Alvidrez Family Wanderings: Wisconsin

Wisconsin!

From Gulf Shores, at the very bottom of the country, we drove north for two days until we reached Wisconsin. I don’t know WHAT I was thinking when I planned that. When did that drive sound like a good idea in my head?

We left Gulf Shores on Friday around noon and 10 hours later we FINALLY left Alabama. Sadly, I was so tired at that point we pulled over in the first spot we could find and went to sleep! The next day I was determined that we would make more progress. We started our day in Tennessee, and finished 15 hours later in Wisconsin, just 40 miles or so from our destination. Long day, but it was worth it when we woke up and were able to head straight for Grandma!

My Grandma Bess married my grandfather when I was about 9 and our family doubled in size. She brought with her 7 additional adult children to add to the 8 kids in my dad’s family. Family reunions were completely crazy with that many adults, and all the 30 plus grandkids. But to this only child, the result was magical. I mean who doesn’t want more people to love? Now our family includes a whole bunch of great grandkids – I have no idea how many at this point, but she does, and she has one great, great grandchild. I have a ridiculous number of cousins. She is an amazing woman and I absolutely adore her.

Wisconsin always makes me feel nostalgic and a visit there means a lot of things. Family. Many, many cows. Delicious cheese. Beautiful fields of wild flowers. Corn fields, barns, and silos. When I was a child it looked like a fairyland compared to the bleak, stark beauty of the Arizona desert. It evoked some of the same feelings this time.

While we were there we took the opportunity to go to Wisconsin Dells to one of the many waterparks they have there. We chose Noah’s Ark, which is on 70 acres and is currently the largest water park in the country. We rode so many rides I lost count! We all had a wonderful time and came back to spend our last evening of the visit with Grandma.