Outside My Comfort Zone - Fletcher Arms

This post is long overdue. When I found out I was pregnant, I put most  of my blogging on hold while I prepped for CJ's arrival. Now I'm playing catch up with some fun experiences I had prior too and during my pregnancy. I'm actually holding him while I proof this.

**I know this topic can be a bit controversial, but I am sharing my experience and my opinion. 

In the past few years, I realized there are certain things that I haven't done because I have not stepped outside my comfort zone.  Ask many of my friends and they will tell you I play things safe :)

But in the last two years, I have been venturing out and doing more adventurous things with the persuasion of my friends--you only live once and so it's worth trying. I may not have completely loved all of them, but I am glad I can say I tried. Some examples include hiking in Colorado, zip lining, whitewater rafting, kayaking, and paddle boarding. And then there is the biggest one that I never thought I would do--shoot a gun.

My parents don't hunt--we are a fishing family so there was never a reason for me to hold or shoot a gun while I was growing up. And to be frank, guns scared me--not just a little bit, but a lot.

My friend lives alone and works from home most days--she talked to our close group of girlfriends about learning how to use a gun for self-defense reasons and getting her conceal carry. She lives in a safe area, but now a days, you just never know, We talked about it a bit and thought that it could be in all of our best interests to at least take a class and learn more.

My husband used to be co-workers with one of the owners of Fletcher Arms. They stayed friends after moving onto different jobs, and I have gotten to know her family through the years. So I reached out to inquire how we would go about learning more and possibly shooting a gun. Megan did me one better and offered us a lesson that would end with time on the range. Fletcher Arms wants to educate as many people as possible about the safe use of guns and it provides classes and lessons to the public in addition to being a store and range.

My friends and I found a date that worked for us and the instructor, and we got together to learn about guns. I will admit that I had a lot of anxiety even just walking into the gun range and seeing all of the firearms that are available to the public to rent or purchase.

We met Mike and sat down in the classroom at Fletcher Arms and here is where my perception changed. Mike has a way about him that makes you understand guns while keeping the conversation light and easy to understand. My anxiety dropped drastically after just a few minutes of education. Guns are a serious matter, but that doesn't mean that the conversation has to be dull and boring. He spent a lot of time with us to make sure we understood the basics and that the weapon wouldn't become a weapon against us.

What we received was a solid overview that educated us before our initial time shooting, but I would recommend to anyone that wants to know how to shoot a gun, to take a class a Fletcher Arms and get an education on firearms. I am definitely interested in taking more classes. By no means is the class going to make you an excellent marksmen, but you will learn how to be safe, respect the firearm, and how to aim to produce a quality shot.

After the class, we picked three guns with Mike's recommendations from the rentals to shoot in the range. One was small and pink that would fit nicely in your purse (and it looks "cute."). The second was a 9mm medium sized gun, and the last was a 45 that was rather large and the heaviest. Mike wanted to show us the difference in power in these guns.

Upon entering the range, I got a little sweaty and my heart was pounding. I took a moment to calm down with a few deep breaths because no one wants a "Nervous Nelly" holding a gun. Mike assured us we were prepared for this. We went in the short-distance range and put on our ear protection (FYI - GUNS ARE LOUD).

The three of us each took a lane, filled our magazines with ammunition, and prepared to shoot. Many safety precautions are taken at Fletcher Arms, and I felt as safe as I could to shoot. I readied the gun in my hands, finger off the trigger, and took the ready stance.

I learned something interesting on how I prefer to shoot--though I am right-handed, I shoot left-handed (see image). Based on the eye I closed and stance I took, Mike told me to use my left hand to pull the trigger. This isn't the only thing I do lefty - I shoot pool lefty as well. Not 100% sure why, but it just happened that way. I don't think it matters which hand you shoot with, but you don't want to close your left eye and pull trigger with right finger as that causes a bit more of a cross and the shot will be less accurate without correction.

We all shot a round on each gun and then traded until we all shot all three. You move and the gun stays in its lane, but we took our target with us to each lane. The kickback, though small in this case, was still impressive on each gun, and the sound is something else. I don't think I have ever been close to someone shooting a handgun, and the noise is definitely different that an shotgun or rifle. It's loud, even with the ear protection.

Here's my opinion on the three guns after shooting them:
-The pink gun, though cute, isn't a practical option (IMO). I kept releasing the magazine and basically jamming the gun so it wouldn't fire. The gun doesn't fit nicely in my hand and overall lacked in power.
-The 9mm medium gun was my favorite and I was able to shoot it rather accurately in the range.
-The 45 had a lot of power and was fun to shoot, but for me, it was too much.

Guns sure do have a kickback and the larger they are, the more power there is behind them usually.

After releasing the empty magazine and clearing the gun to make sure there wasn't anything left in the chamber, I was able to pull my target forward and see my shots. Overall, I would say I have a pretty accurate shot. Sure there were a few that missed the target completely when learning the gun, but once I understood how the gun fired, I got more accurate. And for my first time, not bad. I enjoyed archery as a child and in high school and was rather accurate then too. Darts, I'm somewhat accurate with, so maybe I have good hand-eye coordination.

Before I would consider purchasing a gun, I would take more classes from Fletcher Arms. I don't take guns lightly and would want to learn everything I can about them before I would want to own one. However, I feel I know enough about guns now, that if my friends and I wanted to go to the range again to shoot, we would be able to do it without too much guidance from the staff. And my anxiety will not be as high. I won't say it will be gone, but definitely lower and manageable.

Fletcher Arms offers gun leagues as well as discounts on nights to help you save on the cost of gun rental and ammo. They have Happy Hours, Ladies Night, and Free Rental promotions. They also offer memberships for the gun aficionados to help you save.

By the end of the night, I was sooooo happy I joined my friends and took this class. It was definitely outside my comfort zone then, but now it's on the border, and I know with more experience, it can become inside it. And a huge shout out to Megan and Mike for making it so quick and easy for us to get in and get an education. My friends are considering taking more classes and possibly getting their conceal carry, and we all said that a ladies night is in our near future!

First Time Mom - Third Trimester

This post will be a little different than others, but it's about the newest stage of my life and I want you all to follow along on this journey! This post was originally written for The Lake Country Mom blog, but I want my followers to be able to see it as well. 

Resuming the story about my pregnancy, my third trimester went from the beginning of April until June 11 when our son, Cameron James, was born (15 days early). I’ll get to Cameron’s arrival on my next posts, but this one is focusing on that final trimester. I call this one the “it’s getting real trimester.”

To say I felt big was an understatement. But oddly I had not gained that much weight—28 pounds (the average person gains 25-35). I do have fibroids in my uterus that they found during my miscarriage which made my stomach larger. My doctor was keeping an eye on them so they wouldn’t interfere with Cameron’s space.  

Staying active—well I tried, but the closer to the end I got, the harder it got. I did manage to have some fun. I met up with some of my high school friends and coincidentally, two of them were pregnant. We went to ThirstyDuck for bowling, and if you haven’t gone, it’s fun! You don’t have to do much, so it’s easy no matter how big your belly is. It was nice to talk with the ladies, because they both have been pregnant before and I could ask them some questions about pregnancy and what to expect for the rest. And I attended a Board & Brush night with friends and made a new project for our house (more on that on another blog). But overall, I did enjoy sitting on my couch with my feet up often—maybe a little too much.

During these final months, we wanted to make sure my stepdaughters weren’t feeling neglected. A lot of my and my hubby’s time was focused on getting things ready for the baby. So, we made sure to make things special for them too—a mini shopping spree for their new rooms, and an awesome Easter scavenger hunt with fun surprises were just a few of the things we did. (The girls said it was the best Easter hunt ever!)

My hubby and I also wanted to spend some special time together before the baby came. We went to the Brewers Game for our two-year anniversary, as it would probably be our only game we would attend this year. We splurged on some nice seats in left field (the ‘keep-your-eyes-on-the-ball-as-all-the-foul-ones-go-here’ kind of seats), but unfortunately my pregnant body didn’t cooperate for too long and the seats hurt. We walked around a bit and even caught moments of the Bucks playoff game (something unique to see at Miller Park) and then we decided to leave early. It was still quality time for just the two of us and I really enjoyed it.  

My hubby was also generous with going out to eat, a thing he doesn’t like to do too often because it costs money. But he justified it by saying once the baby arrives, we won’t be going out much. And this momma didn’t complain and enjoyed eating all the things!

I also attended the birthing and breastfeeding classes at Waukesha Memorial Hospital. My husband had attended the birthing class with his first child, but that was over 12 years ago, so I asked that he attend for a refresher. He reluctantly said yes and came along. I found both classes to have some value to them and am glad I attended, but really found the breastfeeding class the most beneficial. Much of the birthing class didn’t apply to the way my birth happened. As a first-time mom, I suggest that everyone take it still and if you plan to breastfeed, take that class too.

Self-care was important and realizing once the baby arrived that I may be in a lot of pictures meant it was time to cover all the grey and make the hair look presentable. I was also treated to a pedicure from a friend the day before my water broke. I can’t say that one led to the other, but it could be possible from what I have read online. And I had gorgeous blue toes for delivery!

My baby showers were in May and I am so appreciative of all the love and support we received from my friends and family. We received many thoughtful gifts as well as kind words/advice were shared with me before the big day. Registry hint – register for all sizes of diapers. 😊 Also, shout out to Thunder Bay Grille for the awesome setup for my shower and great food! Sweet Perfections, you outdid yourselves again on another scrumptious cake.

The nursery

They talk about this nesting thing that happens to expectant moms – yep, definitely happened to me! I started to clean EVERYTHING and re-sorted the clothes in the nursery a few times. Storage hack – hang onsies three to a hanger to save space and see what you all have. I even found the time and energy to prep a few meals for once the baby arrived. I made five freezer meals and had plans to make stuffed shells and lasagna, but the day I planned it for, my water broke…..so that didn’t happen.

Aches and pains – you betcha! My back pain became so bad, it was hard for me to sit in the car. My OB told me it was the way I sit while driving, but even as a passenger or on a chair at home, it hurt.  She suggested I try a massage, and oh was it luxurious. (Thanks Massage Envy!) Though the therapist couldn’t do a full massage, he worked on the spasm spot for a long time and I felt healed…for a few days. Unfortunately, the pain came back and I decided to just deal until the baby arrived. I also purchased a belly band to help with the weight of my growing belly putting strain on my back. I wore it a few times, but found it somewhat annoying with how often I had to go to the bathroom (which you do A LOT).

Inverted with feet above head and ice pack on belly to make baby flip - it works! 

Cameron was breech and wasn’t flipping like he was supposed to, and we almost had to schedule a c-section. Luckily, I tried a trick and he flipped. I used my grandma’s ironing board and rested it from the couch seat to the floor. Then I inverted myself on it and laid upside down for twenty minutes. To say I looked odd would be an understatement. I also put an ice pack on the top of my belly as well to help him flip. I had no idea if it would work, but at my ultrasound the next day, it showed it worked. HALLELUJAH!

I was diagnosed with high blood pressure with one month to go and had to have some extra tests run to make sure all was good. I had to do blood pressure readings a few times a day and had more frequent doctor appointments so they could keep an eye on things. Luckily, it stayed under control. I had some pretty bad swelling in my ankles at the end as well. It would usually go down each night, but by mid-day, I was rather swollen and had to put my feet up. Not exactly bed rest, but just told to take it easy and stay off my feet when I could—thus the couch sitting.

The next post will be my favorite of this series because I get to share the arrival of Cameron and how my life changed forever on June 11 😊 Stay tuned.

First Time Mom - Second Trimester

This post will be a little different than others, but it's about the newest stage of my life and I want you all to follow along on this journey! This post was originally written for The Lake Country Mom blog, but I want my followers to be able to see it as well. 

Picking up where I left off in my last post about my first pregnancy, I have completed my second trimester and Baby A is only a few short weeks away from arriving. But I wouldn’t have made it through this second trimester without all of the support and love from family and friends. My husband and I have dubbed this time frame the “helpful trimester.”

My husband and I aren’t big on New Year’s resolutions, but knew we needed to get a plan in place to make sure we were prepared for Baby A’s arrival. It was only fitting with the timing, that we created this plan right around January 1. We broke the list down by months until the arrival and gave ourselves work to complete in each of those months without overwhelming ourselves or family if they were able to help.

Our first task was the relocation of bedrooms for the girls so the nursery would be on the main floor. Violet was a little hesitant to move downstairs to the toy room, but we sold her on all the perks and she quickly turned around. Sam would be taking over her sister’s room because it was a little larger, and the nursery would be Sam’s old room.

Before we could move anyone, we had to consolidate the contents of the toy room downstairs into our office/workout room. It has since become the catch-all room that will be sorted out after we are settle with the baby. We also knew painting was going to be a big task, but it was even bigger than we realized. The previous owners had some very bold paint colors for some of the rooms in the house. The toy room had fire engine red walls, ceiling, and even the closet. And Violet’s room had four bold colored walls – pink, blue, green, and purple. My husband and I tackled the priming of the toy room together (two coats) and my father and husband painted it Violet’s color of choice, a light pink/purple. Both of my parents helped move all of her belongings into her room and we were able to surprise her with the completed project.

Sam’s new room also needed primer before painting and my parents again stepped in and helped out on this so I wasn’t the one painting. Sam’s room is now a gorgeous turquoise – think ’57 Chevy. The girls and their dad were able to move her furniture across the hall into the new room and set it up just how she wanted it.

With those large tasks out of the way, we could focus setting up the nursery. The theme of the nursery is planes, trains, and trucks, but more vintage than modern. Of course I found some amazing ideas on Pinterest that I wanted completed for the nursery, and my father-in-law and husband were able to make one of those happen and built a project together on a weekend.

I found a crib and dresser on an amazing deal and my parents are helping refinish part of the dresser. My brother and sister-in-law have been saving their baby items for when I finally had my baby and we received so many things from them, we will need to do two trips to get it all. And I received a complete maternity wardrobe from my sister-in-law. I can’t even begin to figure out how much money this has saved me. Old friends and new are also offering us items and borrowing us things that they have for our little guy and we are so unbelievably grateful for all the support and help we have received. I can’t say it enough--it really does take a village to raise a little one.

As for the second trimester for me growing my little boy, it had a few ups and downs. I had one really scary day where pain came out of nowhere very quick and fast and kept increasing in intensity. I wasn’t sure if it was contractions or not, and so my doctor’s office, Moreland OB-GYN, told me to come in right away. It was confirmed that I wasn’t having contractions and after hearing my baby’s strong, steady heartbeat, my husband and I were put at ease. Though I didn’t get a confirmation as to the exact source of the pain, and sometimes there is just undiagnosed pains in pregnancy, it was considered to be from over-doing it with the painting and moving that caused my pain. The pain subsided after I took two days of bed rest, but it was extremely scary. They definitely don’t tell you about all the things that happen to your body in all the books you read, but I rely on my Dr. office and my friends who have been pregnant to help me decipher what is a concern and what is normal, but not necessarily comfortable.

My emotions are mostly up and I find myself smiling, laughing, and more energize most days. But don’t let me watch any show with animals where they can be in any sort of distress or I will be a weeping puddle of tears. Animals have always pulled at my heart, but it seems that has intensified.

I don’t have any crazy cravings, just mainly drawn to sweets over savory items but I’ll eat just about anything that I can 😊 I have no food aversions and have been doing a decent job of making sure I am covering all the necessary food groups and caloric intakes asked of me by my doctor to have a very healthy baby boy. I do miss lunch meat and sushi and can’t wait to have it after Baby A arrives. The last second trimester ultrasound showed that he was in the 55 percentile and about a week ahead in size. This is the time the doctor said you don’t want an overachiever and average is great.

I have been seeing my doctor every two weeks and have been for a lot longer than a typical pregnancy. I am at an advanced age for being pregnant at 37 years old. And because of my struggles getting pregnant and miscarrying, they are watching me extra close.

Second trimester means that you are finally feeling the baby move and it took me a little longer than some to understand kicks from what feels like bubbles in your belly at first. But now he is a kicking machine and right at the end of my second trimester, my husband was finally able to feel the kicks for the first time. It’s a very cool feeling and brings reassurance that he is strong and that he is there.

As I close in on the end of my pregnancy, I plan to share on my third trimester and the arrival of Baby A with all of you. He will be here before I know it, and my life will be changed forever. I can’t wait to finally meet my little boy who has already stolen my heart.

Baby Post - Reducing the Stigma Behind Infertility

Continuing my pregnancy journey on my blog with this next post. This post was originally written for The Lake Country Mom blog, but I want my followers to be able to see it as well. 

Sunday, May 5 was Infertility Survival Day and in honor of that day, I want to share with you our struggle to get pregnant and use this platform to tell my story and let everyone else who is struggling know that you are not alone. I want to help reduce the stigma behind infertility and one way to do that is to talk about it.  

My husband and I married in April 2017 and began trying for a baby right away. I had been off birth control for three months to regulate my cycle and get us ready for conception. I found out I was pregnant in June after coming back from a hiking trip with friends in Colorado. My husband was in Canada with his family on a fishing trip at the same time, so I planned to surprise him on the day he returned (Father’s Day). I woke him up with a little gift from baby and a picture of my positive pregnancy test. We were both so overjoyed that it happened so quickly and started counting the days until we could tell people.

Three weeks later was my first doctor’s appointment at Moreland OB-GYN (approx. seven weeks pregnant) and because I was having some spotting, I was seen by a doctor to perform an ultrasound to confirm everything was fine. I got to see my little bump jumping around in my belly and it was the most amazing moment. Tears of joy streamed from my eyes and I felt so much love for that little bump already. I was reassured that everything was going just fine, but to keep an eye on the spotting. Two days later, the spotting got much worse and included some back pain, so I went back to the doctor’s office. I was sent for another ultrasound.

This time when I looked at the screen, the bump wasn’t moving and the tech had to break the news to me that I had lost the baby. I stared at that screen for a long time hoping and praying the bump would move, because I didn’t want to believe it was over. My first thoughts were instantly, what did I do wrong? Why did this happen? Why me? 

After the ultrasound, I spoke with a doctor to explain things to me and answer any questions. The conversation was very much a blur as I was still in shock, but I do remember some of the important things that were shared with me.

“I did nothing wrong to make this happen. There could have been a chromosomal problem with the fetus that made this happen. I shouldn’t blame myself at all. This is extremely common and happens to many, many women. Just because I miscarried once, doesn’t mean I am incapable of getting pregnant in the future. “

I was told that my doctor would follow up with me in the next few days, but that I would continue miscarrying for the next few days. I was given a doctor’s note to stay home from work and a prescription in case the pain became too much. 

My husband had pretty much figured out something bad happened, so when he got home from work, he held me while I sobbed and sobbed. (As I am writing this now, it still makes me sad and teary). He comforted me the best he could and we both knew it was going to take time to recover. 

Because it was my first, I had already bought a few items of maternity clothing and started a journal for the baby. I put everything away in a box and put it on a shelf in my closet and took those days off of work to recover the best I could. I will never forget our first baby, but I couldn’t be reminded of it everyday either or I would never be ready to try again. 

We took a little time off from trying and decided to just let what would happen, happen. But family and friends kept asking if we were trying or when we were going to try and it constantly kept triggering my sadness about the miss. It was at this time that I shared my story with my closest girlfriends. I don’t know why but I still felt shame for what happened to me when telling them. But their response and support has overwhelmed me and made me realize just how common this is and how many people know someone that has struggled to get pregnant. And that’s why I decided to share my story with all of you.

We tried for six months with negative tests every time. And then I was a few days late in February. I was nervous to take the test and wanted to wait until I was definitely late so as to not get my hopes up AGAIN. On day four of being late, I woke in the middle of the night with the worst cramping—comparable to the pain of the miss. I am almost certain that was another miscarriage but because I never took a test, it can’t go officially in my medical history. But my doctor did say it was a high possibility. 

We began to talk with my doctor about what our options were to get pregnant. My husband and I are both older, so we didn’t want to wait too long on trying as the window would just get smaller. Because my husband successfully produced two daughters in his previous marriage, they decided I was the person in need of testing. I tracked my ovulation to a T using an app and tests, and I went through a procedure to check my ovaries and eggs. Everything came back fine and I was told that sometimes infertility can go unexplained. 

My doctor decided on one final blood test to make sure that everything was good and I found out that I have hypothyroidism and will need to take a pill every day to help with that. Thyroid issues can affect fertility rates, but mine is not an extreme case. However, anything that I could do to be helpful in this case, I was willing to do. 

We continued trying through the summer and only had negative tests. So we sat down with my doctor in September and decided it was time to go to the next level. We agreed to try a round of IUI, because it is costly, and see what would happen. This is different than IVF though both help give better odds to those with infertility issues. The procedure fertilizes me at the perfect moment in my cycle—giving me the highest chance of becoming pregnant. The worst part was that I couldn’t take a pregnancy test for 14 days because I would see a false positive due to the extra hormones from the procedure. 

Those were the longest 14 days, but day 14 became the best day ever – a positive test followed by bloodwork that proved that I was pregnant. Though it was extremely early on and I had a long way to go, I tried not to worry and let life be life as there wasn’t anything that I could do. But Baby A is still in growing strong and developing and we can’t wait to meet him in a few short weeks. 

This wasn’t easy to write, but I know I am not alone in this struggle. So many women deal with unknown infertility and miscarriages and I want them all to know that they are amazing women and I hope that your turn for good news is coming soon. And if anyone needs to talk, I am here. I am not an expert, but I know that when I chose to talk about it more, it helped me a lot. I will never forget seeing my happy bump jumping around on the ultrasound, and I doubt the pain will ever completely go away when it wasn’t, but knowing I have so many supportive people in my life makes it easier to talk about.  

St. Patrick's Day - A Little Nontraditional

For many years, my friends and I have gone out together for St. Patrick's Day. We have gone out in a few different cities, but no matter where we go, we always have a great time! 

This year will be a little different for me being pregnant, but I vowed to myself when I found out I was pregnant that I would not be a hermit or not go out. I still want to have a good time with my friends and not miss out on experiences or time with them. I even bought a special shirt for the day and have a cute headband to wear to be festive!

Our plan is to enjoy St. Patrick's Day festivities on Sunday, March 17--the actual day, in downtown Waukesha. There is plenty going on at many of the local establishments. And quite a few of them are Irish or becoming Irish for the day. :)

I am a huge fan of Reuben Rolls--corned beef, cheese, and sauerkraut wrapped in a wonton and deep fried and then served with Thousand Island dressing. I already saw a few places plan to have them, so I'm ready to indulge! 

I looked up what to drink that would be non-alcoholic on St. Patrick's Day, but didn't find much that would be easy to make knowing the bars will be very busy. I most likely will stick with Sprite or water with a lime, but I may  switch it up and have a seltzer or a lemonade as well. I'm not a fan of non-alcoholic beers, which is basically beer-flavored soda. If there is a place in downtown that wants to make me a fun n/a cocktail (and has the time), I will gladly be there. If you have suggestions for me as well, I'm all ears. (Moscow Mule....hold the Russia?)

Here are just a few places that are having specials for St. Patrick's Day. Even if I didn't list them, most bars offer something special, be it green beer or shot specials. 

Daylee Public House-celebrating both Saturday and Sunday! Mmmm Guinness Beef Stew 

Mainstream Bar & Grill- Reuben burger offered all month long. 

Roots Coffeebar & Cafe - Get yourself an Irish cream coffee to start your day. 

Magellan's (aka McGellans) - Renamed for the day to celebrate and Reuben Rolls! 

Donnie Boys - Plenty to drink at this place! 

Bernie's Tap Room - our savior a few St. Pat's ago when other places were busy and we could get in a food order a flatbread right away!

House of Guinness - need I say more :)

Taylor's People's Park - another Reuben Rolls stop! Received an email about their specials but I don't see it on their website or Facebook yet. 

Five Points Pub/The Clarke Hotel - This menu has Irish flair all year round. 

Meli - one of a few places we found green beer a few years ago

Boscos Social Club - Hoping it's warm enough outside to enjoy their patio and play some bags. They do have heaters out there. 

Whatever you do for St. Patrick's Day, please do it safely. Stay hydrated, remember to eat (who could forget with all this awesome food??), and use a designated driver. Uber & Lyft helped me get around last year and it wasn't expensive at all. Let's pray for nice weather too!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Punch Bowl Social - MKE

We are very fortunate to live in an area that provides a vast variety of entertainment options. In Waukesha alone the variety is amazing. But by traveling just 30 minutes, the variety expands ten-fold.

I was provided an opportunity to check out Punch Bowl Social in the new Bucks Entertainment Block before it opens on Saturday. They allowed area influencers in during their soft opening week and gave us the royal treatment. I brought my friend Tory along to check it out with me--it's always more fun when you go with someone you know. Special thanks for the use of some of her pictures as well!

Punch Bowl Social (PBS) is located directly east of the Fiserv Forum. The roads have been reworked in that area so that there is an open air space and 4th Street no longer cuts through. Many other entertainment businesses are projected to open in this area in the coming year. But the two-story PBS makes quite a statement in that area already.

Upon arrival, I was in awe of all the glass windows that make up the front facade of PBS that look directly at the Forum and what will be the entertainment area. This will work well for those outside to see the fun in and vice versa. And many outdoor events are planned for the block during the warm weather to really make this a hub.

We were escorted to the upstairs area where our party was happening and walked past a large bar, plenty of seating areas, and many entertainment options. At the top of the stairs, your eyes take in the large bar and more seating, but also all the entertaining things that make up PBS. We self-guided ourselves around the space and took it in at our own pace.

After perusing the table display of the drinks and eats they were featuring that night, we grabbed a a beverage and continued on our way. I thought the display table was an excellent idea and the influencers "ate it up" too.

Being pregnant, I truly appreciate that they had a variety of unique n/a options in addition to their hand-crafted cocktails. We started with a strawberry rhubarb fizz for me and rum punch for Tory. They also had servers coming around with samples of their signature cocktails, allowing guests to try all the options without ordering full drinks.

Upstairs offers a variety of seating areas to accommodate groups of any size. There are three bowling areas featuring six lanes upstairs and four more downstairs that are first come first serve or by reservations really adds to the fun of a good time out.

Upstairsa also offer karaoke rooms, pool, jumbo jenga, ping pong, foosball tables (including one of the longest I have ever seen), a second bar and an arcade with some video and pinball games, and a lot more. Many of these are pay as your play or pay by the hour.

After our tour, we loaded up plates of food to try a little of everything and took in the sights and sounds of others enjoying themselves. The menu ranges from grain bowls and hummus to sliders, burgers, and tacos. They even offer a kids menu too, so this isn't just a destination for adults (though that is their primary target)

Everything that I selected to eat, I was extremely impressed with. The pickled carrots and cucumbers were an awesome palate cleanser after my sweet drink. The chicken and waffles were awesome--I think they use thighs which offer a richer, juicier meat and the breading was top notch. Homemade potato chips and a rice crispy treat fished off my plate and I was happily full.

All of the servers and other employees that were available that evening were super friendly and knowledgeable. One server that kept checking in on us was also pregnant, so she guided me to a second n/a cocktail--lime cilantro fizz. The smell of the drink alone had me already pairing it up with a street taco in the future. It was very tart, but still good. I would have never thought of cilantro in a beverage, but now I may consider it. She also told me that when we come back once they are fully open, the variety of homemade juices is amazing and I must try them all.

I don't think I have ever been to a bar or entertainment place in the Milwaukee area that offers so much variety under one roof. Their grand opening is Saturday night and tickets are still available. If you are looking for something to do with some hands-on fun, this place is an excellent option. I will definitely be back.