Mini-Vacation: Blogging Challenge Day 6

Colleen & Drew at the Baker House in Lake Geneva

Day 6-  Summer vacation plans (from June or upcoming).

I went on a mini-vacation yesterday with my husband, since it was our 6th year anniversary.  We had a blast!  

We went to Lake Geneva and walked around the shops.   We met some nice people that recently opened a food and wine shop.  They told us all about their endeavors of opening the shop.  I practiced my “Collaborative Thinking/Cognitive Coaching” skills I recently learned at a conference.  Boy, did they open up to us!  It must have been my questioning techniques (LOL).  It was like they were our new best friends.  I told my husband after we left that I practiced my newly learned skills on them.  He noticed and said it was crazy they wanted to just keep telling us more and more!  Once again, it must have been my questioning techniques!  At least, I'd like to thinks so, since I spent two days at that conference. (Check our Instagram for conference pictures.)  

Anyway, back to the story.  I saw many signs that were adorable in another store down the street.  I took some pictures of them to share with you.  I added the first sign to keep in the holiday spirit of the 4th.  I love signs!!!!  Anyone else out there as addicted to signs as I am? 

As we walked, I began to get hungry, so we stopped into a place to have an appetizer.  My hubby said, "Save your appetite, though",  since we were waiting for our reservations at a “surprise” place my husband had arranged for us.  

Now, here’s the part of the mini-vacation- anniversary-date that was a real blast!  We went to a place called  Baker House Lounge and Dining 1885.  

We walked in to this enormous restaurant-style mansion and began “living in the late 1800’s”.  First, we had to choose a hat to wear (they assured us that they spray down the hats to kill critters!).

Next, once we picked our hats, we took a picture with the staff on the elegant stairway (which you couldn't really see, but it wrapped around all the way up three additional floors). 

After that, we walked the mansion to see all of the amazing architecture!   The first picture is of the ceilings (gorgeous, right!?), then the game room, and I even had to take some pictures of the ladies' powder room.

At the end of our little tour, we stopped off in the lounge area while we waited for a fabulous dinner.  Beautiful place!!

Astonishing woodwork- even though we thought the ceiling was having trouble.

We were finally able to sit down to a wonderful dinner.  The food was exquisite!  Our waitress even told us that there's an option to stay in the hotel area and join in on some Murder Mystery events, too.  The hotel rooms look elegant and the Murder Mystery is intriguing to us both!  We may just have to come back next year.

All in all, it was a perfect mini-vacation to celebrate our life together and to have a little getaway from the kids.  On our way home, we even had one of these pop up on us.  We took it as a sign of a perfect evening!

P.S. We’ll be taking another mini-vacation next weekend with the kids, cousins, in-laws, etc. to Michigan to go camping.  It’ll be our very first camping trip with the twins...in the outdoors...with no real electricity access...did I mention with kids?  There go the nap times flying out the proverbial window.  I’ll have to keep you posted.  

Wish us luck! ;)