And Then To Wisconsin

We were truly some traveling fools when we went up to Chicago. We left North Carolina on thursday, and drove all day until we got to Dayton, Ohio. On friday, we drove all day to my parents' house. Saturday we then drove up to Wisconsin. On sunday, we then drove back down to Chicago. Finally, on monday, I said enough is enough and let the car sit all day in the driveway.

The main reason we were going up to Chicago though (aside from seeing my parents and Rick, Susan, and the boys of course) was for a little family reunion we were having up in Wisconsin. At one time, all of us cousins were spread out all over the country. Now everyone has moved to Wisconsin with the exception of Rick and me. So it was nice that we could all get together and head up to Schumacher Island in Shawano for a great cookout and get together. It had been a long time since we had all seen each other, and so even though we live in a world of Facebook and email, it was nice to catch up with them and find out they've been up to (mainly because I'm horrible at keeping in touch, and don't use Facebook very often).

It also let us get this great family portrait.

The kids had a great time playing together and swimming in the lake. And the real excitement came when Noah went fishing for his first time. A few minutes in to it, he caught himself a 17" bass. Not too shabby. Sadly though, I feel bad for him because fishing from now on is probably only going to be disappointing. He peaked too early, just like Orson Welles (hopefully Noah won't get as fat as Welles did though).

On sunday we went to visit my grandpa who is currently in a nursing home and isn't doing so well. He was looking better than I thought he would, but still a far cry from the robust man and farmer that I knew while growing up. And while he always seemed "old" to me (I mean, I remember him at 64... an old man) it seems that his age has finally caught up with him. But it was great to see both he and my grandma while we were up there.

Then on the way back home, we stopped off at the Mars Cheese Castle for a taste of real Wisconsin goodness (aka, cheddar cheese and summer sausage). Once we got home, my good friends Chris and Jessica came over for a visit that was unfortunately shorter than I would have liked. But the last time we saw them, Kasia was an infant, and Chris and Jess managed to have two beautiful daughters. It's great that they now live in the Chicago area, so we can get together again the next time we go home to visit.