Family History Trip

Patrick's music theory conference was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This year. We looked forward to this trip for months. It would be fun to be together, and I had some family history research to do. We headed up through Arkansas and dropped off the kids for time with the grandparents. Saw the moon rise over counties in Missouri where my Kelsey ancestors lived. It was so nice to take a long drive together.

Chicago

Day Two of trip: Thanks to the Drummonds for a good night's rest in Chicago. We were charmed with them and their home (no pics!). The family history tour continued with polish sausages in Chicago, where my dad grew up.   

We really enjoyed Chicago. It felt like we were in a movie. The Drummonds live right downtown, so the town homes are close together, and you can walk to eat or shop. Very cool.

After our poly dog breakfast, we made the windy drive to Milwaukee, where Patrick checked into his conference, and I kicked around downtown trying to stay warm. I actually made a friend at the conference, and we went to the mall together.

Got these cozy guys

See the pretty painted birds?

more close together houses, driving around Milwaukee

possibly the apartments where my great-grandmother lived when she died young of tuberculosis

Day Three: I hung out in the Milwaukee Public Library, perusing its used bookstore and humanities wing.

Milwaukee Public Library, got a great book at their used shop

downtown Mil.

Then I spent a long time in a sweet little antique shop, where I bought two old and seasoned iron skillets.

a sweet little antique where I spent more than an hour

We drove up to Plymouth that night to meet my great aunts and great uncle. The fish fry dinner they treated us to was so good. It was fun to hear them talking and sound like my Wisconsin gramma. I won't forget that we ate potato salad (German) and "American potato salad." Things to remember: "I think I'll have a half one yet."

Aunts Judy and Donna and Uncle Jerry

Day Four: 

the drive back to Milwaukee in the morning to drop off Patrick

My aunts and uncle were gracious enough to take me around to the cemetery and houses they and my gramma had lived when younger.

I also gathered family photos and family stories, enjoyed their sweet Wisconsin ways of speaking, and really felt like family. Judy especially really spoke and had some mannerisms of my gramma. It really made me miss her. I am proud of my Wetzel heritage. And it was fun to see Wisconsin, since that's where I was born.

Aunt Donna and Aunt Judy

river right outside Donna's door

Judy, Jerry, and Donna

Plymouth, Wisconsin was really a quaint and memorable town. Very cool for me to go there.

Early morning farewell after sleeping at Angela's in Chicago on our way back