FreedomFest Fireworks 2015 in Janesville WI

FreedomFest 2015 in Janesville WI was such an awesome experience! Thousands of people were there to help celebrate the weekend before 4th of July. I was dancing, singing, worshipping with one of my favorite Christian music artists Group 1 Crew. Im sure even the angels were praising with us!! Jamie Grace, Citizen Way, and Mass Anthem also blessed the audience with their passion for singing. There were food venders and rides that were free to the public (food venders were not free just to be clear). I'm excited for next year! Hopefully I will be in Janesville to celebrate FreedomFest 2016:-)
#freedomfest2015janesvilleWI #fireworks2015

TROLLS!!! TROLLS!!! TROLLS!!!!

New Glarus had cows, Mount Horeb had trolls!! We went on a troll scavenger hunt through out the town. There were a couple we didn't get, oh well next time! We were hoping to see a troll under a bridge, no such luck:-) 

Grumpy Troll Pizzeria Mount Horeb WI

Welcome to the Grumpy Troll in Mount Horeb WI:-) There is a bar, a restaurant, and their pizzeria is located upstairs. Hours vary for the pizzeria so be sure to look for the times depending on the day.

This is what a one and a half pound of pretzel looks like! We were quite amused at how thick the pretzel was compared to her wrist:-)

Half Italian Troll half Cosmic Swirl pizza was quite a combination. I wanted to try something different, not sure what that meant until I had the Cosmic Swirl. As much as I love chicken, I'm not a big fan of having it on my pizza. But oh that first bite was the different I was looking for. I didn't mind the chicken, it was fresh adding flavor to what was already on the pizza. The cucumbers were refreshing. I didn't taste the basil and the Thai chili sauce added a certain twist to my taste buds. I really liked the Cosmic Swirl, as strange as the toppings may have been, I was not disappointed at all. Before taking a bite of the Italian Troll, I picked off the meats. Even without the flavors from the meats, the pizza was just as flavorful.

New Glarus WI

 Random pictures while walking around Village of New Glarus-America's Little Switzerland in Wisconsin. I had fun looking for cows, unfortunately I didn't see to many.

FireHouse Pizza Palace Janesville, WI

For my nephews birthday dinner, we went to FireHouse Pizza Palace in Janesville, WI. When we arrived at FireHouse, I was a little confused because the building didn't look like it was open for business. I kept asking my sister if we were at the right place:-). Never mind that the walls were green and that we were the only ones dining in at the moment because once I took my first bite of the pizza, I forgot about the green walls and appreciated my pizza. FireHouse makes their pizzas in a wood fired oven. The pizzas had a lot of flavors, from the cheese to the toppings to the marinara sauce, if you are looking for a pizza that is made in a wood fired oven, give FireHouse Pizza a try! 

Chicago Fun 2015 Part 1

Pictures of our Chicago Fun Adventure!! Part One.

Oz Park

After eating at Homeslice pizza, we were curious to see what else was in the area. We walked through Oz Park taking pictures of Dorothy and her friends, didn't see The Lion though (apparently he was on the other side of the park). We admired the homes, how beautiful the trees & flowers were, and how clean Lincoln Park was. I'm glad I had the opportunity to explore more of what Chicago had to offer:-)

Homeslice Lincoln Park Chicago, Illinois

On our way to visit friends in Chicago Illinois, we stopped by Homeslice pizza in Lincoln Park. Not only did we adore Lincoln Park and appreciated the nice relaxing walks around the area, we absolutely loved our pizzas from Homeslice. For starters, Tammy ordered a 'Bloody'. This was my first time seeing a slice of pizza on top of a Bloody Mary or any kind of drink for that matter. When it was time to order a pizza, she chose Green Eggs  & Pie, I selected Da Duba (please see below for specifics on the toppings). 
The pizzas tasted just as good as they looked in the pictures. The moment Tammy took a bite of her pizza(Green Eggs & Pie) her eyes danced with delight which then came with a smile that said it all.
I don't think my eyes danced when I took my first bite of the pizza but the flavors were very welcoming and fresh. Even though the Da Duba didn't look as much fun as the Green Eggs & Pie, I was just as satisfied eating the Da Duba pizza. 
Since it was Sunday morning, imagine our surprise when we were asked for our id cards before going inside! 
Our experience at Lincoln Park and Homeslice was definitely a memorable one.

Gino's East Pizzeria at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

 On our way to Chicago Illinois, we stopped at Gino's East Pizzeria in Lake Geneva Wisconsin. I was excited to experience a different kind of pizza and I was not disappointed. We walked through a hotel lobby to get to Gino's. We were going to sit on the balcony but the Mayflies were such a nuisance, we chose to sit inside by the window. The lake view was perfect from where we were sitting. We enjoyed the view of the water and watching people participating in various water sports. It was a great way to wait for the pizza since the wait was at least 40-45 minutes. We ordered The Gino's East Supreme but requested half sausage, half mushrooms & green peppers. The moment I took my first bite I couldn't stop. It was cheesy, the veggies were fresh, the sauce was light with a hint of sweetness. Because the texture of the sauce was thin using my hands/fingers was not an option. My partner had the half with sausage and she enjoyed the pizza as well. She did say however, the sausage had no flavor but wasn't enough for her to not give Gino's East Supreme two thumbs up when we left.
Bottom pictures are random shots of the lake as we were walking around.

Grotto Of The Redemption

 The Grotto Of The Redemption located in West Bend, Iowa, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City was one of my favorite stops. 
The Grotto was built by Father Paul Dobberstein. He had gotten pneumonia and while fighting for his life, Father Paul kept praying to The Virgin Mary to help him get better. It was then Father Paul also made a promise that if he was well again, he would build a shrine in her honor. 
I tried to capture the details of the stones and shells, among other minerals that were used to build The Grotto but even then, pictures alone can not justify how beautiful this place is.
To fully understand how this became such a historical landmark log on to www.westbendgrotto.com/history/

Praying Hands in Webb City MO

After eating at Woody's Pizza in Joplin, we stopped at Praying Hands located in Webb City MO. The sculpture was created by artist Jack Dawson, it stands 32 feet high and weighs 110 tons. Taking pictures on the tracks was fun, which was home to an Electric Railway Co in 1903.

Woody's Wood-Fire Pizza at Joplin MO

Woody's Wood-Fire Pizza at Joplin Missouri. We ordered The Debbie, a roma tomato(sliced not diced),feta cheese, 5 cheese blend on red sauce, topped with fresh basil kind of pizza. It was good, the bottom crust was a little burnt but it didn't stop me from eating it. Woody's ingredients were fresh and honestly I can't remember how the sauce was:-)
Woody's is very small(as you can see from the picture), we sat close to where the pizza's were being made so when I walked out, I smelled like I had just left a bon-fire.

Blue Spring Heritage Center at Eureka Springs Arkansas

As we were leaving Eureka Springs, we stopped at Blue Spring Heritage Center.  This place was not only beautiful due it's flowers and green environment but also very quiet(maybe it's because there was only 7 of us at the time). You can dip your feet in the water, it's cold but refreshing once you get used to the temperature. Check out ExploreSouthernHistory.com-Blue Spring Heritage Center, Arkansas for the history of Blue Spring, it may just interest you.

Nice Places To Stay-Eureka Springs Arkansas

(Top photo 2015) My partner and I were fortunate enough to be so tired, the first available hotel we saw was the Colonial Inn. Our room was clean, staff was very friendly, and just like it says on the sign, it was peaceful. It's a place I would recommend if you're looking for a nice, clean, cheap place to stay.
(Bottom photo 2014) We stayed at Kettle Campground for our first time in Eureka Springs. I personally liked it because it was small, there were people in their RV's who kept to themselves but looked out for each other,  I felt safe. The campground was clean, had a walking trail(not very long), a pool, and my favorite memory was relaxing on a swing with my partner.

History Within The Walls

If you're looking for a creepy underground tour, this isn't creepy. From hotels to sidewalks, every part of Eureka has a story to tell.  One of my favorite historical facts is Eureka having to rebuild itself due to fires burning the town down more than once. For more information log on to www.UndergroundEureka.com

Oh How I Love To Eat!!

If you are a pizza lover like me and are in Eureka Springs area, you have to go to Chelsea's Pizzeria & Pub! Their pizza's are hand tossed and made from scratch so everything is fresh. I ordered the Freakin Eurekan Pizza(minus the broccoli & onions) and it was freakin good!! Freakin Eurekan is basically a pizza topped with DICED veggies. I capitalized diced so I can stress how I loved taking the first bite and was able to taste the veggies without them over powering the sauce and cheese. 

The cheese was burnt in the right areas, the crust was a perfect medium between a thin crust and a regular crust. Chelsea's Freakin Eurekan Pizza made my taste buds dance with excitement and delight!! Crazy how food can do that to me, especially when it comes to great pizza!! We will definitely be adding Chelsea's Pizzeria & Pub to our go to places on the way back to Texas in the fall.

My partner and I also had a chance to eat at Oasis(an all natural Ark-Mex cuisine), which had great reviews so we decided to check it out. Although the place was small, it felt cozy and relaxing. The food was delicious, I had cheese enchiladas, my partner ordered a bean & cheese burrito. We left Oasis with satisfied stomachs and without the heavy feeling of 'oh god, I ate so much'.

The Beer Garden was a nice place to have drinks and people watch, although at the time when we were there, not a lot of people were walking by.

We Made It!!

This is our 2nd time in Eureka Springs, my partner loves this place so much, she has a hard time saying good-bye every time we leave.

Stops Along the Way-Austin Texas to Eureka Springs Arkansas

Stops we made along the way (top photo) Starship Pegasus 100 Kinfolk Rd, Italy, TX 76651. Place is no longer in service but we thought it was pretty cool enough to take a picture. 

For lunch we stopped at Bubba's BBQ AND STEAKHOUSE (bottom left photo) located at 210 N Fwy Service Rd, Ennis, TX 75119. My excitement for this place was undeniable, ever since I had seen it in the travel channel, I wanted to eat here. Unfortunately, the excitement turned into disappointment the moment I took the first bite of a chicken. The last chicken available was dry and crumbled in my mouth, it was such a sad moment, I left hungry. I will go to Bubba's again because every place deserves a 2nd chance and hopefully I will leave Bubba's not only with a full stomach but a smile on my face.

We sampled various fudge flavors at the Amish Store, walked out with mint flavor fudge and their version of a reese's peanut butter cup which were delightful.

I love PIZZA!!

There is no other way to say this but I LOVE PIZZA!! Probably more than I am supposed to and although I am lactose intolerant and can be health conscious, I am always craving pizza.

I don't know how I came to love pizza or even why, it's something I ask myself often until I take the first bite and the flavors start dancing in my mouth and I'm hooked once again.

As my partner was mapping out our road trip, pizza was the focal point of where we were going to stop for lunch or dinner, I did not question her itinerary. In that moment, I knew pizza was going to be my tour guide.