Sweet Days of Summer with Paddle North

Hello! Here are a couple of photos that I took of the cousins enjoying the Inflatable Sport Utility Dock from Paddle North. I am honored to be a brand partner with them this summer!

We had an inkling that the cousins would love it & we were right! The cousins spent most of their water time playing on this dock! We have bought so many inflatable toys over the years and I feel like we finally found “the one!” This was the floating hang-out spot all week!

We were also grateful that the swim dock acted as a boundary to keep the kids safe. The 4th of July week is very busy on our otherwise quiet lake - so we were grateful for the dock to serve as a visual reminder for boats flying by!

We had the BEST time with the cousins over the 4th. My boys say it is their favorite week of the summer! Thanks to Paddle North for making it extra special!

A Review of the Paddle North 15' Utility Dock: A @shineonyoucraydiamond X @PaddleNorth Partnership

This summer I am thrilled to be partnering with Paddle North to shoot their 15 foot XL Sport Utility Dock! We brought it up with us to the cabin last weekend.

First, my husband unrolled the deflated dock on our beach and hooked up the hand pump. It took him about about 20 minutes to inflate the dock with the two boys “helping.”

There are two settings - one that pumps air only when you press down and one that pumps when you push and pull. Patrick used the push-and-pull setting which was a bit more strenuous (and faster) but not terribly hard work. The boys used the “push” setting. They really enjoyed helping!

My husband said it was easy to use and seemed to go very fast.

Once the board is inflated it is very sturdy. My uncle stopped by and couldn’t believe that it was an inflatable. It feels solid. It is such a genius idea because if it was solid it would be like 500 pounds.

The boys couldn’t wait to get it out on the water!

They spent the entire day playing on it.

We tied an anchor to one side. The anchor kept them just far enough way that they couldn’t hit anything but water when they jumped off of it.

There are two reinforced metal loops on each end that can be used for rope ties.

At night we kept it inflated and stored it on the beach (with the anchor still attached.) It is heavy enough that it doesn’t feel like it could blow away but we had a tornado come through about a year ago so now we don’t take any chances! You could technically leave it in the water at night if it was attached to an anchor or two.

When it is inflated - it is lightweight enough for my 11 year old son to carry with my husband. At the end of the weekend we just left it inflated and slid it into the garage on its side. It is only about 6 inches wide so it is easy to store. It also comes with a carry bag that can be used for storage when it is deflated.

It became a neat spot to watch the sunset.

It is sturdy and has a surface that’s hard enough for a dog’s nails and metal chairs. (They have plastic covers on the ends.)

Patrick and my uncle even snuck out there for a drink one night. It is the perfect place to escape the bugs! (I think maybe they were trying to escape the kids too lol.)

Thank you Paddle North for this amazing dock!

We are SO EXCITED for all the cousins to come up over the 4th of July and play on it!

I will also use it as an escape spot with a good book. It really is the perfect spot to enjoy the lake, the breeze, the sun - without the bugs!

In partnership with Paddle North. All opinions are my own of course! To learn more: www.paddlenorth.com

-Jill

Aboard the Edelweiss Surf and Turf Boat Cruise - A Milwaukee Family Bucket List Adventure

My birthday was this week so we went on “special-occasion” adventure!

I chose to go with my family on the Surf & Turf Evening Edelweiss Boat Cruise and it did not disappoint.

The weather was poor that day. Strong storms passed through several times and prompted me to call the Edelwiess boat office. “Rain or Shine” they said.

So even though we were a bit skeptical - we went. And we were so glad we did!

The boat loads in downtown Milwaukee. The Edelwiess office is just off of Old World Third Street and not far from the Fiserv Forum.

The cruise starts on the Milwaukee River and winds its way south through downtown Milwaukee. We passed by skyscrapers and lovely historic downtown buildings.

Seeing some of our favorite old landmarks from a new perspective was really fun!

We were served a delicious meal as we slowly cruised on the water. The meal started with wine, a fresh salad and warm bread. There is a cash bar on the boat. The dinner was marinated shrimp, a filet of steak and a side of potato. The steak was cooked close to medium. (We usually order medium rare steak but everyone at the table agreed that it was delicious!) Arlo (my youngest) ate the kid’s meal of chicken fingers and fries. We were all served a thick slice of decadent cheesecake for dessert.

Kid-Friendly: A few friends were surprised that we brought kids on the “fancy” dinner boat ride. I can say that the kids thoroughly enjoyed it. 

The way they slowly brought out the food (warm bread is always a hit!) in courses really helped keep the kids busy. Mostly my boys loved to look out the window and enjoy all of the scenery just like the adults!

Arlo, who is seven, loved watching the seagulls dive into the water around the boat for fish!

At no point was I worried about their safety or worried that we were interrupting anyone else’s date. There was a mix of couples and small groups on our ride. The boat plays music and everyone seemed to be talking and having a good time. Our noise level fit right in with the rest of the boat. 

If your kids can sit through a regular restaurant meal - then they should be able to sit through this ride!

They can also go out to the observation deck at any time!

Each group had their own table and it felt very intimate. The dining area on the boat is encased in glass windows on the sides and above. We were warm even though it was a chilly night.

What to wear: If you go on any boat ride on Lake Michigan - prepare for it to be at least 10 degrees cooler than on land. It is likely to feel even cooler than that with the constant breeze. Bring layers!

The front and back of the boat both have observation decks where you can sit outside at any point on your ride. The front deck has benches to sit on. As a photographer I really enjoyed this adventure!

I found myself constantly scrambling out to the observation deck to catch photos of all sorts of interesting scenes from a unique perspective. I brought my iPhone and I was happy with the photos! I think if I did it again I would also bring my DSLR so I could have a more zoom and low-light options just for fun. The iPhone X held up great though!

The Edelweiss Boat Tour company offers many different options. The surf and turf ride was a great fit for our family! The kids stayed up a bit past bedtime and that gave us the opportunity to see the city at sunset and afterwards when all the lights go on. It was so nice to have our own table. We were very comfortable. I definitely want to go back and ride on their historic tour boat ride! Thanks for the great night Edelweiss!

Learn More Here: www.edelweissboats.com