Summer of Firsts

I know, I know.  Summer's over.  But I am so close to feeling like I am "caught up" with my blog that I just can't help myself.  Come to think of it, I did this when I used to write in a journal too - get behind (by MONTHS) and then feel the need to catch up, which never worked too well, but A for effort, right?

This was the first summer I ever had friends come home to see me, meet my family, and see where I'm from.  I am very proud of my home, so I loved showing it off.  I loved it so much that I may have had more fun than my friends Lisa and Kyle did!

This was the first time I ever went on a sightseeing cruise, and in one of my favorite cities, Milwaukee.  It ran from the Milwaukee River through the center of the city and into Lake Michigan harbor .  I guess you could say that it was also my first booze-cruise.  While  I was not consuming, it sure seemed like everyone else was.  Party on the deck!!!

 I wanted to show Lisa and Kyle the city, but we didn't have a lot of time, nor did I have the know-how to make it cool without doing a drive-by of, well, buildings.  This was a great, inexpensive way to see a little bit of the city.  I will definitely do this again someday.  

It was 90 degrees in Milwaukee.  We were some of the first people on the boat (30 min. prior to departure) so we could bet a seat up front, but we were probably about 15 minutes into the actual ride when it just got too hot.  Even in the middle of Lake Michigan, the sun was baking us on deck.  But below deck, it was cool, breezy, and we had all the room in the world to move around.  Oh, and we were a lot closer to the snack bar at lunch time.  Win-win.

I have always wanted to see the view that is on all of the postcards and websites of the city - the one of the Milwaukee skyline from lake Michigan, and I finally got to see it.

I can't tell you how many Milwaukee Brewers games I've been on in my lifetime, but this is the first time I got to meet the racing Klement's sausages.  Lisa, Kyle and I placed bets on which one would win the.  I picked the bratwurst.  I won.  Nachos have never tasted so good.  

First time making the jumbo-tron too.  I was more than a little excited!

For the last few years I have wanted to visit Cedarburg.  A few years ago I was watching the  Travel Channel and they did a show counting down the best hometown candy stores in the US.  The thing is, I didn't know how cute Cedarburg was, so not only did I want to try one of the ginormous candied apples I saw on the show, I just wanted to see the town! 

On our way back to Green Bay after the baseball game, we detoured here for about  an hour.  It was on my summer list-o-fun, but it was getting dark. I knew if I waited I probably wouldn't make it back.  

So a chance we took.  I'm so glad we did!

We bought ourselves some ice cream and wandered up and down the  main street.  

And of course, we stopped to buy some fancy caramel  apples.  Well, dark chocolate walnut turtle apple was mine, to be exact, and Lisa tried the rocky road flavor. It took me a week to eat mine.  Probably the biggest caramel apple I've ever seen with the thickest dark chocolate covering it that has ever covered an apple.  It deserved its spot on the Travel Channel show.

You can't come to NE Wisconsin and not see Door County, and one of my family's favorite things to do is rent bikes and ride around Peninsula State Park.  Well, this year is the first time I've ever ridden the full 10 mile loop.  I actually did it with my mom and dad, though Lisa, Kyle and I did about half of the trail.  It was challenging, but we finished, and I'm so proud of my mom for not quitting!

The first time I've ever gotten into a water fight on Lake Michigan where I felt  I won.

Until this summer, I have never been on a Lambeau  Field Tour.  

Now I have, and so have some of my friends!

Go, Pack, Go!

I have discovered the best flavor of ice cream ever.  It was here at Wilson's in Ephriam, WI that I fell in love with....  

Coconut Joy: coconut ice cream with chocolate covered toasted coconut  shavings and chocolate covered almonds.  I had it at Wilson's twice this summer, and discovered that it was sold at certain grocery stores in Green Bay.  It directly contributed to my 8 lb. weight gain this summer (no joke).

Ahh, and then there is the Henry man.  The first time I met him, I knew I was destined to love him for the rest of my life.

Claire used me as a bed.  And a horse.  And a seat.  And a buddy.  I will gladly do all of those again, if  it will help her out any.

This summer was the first time my family and I went to Algoma Beach.

I don't think I've ever been to a beach that has its own lighthouse.

It was Henry's inaugural dip in a Great Lake

This summer was the first time I had to lead by example to get a child to jump through the sprinkler...

...instead of just shrieking at the perimeter.

I think this was the first time I've ever seen my mother jump through a sprinkler.

It certainly turned into a family affair!

For the first time ever, I visited Wisconsin's capitol - and Capitol - Madison (more later)

And I went on my first motorcycle ride with these fools.  It may be my last motorcycle ride too, but I think it satisfied my dad for a little while at least.