Freckle Face

Callie got Freckles this summer!
They've already faded, but it cracks me up!

The Cabin - 2010

We took our 3rd annual trip to the cabin in mid August. Relaxing as always.
From the first 15 minutes to the end, Callie was a fishing queen, with the new fishing pole grampy got her for her Birthday. Trent, usually the Turtle King, was totally nixed. There was not a turtle to be found in "Trent's Bay"! We saw a couple swimming out in the deep, but nothing we could even get close to. So he was forced to switch to fishing, and this time it was Trent's turn to get bass fever!It turns out fishing in the skift is good luck. Trent caught his first whopper with Gran, and Callie and I went out and she caught her whopper! Gran swears at one point Trent had the record fish on the line, but it snapped, so we'll never know. The fish were biteing! You can see by the look on Trent's face, he's a little conflicted. He likes the fishing, but is quick to get them back in the water. He doesn't want to keep them out of the water for too long.Our fish story for this trip involves Gran catching a fish with a hook coming out of it's bowels. "It's pooping a hook!" We laughed so hard! She surgically removed it and saved that fishes life!
Campfire lunch off third island. Hot Ham and Cheese Campcakes, YUM!Callie going skiing for the first time behind the boat. Success on the first try, a face full on the second!That was the end of that for this trip!
A windy cooler day gave us the opportunity to do a little exploring, we saw the worlds largest penny, commemorating the million penny collection by Dr. Kate to build the local hospital. We also went mini-golfing and go-carting. Trent was an inch and a half too short to drive his own, but he convinced them that he knew exactly how to drive cause he learned it on the Wii. Who said video games aren't educational?
A special request from Marshall brought us a little more history. We went for dinner at Little Bohemia, the location of the John Dillinger shoot out. The bullet holes are still there, and they are everywhere on the outside of the buildingEven inside the dining room right where you eat. You can see right through the walls to the other side.It's so cool to just get right up to a piece of the past. They recently filmed the Johnny Depp movie Public Enemies there. The food was delicious. I had the Dillinger Salad with Celery Dressing. Putting that on my list of recipes to look up as a chef would say, such a unique flavor profile.
Thanks again Mr. and Mrs. K. I treasure the experience and the memories!

Second Star to the Right and Straight on til Morning....

About this time last year I was doing some planning. A rare thing for me I know! This was an event I would look forward to for the next 9 months! No, it wasn't a baby! It was the Ballet!
My first adult experience with the ballet was with KD on a Mom's weekend with her sorority. We went to the Cleveland ballet. BOOOORRRRING! I'm pretty sure I fell asleep. Then our friends invited us to the Milwaukee Ballet's Nutcracker. It has become a yearly tradition and we truely enjoy it. One of the dancers is from our town, and she is amazing, so now we're fans! This past year, we became family package subscribers! We took Callie to Cinderella (see the video here), we went with our friends to the Nutcracker, and then the event I couldn't wait for, May 16th, 2010 - PETER PAN! How perfect is that face above. The dancer's name is Marc Petrocci. We've enjoyed him in the Nutcracker as one of the clowns. Very acrobatic and entertaining. A great dancer and great actor. I couldn't wait to see him as Peter Pan! I had been following the rehersals and press leading up to the show, and I found out there would be two dancers playing Peter. Oooh did that make me nervous! What if we didn't get to see THIS Peter Pan, the face of the show! The minute we sat in our seats I flipped as fast as I could through the program to find out which Peter we would see.
....It wasn't him. Ugh, my heart sank. All this time looking forward to the Peter in my mind. Despite this blow, I was determined to enjoy it. As the Artistic Director was doing his pre-show schpiel, he preceeded to tell us that tonights Peter had fallen ill, and Marc Petrocci was going to be dancing the role for us! Fate was rooting for me that night! You couldn't wipe the smile off my face! It was Awesome! I loved it, and so did the kids.
I LOVE the story of Peter Pan. I love the movies about the story - Wonderland is one of my favs! A month before the show, I read the real, J. M. Barrie - Peter Pan every night to the kids. There are certain themes in that book that just speak to my heart. I am reduced to tears when the kids finally decide to leave Neverland and go back to their Mom. Poor Trent, I could barely finish reading I was sobbing so bad! He just kept asking, "whats the matter Mom?" I guess something only a Mom can understand.
And of course the loss of the pure simple joys of youth.
"Why can't you fly now, mother?"
"Because I am grown up, dearest. When people grow up they forget the way."
"Why do they forget the way?"
"Because they are no longer gay and innocent and heartful. It is only the gay and innocent and heartful who can fly."
— J.M. Barrie