2024 Year in Review

2024 was an interesting year and definitely glad when it was over. Due to unforeseen circumstances, not a whole of traveling but definitely got adventures in and more bucket list items than I thought. Still chasing that elusive bike ride on the Old Plank Road Trail. One day....

Bucket List Adventures

Original List 8
Expanded List 50+

States

1. WI
2. IA
3. NE
4. KS
5. OK
6. TX
7. NM
8. AZ
9. IL

Counties

122 Total Counties

28 New Counties

State Capitols
1. WI
2. IA
3. KS*
4. NE

NFL Stadiums
1. Lambeau Field

College Stadiums
1. Aggie Memorial Stadium (NMSU)
2. Camp Randall

Spring Training Parks
1. Sloan*
2. Peoria Sports Complex
3. Scottsdale Stadium*
4. American Family Fields of Phoenix

MLB stadiums
1. AmFam Field

MiLB Parks
1. Fox Cities Stadium

National Park Sites
1. Brown vs. Board of Education
2. White Sands NM
3. Fort Larned NHP

National Wildlife Refuges
1. Cheyenne Bottoms

National Forests
1. Tonto
2. Sitgreaves

National Trails
1. Oregon Trail
2. Underground Railroad
3. Santa Fe

States with Baseball
1. AZ (4)
2. WI (3)

States with Pizza
1. WI
2. NM*
3. AZ
4. NE

States with Donuts
1. WI
2. KS*
3. AZ

States with Winery
1. NM*
2. AZ
3. IA*
4. WI

States with Ice Cream
1. NM*
2. AZ
3. WI




States with Mini Golf
1. AZ

States with Chocolate shop
1. IA
2. WI

States with Brewery
1. WI

WI State Parks
1. High Cliff
2. Whitefish
3. Northport*
4. Potawatomi*

State Trails
1. Newton-Blackmour State Trail

State Forests
1. Kettle Moraine

Counties with Pizza
1. Winnebago
2. Eau Claire
3. Outagamie
4. Manitowoc
5. Sheboygan
6. Shawano
7. Dane*
8. Walworth*
9. Brown
10. Kenosha*
11. Fond du Lac
12. Door

Counties with Donuts
1. Sheboygan*

Counties With Coffee Shops
1.Winnebago
2. Outagamie (2)
3. Sheboygan
4. Rock*

Counties with Cheese Shops
1. Clark
2. Ozaukee

Counties with Burger Joints
1. Outagamie

Counties with Sports
1. Brown
2. Wood
3. Shawano
4. Waupaca
5. Milwaukee
6. Sheboygan
7. Outagamie
8. Calumet
9. Fond du Lac
10. Green Lake
11. Kewaunee
12. Oconto
13. Dane
14. Winnebago
15. Fond du Lac

Counties with bookstores
1. Outagamie*
2. Sheboygan*
3. Kenosha*

Counties With Ice Cream
1. Milwaukee
2. Sheboygan
3. Outagamie
4. Dane
5. Portage*
6. Door
7. Winnebago

Counties With Brewery
1. Winnebago

Counties with Libraries
1. Outagamie (3)
2. Winnebago
3. Kewaunee
4. Oconto
5. Door (6)

Counties with Wineries
1. Door
2. Richland

Counties With Farmers Market
1. Outagamie
2. Winnebago
3. Sheboygan*

IL State Parks
1. Starved Rock
2. Buffalo Rock

Overall it wasn't a bad year.. just an interesting one. Hopefully 2025 is better and I get to have many adventure

371. See The Nutcracker

 For years I've said I was going to see The Nutcracker. I have vague recollections of seeing a high school friend performing the ballet with her local ballet school. I always wanted to see The Nutcracker at the PAC in Milwaukee. Then I moved to the Fox Valley and that kind went out the window for a many years. I started wanting to do that for the last couple of years. When Andrea asked if I wanted to see The Nutcracker in Sheboygan, I was hesitant afraid it was another ballet school performance. I thought it said World Tour so I was decided to go. Then about a week before the performance I saw that it was another dance school performance. Andrea reassured me that it was a really well done performance.

The Nutcracker was at Weil Center For the Performing Arts in downtown Sheboygan. It is an old move theater that has been renovated. 

It is very ornate inside. It really did feel like being at the theater. There was a grand staircase that made for some fun pictures. Andrea told me the balcony was scary and we didn't venture up there.

We had seats left center. They were very good seats. I had a little understanding of the story of The Nutcracker. The narrator along with the program filled in the gap.

Brittany's School of Dance put on a wonderful, professional show. Even though you knew these were students, you could tell they were very well trained. Sure they were a few missteps and slips but they told the entire story. The dancing was beautiful. 

I am glad that I trusted Andrea and went to The Nutcracker. Even though I didn't get to fulfil the my dream of seeing it at the PAC, this was a very good performance and I would recommend it to anyone. Seeing it at the PAC is now #5415 on the bucket list. I will get there one day. 

7375. Try a Pasty

 The Upper Peninsula of Michigan (aka the UP) has the reginal food called a Pasty which is a Cornish pasty filled with meat and potatoes that the miners would bring to the mines with them. Think the original hot pocket or a British Calzone. I've always wanted to try one. I wasn't sure if the hubby if the hubby ever had a desire to try one. As much as I wanted to try one, I wasn't about to suggest it on any of our trips to the UP. 

When we saw frozen Pasty at Festival we figured what the heck. Let's try them. We opted to have chicken over beef. 

The directions had us bake them in the oven. 

They didn't wow me but they weren't terrible either. The crust was very bland. The chicken and vegetables were delicious. If the crust wasn't so bland they would be even better. But I get it they are Cornish/British which tend to be on the bland side. 

We would probably get them again. It is a good winter dinner option. Quick and easy and tastes pretty good. 

I do want to try a fresh one from a restaurant in the UP. 

5233. Have stuffed chicken wings from Mai’s Deli

 For over a year, we have been waiting to try stuffed chicken wings from Mai's Deli in Appleton. It makes it hard with the hubby's schedule but finally we had a Saturday night free and I said we were going to do it.

Mai Deli's is a Southeast Asian cafe near downtown. They serve stuffed chicken wings, pho, and Pad Thai among other favorites. They are open Monday-Saturday 10-8. They do have dine in and carryout. 

We weren't sure what we wanted so we opted to go there and order. Most people do carry out but do have a few tables for dine in. 

We knew wanted stuffed chicken wings but not sure what else. There were plenty of things on the menu the hubby won't even think about trying. I think if I was with Stacy I might have been a bit more adventurous. We stuck with stuffed chicken wings, chicken egg rolls, and crab rangoons. 

The wait for our food was about 10-15 minutes which wasn't bad for a Saturday night. We just sat and people watched. Now that we know what we like, we probably will just call and order next time.

The stuffed chicken wings were fabulous. It is egg roll filling in a jumbo chicken wing. We definitely will be getting them again.

I'm not a huge egg roll fan. These were good but I think the pork would be even better. The crab rangoons were delicious.

If you have not tried Mai's Deli yet, you definitely need to. We can't wait to go back. I told Stacy I found where we taking her for cookie baking next year.