I Want this Bike

In hopes of winning a Madsen for myself I'm entering their link contest. One lucky blogger will be the winner of a brand spanking new 2011 Madsen bucket bicycle. Now if only my Sheepdog would stay put in the bucket...

RIP iPhone 2G

Ok, I miss you. iPhone 2G, all of the memories we have are many. I picture my brother Mike standing in line (possibly) for this new piece of Apple greatness that has buzzed the entire U.S. I remember the Christmas he brought you home, his woman. What a beauty you were.

That Christmas he showed me the commercial he concepted. The Mini Clubman Pinball spot, a proud man showing off his new bride. I will admit I admired your beauty. Do you hate me for being jealous? I left that night figuring that any man would do. I clutched my black Motorola Razor and told him we'd be fine on our own. Life was bliss again.

The next fall brought on deployment time for Ron. I looked D-day square in the face and pictured many lost communications between us. As much as I'd like to be near my laptop I knew there would be times I'd miss his instant messages. "We've done this before", I thought.

Little did I know, iPhone 2G, my brother would replace you. It turns out there was a new woman in town, and her name was 3G. He didn't need you, but I did.

Sent in the mail, I received a package addressed to me. I realized your possibilities were endless. I'll never forget the time you let me instant message my soldier. Me in a bar in Madison, him in an MWR tent in Afghanistan. I didn't miss a moment. I could celebrate a 30th birthday without missing extremely important irreplaceable communication from my love. Nothing, not walking into work, nor grocery shopping, lawn mowing, or 3-year-old bedtime tucking would keep me away from MY MAN. I owe that to you.

You saved me. Yes, SAVED ME, I said it. I don't think my life would have been as peaceful (as humanly possible) during that deployment without you.

I'm sorry for dropping you. More than a year later you met your fate on the pavement outside the Hilton. I never had the chance to say goodbye. My last few days of Hipstamatic pictures, you will take with you in untimely misery. It's ok. You deserve them.

Rest in peace 2G. Thank you for a piece of mind, an instant gratification, and a sense of memory. You will not be forgotten.

Books We are Reading

"I sat there with Sally. We sat there, we two. And I said, "How I wish we had something to do. Too wet to go out and too cold to play ball. So we sat in the house. We did nothing at all".

Luke is loving the Cat and the Hat this week. We read it every night before bed. Thing 1 and Thing 2 are the coolest things in town. With inside kite flying, messing up bedrooms, kicking vases and taking names, these guys have Luke written all over them.



"So the decision was made to abandon the town of Chewandswallow. It was a matter of survival".

I think I've read this 128,393 times in the past 2 years. I don't think we can ever get enough of flying hamburgers, tomato tornadoes, or pea soup fog. The movie did not do the book justice, however, it was entertaining and we saw it in the theater as well as on the big screen in Cudahy Park.



"Now where in the world is that poky little puppy?"

This one has been on Luke's list since he was at least a year old. Not sure why this fascinates him so much. I think he enjoys the poky puppy's independence.



"I was the saddest dog you could ever see, sad because no one wanted me. The pet shop window was my jail. The sign behind me said "For Sale". I was tied to a bare, hard floor of stone. I could not even dig for a bone. I was living all of my life alone, a dog that no one wanted to own. And then one day, at half-past four, Sammy Brown came in the door. Sam took one look at me a cried, 'Why are you tied up here inside? I've always wanted a dog like you, so I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I'll take you out to the farm with me. You'll play outdoors where you should be.'"

Ahhh before I copy the entire book I will stop here! This is one of my favorite books from childhood. Luke really likes it too and has already memorized most of the book. It's a great story about a dog, his owner, a little freedom, overzealous digging, and redemption. I recommend it to any dog loving family.



"Many many years ago in Sorrento, there lived a small boy named Giovanni who had no mother and no father. He dressed in rags and begged his bread and slept in doorways. But he was happy, and he could do something wonderful. He could juggle."

This book is straight from Ron's childhood favorites. He even dressed as Giovanni for Halloween one year. I'd post a picture of that if I had a scanner or even the picture itself, but unfortunately I have neither. This book is a tearjerker. Aunt Carla (Ron's Sister) bought it for Luke at his baby shower. I made the mistake of reading it while pregnant. All of the pregnancy hormones had me balling by the end of the book. We love Giovanni's juggling act, especially the golden ball that he refers to as "The Sun in the Heavens". Luke is always asking to juggle burning torches now, but other than that it is a great read!

Vacation

The last week in June my little family and I traveled to the Northwestern area of Wisconsin. It was lovely. Well, except for the ticks. Oh, the ticks. Thank goodness I'm an Army Wife Chick who put up with Ft. Leonard Wood summers - chalk full with 90 degree heat, field excursions, wood ticks, and chiggers. I rarely stepped foot outside of our air conditioning in those days. I don't think I could survive real Southern heat. I really, don't think that I could.

Other than ticks, Up North is grand. We enjoy fishing near Minong with Mike and Carla. Garmisch USA us an Up North retreat for sore city eyes. Luke devours every inch of the play area. I fall in love with bar food again. We traverse Cable, WI by getting in touch with the CAMBA Mountain Bike Trail System, as well as the legendary American Birkebiner Cross Country Ski Marathon. We need to physically explore these areas. I make note of the beginner routes for future trips to the region.

Our favorite activity of the trip is heading down to Hayward, WI - home to the World Lumberjack Championships at Scheer's Lumberjack Show. We have a great experience at the show. Our Emcee and scorekeeper "Buck Johnson" shows similarities to world champion boom runner Will Hoeschler and son to 7 time world champion Judy Scheer Hoeschler. What do you think? Needless to say, I think the show was awesome, and I'm happy they allowed the children a run at the saw and a chance to get autographs. Will, (cough, cough)..I mean Buck, openly offered to take a picture with Luke. It was a great day all around capped off with miniature golf and dinner at Coops Pizza Parloure. Luke still tells me he is going to be a Lumberjack someday and wants to attend another show somewhere else in the U.S. Go Lumberjacks!

Our stay at Garmisch was held in a lodge room. Garmisch is beautiful! It is exactly what we were looking for in an Up North resort lodge. Lots of lakefront, beach, and recreational activities mixed in with a family traditional and historical atomosphere. I personally couldn't get over the "honeymoon walk". The Honeymook Walk is a square cement paved walk down to Lake Namakagon. Each paved square is engraved with names and dates of newlyweds who have spent their honeymoons at Garmisch. The romance has consumed me. I'm giddy with this hopscotch profession of love. "Maybe", I tell Ron. "We'll spend our 15th here." "Sure honey, whatever you think". Ron says. I mildly begin to calcute the odds of success each marriage stone represents in the current divorce ratio component in the U.S. I was finding myself wondering if Virg and Tom were still together and if Steve and Jennie hadn't already put the hooks to their relationship. I'm sorry you guys, but it IS the statistics. MAN! Honeymoon Walk, Garmisch USA... your stones are looking more stable than reality. Regardless, I will pretend that we're all married. Virg, Jennie, Kim, Denise, and I are with our stallions in the Northwoods. Life couldn't get much better.

While vacationing the majority of our meals are consumed at local restaurants. I am more than mildly impressed. The Hayward/Cable area has a large amount of great local/bar food. My favorites of the trip includea the Sawmill Saloon. The portabella sandwich hit the spot. It is grilled to perfection and the seasoned fries caps off my hunger for down home cookin - Wisconsin style. The last night of our stay we dine at the surprising Rivers Eatery. The pizza is out of this world. The stone fired pizzas are cooked perfectly. We choose a sausage and pepperoni. Ron leaves to take Luke to the bathroom early in the dinner. I have finished my portion by the time they return. "This pizza is gooooood" I say. "No kidding" says Ron. "I think half the women in the greater Cable area are here tonight". Sure enough, it is Girls Night Out, in which area women are encouraged to attend a book signing at Redberry Books (Located within the Ideal Market that houses The Rivers Eatery as well as the bookstore), and a dinner of stone fired pizza in the eatery. I think I can embrace Cable, Wisconsin. These women like to read. Reading is sexy. Move over wood ticks.

Sheepdog in Hipstamatic

I'm enjoying my new iPhone Application Hipstamatic. Chinook is my subject. He doesn't want his picture taken. I'm following him around the house.


He's just about had enough of this nonsense.

The Hipstamatic Camera was founded in 1982 by brothers Winston and Bruce Dorbowski of Merrill, Wisconsin. They created the all plastic camera (lens included) in a small cabin studio on the Wisconsin River. There were only 157 cameras made back in 1982. Not sure if was due to lack of popularity or the untimely death of the two brothers. They were killed by a drunk driver in 1984.

iPhone has proved once again that there is an app for just about everything. The Hipstomatic is available for download for $1.99. It comes with three different lenses, two flashes, and two different kinds of film. I think Bruce and Winston would be proud. I'm sure having fun.

What We've Been Up To

It's been a busy few months. I'm slowly counting down the days until I'm a full-time Mom again. There will be lots of blogging, picture taking, road trips, cooking, baking, digital scrapbooking, and scrubbing the bathtub going down here at the homestead. It will be so.so.good. Here is what we've been up to so far this summer.

We spent a day in Racine and made a stop at Bendtsen's Bakery. Luke enjoyed a doughnut with sprinkles while I wolfed down an Apple Elephant Ear. We were very satisfied with our selections. We also took a Raspberry Kringle home for later. It was absoutely the best kringle I have ever tasted. O&H Bakery has nothing on this hand rolled kringle masterpiece. My vote is Bendsten's. Go visit and buy more than just one!

After Bendtsen's we made a stop at the City of Racine DPW yard to sample some heavy machinery. Family Day was a hit with Luke as he blew the horns off the street sweeper, dump truck, and garbage truck. He even won a Star Wars kite by throwing cans in a recycling bin. Could the day have gotten any better?


Yes the day does get better. We ended the day at Kid's Cove, a large wooden play structure on North Beach.


North Beach is so clean. Milwaukee beaches do not hold a candle. I love you Milwaukee, but our beaches need help. Describe Bradford Beach in 6 words or less. Go. Yucky, stinky, black slime, grime, HELP.

We took Luke to his first Brewer Game. Miller Park is a great place for kids! We played on the play structure outside Helfaer Field. Once inside the staduium there is a play area for kids with lots of photo, throwing, and running opportunities. Below is my favorite picture of the day. Luke, Ron and a few of your favorite Klement's Racing Sausages. (I especially love the Bratwurst in the background mugging my photo).

Now batting, the first baseman. Or something like that.

Finally, we've been attending family movie nights in our neighborhood park. This has been the biggest hit of the summer. I love outdoor movies and without my beloved 41 Twin, my opportunity to do such is very few. My favorite memories include Faces of Death IV, Halloween H2O, and 6 Days 7 Nights. Oh, the greatness of the outdoor theater. Now back to 2010. We're in the local park and we're watching The Princess and the Frog on the Big Screen. This is what the Big Screen looks like.

Definitely not the 41 Twin, but we'll take it. Last week was Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and next week is Night at the Museum. We can hardly wait.

Last Days of Preschool

School is coming to an end very soon. Luke will finish preschool and move on to 4K. Elementary School here we come! I'm looking forward to working on projects and homework, after school activities, new friends, and lots of great opportunities ahead. Poor Luke doesn't even know where he's headed yet as we can't decide where to send him for 4K. Will it be public or private? We shall see. Until then we have lots of fun planned for the summer, and as soon as I'm done working in July we're going to check out many local fun places! On our short list: Racine Zoo, Elegant Farmer, East Troy Electric Railroad, Little Amerrika, our vacation to Cable, WI, Sheridan Pool (yikes), North Beach, Castle Park, Waukesha County Fair, and maybe a few more.

I don't have much to post about when I'm working so much. Life pretty much revolves around the Franklin Sabers. So until I get a minute to catch up on some free time - here is a picture of the lovely Mother's Day flowers Ronnie purchased for me. It's almost time for them to go, so I snapped a picture.

1957 I Love You

It must have been something to build this stone house in 1957. Aunt Lena, you and Uncle Karl making a home on Tomaro family land in the southeast suburbs of Milwaukee. The City of Cudahy where your father paved roads and made a name for "The Son of Italy".

It's 2010 and your great nephew and niece-in-law are admiring the home you built. A master bedroom with an attached master bathroom. 4 bedrooms, 3 natural fireplaces, a fireplace in the garage no less. The garage opens to the attached sunroom. The downstairs bar on "garden level" has an escape door to the backyard just above. A true home for entertainment. I can picture you, Aunt Lena, calling your sisters Flossie, Grace, and Jo to join you on the sun porch. Maybe your radio is playing "That Will Be the Day" somewhere in the distance. It's a time to celebrate a new home and a promise of a new life. A time just before the day the music died. I'd like to think this modern home embraced the era of rock n roll. Then again, maybe not.

Lena if I could talk with you now I'd tell you that your home is beautiful. I'd tell you that your modern 1950's life is the vintage I covet. Did you realize that the 50's would symbolize a time of goodbye? Buddy Holly, Bye Bye Birdie, the War, and glass soda bottles spiraling away from days gone by? Did you realize that your marriage was ending, that this house would be a story in a photograph, and the word feminism would fall upon the lips of every American after 1964? Were you happy here, Lena? After the end of your marriage, your move to an apartment, did you sit back and think about your time as a housewife in Cudahy when American Bandstand played in the living room of the house with the only television on the block?

For now I will say goodbye to your home. I'll keep it in my file cabinet under "family history" and wish all the while I had the answers to my questions, the secrets that are buried in the house we want to buy.

Family Fun Land

Thursday morning Luke and I took off to Germantown to explore Family Fun Land W189 N11161 Klienmann Dr. After looking over the website I was impressed by the admission rate. It is $4 for a wristband for kids to play on a huge play structure and bounce house. Considering that Monkey Joe's is $8 ($10 on Saturday and Sunday) I decided the deal was worth the drive.

We arrived a few minutes after the business opened at 10am. There were already several cars in the lot and stay-at-home-moms were unloading kids from mini vans and SUVs by the carload. Upon entrance I was a little confused where to pay but then noticed the line at the prize station. A little signage would have been helpful (and I also wonder how closely they keep track of walk-ins). However, the line was quick, we were given a waiver to sign with instructions to keep socks on at all times, and not to play on arcade games unless we are putting in tokens. Got it. Luke was given a wristband and we made our way to the bounce house.

It was a large bounce house, a little overfilled. It looked like Luke was having a hard time bouncing. Quickly we were on to the soft indoor playground. I was very impressed. It was similar to a McDonald's Play Land but much larger in my opinion. The room was VERY clean. This really speaks volumes about the care and quality of this mom and pop business. Luke took to the playground immediately, and I lost him at times in the many crevices, tunnels, slides, and levels of the structure. I did feel a little uneasy that there were multiple exits to the structure, and he could easily slip into the game area unnoticed. So, I decided to roam the area just to be certain. I did notice a little girl had lost her grandma at one point, and a staff member immediately took action to help the little girl. The employees were all wearing bright red or blue shirts with STAFF clearly written on the back.


In the soft play area there is also a mini soft structure for children 3 and under and an animal bounce house for toddlers.

In the middle of the building were a slew of arcade games similar to Chuck E Cheese. I found them a little overpriced. I haven't been to the Chuck, but I've read that they are supposed to have 25 cent games there. Here at Family Land car racing games ran from $1.00 to $1.25 a pop. Skee Ball was 50 cents. (1 token is equal to 25 cents). Again, my research is not complete on arcade expenses in the area.

We stopped our play when Luke complained of thirst and made our way to the far end of the building which houses the kitchen. Family Fun Land offers pizza (which they bake in house), a Friday Fish Fry, and many snacks, drinks, and deserts. Luke settled for a strawberry yogurt and watered down juice. I split my pretzel with cheese and bottled water with him. This cost us $7.60. Not too bad. The eating area is filled with cafeteria style tables. It would make for a great Friday night outing of dinner and exercise for the kids.

After another run in the play area we decided to leave. It was well worth the $4 spent and the drive out to Germantown. Luke had a great time and wants to visit again soon. If you go, remember to wear socks (mom and dad too if you need to retrieve your little one from the play structure).


Leanne

Brewers Opening Day 2010

Monday April 5th marked my first Opening Day experience. Ron and I packed the car early with a cooler full of Miller Lite, Johnsonville Brats, Black Bear Soda (Black Cherry flavored to be exact), and assorted condiments. I made a decadent batch of Rice Krispie Treats and we brought a few bags of Lays wavy chips for the best ever chip dip that awaited us upon my sister-in-law's arrival to the parking lot.

We were set to go! A quick stop at the gas station for ice and we were on our way. Heading to Miller Park from the southeast side of town is a heavenly ride. The Lake Parkway and the Hoan Bridge launch us to the stadium in roughly 15 minutes. We easily curve to the northwest end of the stadium and head into the lot (with no line!) at about 9:45 am. The poor souls who travel in from the west make a parking lot out of I-94 and slowly beg to make entrance to a preferred lot on Brewers territory. Who says that living on the south side is nothing if not advantageous.

Ron parks the car and before we can get out of the vehicle all cars around us begin to haul out tables, grills, camping chairs, food, and of course beer. There is even half barrel on ice in a jumbo tub at the car next to us already being primed by a college dude. Milwaukeeans waste little time.

Finally we catch word that Ron's sister has arrived and is parked a few rows behind us. We make our way over for some food, drinks and good conversation. By the time we are heading into the game I am full, tipsy, a little tired, and have already gotten too much sun. Am I too old for this?? Ron and I conclude that the tailgating is fun, but maybe next time we'll show up just for the game. Or maybe instead we will pick up a tailgate package from Skyline Catering Express. For $9.95 per person you can get a combination of burgers, brats, hot dogs, condiments, paper plates, utensils and napkins along with a few picnic style side dishes. Disposable heating units with sterno are available by request. (Minimum of 10 people per order). This was their special for opening day - we'll have to check back to see if they offer this throughout the season.

Moving on to Miller Park. Our seats are in the Loge section. We purchased a 9 pack this year and the Opening Day tickets were thrown in for free. We are split from the other 4 people with whom we purchased tickets just for this game. Our seats are directly in the sun. Joy of joy! We manage to last until the top of the 7th before we are overcome with heat exhaustion and leave the land mine lot of broken bottles, cooling grills, and food roughage galore. All in all it is a great experience. We are looking forward to the rest of the games in our 9 pack, our regular seats (which are out of the sun), and a little more laid back atmosphere. Bottom line: We can't hang with the college cats anymore. No use in denying it. This girl is a daytime party has-been.

P.S. The Brewers lost. :(

See you later Milwaukee!
Leanne

Lights Camera Keys...Let's Drive!

The purpose of this blog is to document and review the different places and attractions that I plan to visit with my family. Through the eyes of my 4-year-old superhero boy, my vacation picky husband, and my ever thrill-seeking self I'd like to give others a view of our travels. I chose Driving in Squares as the title for my blog because while we may not travel far, I plan to find the most interesting and fun places that the Great Lakes Region has to offer. Most of all I want to teach my son that you can find fun in every day life - right outside your own home. I'd also like to push myself to photograph. I believe my son may be the most cherished, yet least photographed preschooler on the face of the Earth. This is my goal, and I hope you enjoy.