Soar on the Shore event - Algoma, WI

The 2nd annual Sore on the Shore event in Algoma, Wisconsin was held this past weekend. The event was scheduled only for Saturday but the storms rolled in and although there were some kites that went up on Saturday, not a lot of people came to see it because of the weather. Thankfully, the decided to give it a go on Sunday - which was a much better day to fly kites. Unfortunately though, the winds were not cooperating and the big kites didn't go up. Only a few smaller kites. We bought a kite too hoping to fly it but we saw how difficult it was for the professionals to fly their kites so we just left it unopened. Instead, our kids were much more interested in the sand and pebbles lying on the beach. It was still nice though to visit a beach we haven't gone to before and it was only a short drive away. Crescent Beach is a very beautiful beach full of washed up pebbles from Lake Michigan. We collected about 30 pebbles and brought them home. We're hoping to turn them into art pretty soon. I look forward to next year's event and will pray that it's much better kite flying conditions.

She loves playing with sand. She's my wild child!

Posing for a photo with Mommy.

We made a short stroll over to the red lighthouse.

Unfortunately, Daddy and Ruby couldn't go any further.

Our nice pebble collection from Crescent Beach.

What's in my Diaper Bag?!

Kavu Rope Bag

Welcome to another edition of, What's in my bag?!

Currently, I'm carrying the Kavu Rope Bag as a diaper bag and I love it! It's not a diaper bag and doesn't look like one but it's versatile. It holds all I need for daily outings for my 2 kids. If I am going out of town or on a long roadtrip, then I bring my bigger diaper bag which holds more items. This one is perfect because I slings from the back to the front with ease and I can use it as a fanny pack then. Reaching for things in my bag is so much easier now because of that! Watch the rest of "What's in my diaper bag?!" on my YouTube channel - MamaSue Plus Two

Sassy Bey!

This little girl amazes me every day! She is starting to pick up on talking - not real talk yet but just a bunch of cute jibberish. Her Summer outfits are rad and she has Mama to thank for styling her and Daddy for paying for it. LOL!!! She is not so girly though - thanks to her older brother! She loves her crocs and refuses to wear anything else. She does not care for pretty shoes, heels, or flashy things. He hates tops with spaghetti straps or halter tops and she won't let anyone put anything on her head except for a baseball cap. She's my sassy Bey and I love her so much!

Milwaukee Zoo

Riding the Safari Train at the Milwaukee Zoo

This year is our 2nd year going to the Milwaukee Zoo we were hoping for a smoother time there than last year. Last year, Anakin had just turned 2 years old and boy was he terrible! He had no patience to wait in line for the train and when our turn had ended, he did not want to get off. He threw a major tantrum and screamed so loud that I'm sure everyone on the far side of the zoo heard. Well, this year he understands the concept of waiting for your turn (thanks to waiting in lines for the trains at Bay Beach) and getting off the train when your turn has ended. He was really good about everything! The only thing was that we had a funeral to attend that morning too so he was really pooped out from everything and by the time we got to seeing some animals, I could tell he had no energy to really hold his attention any longer. We will continue to make this an annual trip and the only thing changing next year is that he will no longer be free. *insert sad face here*

You can see more of the Milwaukee Zoo footage on my YouTube channel - MamaSue Plus Two

The North Face Kaiju 6 Tent Review

The North Face Kaiju 6 tent

So, a couple of months ago I posted about this tent that we purchased, The North Face Kaiju 6 person tent. We were finally able to use it on our first camping trip of the Summer and here are my thoughts on it.

The first night we camped, it stormed on us and the next morning when I woke, I saw a puddle of rain on the rainfly directly above where I was sleeping (see video below). I thought, "Oh crap! I paid a shit load of money for this tent and it did not even hold up!" Well... it turns out that my husband did not guy out the rainfly according to instructions and he actually didn't guy out the sides at all- leaving it loose. That's why there was a puddle. The next night, he did guy out the rainfly correctly but since it did not rain, I didn't have a chance to see if that helped or not.

It's pretty easy to set up for a traditional tent but when you're in a rush because of the bad weather, it could get frustrating!

This tent also has no way to have a vent of air to move through it unless you completely remove the rainfly- exposing the tent. It was very humid and I'm glad that it only stayed humid for the first day we were camping. At night when it was cooler, the tent provided great warmth for me and my family.

I don't like that the mesh screen doors of the tent does not have a fabric cover like most tents. That means that if you have the vestibule doors open, people walking by can see inside. When I had to do a change of clothes, I had to make sure that I stayed in a corner so people wouldn't see me. This was annoying!

I really like the vestibule. It's spacious and provided ample protection from the sun, rain, etc.

I don't like that this tent is yellow because it attracts way too many bees!

Overall, I give this tent a B- I can definitely see myself using this tent for the more hardcore tent camping that we'll be doing like in Yellowstone but for Wisconsin camping, I think a pop-up tent would be a better choice.

Upper Michigan Road Trip

Arrived at the Mackinaw Bridge

So about every 2 years, we've been road-tripping with my husband's side of the family. The first roadtrip, we went out west to Yellowstone. This year, we decided to stick nearby the Midwest because we had very young babies going with us and we had my in-laws going to. So we decided on traveling to Mackinaw City and the Sleeping Bear Dunes in upper Michigan. It was about a 4.5 hour drive from Green Bay to Mackinaw City which was not bad at all. We had pretty amazing weather except the first night we were camping- we got rained on and my in-laws tent got flooded. Other than that, it was warm but breezy and the water in Upper Michigan is so clear that we felt really rejuvenated. After the trip ended, we wanted to go back again at least one more time to Mackinaw City since we felt like half a day was not enough time. Which it definitely wasn't. There was just so much to do and see on Mackinac Island that hardly 1 day would be enough! It was kind of expensive though staying in that tourist city so we will have to budget really good or find a different alternative to lodging like camping or lodging out of town and just drive into the city for the day.

My kids loved our hotel room in Mackinaw City. 

We got the lakeside balcony view!

We only stayed 1 night in Mackinaw City and then journeyed down south about a 2.5 hour drive to our next lodging site which was a campground in the Sleeping Bear Dunes vicinity. This campground was really really rugged and not ideal for families with small children. It was called the D.H. Day Group campsite and although it was secluded, there was only a pit toilet, no running water so we couldn't even wash our hands, and there was a water pump outside but it only produced yellow murky water. Not very sanitized at all. On the 2nd day of camping, we drove down south about a 30 minute drive to Platte River Group campgrounds and that site was more modern with running water and toilets and even hot showers! The campsite itself was clean with paved sidewalks and padded area for tents. It was a very nice group campsite and I will only stay there from now on. You need to reserve these sites though as soon as possible because they fill up quick for the Summer. We were lucky some group cancelled and we were able to book for 1 night on Sunday night.

I enjoyed this area so much! There was just so much to do for every one. If you have small children, you can take them to the beaches nearby Lake Michigan or go hiking on the many trails they have. The Dunes were also so breathtaking and the waters so clear compared to our side of Lake Michigan (Wisconsin side). I'm already planning for next year's roadtrip here. There was just so much to do and so little time! Here are my top 3 recommendations for you if you plan to stay here for a couple of nights.

1. Platte River Point beach. This is an inlet lake that flows right into Lake Michigan. If you have small children, they will enjoy the warm, clear swimming waters of Platte River. The sandy beaches are nice too near the tip. If you have older kids, they will enjoy the big waves that Lake Michigan produces at the tip of the river. If you're not tied down with children. I suggest renting a kayak or tube in one of the shops nearby the park and kayaking or tubing the Platte River.

2. Sleeping Bear Dunes. We didn't have a chance to climb the dunes but some people in our party did and they said it was an easy hike to the top and worth it!

3. Pierce Stocking scenic drive. We did this 7.4 mile drive that loops around forests. There are about 10 or 12 scenic stops where you can park and venture out to look at the view and take some breathtaking pictures.


We really enjoyed our time here and could not believe that such a beautiful place existed in the Midwest within a short drive away. We'll be visiting again for sure!

First night camping... roughing it out!

Second night camping

Father's Day

Picking strawberries at Sunny Hill Farms

For Father's Day, we invited family to join us for strawberry picking at a local farm, Sunny Hill Farms. The strawberries were perfectly ripe and sweet! The kids really enjoyed picking strawberries and eating them right away. They went a little crazy but that was expected. It was our kids' first time picking strawberries and I know this will be another annual event since they had a great time. Afterwards, we went to the city deck splash to cool off. Another hot and humid day in the books. This Summer has definitely been a humid one!

The dreaded sibling photo... LOL!

A Day out with Thomas

I'm going to try and make this an annual event from now on until Anakin is no longer interested in trains. A Day out with Thomas came to the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay again for a week and I was able to snatch some tickets right away when they went on sale. This event isn't as popular as the Polar Express event in November/December but, if you don't buy tickets right away then the open-air coach seating usually sells out first. It's the coach that is closest to Thomas and it's a flatbed car with screening so the bugs stay out. It was again, another hot and humid day to be outside and I'm glad we got the open-air car because we would have been very uncomfortable in the other enclosed cars. Anakin was awake this year to enjoy the ride around the museum and we were able to see Mr. Tophat (but no pictures since we didn't want to wait in line). Overall, it's a fun experience for the kids and totally worth the price. You can pay to park on the neighbor's lawns or you can park in the streets and walk there like what we did. It's free and we brought our double stroller (strollers are highly recommended) so it was easier on us. A Day out with Thomas usually is in the middle of June and it's a week long. Tickets usually go on sale in February.

Anakin turns three!

It sounds cliche but... I can't believe my son is 3 already!!! Wow. Time sure does fly! He has truly changed from being terrible two to totally awesome three. He had a wonderful birthday with his family. Here are a few facts about Anakin:

He still loves Thomas the Train!

He knows how to count to 10 in English and in Hmong.

He knows his full name.

He knows his birth date.

He knows what city he lives in.

He can recognize some alphabet letters and he can recognize all of his numbers to 10.

He loves to sing and reenact movie scenes.

He likes superhero movies.

He's potty trained.

He likes giving out high-fives and fist bumps!

This little guy is still amazing to watch every day and I can't believe he's mine!

Mother of Dragons

Mother's Day was extra special to me this year because my babies are getting older. I was married for 9 years before I was able to conceive. Those years were the most heartbreaking for me because I was asked by everyone why I didn't want any kids and why I didn't want to be a Mother. It wasn't because I didn't want any of those things - it was because I wanted them so badly that I couldn't have it. Those years truly made me realize how special it is to be a Mother and I couldn't be more proud of my life now. It was the most humbling experience and still the most rewarding.

Our new family tent - The North Face Kaiju 6 Person Tent

The North Face Kaiju 6 person tent

We were on the market for a new tent since our old one, the Coleman Montana 8 person tent, had finally expired on us during last year's family camping trip. We got rained on and we tore a huge hole through the floor. We had that tent for a good 5-6 years and it was a great tent but, we needed an upgrade. After about 2 months of extensive research on family tents, we decided to go with a brand that we were familiar with and was synonymous with the outdoors. We chose The North Face Kaiju 6 person tent. And though there was a lack of videos on this tent, I did find some photos and reviews that were helpful in making the final decision. Here is a list of what I was looking for in a family tent:

1. Sleeps 6+ comfortably.

2. Has a vestibule or shaded area where we could sit outside and be protected from the sun.

3. Has to be able to be used for Wisconsin weather camping as well as camping in Yellowstone or a national park.

4. Must be compact.

5. Easy to set up.

We purchased this tent from Rei.com in February and finally just got around to setting it up for the first time outside (you can blame the Wisconsin weather for that). My husband was able to set it up under 15 minutes by himself (with the exception of me helping with the rainfly) with no instructions (which we later found in the bag with the stakes).

At first impression, the fabric of bottom of the tent is fairly thin compared to our old Coleman tent. We will have to get used to this fact and prepare for our camping trips by laying a thick layer of tarp underneath the entire tent. We also have to be careful about sharp objects as that was the result of our previous tent. We will have to utilize the vestibule just for housing our luggage and what not. Also, I did not think of this when I made the purchase but the color of this tent, that yellow, attracts bees and wasps. Soon after we set this tent up, there was already a bumble bee inside our tent! Yikes! We will have to keep a close eye on that as well.

Overall, setting up was a whiz and we can't wait to rain shield it and use it on our first camping trip in June. I will be sure to do a full review after that camping trip then so check back!

A Hmong Cinderella Story

When my daughter was born, I had many fears of what she'd turn out to be like. Would she make the same mistakes I did? Will she have the same tempers? The same fears? Would she be able to handle whatever life threw at her? As she grows older, I see more and more of myself in her and for better or for worse, I consider it a dream come true. My heart swells with the love of my children as I write this. I hope to have a beautiful relationship with her as I did my own mother. 

A Lesson My Son Taught Me

I remember a few years back before we had kids, I would pray each chance I got for God to bless us with children. To give us the responsibilities of becoming a parent. He answered my prayers with this awesome dude. Becoming a parent has taught me so much about the person I am and the human being I ought to be. Which brings me to this post about the important lesson I learned this past weekend.

We were back in our hometown for Easter weekend and so was everyone else in the family. That means, a full house with lots of little ones running around and screaming their butts off. It's a lot of fun and it's also hectic. Not everyone is going to get along and there's that one kid who seems to always butt heads with the rest of the kids. That kid was my son, Anakin. Anakin has a great imagination and since he's the oldest, he doesn't quite understand his own strengths and how to play with others. Well, this lead to misunderstandings and on Saturday night, the other kids had enough and didn't want to play with him anymore. I was sitting in the livingroom when he walked in quietly and stood there next to the coffee table and looked at the tv. One of his aunties asked him what was wrong and my husband said something along the lines of him not playing nice and being mean to the other kids. I then said, "Well... nobody likes playing with Darth Vader." And this kid knows who Darth Vader is and knows that he's a "bad guy". When I said this, it set off a sequence of emotions that was too strong to be held inside, especially after being cast off into isolation from the gang. He ran over to me and angrily cried, hit me, and buried his face into my chest while crying hysterically. He was upset. Mad. Sad. Embarrassed.

What right did I have to say that to him for my own enjoyment? I have been in his shoes many times during my childhood where other kids didn't like me simply because I was different or I didn't agree with their views. I was bullied. I was the bully. And I should have been a better mother, person, human to my child in situations like this. When I scold him, what does it teach him? That its alright to bully? That it's okay to be treated that way? What I should have done was to hug him and play with him when others wouldn't.

After that fiasco, he went to bed with me with tears still in his eyes. I hugged him and told him that he was my favorite person in the whole world and that I'll be his friend. I told him I loved him so much and he took a deep sigh and fell asleep.

I realized after that incident that my son is no longer a baby anymore and that he understands now what is going on with the world around him. He has feelings other than the usual happy, sad, mad. And I as a mother, must also learn how to help him express those emotions in a healthy way. This is new territory for the both of us and I couldn't imagine walking through this journey with anyone else.

Thank you Anakin for teaching me how to be a better human.

My Life is a Mess but, I Love It!

Literally, my life has been one huge mess since these two came into my life. Not a day goes by that I wouldn't change it for the world though. I used to live a life of plans and routines. I still try to keep a routine for my kids as much as I can for MY SAKE but, every day something changes and I have to regroup and just go with the flow. If anything, these two have taught me that I can prioritize and accept change.

TGIF!

Last night, my husband and I agreed that it is time to sleep train our daughter and wean her off my boobs. Ever since she was born, she gets up at least 5 times a night to nurse. It's not so much because of hunger now but because its a comfort for her. It's been messing up our sleep! So, last night was rough but my amazing husband pulled through and so did she. It was rough but, I think she gets it now. I know we still have a long way to go but this is a positive sign that things are looking up. Because I was able to sleep ok last night, I got up early today and accomplished so many things. We had lunch with my husband and now the kiddos are napping. Tonight, I get to doll up and have a dinner with just the girls! I'm so excited. I haven't done this in months! I was beginning to have a mommy burn-out. This mama is due for some drinks!!!

What am I feeling???

Today I woke up and was filled with emotions. I'm praying that I'm not pregnant with baby #3 and that this is just a phase I'm going through. Being a SAHM is hard!!! If there was a pie chart of all the roles I played, this would be how it might look like:

60% Maid

30% Chef
9% Mom
1% Me

I can't help but feel ... lost. Not myself. Who am I? It's been so long that I've forgotten. I don't have hobbies anymore. I don't have time anymore. When we became parents, my whole life changed and my husband's stayed the same. I want to devote my life to my kids now but, what happens when they grow up and leave? What happens to me? All these questions and uncertainties have been plaguing me lately and I've been exhausted thinking about it all. Something needs to change and I can't turn to my husband to help me. He will never understand where I'm coming from so how can he help me? It seems I must help myself first before I can help anyone. So here are my resolutions for the new year...
1. Help myself first. Put myself first. Some of you may read this and think that I'm being selfish because I have two little ones but this goes way deeper than that. Seriously, how can I be present in the now when I'm constantly "gone". I need to focus on me and my personal goals before I can be 100% wife and mother.
2. Be in the "now". The Internet will be there but my kids won't stop growing. I need to put aside the social media and focus more on my kids. They're only little once and they grow so fast.
3. Get a part time job. Yes! It's time I play in the big sandbox again. This will be good for my sanity and my wallet.
4. Go to church. I need God in my life more than ever now.
5. Improve on my time management. Go to sleep earlier. Wake up earlier. Be happy.