We started out with camping in a KOA near Davenport, Iowa. We went swimming, fishing, biking, marshmallow roasting, etc. We stayed in a cabin, Grandma and Grandpa stayed in a hotel (they're the smart ones!), and the cousins stayed in their motor home next door. The cousins are the same ages as my kids - complete with a little blonde baby boy. It was perfect. The kids loved having their cousins to play with and they loved their silly Uncle Z. They are still talking about how much fun he is.
After a few days of that, we went to Nauvoo, IL. It's a historical site for our church. When the mormon pioneers traveled west, they stopped for a few years in the area and built the city of Nauvoo. It grew to be the second largest city in Illinois, after Chicago. Then they were forced to move onto Salt Lake City. However, now you can go there and visit many historic homes, shops, etc. We rode in wagons and ox carts, dressed like the pioneers (although Bella was upset about the hat I wanted her to wear for the picture), watched them make candles, wagon wheels, and cloth, helped print a page of the local newspaper, attended a pioneer school, played pioneer games (like stick pull - even Christian tried it!), waded in the Mississippi river, visited the temple, and on and on. It was a wonderful few days. Benjamin was very nervous about the oxen and only petted one while standing as far back as possible but he later named that as his favorite thing!
Then we traveled on to Carthage, Illinois, another Mormon historical site. It's where the prophet Joseph Smith was killed. We visited Carthage jail and attempted a tour, but Christian was sooo fussy that we all had to take turns going outside with him and missing parts here and there. Alas, it was a touching place and even Benjamin seemed visibly moved by the events which occurred there.
Then we drove on to Hannibal, Missouri, the town in which Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The whole downtown area has signs telling you what role they played in the book - Becky Thatcher's house, the jail where Muff Potter was imprisoned during his trial, etc. The highlight of the trip, though, was the cave. In the book, Tom and Becky get lost in underground caverns in the cave. We toured the cave which the book describes and it was a lot of fun. Benjamin and Bella kept saying how "spooky" it was, but it was their first time in a cave and I think they really had fun. It was amazing how huge it was. The guide said kids in Mark Twain's day would go down in the cave and play around. I'm amazed they ever made it out!
Across from the caves, they had a children's play area with bumper boats. Benjamin loved it and Christian was just as thrilled to watch from the shore. Kelly passed out in the car for 30 minutes afterward from sea sickness and all that spinning in circles!
Then we were going to head up to Chicago, but that morning in the hotel in Bloomington (half way between Hannibal and Chicago), the waitress at breakfast asked, "Would you guys like free passes to the children's museum?" So we spent that day in Normal, Illinois at the Children's Discovery Museum. By far the funnest kids' museum I've been to. And at only $6 a person, it would be a killer deal even without the free passes. The kids had a blast playing with the water table, the grocery store, the pizza parlor, the dentist office, the theater, the farm, and the amazing two-story climber. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen. It was made of oddly shaped wood pieces, covered in industrial strength carpet, which were suspended by tons and tons of steel cables. They made a fantastic maze the extended from the second to the third floors. I also loved their painting room - glass enclosed with a drain, so the kids could paint, spray with water, squeegy off into the drain, and start all over again. Genius. I could go on and on about this place. I'm so sad Normal, Illinois has to be so far away.
Then we finally made it to Chicago. I LOVE Chicago. I'm a big city girl through and through and I got energized just getting close. I loved being there, but I have to say that being there with three little kids made the whole thing very different. Big cities are not my kids' favorite thing, I discovered. Pushing a large stroller though tight pedestrian traffic is also not an easy thing. But despite the whining and complaining, I loved being back.
We visited Navy Pier and rode some rides (like the ferris wheel), visited Mellenium Park and The Bean. I mostly went there to let the kids play in the fountain because I knew that would be the highlight of their trip. We visited the museum area on the lake (but didn't go in any because they're so freakishly expensive and we weren't there on a free day). We also happened to be there during Taste of Chicago. It's a huge party downtown with food vendors and live bands, etc. It was a lot of fun. It was adorable to see Christian clap and "dance" to the music of the latin band. The kids were completely wiped out by the end. But we had to make one last stop to visit some dear friends. We have lived together in two different places now and hope to one day be neighbors again. We'll see where life takes us. But it was wonderful to catch up with them and let our kids play. Their daughter Jane is the same age as Isabella and they were total bosom buddies from the moment they met. So cute! The kids all ran around together catching fireflies and playing tag. So sad they live so far away. And I'm so jealous they get to live so close to Chicago! :)
We also visited the Chicago temple on the way home, but my camera was dead and I couldn't take a picture. So there's our trip in a large nutshell. Super fun, super exhausting. Today Benjamin said, "I like going on vacation a lot better than staying home." Why? "Because on vacation you get to eat junk, stay up late, and watch lots and lots of movies in the car." So there you have the highlights from Benjamin's perspective. A good time was had by all.
