hey, stupid
So we drove straight through the night of the 11th. Left at 6pm and got to Uncle Bills at 7:30 their time the next morning. The drive blew dick but whatever, that was to be expected. During the afternoon Carlene invited us over to have a cookout with them and Nancy, Dave, Tina, Mike (who is a new addition to the family and I LOVE him), BJ and his girlfriend Anna and their cutie kids. Uncle Scratch came over and a few other people were in and out. That night Adam played in his first of a billion softball games that we watched through the next week. He played in a tournament with Jordan and one of his teams in West Bend. The team as a whole kind of sucked but a couple of them were really good and Jordan is quite the impressive athlete. I met a bunch of fun people that night that I would continue to see throughout the trip, including the Gaedtke famliy and a bunch of other guys who were pretty much in love with my Dad and were all awesome and hilarious.
That Saturday was the wedding. We got up early and went out to breakfast then to West Bend to catch the end of another softball game then back to Uncle Bill's to shower and get ready and get out stuff together to go to the wedding and the reception. We met up with Annie then the rest of the famliy at the church for the wedding. SO MANY SCHERRS. I think all of us except for Jason were there becuase he was at another wedding or something. So the wedding was beautiful and really nice. Pastor was a bit of a windbag but it was nice nonetheless. Cody is such a doll and so is Katie so I'm happy to have her as a part of the family now. So we lingered around the church for a while until everyone got restless and we left for the hotel in Port Washington. Checked in, got the room (thanks Annie, what a dream she is) and met up with Bobby, Carlene and Jordan in there room to pregame before coctail hour and dinner. Free beer all night and $3 mixed drinks was the bomb. I accidentally got a little drunk before dinner from a few beers and a shot of Patron XO (tasty) while Adam, Jordan and Bobbi shotgunned beers. So we went back down for dinner, which was really delicious and just continued to hang out for a few hours. Wedding cake was awesome with raspberry in it, yummm. Bobbi and I went on a mission to find a Wal-Mart or any chain in Port Washington that sold flip flops. Couldn't find one so we went into Saukville to their Wal-Mart. Once we got back we all continued to drink lots of alcohol and dance a little bit. People started to trickle off, particularly the Iowa crew because they had to leave the next morning early to head home. It was really great seeing them cause they usually aren't around when we are. Adam and Jordan had had enough of the reception and didn't want to stay in the hotel so Bobbi and I tagged along with them to some party. On the way we stopped at a gas station, run of the mill gas station, and I bought a fifth of liquor at 11:30 pm. It was awesome. So we got to this party, met a few of Jordan and Roberta's friends then decided we wanted to have our own little party back at Jordan's. So we left. Had a lot of fun over there. Heavy drinking with brother and cousins. I got to see how responsible Jordan is, he's a good kid. Aunt Mary came to get Roberta because she has to babysit in the morning and Dale was passed out in the backseat. Got to bed somewhere around 4 I think.
Sunday woke up feeling a little crappy but not so bad considering. Jordan took me back to Uncle Bill's and I showered for the day, Mom and Dad got back from Port Washington. They said they had a blast the night before and shut down both bars at the hotel. We headed to West Bend to watch another softball game and stopped at CULVER'S, the dream fast food restaurant, and got lunch and custard. Went to the game, Carey and Webe came on the bike and hung out with us, GREAT seeing in them. Jason stopped by with his girlfriend and newest adorable baby. I think they won that game because they had another one a few hours later. So Mom, Dad and I headed into Hartford to visit with Camille and Tony for a little while. Lovely seeing them. Then we went back to West Bend for another game. Hung out with the Gaedtke's and cousin Michael, who is also a GREAT kid. We ended up being there two and a half hours after the game ended because dad ran into one of his old softball buddies, Rick Weedeman, and they talked forever. I also met a great guy named Jumbo that day. The concession stand closed down and started giving away free beer which is really why we stayed so long. Yea, consession stands EVERYWHERE in Wisconsin sell beer. I'm talking like, little league games. So yea. We left there and I guess we back to Bill's to rest up.
Monday we got up and headed to Madison to visit Grandpa and Gail. Adam rode his bike the one and only time (totally worthwhile riding in the truck and taking it with us NOT). We hung out, played pool and napped then went to this great bar called the Old Fashioned in downtown for a delicious meal. I had a walleye sandwich with slaw and radishes on it and it was awesome. And they served burgers with brownschwager on them. Adam said it was good. So that was a lot of fun and then we went home and probably played more pool and went to bed.
Tuesday we went to Wisconsin Dells to take the upper river ride. It was kind of expensive but was totally worth it. The places where they let you stop and get off the boat were totally awesome. Kale: if you're reading this, you would LOVE it. I'll post some pictures one day when I have more time. So that was totally fun. We got back, had a snack, played a bunch of pool then Grandpa cooked us a delicious feast of yummy chicken, spetzel, salad and somehting else. Blaire came over and ate with us so it was really nice to meet her after talking to her about Epic so much. We played a few games of pea pool, I won one of them. Then we were tired and went to bed.
Wednesday we got up and headed back to Slinger. We got a little lost of the way back trying to find Fendt's meat market in Watertown but we eventually found it, got some goodies then took the scenic rout back home. I love the scenic route in Wisconsin, which is just about every road. It's not so hilly and you can actually see stuff. We stopped in Hartford and Chris and Glen's house to drop off some italian sausages we got them and only got to chat with Chris and Brettany for a little while because they had to leave for bike camp. I love them and Chris is a total badass. So then we made it back to Bill's, met one of his granddaughters and his great granddaughter. Then we got our lives together and went to Campbellsport for a smelt fry. YUMOMGILOVEDIT. So delicious. And add broasted chicken for only twenty cents. Dale, Mary and Roberta had a little drama finding the place but they made and it was lived the dream eating so much food. I left with Bobbi when we finished eating to go to Richfield to watch some of her friends play softball. I met her good friend Stephanie and a bunch of other dudes who were all really nice and lots of fun. She took me home and I watched some of the Brewers game with Dad and then went to sleep. Then Adam called and he Michael and Bobbi came and got me and we had a sleepover in the shed.
Thursday we went to meet Annie and her daughter, Ann, in Lomira for breakfast then went and checked out Annie's sweet apartment that she manages. She said I could move in, I'm down because they're so nice and SO cheap. So then we went to Brownsville for brats then to Beechwood for cheese and to visit with the Heisie's, who are dreamboats. We got a little lost on the way to Beechwood but it's so pretty out there I didn't mind. Other than being in the car forever. We finally made it back to Slinger and Carey Weber called so we got cleaned up and headed over to Hartford to their place. Got to hang out with their dog, Abby, who is like, 3 times the size of our Abby. I love the Weber's and miss staying with them in their hundred year old house, they're so fun to visit with. So we left there and went to Richfield to watch Adam and Jordan play with two different softball teams, one of which was fucking horrible. They play really different up there than how they do here and how they used to with different and stupid rules. Adam hit one ball out of the park, across the street and into a bank parking lot. So we drank some beers at Logger's then went down the street to Rusty's, which is the bar that sponsors Bobbi and Stephanie's beach volleyball team. Had a nasty Jager and Coke (don't do it, seriously, it's awful), some gross shots, mozzerella sticks, vodka and cranberry, bonding time with Uncle Scratch, more shots, drunk time with Bobby and Carlene and Nathan. Then we left there and went into Slinger to Strange Brew, my new fav bar. Where I had more bonding time with Uncle Scratch (he actually bought Bobbi and I drinks) and had my new fav beer, Leinenkeugal Summer Shandy. Nathan drove us back to Hartford, I realized I needed to be in Slinger, Mary drove me back to Bill's.
Friday woke up and went to breakfast at the Mineshaft, had awesome corned beef hash. Went to the new Wal-Mart that is huge and a big deal. Then we started to get everything ready for the cook out. We made a billion brats, some yummy pork loin, beans, salads etc. Just about everyone came over to eat. All Bill's kids, and their kids, and their kids and boyfriends and cousins. It was definitely fun hanging out with everyone and meeting family that I didn't know I had. I left with Uncle Scratch to go to Slingerfest to watch Adam and Jordan's team play against Uncle Bobby and Nathan's team. But a storm came out of no where and soaked the field so they postponed the game until the next morning. We all got wristbands and headed into the beer tent to watch some rock music cover band that was really good and drink a bunch of beer. I volunteered to be the sober driver for Jordan that night so he got a little hammered. I drank a lot of beer just because everyone that walked past me filled up my cup so I eventually cut myself off and switched to water. Aunt Carlene and her friend, Val, were drunky and made me dance with them and then everyone started dancing with us, including Jumbo, and we had lots of fun in the beer tent. Then we decided to go to some air conditioning and went to Strange Brew where everyone except me continued to drink. Bobby and Carlene cut Jordan off, took him home and left me in charge of Adam, Nathan and Aaron. Once the beer tent let out it was too crowded in the bar so I got Aaron and we left. We hung out for a while at Jordan's watching some movie then some golf until Adam called. Being a big baby. Wanting me to come get him from Nathan's friends house. So Aaron and I head out in the Aveo and get Adam, wearing no shirt and no shoes. Only jeans and socks in the rain. So then I take them back and finally get to go to sleep.
I had Uncle Bill come get me the next morning, we ran some errands, got back, I took a shower, Mom and Dad abandoned me for a few hours, then finally came back and got me and we went to Slingerfest for the day. It was beautiful out, I got a sunburn and watched my fix of softball for the next 5 years. Bobbi came out later, Scratch was there, Carlene was drying out from the previous two nights, tons of other people that were related to me or related to someone I knew or went to high school with my dad so it was a lot of fun. Got a little sunburned, took a trip to walmart with Bobbi, caught Adam's team coming in 2nd in the tournament and winning $200, spent more time with the Gaedtke's, went back to Bill's, changed, Bobbi came and got me and we went back to Slingerfest and the beer tent. Played flipcup with the "bartenders", sucked at drinking ruled at flipping, Jordan embarrassed me by telling everyone my secret so then I was shunned and made fun of and laughed at and it was hilarious. So we left the beer tent, went to Strange Brew again, ran into more people, including Jumbo, Jordan told everyone at the bar the secret too so I continued to get laughed at. Uncle Bobby told me I was his favorite even if I was as stupid as all the rest haha. Drank a lot there with the family. Met more people. Scratch's friend Kenny fell in love with me then made me rip my pants when he hugged me bye. Mary dropped me off at Bill's and that was that.
Sunday I got up, went to breakfast and Jimmys II then went to church at Holy Hill which is so freaking beautiful I can't even stand it. Then we went to lunch in Richfield at Sawmill, yum. I got home, napped, then got up and went with the fam to Bill's daughter, Karen's, to celebrate father's day with all of them. Beautiful old farm house, loved it. Played washers with Mike Wolfe, one of my new fav relatives. Dad and I won. got rained on a bit. Drank some beer. Then back to Bill's. Then Adam and I went to Hartford to watch Michael's softball team play and fell in love with a great, sleepy black lab puppy. Went to Mikki's for CUSTARD YUMM. Back to Bill's. Mary, Bobbi and Michael came to say goodbye to all of us.
Monday got up and headed for NC, devastated. Went through the "asshole" of Chicago haha. Made it back by 1130 pm. Abby was so excited she peed.
So yea. That was the recap.
This was seriously in my Top 5 trips of a lifetime. It was so nice spending so much time with people I hardly know, am very different from and love so much. I feel like after this trip I know a lot of them much better than I did before we left. It was fun hanging out with my younger cousins because they're old enough now to not be little kids anymore and we can goof off together. I never thought I'd be spending the night at Jordan's house or wanting to sit next to and chit chat with Michael at dinner. I didn't think I'd be riding by myself with Uncle Scratch to Slingerfest and not being awkward and having stuff to talk about after three nights in a row of hanging out. I met a lot of second and third cousins I never knew existed but were SO awesome and fun to hang out with. And just listening to old stories and driving around and seeing all the places my dad used to live on Main St. in downtown and seeing the country was great. I think it's so beautiful up there.
The trip really convinced me that I really want to move up there. Like, now. Pretty much anywhere up there. I'm highly interested in Madison and the Milwaukee area (not in Milwaukee because it's terrifying). I'd love to get an apartment and live with Roberta or somewhere around where my grandpa lives. Cost of living in the suburbs is really affordable anywhere up there. Eventually I'd like to live in one of the smaller towns but right now I don't know what kind of work I'd do in like, Lomira...
3 songs to remind me of the trip:
-All American Rejects: Gives you Hell. The first night at the beer tent the band played this song and we all (seriously, everyone I had met there) was dancing and loving it and acting like jackasses.
-Kanye West ft. Young Jeezy: I'm Amazing. Driving back from the wedding with Jordan, Adam and Bobbi on the way to the high school party
-Kid Cudi: Day and Night. Jordan and Aaron's ringtone (this also reminds me of SB09 with Kaydee and Trav at Lil Wayne bc they played it before he came out on stage. And will remind me of last night driving home from JC with Kale)
The worst part of vacation: Meeting great people and loving them and wondering if you'll ever be at the right place at the right time to see them again. And knowing that you have to go home.
The best part of vacation: Seeing and meeting great people and loving them so much you never want to go home.
So that's that.