the day i left milwaukee, i made one last attempt to take in the city and see those few kindred spirits that i didn't yet have a chance to see. naturally, i started my morning off at the local favorite, rochambo's coffee and teahouse on brady street with a dear friend :) you know, the type of friend where it doesn't matter how much time has passed between correspondences, but you know you can always pick up exactly where you left off..!? yeah, it was definitely a great morning with my dear kattia; nothing short of what i would've expected when you put 2 people with our energy in one room and add 2 pints of quality espresso beans to the mix, haha. and i don't even need caffeine! exactly what i needed to begin my last day of my brew city visit - lots of love and laughs while catching up on life!
i stuck around the neighborhood for a light lunch and eclectic shopping, then took a stroll down the once familiar lakefront i spent so much time at a lifetime ago... until i met up with another old friend that afternoon at the nomad, brady street's infamous world pub. he was working, i was getting thirsty and it was the absolutely perfect day out to enjoy a drink while people watching outisde the joint as we and joked with his regulars and soaked up the sun.
and let me just say, wow! you wouldn't believe me if i told you :) haha. oh, the people i met and things i saw that afternoon. it was definitely an "experience," they say "the nomad doesn't get any more eccentric!" and it sure lived up to its reputation :) thanks for the libations, mando!
one thing led to another, and before i knew it, i was at hosed enjoying more cocktails over great conversation with a small group of women i randomly met at the nomad who invited me to join them on their quest for drinks as they traveled deeper into the neighborhood :) one of which also so happened to own and operate fred boutique - a cute little shop not more than a block from my sister's condo on the river in milwaukee's infamous 3rd ward... it seems the further you venture, the smaller the world gets!
and you see, this is ultimately what i love about this city; the mixture of diverse people all within a small area and the surprise of not knowing who you will meet, run into, or where the day will take you as you make like a leaf and blow in the wind. :) good times. goodbye milwaukee.
so i took a week off life to spend it in milwaukee, wisconsin with my nieces and nephew while my sister and her husband were in california on a well-deserved getaway :) this post is a collection of just a few our random happenings that kept me plenty busy!
i got in town on saturday morning and the parents were off to catch their flight! so what did we do? auntie packed a picnic and we headed off to the lakefront for some time under the sun. had lunch while taking advantage of a beautful day and splashed around at the beach. what a fun day spent hanging with my favorite little people! <3
...and before the official "week" began, we enjoyed a sunday pho'otball fun day cheering on the packers too! #GPG
the challenge began right on monday morning though! oh, the life as a soccer mom... with the honda pilot and 4 kids, i had to jump right in and make sure they all got to where they needed to be on time, clean and fed! school, baseball, soccer, handbells, church activities, birthday parties, etc! boy, do i have a new found respect for parents; especially those who encourage extra-curricular activities and commit their limited free time to all the logistics and time management involved! whoa.
definitely not easy - not even for a sahm - but, boy, is it worth it the effort and investment in your child's life and future! :) pssst... it's no myth, supermoms really do exist! i took on the responsibilities for one for a week and it nearly drove me nuts! i literally had no time for me, at all! sorry to all my friends i had planned on stopping by to visit; you'll need another visit specifically allocated for you!
...but who could complain? waking up to these smiling faces every morning and never tiring of the bye auntie, i love you's and thank you's! as they zoom out the door to catch their bus? <3 definitely the most rewarding feeling in the world! they are truly the greatest, most thoughtful kids in the world! i'd do it all over again, all day every day! :)
