dog days of summer

welcome home to "josie" (as in) and the pussycats

literally she adopted us 

we were lurking the whs 4 the perfect terrier 

maya n i went in to check out a few

but the line of families wanting terriers was deep

...then named "hester" was hangin with volunteers

who gave us the thumps up through the window

we sat with her for about an hour and she stole r hearts

we convinced jaonie over the phone cuz she was groovin @ michyfest

n now we r on a staycation

at least we won't be spending much on gas!

i'm secretly hoping she likes to camp

see the local news here that broke my heart:

last straw

the wi humane society

n opened our cathouse to r new 3 year old mamma to many 

pomeranian-mix of what we are not certain

she's got a really bad shelter hair cut

no worms or fleas tho!

is thin and dainty but tall n sturdy

weighs in at ten pounds and 

loves to prance around the block but prefers

nappin in the hammocks with one of us!

we had our first shy dog class last night

where josie came out of her shell and danced and rolled all over

she obviously had fond memories of whs and is lover of all four legged things

the cats on the other hand r timid n uncertain

and very happy 2 see this new thing in a crate!

we have been visiting doggy friends and can't wait to share her with the number one canine connection in r lives my uncle as soon as we know she loves the car ride!

a few tried tips 4 stretching ur summer vacation dollar....

amazing how fast the calendar flipped forward to august!

we still have a few more weeks off b4 school starts up
altho i'm planning a last minute trip in our very fine state....
we haven't decide between Pictured Rocks or Spring Green and would love to hear from anyone who has been to either area recently!

if you are looking to hit the skies or road to the four corners
here are some of the places we recommend from our recent trips:

for flights we check kayak first usually tues-tues are the cheapest
however lat minute bargins can be had on other days of the week too
nwa has been running many trips from the midwest for under $200 bucks
of course u have to add on for luggage fees or pack lightly in a carry on starting this month ughhhh!

one of our frugal tips is to save a target 10% pharmacy cards to catch a great deal on bulky items or groceries when we reach our destination
we haven't found a rental place for family tent camping equipment but we have been know to ship bulky light stuff like sleeping bags, pillows, jackets, sweats and beach towels so our baggage can handle the heavy junk like cots and cooking gear

of course if there's a big city in your travel plans and ther's no big convention in town chances r very good you can score a great deal like $25-$55 per night on a very nice (3 or 4 star level) hotels
start at biddingfortravel for recent bid reports from other travelers...i always say look at your own or a familiar city first because priceline is like an auction and you can over bid or end up in the armpit of a city so be careful ad do ur research b4 bidding

when we aren't camping we look for places that have grills or kitchens
when a week at a condo won't do start with a few library books we love these:
Let's Go
Lonely Planet
Rough Guide

then hit this frugal Frommer site

here are some of the places we discovered and highly recommend from r travels this summer:
Sante Fe Suites
The Jolly Rancher
Morris' Last Resort

we plan r trips with loads of options and look ahead to city calendars and museum free nights
look for reciprocity for admissions to zoos or science museums and get year round fees waved at home
we have these memberships that really take us places see each site for the links to 1000's of waived entrances:
Chicago Botanic Garden
Discovery World
http://www.aza.org/ForEveryone/SpecAdmissions/index.html
Milwaukee County Zoo

we also stretch our national park annual pass so it can give us two summer's worth of travel
buy in august of one summer and use in june and july of the next

i could write a book about frugal family travel
but these links should help anyone who still has some
wanderlust time n energy but is low on cash

my mantra has always been i have more time than money
and i have 2 confess planning a trip can be as much fun as taking it!

oh n take loads of pix...upload to flickr and add wimomz as a contact!

happy travels!

not all who wander r lost

move over dust bunnies

kari's home for a spell

been on the wanderlust circuit

4 a while now

school ended with a bang up series of field trips

we headed west for family ties and then again

4 family fun

see the flickr picture diary under wanderlust collection

i apologize in advance 4 the sonic slush porn!

r long weekend in door county was relaxing and cr8tive

and hanging out at home is proving to be good 2

but it won't last long!

r summer map
BigHugeLabs.com">
http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/map.php

ok where did april go?

the familiar sound of the ice cream truck just penetrated our living room

maya says: that's a sign of SUMMER

so where did april go?

well we had a great spring breakout see my 300 pix on flickr

we celebrated maya's 13the year

with a live clue game 

a reunion party with her cast from 

12 days play 

and four solid weeks of school

n joan's 44 closed the month last night

we spent some time in chicago

we caught a few movies

for those of you who  love good documentaries that include personal account

this one does that and a whole lot more

The Rape of Europa

spring fever

a sure sign of spring is that the canada geese have returned

and the melt has begun but the snow lingers as we get dusting's every now and again

r plans for spring breakout r coming together

we are leaving the tent at home n thanks to an old camp buddy

aka Arbi/RB (rowdy banana?!) we've been hooked up

old friend catch-up evening and

a guest bedroom in raleigh along with a condo deal!

I'm hopping we r not gonna b couped up in a moldy first floor

but j warned me if i complain she will park my butt in a hammock at the state park!

looking forward to some flickr meet ups too!

at least the condo will have wifi so i can keep my flickr addiction going!

Ellen DeGeneres Discusses The Recent Tragic Death

endh8
do not treat me a second class citizen
vote with your heart to
endh8

the strike is over! new rules r back!!!!

lw will get the well deserved dinner break but ahhhh i get my new rules back! and these were worth the wait enjoy
warning: not rated for family viewing!

snow daze

la nina they say

...it has come up from the south

the wind is fierce gusts over 35 mph

we r getting up to 3 inches of snow an hour

warned of lightning and thunder

very strange

white out conditions

the media shouts about the southern tornadoes yesterday
a train came thru and i freaked thinking it was these tornadoes

blessed b this planet we have so abused

her sky's speak 2 us

with storms n weather patterns

like none we've known b4

kd lang

helps us with dreamz of spring

my faves 4 the tucson traveler

just in case u r heading to southern az

here's a list of my faves
in

almost always

SUNNY TUCSON

warning if u have never been there b4

at first glance

u will think u have landed on a different planet
locals complain there's not much 2 do

i kinda like the quiet dark desert

but then again i'm only there briefly

i never seem 2 get enuf time at my fave places

many of which could be in more than one category:

OUTDOORS:

Sabino Canyon nps close 2 mom's in northeast

Desert Museum great all day hang southwest of town

EATERIES:

Blue Willow dine shop dessert shop n go back daily

Cup Cafe cause rachel ray is always right

Macayo's dependable n out mom's front door
Sonic! cause we don't have em in wisconsin

SHOPPING:

Antigone fave on 4th Avenue where u can loose an entire day if wanted

Trader Joe's right next 2 a Marshall's in mom's hood

Flea Markets they change 2 often sorry no link
MUSEUMS/GALLERIES:

Tohono Chul gallery park n tea room

Center for Creative Photography try 2 stop in 4 great motivation

Old Town a little on the touristy side o life

Grey Dog awesome if u have a well padded wallet

mom's guestroom is ok but 4 a real break
4star resorts at 2star hotel prices:

WESTWARD LOOK closest 2 mom

OMNI closest 2 sonic

HILTON comes up on pl most often
u have 2 start here 2 understand: biddingfortravel gotta love priceline!

just because i should not dis phx all together

besides direct cheap flights almost always put me here

these r the only places i care 2 deal with the traffic...crowds...

n crazy pace of

PHX

The Heard don't miss it

Talliesin West do it once

sabino canyon tram cam

az weekend

north tuc saturday drive part 3

final az chapter

home away from home

recent trip 2 tucson
as seen through imovie series
originally modeled with the enthusiasm
of a child who has new jars of playdoh
4 my rblogger buddy-stranger friends

turns out 2 be much more powerful art
than i can share in words
thru my tears as i type

i dedicate this series of movies
to my mom
who despite all obstacles
as a woman faced with
growing up on the opposite end
of the baby boom as i did
and who appears 2 drown
her sorrows n pain in tall glasses of
scotch
the golden liquor i've grown to despise

i really love her deeply
the miles are far more than 100
the catalina canyon crevasse' doesn't even reach the depth

here r catie curtis' lyrics
as credit 4 my feelings
of what my mom and i share from r ends of the earth

100 Miles

from the album A Crash Course in Roses

words and music by Catie Curtis ©1999

My mind is racing and my feet are moving slow
I look all around me don’t see anything I know
I’d like to answer you but I can’t clarify
If I’m 100 miles ahead or 100 miles behind

I see signs of trouble but I don’t know what to think
I don’t want to rock the boat or let it slowly sink
I’d ask you questions but I don’t want to make you cry
If I’m 100 miles ahead or 100 miles behind

It’s gonna rain, it’s gonna pour
Through sickness and worse can I love more
You carried me when I fell
Can I carry you, can I love that well

My mind is racing and I’m sorry if it hurts
I’ve never been somewhere that I could not reverse
If I don’t wonder, if I don’t take my time
Am I 100 miles ahead or 100 miles behind

It’s gonna rain, it’s gonna pour
Through sickness and worse can I love more
You carried me when I fell
Can I carry you, can I love that well

You carried me when I fell
Can I carry you, can I love that well

crazy fun three day weekend

first stage opening night
The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963
an we were privileged 2 be seated right next 2 the
author Christopher Paul Curtis and his wife, Kaysandra
i wanted to apologize 4 r deep freeze
but didn't bother when he said he is from windsor:-p
actually he grew up in flint
more info on christopher

sat classes of sword-play and improv got maya back in her groove

then out to the movies again

the great debaters was r pic

lovin denzel and the entire cast don't miss this inspiring powerful movie why it is not on the sag nomination list as announced today is beyond me

dinner at bd's NOT A DATE c flickr pix

sunday we attended the 24th

City of Milwaukee and the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts Presents Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Birthday Celebration at Uihlein Hall

a proud annual citywide cross cultural festival that is the country's second longest running on 2 atlanta

where maya received her second place award in this years speech contest

see my december 9th post for the vid of her speech

then we watched the giants freeze the pack out in overtime

ohpackoh we love u sooooo

cheese

heads

love the pack

thru thick n thin!

monday was r day of boxing only a month behind r canadian friends we cleanse the closets n drawers making room 4 newly acquired gifts n deep discounted bargains12 year olds grow like weeds....even in the deep winter freeze!

grades almost done 4 semester 2

looking forward 2 a winter's thaw this weekend

in AZ!

Double Dip Sunday

Double Dip Sunday

hanging in the hometown
4 gia and family
sorry we were into just being 2gether not giving u all a guided tour

njoy catie curtis's wise lyrics and beautiful song that is resonating many of my emotions about the past week and all that is unknown

veiw rfam njoying art and science and each others time 2gether

cause r time on this planet should b full of LOVE n LIGHT

even on the greyest of January daze

then n count all 3 chins in the closing piece where
i actually narrate thru the chin cam

n welcome u all 2 MILWAUKEE

a great place on a great lake

that u will probably never pass thru

unless u r heading to a packer game!

GOPACKGO!

w r members 2 both
The Milwaukee Art Museum

look at the site 2 c the fabulous santiago calatrava addition
and

our newest place of wonder and creative energy
Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin

we 2 both places go often but avoid during

the 10 day festival of music

when r lakefront swells with crowds

SUMMERFEST

:)

opening credits song by catie curtis

World Don't Owe Me

from the album

A Crash Course in Roses

The world don't owe me nothing though I always want it to

The world don't owe me happy, the world don't owe me a love like you

The world don't owe me nothing even though I'm on my knees

Not the things I took for granted

Not the things I thought I got for free

But I will lay down my troubles on the ground in front of you

And play, let me play just one more song

That's my rescue

The world don't owe me flowers even though I planted seeds

The world don't owe me sunshine, the world don't owe me what I need

The world don't owe me a reason for when the night's too long

The world don't owe me nothing I don't understand all that's gone wrong

But I will lay down my troubles on the ground in front of you

And play, let me play just one more song

That's my rescue

The world don't owe me a highway, don't owe me a train

The world don't owe me an easy way out

Here it comes again another kind of pain

And I will lay down my troubles on the ground in front of you

And play, let me play just one more song

That's my rescue

My rescue

want 2 hear more? catie radio

Write it Down

we r proud 2 b a
kool aid drinking
rosie FANatic fam
njoy this tribute
COMPASSION
INSPIRE
N CONNECT

new year new movies

kite runner

one sentence:

pay close attention to the issue of bullying as it crosses all cultures and sects

gets my academy vote if i had one!

personal review:

fabulously written

fantastic filming great sets

superb youth acting

who r unfortunately paying personal price for their fame

engages all emotions

tissue factor: WHOLE BOX 4 me

not a film for youth tho

we seated dd n friends in

national treasure2

which i really didn't feel the need 2 c

npr short takes HERE

juno soundtrack here 2

a kin 2 little miss sunshine perhaps

very witty n clever infused with

BIG issues

great sounding board 4 momz of 'tween

ellen page is a fave

story has interesting bends and twists

will get nominations

awards...who knows?

tissue factor: need a few

excellent npr interview with ellen page HERE