Offically an Ohioan

Well I have been in Cincinnati for officially one week.  So far I must say I like it.  First weekend was mostly about moving in, cleaning, emptying boxes, cleaning, hanging artwork and cleaning.  Mom and Dad came to visit and help. It made the transition easier with all of MJ's traveling.  On Saturday evening we took them to dinner at Montgomery Inn.  I've got 1 word....Yum!!  I had the Wisconsin Duck and MJ the Beef Brisket special.  Sunday we were invited to a barbecue with one of dad's co-workers.  It was a wonderful afternoon of food, conversation & laughs.

All good things come to an end as they say and MJ left for Chicago for the week with Mom & Dad and that left me to spend my first week in Cincinnati solo.  So here I am and have tried to be productive.  Monday - straight to the YMCA.  Membership a must.  Its an older location but it has all the main ingredients:  pool, weight room, spin class, no kids allowed.  Felt good to get in the water; haven't tackled a full on "Nick' workout yet but all in due time.

Tuesday led me across the street to Tina's where I met a few new friends.  Wednesday and Thursday the weather has been beautiful so I have done my best to take walking tours of my "new hood". Friday the hubby finally comes home and we can start to explore as a twosome; always better than alone....til next time.

Cinci Bound

Well it's official - We are relocating!!  Michael received an exciting new job opportunity in Cincinnati!  Everything is happening so fast.  He accepted the position just one week ago today and is already in Cinci working. 

 I will stay behind for a few weeks to tie up a few loose ends:  move the kids to their own apartment, rent out our condo, WATCH THE OLYMPICS! > GO PHELPS!!, attend and stand up in Chris and Heather Kosterman's wedding >Love them!!, oh yeah and pack up our life into boxes to begin a new life.

I'm excited for this change, but I can't wait to get there and be done with the stress of planning the move.

2011 ~ A Vacation Year

So 2011 turned out to be a year full of vacations.......  

Las Vegas Baby

We started off in April with a trip to Las Vegas.  We went to celebrate our 11th Anniversary with James & Stacey, Kenny & Kimmy, Mike & Carmen, and Jeff.  We stayed downtown at the Golden Nugget and had a great time. Best day was at the pool for sure!! Food at Vic & Anthony's was awesome.

...And winning 1/2 our money back the last day was nice too. 

Fathers Day Camping Trip

We went camping with the whole family for the weekend to Long Lake State Park.  and it was a great weekend.  Michael & I, Austin, Kyle & Kaitlyn.  James & Stacey, Angie, Lexi, Ryan & Lucas.  Jeff & Nick, and Kimmy & Kenny.  We had a great time, went to the flee-market in Princeton, spent an afternoon at the beach while the guys played football.  Stupid games around the campfire, cooked over open fire and of course s'mores.  We packed up Sunday morning just in time to miss a rain-storm.

1 week - Just the 2 of us

We started off our week of camping bliss with a weekend at Mom & Dad's in Montello.  It was a very fun relaxing weekend.  Michael got to go fishing with Dad, Mom and I hit the flee market.  We had relaxing nights around the fire and I'm pretty sure Mom and I beat them real bad at both Cribbage and Eucker.  But Sunday afternoon came quickly and we left to begin our week of camping. 

 First to Mirror Lake State Park just outside Wisconsin Dells & Baraboo.  It was a great 3 night stay.  We had 1 bad morning of rain but it was a peaceful stay.  We listened to the Brewers games at night, fished everyday and went to bed extremely early each night.  We rented a boat and spent a day on the Wisconsin river, swimming and fishing ~ great day!!!

Next a country drive over to Michael's favorite park - Wyalusing State Park.  We had a fabulous 4 day stay on the bluffs.  A view you can't buy! It was a truly relaxing vacation.  We met lots of local guys and fished with them each day.  I cleaned and fried the fish each night for supper.  Jeff, Kimmy & Kenny joined us for that final weekend.  When it was finally time to head home I could have stayed for another week and MJ said we had been gone too long; go figure :)

I cant wait for our 2012 camping trips.

New England with Mom

Mom and I had been talking forever about a mother daughter trip to Maine or somewhere.  But when the opportunity to actually do it came along we made it a week of sightseeing to remember.  I took the lead on planning the trip and we flew to NYC on Labor Day.  The game-plan:  Rent a car, tour New England and finish up with NYC the last 2 days of the week.  Once we got the rental car fiasco worked out it was a great vacation!  We drove up to  Portland, ME had a lobster & steamer's dinner and worked our way down the coast from there.  Portsmouth, NH had the best grilled cheese sandwich and a fun afternoon of shopping.  We had great sightseeing tours in Salem and Boston, MA.  However driving in Boston was a NIGHTMARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We spent a low-key relaxing night in Greenwich, CT watching the Packer Game at BW3's before we headed to spend 2 days in NYC!  NYC was everything it was suppose to be.  We put many miles on our feet and saw so much via bus tours.  We toured lower Manhattan and Brooklyn by night and upper Manhattan and Harlem in the afternoon.  They were great tours.  We also took a trip to the statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  Ellis Island was amazing again... I still just cannot believe how brave my Great Grandmother was.  We also got to see Ground Zero on the 10th Anniversary of the tragedy.

 

NOLA !! 

We officially ended our year of the vacation with a weeks long party in the French Quarter.  We stayed at the Bourbon Orleans.  It was an amazing week. 

With Amazing food:   I have no idea what the best thing I at was.  Maybe the Corn and Crab Bisque @ the Cajun Cabin or the Shimp and duck dulac I had @ Paul K's.  I feel I need to mention two more meals that were fabulous first I had a 1/2  price appetizer @ the House of Blues during happy hour of Grilled Shrimp on homemade cornbread covered in a Abita Beer reduction sauce.  It was so delicious I wish I could have brought it home with me.  And our last day we had lunch with new friends @ Stanley's I had a Omelet Sandwich and the guys all had Club Stanley's it was a great lunch on St. Anne's.

We took a tour of the city.  The 9th ward, the cemeteries, the garden district. We spent most of our nightlife on Bourbon Street at the Bourbon Cowboy.  We met so many great people and got a fabulous piece of art done by an amazing artist.  

Can't wait to go back!!

Last Family Dinner of the Summer

So I just had the best day. Breakfast at Panera with the retired BFFs, Austin & Kyle. Then took the boys for haircuts, school supply shopping, lunch at Georgie Porgies and then a few exta clothes shopping --->then back home for a family dinner of Pink Spaghetti.

Now Austin left for his mom's for the evening, Michael is at the gym. Kyle & Kaitlyn are headed to a movie and I'm watching Fool's Gold and doing laundry...okay maybe the laundry part isn't great.

Two days and the boys will be moved into their dorm room @ UW-Platteville. Michael and I will be headed home to an empty house (no offense Bubba). So yes, today was great! Sure they'll be back for weekends, holidays and summers but they are definately moving to the next chapter of their life and so then must Michael and I.

I'm hoping to take a few picks of the boys on move-in day... so hopefully I'll post them in a few days.

Winneconne Weekend

Finally getting around to sharing the pictures of the weekend with Vic & Maggie, Brian, Jolie & the kids....it was the most beautiful day of September.

We spent the whole day on and in the water:

Michael played with the kids most of the day & then Brad drove us home while Michael and the girls road with Vic & Maggie.

We made it back to their house just as the sun was coming down.

Lighthouse Run Finished

Team - Mc Auliffe's on The Square Finish Position - 16
Team Score (places): 3524 Team Score (times): 4:06:41.3 O'all Cum. Place Bib

No Name Time
1 1455 Andrew Hansen
2 1651 Juventino Gutierrez
3 1458 Michael Johnson 38:42.3
4 1459 Steve Hawkins 43:20.6
5 1456 Lisa Hansen 43:51.6
6 1462 Matt Geary 48:25.3
7 1463 Danielle Geary 50:23.7
8 1464 Donna Dickenson 51:18.1
9 1457 Julie Johnson 52:46.9
10 1466 Jean Magnusson52:47.4

Wyalusing State Park

We got home early yesterday afternoon from an awsome 3 day vacation of camping, biking, hiking and even canoeing in Wyalusing State Park in Prairie Du Chien.

We really enjoyed the time we spent there. The Highlights:

Spending an unexpected 3 hours at the Sawmill Saloon while Michael played a new learned card game "horse thieves" with the owner Denny and his friends: Kenny, Joan, Bud & ??? = they were great host and we had an awsome time.

We just did a bit of biking and getting the lay of the land between the 2 campgrounds and sites in the Park on Saturday. Sunday we biked through downtown Prairie Du Chien and around the island. It was a beautiful ride. Monday we saved our biking for the afternoon and took to the trails in the Park. It was the most exhausting ride ever. Grass hills straight up and down for 2 miles, but as soon as I could breathe and speak I told Michael it was a blast.

Sunday afternoon we also went Canoeing on a 7 mile trail - well lets just say that it wasn't exactly our forte' the first half was ruff, 2nd half we seemed to find a better rythem but then we were competing with the speed boats so we were exhausted and not looking forward to our next canoeing expierence.

We did a little sight seeing in McGregor, IA - it was such a cute little town, it really reminded us of Deadwood, SD.