The Finale - Scenes from Richland Center

These are some scenes from a drive my daughter and I took on Christmas and the final image is from the morning we left our little Christmas cabin.  Need I say any more....it was a piece of heaven.

Hand Rolled Butter

One of my other accidental finds in the town of Richland Center was the little creamery store.  The store is hidden amongst a strip of connected buildings and only a small sign directs you into the office/store.  I circled around to find a parking spot after noticing the sign stating "Come in for fresh hand-rolled butter".  Again...curiosity had overcome me and so I had to check it out.

Upon my entrance into the store, came an elder man behind me, who was greeted by first name from the gentlemen working in this small office/store.  He knew exactly what this patron needed for the day, rang him up and off he went.  Once again, this small town showed me the sense of friendship, community and belonging in this little town situated in western Wisconsin. 

Next, it was my turn to order, and not knowing what "rolled butter" is exactly, I asked the clerk what the most necessary item to get when not from the area and never having rolled butter.  He handed me a blue box and told me this is generally the hot item and I would want to try it.  I purchased the butter as well as a couple bags of cheese curds and off I went.

During the trip back to the cabin, the kids and I did break into the cheese curds, which I would say were okay. Nothing fantastic or out of this world by any means. It was not until Christmas Day that we enjoyed the fresh butter melted into our baked potatoes and fried up for our mushrooms.  The butter was much different than expected....and in a good way.  As I proclaimed at dinner, "it tastes like it just came from the cow". My daughter didn't really like that description though.  I guess I would say the butter is sweeter, creamier and much fresher tasting.  As if I just whipped up a batch in my kitchen and served it freshly made. 

Once again, Richland Center gave me another exciting discovery, and another reason to make the trip back to the small town.

Best Donuts in Town

 

Those that know me, understand how I cannot sit in one spot for long, and that not being constantly entertained is like torture for me. Being in a new place means exploring.  So...exploring is what I did upon arrival in Richland Center.  I drove into town to explore the grocery stores, pick up some groceries, and see what was around.  In returning back to our little cabin I passed Papa's Donuts.  A quaint looking little cafe right at the foot of the hill I was about to drive up. Nuzzled right on a corner, an inviting hue of green, immersed amongst a sea of brick. 

I continued to venture back to the cabin; however, not without a curious need to go back to explore Papa's Donut shop. Upon my return to the cabin I told my husband of this really cool looking cafe in town called "Papa's Donuts". To my surprise -- the owners live right in the farmhouse just to the north of our little cabin.  And apparently their donuts are well worth the visit to the donut shop....or at least that is what my husband had been told.

Well, the next day (Christmas Eve), we decided to venture into town again in hopes Papa's Donuts and other shops would be open.  We arrived in town around 9:30 a.m., and as luck would have it, Papa's was open until 10:00 a.m.  We entered the quaint little cafe and were quite taken by the friendly greeting by both owners and patrons.  The air was filled with sweet smells of donuts, there was a large chalkboard displaying their menu, a huge Christmas tree decked out and the decor was just as one would expect of a small town cafe -- it was perfect.  

Carefully we all chose a donut, a beverage and a seat.  We were looked at by patrons as strangers in town, but greeted with warmth.  As we began biting into our donuts, the husband of the owner entered the cafe with their kids not far behind.  Conversation broke out between the owner's husband and mine about our stay at the cabin adjacent to their farm, and of course, where deer could be found.  The owners were quite welcoming and told us all about the orchard we pass on the way to our cabin, the land which used to be their grandparents, and the fact the owner is from Racine, Wisconsin originally.  It truly is a small world!

But forget the conversation and the quaint cafe atmosphere...it was the donuts that got my attention even more.  I ordered a raspberry jelly filled donut and it was like biting into heaven!  The donut was fluffy, with a glaze of white on the top, and the filling was a runny, raspberry explosion.  Our family would definitely be ordering a half dozen to take back to our little cabin in the woods. Off we went with our half dozen donuts ready for enjoyment on Christmas morning...in our little cabin in the woods.

Christmas morning breakfast was even better than ever before between the cabin, the freshly falling snow, our time as a family together, the wonderful breakfast I made, and Papa's donuts!  My hope was to make an exit visit to Papa's on Sunday as we scurried out of town; however, luck was not on my side as the shop was closed.  I have declared we will be making a trip back to Richland Center if even just for the donuts. Rumor has it....their lunch and breakfast menu is quite tasty too.

Christmas in Richland Center

Christmas for our family was a bit non-traditional this year.  Thanks to a generous friend of my husband, we were given a cabin to stay at in Richland Center, Wisconsin.  You might say I was a bit skeptical considering traditions and being home for Christmas are important for me.  My husband reminded me how selfish I was being and that this was a great opportunity...one of which we should not pass by.  However, it came with a small price to pay, and that was the underlying plan was for my husband to hunt on the land we would be staying on.  You see where this is headed now.

In my continued state of uneasiness with making the trip a little over three hours away, and for Christmas, I agreed to this new adventure as a family for the holiday.  So off we ventured on December 23rd, packed in our Jeep Wrangler, husband, wife, two kids and two dogs heading northwest in Wisconsin.  All Christmas presents were opened the nights leading up to our trip so there would be no Christmas presents to open on Christmas Day.  Just the joy of our family spending the day together.

As we pulled up to our destination, my original fears of being away for Christmas began to stir again.  You see, the cabin we pulled up to was nothing like my husband described as a "house" or "six bedroom house".  No -- it looked more like a hunting shack!  My husband again assured me we had not ventured inside yet and it could be better than at first glance of the outside.  The family departed the Jeep and cautiously walked to the front door and in...to find it was a typical cabin.  A bit more than a hunter's shack, but with the underlying sense hunters come there for stories of their hunt and celebrations of the kill.  Instead of a "six bedroom" house we did get a six bed and six room cabin.  Completely decked out in pine from head to toe, heat, full kitchen, full bath, washer/dryer, television and even satellite.  Rest assured, it was enough to make a great family trip and a new tradition. 

Richland Center is a quiet place.  We drove through what I like to call "Wisconsin mountains", which are basically rolling hills.  The views are gorgeous and our little cabin sat on top of a high point amongst the rolling hills.  We could not have asked for any better of a trip as it snowed, a gentle snow, the whole time we were in Richland Center.  The air was clean.  There was not one sound other than the noise from birds flying above.  So our little adventure had taken us to heaven and a true "Little House on the Prairie" story....one to be continued for the next few days as I share our adventure.

Five Guys

Yesterday I finished my shopping at Mayfair Mall with my daughter, and finally, took the opportunity to eat lunch at Five Guys.  What a great idea that was!  Their burgers are out of this world and the Cajun style fries were phenomenal!  I love the decor.  They even promote where the potatoes were purchased from on a black board in the restaurant.  The food was excellent and quite filling, the atmosphere exciting and the clever little things they do to make it a unique dining experience make this a great meal destination.

Choco-licious

From time to time I will share some of my favorite things with you.  Today I will share something which has now become one of my favorite things thanks to a gift I received from one of the artists I represent.

This past Saturday, a Fed Ex truck pulled up in front of my house and delivered an absolutely delectable treat -- CHOCOLATE.  Not just any chocolate though.  Chocolate truffles in fun flavors such as cayenne pepper, Shitake mushroom, curry and more.  The best part about it -- this chocolate company resides in Wisconsin and within two hours from where I live.

These chocolates are made by hand and are well worth the trip to Madison to get them.  But don't worry, if you cannot make the trip, just order a box of these chocolates! 

I think my favorite part about this company is that the founding owner's name is Gail Ambrosius!

A Christmas Poem

A friend of mine sent this little poem with a Christmas card last year during her much unexpected divorce.  I enjoyed the poem so much, I kept it, and now I am sharing.

"Christmas gift suggestions:

To your enemy, forgiveness.

To an opponent, tolerance.

To a friend, your heart.

To a customer, service.

To all, charity.

To every child, a good example.

To yourself, respect."

Oren Arnold

Christmas 2010

Christmas....a time for family, friends and traditions.  I enjoy this time of year even though it seems to pass by so quickly.  We scurry around from one shopping mall to the next in an attempt to find the perfect gift.  Then there are all those Christmas parties to attend.  And don't forget the decorating and cookies to be made.  

There are times I wish I could just go back to being that little girl waiting for Santa's arrival.  Wishing for the perfect doll and leaving cookies and milk to find them gone on Christmas morning.  Oh the presents under the tree with my name on every label -- To: Pam From: Santa.  How such simple words could make a little girl smile.

Little girls grow up though.  No more gifts under the tree from Santa for this big girl.  All grown up with a family of  her own.  In fact, Santa no longer visits this house.  Or does he?  I guess a true dreamer would tell you Santa does still ride his sleigh from house to house on Christmas Eve.  This girl is still going to believe because that is what dreaming is about.  Keeping faith and traditions strong from one generation to the next....no matter how old we get.  Santa is still alive and strong in my heart.  Merry Christmas to all!

An Essay

Every once in awhile, you think about whether anything you do is being noticed, heard, or appreciated....and then you get a sign that you are noticed, heard and appreciated.  This past week, one of the most amazing teachers in the world, pulled out an old assignment he used to do with the students and had this year's class do it once again.  My daughter just happens to be in this class.  The assignment is to write freely for 15 minutes about someone you look up to.  She wrote about me....her mom....and this has made me realize my actions are being noticed and everything I do is worth doing.

I look to my mom as a very strong woman because even though when we have bad times, she is always trying to make the best out of it all.  Even though her business has been taking awhile to build, she still tries to make an effort and tries new things. I am really proud of her for going back to college and graduating, to make our family more happier, and for me to be successful.  I was also proud of her when she joined Leadership Racine.  She got to experience being with homeless people.  Sometimes when she went to the HALO Art House, she would bring me with too, and I got to experience that.  My mom and some of her other team members decided that they wanted to make an art house for the kids so they could be more active and a place where they could feel safe instead of in the streets, where something bad might happen to them.  I am really glad to have her as my mom.  This is why I look up to her.

This is why I became a mom, a wife, a volunteer, an entrepreneur....because I know I can make a difference and this is proof I do make a difference.

Beautiful Drive

Last week I had to go up to Blue Mounds, WI for a business meeting.  It is a long drive from the southeastern corner of Wisconsin where I began, but the drive is beautiful.  Unfortunately, it was an overcast day, but there still remains plenty of snow in Wisconsin which made for a beautiful drive.  On my way back home I could not resist the urge to take some photos while driving.  Yes, while driving.  Something I would not suggest anyone try for safety reasons.

Frosty January Morning

Upon waking this morning, I looked outside, and to my complete surprise saw nothing but a white haze.  Our weather has changed over the last few days, which is a good thing considering we have been well below normal for weeks, and now we are at about normal to a bit above.  The fog and heavy mist in the air had formed a frost on just about everything.  When I walked outside to go to the store at about 8 a.m., there was a beautiful silence and clean aroma in the air. 

Lost My Mind

I have been working extremely hard at keeping my newly designed routine for 2010 in both my personal and business life....and it was going pretty well until yesterday.  It started with my morning routine when I decided just a quick shower would do, no fancy clothes, no makeup, and well....the kids and I skipped breakfast.  Probably was not a good idea!

The day went straight down hill from there.  I felt out-of-sorts and just could not keep my focus or routine going.  It began with walking out of the house, closing the door behind me, the kids already in the car, and no keys in hand.  Yes - all the doors into the house were locked and there I stood in the freezing garage with two kids angry at me because now they were going to be late for school.  I called my husband, he drove home quickly to rescue us, and off to school we went.

After school, I drove to pick up the kids as usual, parked in the lot and waited.  My daughter came out and got in the car as usual....and then we sat and waited for my son....and we waited....and we waited....and we waited...until my daughter went to check on where he might be.  But before continuing her trek into school, she returned to the car and stated, "doesn't he have basketball today?"  Well, if I were paying attention to my usual schedule, and did not steer off course, I would have certainly remembered the routine.  Yes, he was in basketball practice.

While making dinner, my daughter asked what we were having, and my reply was a Potato Lasagna...a vegetarian dish.  My daughter's reply, "why are you cooking bacon then?"  My reply, "I guess it isn't vegetarian lasagna after all."  This was one of those "Pam-ism" moments that so many of my friends and family members know me to do so well.

There you have it!  Day six of 2010, my new routine, and how steering off course can cause all sorts of confusion.  Lesson learned -- stay with my routine because it is a good thing!

 

IKEA

Day two of 2010, my daughter and I took a ride down to one of my favorite stores -- IKEA! It was great mom and daughter time even though we really were not there to shop for my daughter. I purchased a table to match my desk and shelving unit so I can spread papers out even more than I could before. Funny how the table already is filled with a work project and taxes. We hit IKEA on Jan. 2nd in order to take advantage of the cheap MALM 3 drawer dresser deal for my son. And, of course, just as usual....more things made their way to my cart than anticipated. The only drawback to shopping at IKEA on a weekend is the crowds. It was like driving through Chicago traffic during rush hour.

Back To School Eve

Christmas vacation has finally ended and the kids will be returning to school tomorrow. Back to running again...in the car that is. I absolutely hate schedules, but it will be nice to force myself back into a schedule. Funny how kids and school can force a schedule upon a mom.

In my continuing efforts to celebrate a new year, and new outlook for myself in 2010, I began creating an organizing binder for myself. I did this through the Fly Lady. In a matter of one morning, I have created a month of dinner menues, grocery lists, a daily routine for myself, a honey-do-list for my husband, chores lists for my kids, and a work routine for myself (this is especially difficult considering I work from home and have ADD tendencies).

I feel so much more organized already, but for some reason have more stacks of papers on my desk than I did about eight hours ago. My kids are also not all too happy with me right now considering their chore list has gotten a bit longer.

Julie and Julia

I spent new years day pretty much as a vegetable and in my pajamas most of the day until my husband requested soup for dinner. Not just canned, but homemade soup -- chicken noodle soup to be exact. About 4 p.m. I finally peeled myself away from the computer and television, got dressed, and braved the freezing cold air to go to the store.

While at the store, I stopped at the infamous Red Box to see if there were any good movies in. It was almost as though I was cheating on my favorite movie vendor -- Netflix. Both services are cost effective and easy to use...which is why I admittedly have officially cut up my Blockbuster card as of today.

Enough about video services, I could only find one movie to rent I had interest in or had not seen already, and that movie was Julie and Julia. What a fantastic movie! I never really cared about Julia Child...she was always a bit of an oddity to me. The movie definitely showed me a new side to Julia I can appreciate and understand. The parallel story of Julie and Julia was extremely interesting and the fact someone actually cooked out of Julia's cookbook for a year and blogged about her experience -- incredible! I can completely relate to the joy cooking brought to both women as cooking is definitely a meditation for me to escape from life.

Not sure which chef would be my pick for cooking 365 meals in a year and blogging; however, if I could tour restaurants and write about my dining experience for a year with Guy Fieri I would be ecstatic! My husband would definitely have to come along as he loves Guy as much as I do.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thank goodness 2009 is now just a piece of history and hello 2010! The year of the Tiger was brought in by a blue moon -- hopefully this all means a better year for the world.

As I reflect on 2009, it has been a sad and frustrating year, but my sense of 2010 is a much more positive one. Maybe it is because I like the even number, it is the beginning of a new decade, or it is due to a new zen sense of living I want to incorporate into my life this year. Whatever it is, I hope it will be a great year, not only for my family but for all.

Ten things I want to change in my life in 2010:

1) Become more focused in all I do.
2) Be a better mother and wife.
3) Live richer.
4) Live life with the mind set that less is more rather than more is better.
5) Practice my spirituality.
6) Step away from the computer and spend time outdoors.
7) Take on a new hobby.
8) Continue my education.
9) Create stronger friendship bonds.
10)Think first then react instead of reacting immediately.

I am not going to say these are new year's resolutions but rather life changes which I want to bring into my life in 2010.