It was our annual Labor Day Camping trip with Tammy, Jeff, Georgia, Joey and Herbie - aka "the cousins". As usual, we met 1/2 way and this year was Door County - seriously gorgeous!!
We had to take 2 cars for a few reasons ...
1) 2 adults, 4 kids and camping stuff doesn't all fit into 1 car
2) Jimmy got called up to play in the JV football game on Friday night, making it impossible to drive to Door County after the game
So, Tracy and 3 of the kids headed out of town at noon on Friday and Tom followed with Jimmy at 8pm that night, making it to Wausau before having to stop at a hotel
The kids (actually Billy and Ian) were a huge help in setting up camp and the cousins were excited to see us. (They had taken the ferry from Michigan and spent the day with Sue in Green Bay)
We went out for the most awesome dinner of pizza at The Wild Tomato. The guys were flinging dough, the crust was amazing and they had a huge wood burning stove. We also introduced Ian to deep fried cheese curds. He's a convert and potential addict. On the way back to camp, the stars were amazing- we had to stop and watch them over the lake. we even saw 2 shooting stars and, needless to say, Ian's mind was blown. It really was an awesome sight, in all meanings of the word.
Saturday we killed time at the camp ground; football, swimming and basic outdoorsy crap until Tom/Jimmy arrived around Noon. Then it was off to Gills Rock, Ellison Bay and Sister Bay. Sister Bay had a huge beach party happening and it was right across the street from Al Johnsons so we were able to check a number of Door County bucket list items off the list. The kids swam, ate more deep fried cheese curds, bounced in a bouncy house and saw a grass roofed house with goats on it. Then, ice cream at Wilsons. Everyone managed to keep their hugmoungeous ice cream on their cones with the exception of Jimmy. Theres one in every crowd....
Dinner was less than impressive but we had a resurgence of the football game, watched more stars and a roaring camp fire so all was right in the world.
Sunday we headed south for Egg Harbor and the apple orchard. Sue drove up and met us for the afternoon. It was super fun to just hang out and relax. The bucket list item of the day was a fish boil. Torch (guy running the fish boil) had quite the schpeal and it was really interesting plus the food was great. We even watched the 2nd seating boil after we ate. Pretty impressive. Since we had an early dinner, it was s'mores night and another 1st for Ian. He might think that Americans just eat their way through life. He'd be mostly right.
Sunday we packed up, said our good byes and headed home for school. The kids were great on the ride, all showered and did homework without complaint and after countless loads of wash we were all safely tucked into bed for deep, long, good night sleeps. At dinner when we asked their favorite part of the weekend ....
Billy - swimming and the stars
Kay - the cousins!! (especially Georgia!!)
Jimmy - the football games (JV and cousins)
Ian - the stars
Tom - hanging with family and the fish boil
Tracy - watching the cousins football game
Until next year!!
Torch explaining the intecracies of a fish boil
The fish! fresh caught white fish - that day!
a rapt audience
The final kerosene dump
the boil over!
Billy and Joey racing on the track at the apple orchard. The kids had a blast running around and eating free apple cider popsicles
As the kids said "we were at the Big Apple"!!
The gang of kids and kids
Classic
post ice-cream hangovers
Sister Bay fest with a talking remote control coast guard mascot
the beach
Gills Rock - gorgeous
Jimmy
Happy Jimmy - with his new favorite hat that Jeff wouldn't let him keep - now all he wants is a faded blue, worn in Titlest golf cap. Go figure.
The birthday boys
The grown ups with good wine 
the family in 2017 - + Ian, exchange student
Camping with family friends 
Meeting Lucy Kaplinsky - ahhhhh!!
Chef TOm
Tom's parents and brother Brian
