabby

Sitting across from them on the Scrambler.

That evening we had Bill, Danni, and Gabby and some other friends over to help us with a project for the backyard party we had coming up. The kids ate plenty of pizza and ran around the yard and house. A perfect way to end summer.

The One Day That Wasn't

We've all heard of a Bucket List. A list of things you want to do before you die that usually includes seeing far off destinations or adrenaline rushes like skydiving. We have a list for our relationship. It's similar to a bucket list but without the morbid constant undertone of the race against death.

We have a "One Day" list. Its an idea that started when our relationship was very young and in all honesty we didn't know when or how we were ever going to be together. Long conversations, getting to know each other, finding similar interests and creating bonds. Through all that, we started to form short lists of little adventures we wanted to share with each other. Certainly not the grandiose exploits of a bucket lister, instead, we focused on obtainable moments that will mean more than accomplishments.

Friday morning we decided to chase down a One Day. There is a little shop in Marquette, Michigan that Erin had seen on a visit there for her cousin's wedding. It piqued her interest but time didn't allow her the opportunity to explore it then. So a store that exclusively sells bingo supplies was our destination.

The kids were going to be with their dad so it was a chance for us to get away for the weekend. The plan was simple but as with all last minute plans, the packing was feverish and over thought. No need for a hotel because there was plenty of room in the back of my Toyota Highlander for an air mattress. Well, yes and no.

Turns out the super deep queen size mattress I have fills up most of the room. We decided to give it a shot anyway. So got it deflated and we packed our supplies.

As soon as the kids were picked up in the afternoon we headed out. Marquette is in Michigan's upper peninsula and only about a three hour drive from our home in Oconto, Wisconsin. We decided on a scenic route along the Green Bay coast of Lake Michigan.

Biscuit settled in for a nap.

Our excitement burned up a lot of energy and by the time we hit Escanaba it was time for dinner. Wanting to stay away from chain restaurants for the trip we stopped by The Stonehouse.

It was a Friday evening and the parking lot was packed as expected. What wasn't expected was to walk into Escanaba's most ostentatious eatery. We were both seriously under-dressed for such a place, but this wasn't our town and we were hungry. We sat in the rather loud and over crowded bar area not wanting to wait for a dinning room table. Drinks ordered and served before we were handed menus and the prices were, again, above expectations but already being there and drinks in hand we were hopeful the prices matched the food quality. By this point stomachs were growling. As is turns out we already had the best part of our meal at the table. The drinks.

The food was as lacking as the service and overall a disappointing meal. But if we had gone to an Applebee's we wouldn't have a story. We were on an Adventure!

By the time we made it into the campgrounds in Marquette it was dark and the gatehouse was closed. The rain had lightened up but was still coming down enough to dissuade us from being outside the vehicle too much. We rearranged and made our bed in the back. Erin had some work to finish up on her computer so Biscuit and I hung out and listened to the rain. Bedtime came and with it the great air mattress experiment. By the time it was completely inflated we had only about two feet between the top of the mattress and the roof. And it was shifted to one side so we were sleeping on an angle. We were off to a bit of a rocky start but it was an Adventure!

The morning brought more hassle as we had to wait to pay for our campsite when the gatehouse opened. It did give us time to head out and find a nice little bagel shop to get breakfast though. Afterwards we headed back and got all squared away with the campground. The decision was made then:  The price of a cheap hotel was worth every extra dollar over the price of camping in the back of the Highlander again.

It was still very early, so instead of running off to the bingo shop right away we checked out Presque Isle Park.

Lake Superior coast.

Rocks of Presque Isle Park

Breakwater with lighthouse at the end.

We walked out most of the way there but flip flops and a small dog plus gusty winds and these rocks made us change our minds about venturing all the way to the lighthouse.

Windblown and in love.

Most of the park was closed unfortunately so we only really got to enjoy walking out on the breakwater. We had spotted a farmers market setting up when we were heading to breakfast so that was our next stop.

Its early in the growing season this far north but there was a surprising amount of produce available along with other goods and crafts. Some younger guys were playing around with jazz rifts, never really playing a song, while we perused.

Marquette has a nice little touristy downtown area we wanted to explore but we could wait no longer. It was time to see what we came for.

Higgins Bingo Supplies

SON OF A BITCH! The place was closed! All we could do was smash our face against the glass like a kid outside a candy shop and peer in at all the things we had absolutely no use for but surely would have bought anyway.

This One Day would have to wait for another day. The disappointment faded fast though. The real significance of our trip was to do something completely out of the way for no other reason than to be together. And we were having a pretty good day of it so far.

We spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon popping in and out of little shops. Looking at over priced knick knacks and trying on ridiculous hats.

We also stopped into Marquette Food Co-Op.

This was an experience and maybe worth the entire trip. If you could shove more pretentiousness and hipsters into one place you'd have to rename it Portland. Now anyone who knows me well would say I tote the line a little close to hipster sometimes but they patrons here were a whole different breed. The way the dressed and talked about yams, yes yams, and over-payed for food that looked like it was expiring that day...

The entire place is embodied in glorious flannel, skinny jeans, thick rimmed glasses, and boots. 

We enjoyed a much better dinner and drinks that night at 906 Sports Bar. They served vodka mules, which neither of us had ever had, in various variety.

Moscow Mule: Vodka, lime juice, ginger beer served in a copper mug.

After making more mules in our hotel room and getting a much more comfortable night's sleep, we packed up and headed for home. But our day wasn't over yet. Erin's step dad Steve sent us a craigslist link for a popup camper. We had been in the market for a little while but hadn't seriously looked. This one was in the price range we wanted and looked to be in good condition. The only problem is that it was another hour and a half south of where we live and we were still a couple of hours north of home. This was an Adventure! though and we couldn't let the opportunity slip by us.  

A quick pit stop at home to unload and we were back on the road. Luckily, Karen and Steve live right along the way to where the camper was located. Wanted to have them give it a look over as they are the experts. We had a late lunch with them at a Mexican restaurant then found our way to the camper. Everything checked out and we are now the proud owners of our first camper. 

Setup in the driveway at home.

Erin, Clayton, and Biscuit won't get out.

It's nothing glamorous but is just what we need to have more adventures like the one we had this weekend. And we started a great new tradition of finding a rock wherever we go, writing down the date and place, and bringing it home to put in this little corner of the yard.

The One Day that wasn't... turned out to be a very memorable few days instead.