Plan . . . the longest journey begins with a single step.
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Overnight at the Milwaukee Public Museum
This was one of the best experiences I have ever had with my son. He has loved the museum, dinosaurs and all things scientific forever. He was so excited about this overnight that he hardly slept for a week beforehand. I think it lived up to his expectations. He interacted with the Museum staff about things I had no idea he even knew about. He knew so much about ancient Egypt (from a book he reads) that I was totally blown away. We stayed up until almost midnight enjoying the structured and unstructured activities, then slept in the Korean Hut on an air mattress.
The cost is roughly $45 per person and included tickets to the planetarium, night-time snack, education activities, such as an activity on mummification (I won’t give it away though), seeing live spiders, insects and lizards. We also got a light breakfast the next morning and admission to the museum for that day. Get more info at www.mpm.edu/education/programs/overnight. I bought him an “I survived a night at the Museum” t-Shirt to prove to his buddies that he was able to pull it off. He wears it at least once a week.
Milwaukee Brewers Stadium Tour 
Guests in town? Bored in the winter or summer?
Get a behind the scenes look into the Brewer press box, Bob Uecker’s broadcast booth,
the bull pen, and the outfield warning track.
Go out to eat afterwards at TGI Fridays right in the stadium (check their website first for good coupons).
We did the tour with relatives last summer and it was a great experience. All the kids enjoyed themselves and one of my nephews even pretended to go back to catch a ball off the wall while on the warning track.
http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/mil/ballpark/tours.jsp
Green Bay Lambeau Field tours
Looking for a weekend away? Try Green Bay for a bit of NFL History, family fun, and great way to break up the winter. We went to the Tundra Lodge Water Park for a night, then did the Lambeau Field Tour and lunch at Curley’s Pub. Okay, so I am not a Packer fan, but I was impressed by the renovation (and a bit jealous). It is pretty darn cool and a good way for a sports fan to pass the day.
• http://www.tundralodge.com
• http://www.lambeaufield.com/stadium_info/stadium_tours
Fun Fund
There are so many little things that I would like to own. Whether it is the latest golf gadget, tech toy, or great beer/wine...these little things can add up to a lot of money.My best solution for this is the “Fun Fund” concept. Roughly 15 years ago my brother gave me an extraordinary German beer stein. I may have had one beer using it, but it seems way too large to drink out of on a regular basis. And it is way too cool to sell in a garage sale. So now I throw all of my change into it each evening. I have had varying success with it as a mini-savings account. When full it can reach as much as $100.00 or as little as $45.00, depending on the coin mixture.
Here are some real life examples:
· I usually shop for last year’s golf equipment, because it is always cheaper than the most current items. However if I have to use the fun fund, I put off my purchase until the “Fun Fund” is full. By then the golf equipment is usually even cheaper.
· My kids love video games, but new ones can cost $50.00. So what do I do? I start playing a game they haven’t played with in a while and it peaks their interest. Then, I ask them to start contributing to the “Fun Fund” with the video game goal in mind. By the time we have enough, we can often buy the game on sale or used.
· We are planning our next trip to NFL training camp. Although admission is free, there is always something the kids want, like footballs, jerseys, etc. Getting them involved in saving money encourages them to make much better decisions on what to buy.
· We want to host a beer (or wine) tasting party, but it seems a bit pricey. Re-purpose the “Fun Fund” into a Craft Beer or Wine fund. Add some friends. Done! (Don’t forget to serve food! Alcohol alone is not good hosting.)
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Vacation Planning Looking for a fun inexpensive project?
Do you ever wish there were better places to stop during your road trips? Do settle for the same old places mix it up a bit. Try some place new like. . . A real cool Cheese Shop – Foster Cheese Haus On our way home from our Christmas visit to Minnesota, we stopped at the Foster Cheese Haus in Osseo, WI. Although we did not have much time, this is a place that we will definitely go back to for lunch on one of our next journey’s to Minnesota. The great things about this place were: We bought jalapeño cheese sticks, maple scones, and a block of mild cheddar (which was fresh, tasty and creamy). The counter person cut some of the cheese in slices for snacks for the road and the cheese sticks also made great car snacks. The maple scones were just OK. It is located about 4.5 hours west of Milwaukee, on 94 or 1.5 to hours east of Minneapolis, MN. |
Emergency/Disaster Preparedness The least you can do to help your family, neighbors, and emergency workers is to educate yourself. Obviously, this education would be best to do
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Consumer Tip - Count Your Mail Order Prescription Drugs. Everyone is looking to save a little money these days. One way to do it is through mail-order prescription drug plans offered by your employer. However, if you order prescription drugs through a mail-order and delivery prescription plan, please remember to count your pills when they arrive. You will be able to resolve any shortage issues much more easily if you do it right when you receive your order. Many of these programs supply 90 day amounts. Please read your labels before opening to ensure that counting will not compromise the medication by opening the package before usage.
To quote Nick from Action Sports Company “There are no rules for the putting greens, they are highly versatile and imagination is about the only limitation. Some have used these turfs indoors in place of carpet.” There are some precautions and considerations regarding where to put your green, but the Action Sports Company web site and sales people can help in making the right decision. From what I understand, choosing your location is the most important decision you will make. Nick goes on to add. . . “A few of the key points- these will allow year round use, In areas of water conservation your turf will not die due to local water restrictions. This allows a golfer time to practice golf as opposed to spending time and money with the daily turf maintenance required for natural grass. Of course these can be used indoors (garage, den, basement, etc.) and can also be used with a golf net for driving or chipping. If you have the ceiling height the golf net could be used indoors (some of the turfs will work better than others for chipping and driving). Realistic fringe material is also available for the turf.” So if you are huge golf nut and want to take your at-home practice to another level take a look at the links below or contact the Action Sports Company for more information. Don’t forget to tell them that DadSpa.com sent you.
Do you dream of golfing in Ireland? If so, Britannia Golf can help you
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When we go out of town, our cat stays home by herself with some people to check in on her, feed her, and play with her. We often prepare by buying her some fake mouse toys and hiding them around the house. We find it is best to give her something to do while we are gone, otherwise she gets into trouble. Click on the Pet Smart link to go to their site and you will see a variety of cat amusement items. Our dog, comes with us or stays at a friends house. She gets so spoiled that we don’t need to get her treats!
Do you want a golf vacation, a nice deck, a big wedding for your daughter or an early retirement? To get what you want out of life takes planning. This page offers links to financial resources, consumer news, investment opportunities, and do-it-yourself projects. Articles will be written by average dads who've been successful at making the plans necessary to "spoil" themselves later.
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Don't forget the tunes or videos for the next road trip. 