Wisconsin Summer

Photo by Will

Hold onto your seats Gentry followers! The following is my best attempt at documenting a special and extended trip back to Wisconsin that occupied most of our June and July. We decided to take advantage of James' only summer off from medical school to drive--yes DRIVE--the kids back to my homeland for six weeks for some quality family time. We had over a month of adventure, great times, and weather.

Our first stop after leaving our house earrrrrly one June morning-- a coyote passed us on our street to wish us a nice trip-- was Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Beautiful, beautiful Santa Fe.

Will didn't take long to get used to his unrestricted access to Bugs Life.

So.Many.Bugs.Lifes.

Next up through the Rockies to Denver, Colorado. Here a stop along the highway "Colorado I Scream and Stuff", where you could get your cone and Phud Thai. Awesome.

Blowing off some all-day-driving wiggles.

Nebraska = corn.

Iowa. Cool windmill fields.

After a long two days through Nebraska and Iowa, Welcome to Wisconsin.

First day at Nana's and Will had his superhero "suit" on and fishing pole in hand (no water where he is sitting here). Ready for WI vacay!

Fathers Day

Ada loved finding little grass flowers during our whole trip and gifting them to me.

We also collected a million sticks. Awesome sticks.

Fathers day at Papa's lake property. Little Cedar Lake.

Happy Fathers Day!

Girl in daddy's shoes on Fathers day.

Will learning the ropes on Fathers Day.

Fishing (for weeds).

Then a nice, relaxed dinner at Opa's house.

A dad and (most of) his girls.

What a treat that we overlapped trips, by one day, with Auntie Kristen and baby Dylan. We met for lunch and park fun.

Dylan lookin' like a stud.

Ada and Dylan playing duck-duck-goose.

James was after this fish in the park river for a looooong time.

Family shot by Kris.

Will's "nana nana boo boo" face.

Hilarity, courtesy of Kristen CB.

Will playing cat string with Dylan.

Next up? Sievers weekend! We met one of my bestest college buddies and her family for a couple days of Wisconsin cabin, Pigeon River fun. Last time we saw them was girls weekend last year at their house in Minneapolis, when Kennedy was just six weeks old. Such a treasure to spend some time with our good buddies, who we all love.

Corey and Graham showing us the art and joy of golf. Will was a natural.

Nature walk during a break from the rain.

Forest wand buddies.

So excited for river play, we didn't have time to get out of our pjs!

"Eyes". Kennedy's super smart.

And CUUUUTE! 

Grill master, fashionista, Graham. Too windy for camp fire= grill smores.

Smiles all around! Good buddies.

Day of departure kayak spin around the river. We saw several cranes, one take off from the water.

Vacation transit nap.

Although we hit the ground running in Wisconsin, Nana and Papa's house was our home base. We had lots of goofy down time, dinnertimes, and lazy mornings with two of our most favorite people.

Cheers!

Nana snuggle begins like this....

...ends something like this. 

We hit Ackermans County Park for some toddler friendly swimming on Little Cedar Lake and fishing for dad. 

James was in WI fishing Heaven.

Front row seat to the clockman's house call fixing the grandfather clock.

Ready for adventure!

Strawberry picking out in the country. You think you're going the wrong way until you see this. 

Big helpers. Ada picked a rock and strawberry.

Taste testing. So sweet!

Wisconsin summer = rhubarb!

Baking with mom.

We mastered the rhubarb pie.

Great restaurant on Silver Lake. Plate o' ribs, shrimp, and Bloody Mary to boot!

I believe this is Ada with "broken legs" getting a hand from Papa.

Post dinner stroll.

Mac boys.

Next stop? CHICAGO!

So excited to take the train from Milwaukee into downtown Chicago for an adventure weekend.

First time train-riders.

Trains INSIDE the city too? Too much! Wills favorite part of Chicago by far.

Hotel room with view of L stop. Will spent his mornings train watching.

Our Phoenix friends missed us so much, Ian, Dana, and Tony met us in the city for the long weekend!

Urban commuters.

Field Museum. Very cool.

Highlight was Sue. The largest TRex ever excavated. And by a woman, no less. Sue.

The whole dinosaur exhibit was quite remarkable.

Ada taking a museum break. Watching some kind of repeating documentary on evolution.

City livin'.

First row seats to the Blackhawks parade. Chicago estimated 2 million plus came to celebrate their Stanley Cup Champions. We were happenstance spectators.

Shedd Aquarium

Penguin playground in the Aquarium. Hilarious.

Great family trip.

So much excitement to wear out from though. See Will, fell asleep in route to train back to Nana and Papas.

A real Chicago treat that after we rode back to Milwaukee after a great two days in Chicago, James and I hopped right back on and headed into Chicago for two more nights of grown up Chicago fun. 

How four buds fit in a Chicago cab.

Mom and dad time.

While kids had a spoiled Nana and Papa weekend! Hanging loose...

....snoozing on the couch...

...toys in pjs...

...stories with Papa. 

Parents without kids, loose in Chicago!

We also got lots of quality Grandpa time. If it had been a couple days without seeing Grandpa, the kids would remind me "time to play with Grandpa" mom.

Impromptu zoo visit. Ada and Will teaching Grandpa how to read a map.

Sea lion show!

Bradley Beach in Milwaukee. Goofing around with Grandpa and Julie.

Lots of lunches and breakfasts...

...parks...

...and, of course, ice cream! Here an outing to Toucan Custard in West Bend, where Grandpa used to take me as a kid!

We were on the road during the week of July 4, and it started with an awesome slumber party with our cousins. We met my cousin Jake and his family at a great family petting farm for the day and then spent the night at their place before heading to our family cottage on Shawano Lake for Fourth of July festivities. Ada and Wills first slumber party! With fireworks!

Happy goat.

Sad goat. 

Twin calves at the farm! 

This heifer was kind enough to teach us how to milk a cow.

Tractor girl in a tutu.

Chicken catching. Cousin Cian was an absolute natural at grabbing these little guys. It was hilarious.

It took a while but Will finally caught one with the help of all of us corralling. So proud.

Ada loves, and still talks about, this baby goat.

The boys had a different idea of goat play... headbutting

And wrangling. This kid cracks me up, goofball Cian.

Ada found the kittens. Turns out she prefers a kitten to a piglet.

Neighborhood park for fireworks after a farm-fresh summer salad dinner. Oma's recipe zucchini bread for pre firework snack. Turns out I bake more when I'm on vacation.

And sparklers before bed--great Fourth of July!

Relaxed morning with cousins toys and Earl, the cat.

Sleeping bags are super cool.

Then we were off to Shawano for the Fourth of July parade. 

Tractors. We're in Wisconsin alright!

Then to the cottage for what was the beginning of four days of family time. Eat. Fish. Swim. Repeat.

My family <3 td="">

Breezy Bryanna. Love this girl.

Wills first fish ever. Off the pier at the cottage. Just like mine.

Ada loves some baby play. Leyna's a good sport.

Ada helping Opa hand out special gifts.

Paula photographer extraordinaire!

Group shot within a group shot.

My gramps.

Cleaning our dinner.

James was Shawano chef one night and made fresh lake fish tacos!

Yummy!

King of the raft.

Will adores his big cousins, and loved so much boy cousin time.

Swim spectators. Mom is laughing cuz she knows Im getting Shawano itch at that very moment.

Boat ride with gramps.

High five dad.

Boat snooze. Not the first, wont be the last.

Or the cottage dinner snooze. So much lake will wear a brother out!

James caught a "this is what sleeping on vacation with two three-year-olds looks like" picture. 

Ada and Jacie taking a toy lake break.

Will could have lake'd all day.

Yard games with the big kids and cousin Julie.

Uncle Kenny's Northern. Telling a fish tale.

Watching dinner, tied to the pier, with the kids.

Love this.

The after dinner fish outing.

Next stop? Door County!

Nana frying up the day's catch from Shawano, Oma Braun style.

James grilled Uncle Kenny's Northern (see above). Noms!

Will felt very strongly that he should be having chocolate for dinner instead. This is Wills serious face.

We DID get smore making down to a science in a month. 

Even getting creative if weather didn't permit camp fire!

Ada mostly preferred her Popsicles.

Campground swimming pool.

We loved bumming around with Nana a couple days in beautiful DC.

Maple syrup shop.

Dinner on the lake. Seriously.

We stayed in a little log cabin on the campground. Cozy camping.

Every new sleeping arrangement an adventure!

Day trip ferry to Washington Island.

Find us the coffee shop Will!

He didn't fail us!

Historic rock beach.

Annual mom-kid-beach shot.

Rounded out our DC trip with a bike ride through Peninsula State Park. One of my most favorite things, and for first time, could bring the kids!

First time in a bike carrier.

Happiness.

Will demanded this photo be taken. He must have known how awesome it'd be.

We hit up our cousin Jordan's Little League game on our drive back to Nana's from Door County. After the game we had an awesome time at a preserved 1950s drive in diner/custard shop where we had grasshopper shakes and ran after fireflies until the kids collapsed.

Jordie on base, dad Troy first base coach.

After the game, Will got to run the bases with his best cousin buddy Jords and Troy.

Bleacher play, of course.

Will and Jordan.

Fireflies!

Got one!

Me too!

Ragamuffins!

Our comedian.

"Mom take a picture of this". huh?

Our last weekend in Wisconsin was spent car camping with Jake, Kelly, Cian, and Zoe in beautiful Devils Lake State Park. With tents! Another first.

Clearing the site.

Set-up snack from Jake and Kelly's garden. Raspberries!

Whole days spent at the lake, surrounded by beautiful WI bluffs. Catching minnows, building sand castles, water jumping.

Camp snooze.

Big helper doing dishes.

He spent his time protecting the campsite from dragons. With sticks.

Love. Its what makes a Subaru a Subaru.

The following sums up our drive home. Which, turns out, I had much less patience for than the drive there. Flat tires and dreadlocks. Thank you for existing Ogallala Nebraska! with tires!