Take THAT!

SPAR WITH YOUR SPOUSE WII BOXING EVENT
Sat. Sept. 25, 7:30 -


Fall begins with a bang this weekend at the Heritage Harbor Marina. The Spar your Spouse Wii boxing event will be held at Crawdad's this Saturday night. Our last Wii event was a HUGE success so be sure to sign up yourself and your partner early.

The kids will have their own Wii challenge separate from the Crawdad's event away from the bar so the adults can really have fun.
How many times have you really wanted to just let your partner have it???   Well here is your chance. Pick you character and go at it.. I promise you will have a BLAST!


In preparation for the big event here are a few tips:

    * Jabs are your bread and butter. Thrust either the Wii controller or nunchuck forward to jab. Do the same motion with a slight upward angle to jab to the face. Use jabs to throw one-two combination where you jab with the left hand and jab harder with the right.

    * Hit your opponent with uppercuts to do a lot of damage. Uppercuts are fairly hard to land and can be unreliable, but perfecting the uppercut will help you finish off big combos and lay your opponent out.

Just imagine how much fun it will be, so practice your jabs and upper cuts and get ready for the big Wii challenge this Saturday night. 
It promises to be a BIG HIT!

"Life is an Adventure... Live it Here!"

If Fall had a Happy Place....This Would Be IT!!!

Fall always makes me think of Tanner's Orchard in Speer, Il. This family run orchard is the most amazing day trip you will ever make. The pick your own pumkins, the amazing fresh apple cider, and not to mention the Scrumptious , Delicious, OMG Fantastic Carmel Apples.....   YUM!... does not even describe the terrific produce and homemade bakery items such as fresh apple cider donuts and fudge that you can get when you take a trip to Tanner's....




Ok  so if you are on a diet....don't go  you will only end up hating yourself, because you will have no self control....I'm just sayin!

As a resident of Starved Rock Country I can attest to the awsomeness of Tanner's Orchard. Bring the kids and spend the day. They have hay rides, pick your own apples and pumpkins, pony rides, a corn maze, a great eatery where you can enjoy a wonderful lunch...This place is amazing and it's just over an hour from Heritage Harbor Marina so it's easy to make a trip to tanners a part of your weekend , but be forewarned...once you go, it will become an annual tradition.

A trip to Tanner's Orchard is defiantly a part of my Adventure Lifestyle!




"Life is an Adventure...Live it Here!"

It was a Classic Adventure!

Raw horse power, shinny chrome and loud engines.... Now that's what we call a SWEET Saturday Night !


Streator's Roamer Cruise Night was the undisputed king of things to do this past weekend. ( September 4,2011).Over  20,000 people attended the annual event in downtown Streator from as far away as Texas.

Everything from the classic Ford Model T, to the crowd favorite , a flame-throwing exposition by the Voodoo Kings Car Club of Chicago.

The scene of classic cars, roaring motors and rockabilly bands is what draws a huge crowd annually to a tiny town in the midst of Starved Rock Country. It's a great date night, even if you bring the kids... they get so caught up in the cars and hubby and you can reminisce about your classic ride that you had way back when...

What's the draw? The cars, sure, but anyone can have a car show. In Streator, the real attraction is the cruising: getting those vintage vehicles out on the road, slowly going up and down the main streets, listening to classic music and restoring — if only for one night — some magic memories of the past.

 It's a stroll down memory lane for some, and for others it's a night of sheer envy. Awesome cars, and tricked out classics... every teenage boys dream... even the big kids, and when I say big kids I mean grown adult men... were droolin'.. " How cool is that"

It is the largest car show in downstate Illinois and it's here in the heart of Starved Rock Country.

If you missed it, you're in luck... because it's an annual event so mark you calendar now for a trip back in time!

"Life is an Adventure... Live it Here!"

Add a little CHAOS in your life !

Doesn't your life need a little more CHAOS?

CHAOS, which stands for Community House of Arts in Ottawa, is a place like no other in the Starved Rock Country area.


The goal of CHAOS is to engage youth and families in workshops teaching theater skills, script development, beginning performance skills, providing our community with a revolutionary new version of a classic story. They also provide free community events and unique art exhibits, such as the upcoming Monster Pumpkin Sculpture. At a time when programs are being cut from school budget CHOAS brings a vital education/ social component to this area.


Previous events have included awesome classes with guests such as graphic novelist Tim Seeley, voice lessons with Janet Reynolds of the Chicago Lyric Opera, local artists such as Annette Barr Photography and CHAOS staff.

They provide the Ottawa Community with free art events such Recycled Art Days, Jackson Pollack Community Paint parties, Scarecrow festival, the CHAOS Halloween party, and at the Ice Odyssey Festival.

Setting the Guinness World Record for the tallest Lincoln Log Structure, collecting 18000 Lincoln Logs and building a tower over 11 feet tall. All done right here in the Land of Lincoln! How cool is that?

Putting a little more CHAOS in your life may not be what you think you need , but it just might be! Support a great community resource and have some fun.       

 Upcoming events:

September 25th - Scarecrow Festival!
Scarecrow stuffing contest, Scarecrow Mural painting,







Fall art projects and a sneak peek special at Revolution Theatre’s original production of The Wizard of Oz! And it’s all FREE!

October 30th - PUMPKINPALOOZA!!
FREE Halloween Party after downtown trick or treating! Costume judging, art projects and a Scream contest! 
Bring your pumpkin to the Jordan block to be displayed for Ottawa’s first Jack-o-lantern Contest.
See the first annual Lighting of the Pumpkins at sundown! Compete to create the best Monster Pumpkin Sculpture on the Jordan block!

The amazing thing about CHAOS is that they run on donations, programs and events are done free of charge. If you enjoy art and want to expand you horizons contact CHAOS for more information about upcoming event and how you can be adventurous and try something new.

Life is an Adventure... Live it Here!

Photos of Me...

Life is this funny thing that we plan for. We have dreams, hopes and goals, but when it comes down to it . Life is what you make of it!





If you try  remember that at the end of it all . .. the important things are the people in your life, the memories that you have shared, and the love of friends and family.  You will come to understand and strive to live a life that gives you all the things that are really important.



Ask yourself..."When I wake up in the morning, am I happy with my memories, do I spend time doing the things I like with the people who are important to me?"... What is missing?"

If you decide that life is worth living to its fullest, not matter what, maybe you should live it where those goals can be accomplished.
 

 Because at the end of the day... we have  photos in an album , and stories that we share !!



 Do you have enough???









"Life is and Adventure... Live it Here!"

"Rubber Ducky... You're the One!"

Ducky Derbies are becoming a fun thing to do when you need to raise money for a charity and you couldn't ask for a  better place to do it than at Heritage Harbor Marina in Ottawa, Il.

This Sunday ( September 5, 2010) as part of the long holiday weekend Heritage Harbor Marina  along with Marquette Academy will be hosting it's third annual charity Ducky Derby. Hundreds of ducks will be making their way around the harbor.

What could be better than  happy little rubber duckies being dumped into the harbor and sent on the merry little way. Who ever " adopts" the fastest ducky wins. But even the slowest ducky get something... the duck that paddles the slowest and comes in last wins $100.00 How cool is that!

The holiday weekend signals the end of summer and the unofficial beginning of the holiday shopping season... or so it seems. This years event will be full of crafters and local vendors showcasing their best  merchandise and homemade crafts to either give as gifts or to decorate your home.

Not that I even want to think about it, but it's coming so why not get prepared early. Decorations, gifts, and cool things for yourself...  isn't that the best part of shopping !!





So be adventurous this weekend and take a drive to see the duckies dive in and I bet you will float away with some great items, and a good feeling.

" Life is an Adventure... Live it Here"

Food... Is it wrong to love it?

There is a local restaurant in  Starved Rock Country  that serves food that is very different from the regular Midwestern food that we are used to.

Cajun food is not what one thinks about when you are in Illinois. You think hamburgers,  pizza, ...yeah defiantly  Pizza , but Cajun...nope that is not what pops into my head when you are thinking about what to eat for dinner.



However, Cajun Connection just outside Utica, IL, is this little place that when you drive past doesn't look like much , but the food is AMAZING! Alligator, jambalaya, etouffee’, or jumbo shrimp,  fried corn, and so much more.

 Some of the dishes are served with Vodoo sauce... first off I want to know what it is and what can it do???
Because that just sounds awesome.

Getting a drink with dinner is just a part of life so  make sure to order a Turbo Dog  then stick around for desert because any restaurant that serves AMAZING bread pudding with sauce deserved a stop regardless of whether you eat anything else... but you will .. PROMISE

The local reviewer / concierge  service  called "Honey Let's Eat" gives this place great reviews.

So the next time you are in Starved Rock Country. Stop by the little pink house outside Utica, Illinois and get yourself some gator... you will be glad you did. 

"Life is an Adventure ... Live it Here!"