Wonderful Wisconsin

We headed up to Wisconsin at the end of June.  (I know, I know, we were so spoiled with lots of fun trips this spring/summer!)  Ruby, Ada, and I were able to spend two full weeks and Steve came up for the second half.  It was a really great time.  We got to see a bunch of family and friends that we hadn't seen for a too long.

My parents picked us up at the airport and we headed straight to Mankato to watch Sam play roller derby!

It was fun to see!  Not what I expected, but Sam sure is brave!

Cheering section: Connie (Logan's mom), Donna, Steve, Ada, Logan, Ruby, and Sheri

These super fans even got MAD (Mankato Area Derby) girls shirts!

Hanging out with Buzz Killa during half-time

My sister is much taller than me... especially on skates!

We spent the night at Sam and Logan's new house- super cute- and explored their neighborhood a bit.  They are walking distance from a downtown area, park, river, and an ice cream shop!  We drove to River Falls the next day and had a fun week with Gaga and Grandpa and the nice cool Wisconsin summer.

Picking strawberries (in a sweatshirt) (in july)!

We came home with something like 12 lbs of berries!

So we made strawberry mouse, strawberry sauce, strawberry cookies, strawberry muffins... you get the picture!

The Kinni was SO COLD

Gaga got some amazing color changing nail polish

Battleship

on the patio

...whatever this is

Ruby and Ada LOVE Dora (they need a pet)

peaceful walks

dinner on the patio

besties

My mom hosted a party on the 4th with a bunch of our family which was so fun to see everyone

The girls had a blast playing with their second cousins

playing in the rain

water t-ball

slightly terrified as one should be when holding a flaming stick

Sparklers and snappers were as close as we got to any fireworks

Ruby and Ada finally got to go out in Grandpa's boat (not just sit in it in the garage)

And they got brave enough to tube...they weren't big fans

We stopped at Bona Casa on the way home from the lake and it was just as good as we fantasize about 😂

We had lots more fun that I don't have photographic evidence of... 

My Grandma Ruth and Dan were also at the party on the 4th, up from Missouri.  It had been several years since we'd seen them as well!

We went to visit Grandpa Clete and Carole in Eau Claire.  We got to swim in their pool and Carole made us a yummy lunch.

I took the girls to Rochester to see my good friend and college roommate, Melanie.  Ruby and Ada got to play with her (7 year old) daughter, Lacy.  Pretty surreal watching them run around and giggle together.  

Steve and I went out with my friend Hoff (Erin) and her husband, Daryl, who happened to be in RF visiting from Colorado the same week.  I also got to see her babies for the first time- so sweet!

My mom helped Ruby and Ada make cute little fairy gardens in her backyard.

One morning while my parents were at work I took the girls to a free movie at the Falls Theatre... it is exactly the same as I remembered it.

Steve and Dad went golfing.  Ruby and Ada learned (kind of) how to play badminton. Sheri got attacked by gnats.

We ate LOTS of cheese curds!

Wisconsin summer 2019 from Steve Nelson on Vimeo.