White Winter Wonderland

Wisconsin USA

©Exploramum and Explorason – fun in the snow – mother and son bonding time

We arrive in a white winter wonderland – Wisconsin, USA

Where we met

Goodbye Milwaukee

The family has picked us from a Milwaukee and driven us to their home which is a few hours away. I feel so much at home. I am pleased that we stopped for a visit this Christmas. I loved the Christmas lights I could see on my way to meet them.

When I woke up the next day, I was amazed at the white winter wonderland that I saw straight through my bedroom window.

©Exploramum and Explorason – tiny hot water bottle

Do not laugh, but we have the tiniest of hot water bottles (purchased at Big W back in Australia for those who want one too), and it is now my toe’s new best friend. I love that the sun is shining and the snow has created a long beautiful stretch of white carpet outside that makes up this white winter wonderland. 

©Exploramum and Explorason – a blanket of snow outside our bedroom window

My friends decide that we need a hike. So she drives us up to Rib Mountain. I had asked if I needed waterproof pants, and she had said no. Let me tell you, we didn’t just hike to the top of the observation tower. No, we went on a real mountain hike – following the markers.

©Exploramun and Explorason – friends for 30 years

You can just see my son below. My toes begin to burn and ache. The pain is so bad and the novelty of fun in a white winter wonderland is abating.

©Exploramum and Explorason – Rib Mountain

My son falls down in the snow, and as I try to pick him up, he pulls me in. We eat snow and play. I stomp back to the van trying to get the blood moving in my feet.

We head to Wausau town for hot chocolate and there is a gorgeous crackling fire. I only have a little blister on my big toes – they think I am wimpy, but the cold has burnt my skin!

Next day we get to explore the gorgeous shops and find Wausau to be a quaint little city.

Evolutions In Design

We visit Evolutions In Design – it is simply amazing. We then go to a lovely store named Hazel Home. The lovely owner ‘Bill’ gives me a wooden nutcracker decoration that we will send back to Australia and add to our world Christmas tree. Evolutions are on Third Street in Wisconsin – it is a great store with an arty feel to it. I feel the Christmas spirit here and it is now Christmas Eve and we are so excited.

It feels fantastic – it is so pretty, and I can feel my ‘memory bank’ filling for later years to delve back into these wonderful moments!

©Exploramum and Explorason – Evolutions by design storefront

We head back to our friend’s home in the suburbs and love the home feel she has with her beautiful tree. It is warm and cozy inside.

Explorason has always wanted to snow-shovel and plow. My friend’s husband gives him a lesson and has a great time, and gets the hang of it quite quickly. It is nice to see him bond with a male – too few have crossed his path til now on this trip.

©Exploramum and Explorason – shoveling snow

My son and her husband then head outside to learn how to use the snowblower. I watch from the window with pride as he is taught the levers etc, and off he goes. He then goes down the driveway blowing snow all over the place – Explorason is loving it and he returns to tell me he wants to live here. The novelty of this chore is still real – it is not ‘work’, but it is ‘fun’.  How wonderful life would be if we could look at it through a child’s eyes more often?.

©Exploramum and Explorason – Explorason using the snowblower

Their dog is also having a wow of a time too in this white winter wonderland.

©Exploramum and Explorason – Explorason using the snowblower – white winter wonderland Wausau Wisconsin

This boy returns inside and is just covered in snow. He has a cracked lip from the cold but he is not giving two-hoots as they say, because he has achieved so much.

It is the first time I have seen him freezing cold and he is shivering as up til now, he seems to have been immune to the cold. The fights have been on to make him even wear his jacket and tonight he is thankful for a hot shower and a warm home.

©Exploramum and Explorason – Explorason covered in snow

Questions and Comments

• This is our first Christmas away.
• Do you have any tips for us?
• Have you ever spent a Christmas away from your family?
• Have you been to Wausau – what dod you think?
• Do share your comments with us below.