Amazing Destination: Milwaukee

September 26, 2015

A week ago we moved our middle child, Mark, to Milwaukee.  He charged into the adventure as he always does; enthusiastically and with a smile full of hope.  We all worked diligently to get him unpacked and somewhat settled in on Saturday.

Sunday, we explored the city of Milwaukee.  Our daughter, Coby, my husband and I decided doughnuts were necessary for the first breakfast in Mark's new apartment. We found an amazing bakery, Regina's Bay Bakery, just north of our hotel. Using the wonderful Google Maps App, (my newest best friend) we ventured into the day , searching for food.

While Keith and Coby were inside selecting the perfect breakfast, I became facinated by the neighborhood.  Everything from the flower containers outside the shops to the tree lined residential streets was lovely!

After securing breakfast, the three of us headed out to meet up with the boys at Mark's apartment.  We decided to take a lake view drive I had accidently found on Google Maps when searching for our hotel the evening before.  This scenic drive was a true treasure.  Beautiful homes and huge trees lined a wandering route toward the shores of Lake Michigan.  By the time we came upon the second road/beach side park, Coby was searching for a parking spot.  Breakfast forgotten, we walked through the park to the observation deck to view Lake Michigan.  What a beautiful sight.

The sun shining into our faces, and the fog burning off the suface of the lake was inviting and peaceful.  Although we were already running late to meet up with the boys, I couldn't resist the lake's invitation.  I didn't ask, I just announced:  I going down to the shoreline.

We decended several flights of stairs and arrived at the lake.  Coby and I quickly shed our shoes, rolled up our pant cuffs, and headed for the water!  Poor Keith was left with shoes, two phones, and instructions to take pictures!

The water clear and chilly, but the experience was worth it.  Coby and I gathered a few pebbles from the shore, then we all three began the trek up the seven flights of stairs to the car.  We were now very late for breakfast, but too excited to care.  Coby drove us further along the scenic drive toward downtown, and we discovered another beach area we decided to visit later with the boys.  As we drove by a marina, Discovery World, and through downtown, I was amazed by the cleanliness of the city.  I was also startled by the amount of traffic before 11 a.m. on a Sunday morning.  Our hometown of Fulton, Missouri is still a little sleepy on a Sunday morning.

Finally, we delivered the doughnuts to Mark and J.T., and planned our day!  Exploring the riverfront and finding Mark's new place of employment were our two priorities.  By noon we were downtown, searching for a parking spot, and energized for a great day in a new city.