Betty Brinn Children's Museum

Betty Brinn Children's Museum is an hands on experience, perfect for the three to five year old.  There are areas that one and two year olds will find entertaining, and its advertised for kids 0 to 10, but it was perfect for our three year old.
Heather, Nick, Piper and myself visited this museum this past Saturday.  I went online and joined their email listing and received a coupon for one free admission with the purchase on one admission..Score!  Betty Brinn Museum is located downtown Milwaukee (929 East Wisconsin Ave.).  The Museum will give you a $2.00 off pass if you parked in the O'Donnel Parking Lot attached to the museum ($4/hr), but a better deal, if you will be at the Museum for two hours or longer is to park at the Bank One lot across the street which lists a flat museum rate of $5.00
We got to the parking lot no problem, got everyone out of the car no problem.  Then tried to figure out how to attach Piper's car seat to the stroller bottom.  We got the stroller part to open (thanks Kyle for the tutorial) and it seemed the seat is just suppose to slide in.  You know you are desperate when you ask a three year old a question and hope it will help.  "Nick, which way does Piper face when she's in this."  He told us not facing the person pushing, so we inserted the car seat and Piper looked like an astronaut ready to blast off.  Heather and I started laughing.  Redid it and yes, Piper is suppose to face the person pushing the stroller!  Success!
Admission rates, Children under one are free.  Adults and children over 1 $7.50 Seniors (over 55) $6.50

We entered the Kohl Healthy Exhibit Area, which is a huge board game that kids (and adults can spin wheels, walk on squares and follow directions to do fun things.  Nick wasn't interested in this he saw the huge climbing exhibit and he started to well climb.

                                                  then played a little mini golf

                                                     and dropped a golf ball and watched it go round, and round
                                                                   and round

                                                       

Then in the Welcome Gallery there was this train....

                                               and Nick could pull levers, and make the train toot

                                                    and there was also a Brio table

                                        To another ball drop.......to show gravity

                                           called the Roller Coaster

In the South Gallery called Home Town..  Nick became a postman...

                                       and a banker.."How much money do you need?"

                                              Let me run those numbers....

                                         
                                               Then a cameraman

                                              As Heather and Piper were newscasters

                                                     and Nick tried out the "green screen"

                                                  which put Heather and Piper at Miller Park

Then time to work on a car

                                              and learn something about pumps and water.

                                 There was a outdoor park, indoors...called the Pocket Park..

                                                   Piper loved sliding these little balls

                                                and what am I sitting on???

                                             Oh yes, this is fun!!!!

                              After all that playing, time for a quick lunch...

                        and take a little nap on the ride home.

Overall, so much to do!  There was also a artist and performing arts area.  Tinker toys were a special exhibit but Nick didn't have any interest in creating something with tinker toys when there was so many large hands on exhibits.  Nick shopped at Sendik's play market and there was a bus that needed a driver or passengers.  There was a house that needed bricks on the outside and instillation on the inside.  At the Pocket Park kids could learn how to plant plants, pump water, and step on an interactive floor where leaves appear and disappear.
Lots of activities, lots of kids, lots of fun!  Worth a visit!
Two thumbs up, as Nick would put it.

A side note.  Here are a few fun statements that Nick made this weekend as he and Piper spent the weekend with us.
"Just Ranch not Ranch Dressing"  Nick told me as I asked him if he wanted some ranch dressing and carrots
When I asked if he wanted a Apple Juice Pak..he laughed and corrected me  "Apple Juice Box Grandma".  Then he said.."Say more funny stuff Grandma".
As he sat watching "The Firm" with Grandpa, he put his hand on his chin and said....."That's interesting."

Lake Geneva

A few months ago on a warm sunny fall day, Jackie, Kathy and I told a walk along a lake.  Specifically, Lake Geneva.  First we grabbed a lunch at Popeyes, at a table with a view of the lake.  Popeyes specializes in BBQ chicken, beef and pork which we all enjoyed.  After lunch, we walked to the lake and had to make a decision, do we go right or left.  For no real reason, it was decided to go to the left, or in the southern direction.  So come along and enjoy our walk along the lake.
Lake Geneva has a unique lakeshore pathway.  It is 21 miles around the whole lake, not something the average person would walk in an afternoon.  Plus the terrain makes it a challenge in some locations.  Whether its limestone, stepping stones, or dirt, you have to make a point to look down where you are walking AS you are looking at the mansions on one side, and a beautiful lake on the other side. There is a sign at the beginning that explains a few rules:

With people walking through your land everyday we wondered how accepted this was by the homeowners.  We found a variety of landscapes, some homes that embraced the idea by creating garden wonderlands, and others that had thick trees and shrubs that completely shielded their home from view.   Some homes with lounge chairs out front to people watch, and a few for sale signs.

Almost immediately we came upon the largest home on the eastern side of the lake.

 But as you can see, there isn't much in the way of landscaping at this mansion.  I did a little research and this building, it is called Stone Manor (officially Younglands) and was built by Otto Young from Chicago in 1900-1901.  It had a basement bowling alley and an indoor mini golf course.  It was a private residence until 1939, then was made into a girls school but only for a few years.  Then it became a French restaurant until it was purchased for back taxes in the 1980s.  It was renovated and now houses six condominiums.
Lets continue on the path......

 Since it was fall and most plants were already dormant,  we imagined that in the summer this pathway is lined with flowers and flowering shrubs.

Here the path was much more rustic, with tree roots making the path anything but easy to walk on.

 Lake Geneva, blue sky, blue water, crisp breeze, a wonderful view!  Some piers stay in the water all winter, but many homeowners had taken their piers out and they lined the pathways.  

We saw a lot of these mussels on the piers that were taken out, lying on the shoreline.  Are these the Zebra Mussels that are causing concern at area lakes?  

Another large home...

                                                     a narrow pathway

                                                  a flower absorbing the fall sunlight...

                                            and time for a group picture (thanks to a stone wall that held my camera)
We walked about 40 minutes, then stopped and reversed ourselves.  Time to head back.

                                     This is a view of the marina and downtown Lake Geneva at the end of our walk.

If you go online and check out Lake Geneva, there are many links to the walkway around the lake.  There isn't any reason to purchase a map.  Just go there, and start walking.  Since we did the east side of the lake this time, we all decided we would head back in the summer and walk the west side.  We also would like to see how the whole area looks with flowers in full bloom.  So, Lake Geneva...We'll Be Back!