Y’all—I’m at my second full weekend of SeneSister time in two weeks!
Yes, I went outside my comfort zone AGAIN and am attended a Wisconsin team training (at a stunning mansion right on Lake Michigan) with a bunch of ladies (none of whom I’d met before)! The main event is a personal training from Joni (again, the second time in two weeks!).
I felt very awkward (of course) because everyone knew everyone else, but we played some games and got to know each other and I tried to not be anxious.
Since Lin only lives an hour away, she came and picked me up so we could hang out before heading to the airport! We went to Disney Springs where we wandered, shopped, and had lunch!
After lunch it was out to the pool for the next session! We each had to write down the thing(s) that were in our life that if we could just get rid of, our life would be better.
And then they were mixed up and redistributed and we each read someone else’s card out loud. Lesson? Every single person has something stressful/heart breaking/anxiety-inducing going on even when it looks like we have our lives together and we are not alone. It was really eye-opening and emotional.
Then we had small group sessions in which we had to all say something nice about everyone else in our group. Lesson? It’s easy to discuss all the bad things about ourselves but it’s much harder to talk about and hear about the good things about ourselves. And it was hard hearing people tell us how awesome we were.
I think this is the first birthday we’ve been apart and I couldn’t get a picture, so we’re throwing it back to your first birthday…and last week!
Our Airbnb was INSANE. Check out their promo video:
This is what you see when you walk in—Owen would have loved it!
This is Jenna, the one who adopted me into her group. I love her so, so much.
My Twister-themed room:
I had to FaceTime Katie to show her. She was totally jealous!
Did someone say charcuterie dinner for 45?
I was honestly overwhelmed once everyone arrived. There were like 45 of us staying in the house, and I had only met like 15 of them previously (and really only knew less than a handful of them) so I was a bit anxious…but I’m apparently good at faking it. I did tend to stick to the people I knew better but did go outside my comfort zone a bit.
I normally would have been sharing a bedroom with someone, but as it happened to work out, I was by myself. That was good because I don’t mind being by myself and having a place to escape, but it was bad because having a roommate helps get me out of my box and gives me someone else to talk to and get to know.
The end of a loooong day that started at 5:30am cst and ended at 11:30pm est.
Our last fresh lobster dinner—2+ pounders! We couldn’t even finish them so we have leftovers for lobster quiche in the morning before heading to the airport and back to real life!
Today’s adventure in Maine…So happy it was sunny today! We started at Marshall Point Lighthouse in Point Clyde, ME. This is where the Forrest Gump scene of Tom Hanks running was filmed.
Read the book? Check! Visited the lighthouse? Check!
Last night we had asked Owen to take out the lobster waste and set the bucket inside the garbage bins (because it was too dark to go too the beach and dump in the water—but it couldn’t stay in the house or be left out where animals could get it.
Never underestimate the non-listening power of a teen brain. This is what we found in the morning. He somehow missed that we said to put the lobster shells IN the garbage bin and just left it on the porch. So then he got the glorious job of cleaning it all up! We all had a good laugh.
Then it was off on another adventure—to my mom’s favorite spot: Pemaquid Point!
You’ve seen the lobster dinner, now see our dessert! Everyone loves strawberry shortcake!
There were LOTS of rocks between us and the beach.
Heading back up to the house to get ready for the day’s adventure!
On top of Mount Battie.
Then it was off to the surprise for the kids—Uncle Willy’s Candy Shoppe. They each got $10 to spend there ($5 from Grauntie Rose and $5 from me) and Katie spent all of it plus some of her own while Owen didn’t spend a penny and saved it instead.
This was one of the things she got—fruit flavored if you were wondering.
And this was what I got—it was interesting.
Then we went to mom’s favorite place for dinner—The Happy Clam. And of course I had to try their infamous Blueberry margarita!
Katie was enthralled with the old school playground so she spent most of her time out there! After dinner we took pictures!
Owen has mentioned more than once he’d like to attend MSU and today he said he really liked it (but to be fair, it’s the first real campus he’s been on and he didn’t see much of it). I then asked if he wanted a pic on the campus of his future alma mater…and he obliged. Unbelievably it’s just 3.5 years away.
We got free tickets from Vettix and Grannie went with us!
We got some souvenirs—and Tom got a Sparty Party beer!
We had a cool view.
Right in front of the scoreboard!
This cute little one was in front of us!
Unfortunately they didn’t play too well and lost so that was a bummer. But we still had a good time!
And on the way back to the hotel, we took a mini detour and drove by the capitol.
TIP OF THE YEAR: Avoid Chicago on September 15-16.
Tonight we got stuck in Chicago trying to get out of town after the show (it took an hour to go like four blocks).
Turns out it was the start of Mexican independence day (it’s actually 9/16 but the celebrating starts the day before) and the traffic was freaking insane!
Apparently the thing to do is drive around with passengers hanging outside the car (through the window or sunroof or both), honk your horn like a madman while waving huge flags, and cause traffic jams. And there’s lots of cops out…not doing anything.
Our annual “Oh crap we forgot to take a group picture all week so let’s do it as we’re getting ready to leave” group photo! Under the porch because it was pouring!
This is something I only get one week a year — and ONLY if we pass through Calumet while Carmelita’s is open!
Thimbleberry Margaritas
The thimbleberry is a berry unique to certain areas of the US — and the upper peninsula is one of them. And they’ve gone and turned it into a delicious drink! (They also make jam but give me the margarita!)
If you’re ever in the area, please stop by and try one! We even get two pitchers to go to enjoy throughout the week since it’s an hour round trip to get them!