As May was coming to a close, we packed our bags and made our way to the airport for our annual Illinois vacation. After making our way through security, the kids insisted on donuts!
Once we arrived, the kids had to burn some energy, so Papa dug Uncle Michaels VERY OLD bike out of the shed for Cooper to ride, while Caedyn scooted around on "horsey".
That evening, we drove out to Uncle Brian's, the kids chased the turkey while the rest of us relaxed and enjoyed the river.
Coop & Caedyn each caught a little bluegill before handing their pole to the next kid in line.
Later in the day, the boys got everything ready for the upcoming fishing trip, while the kids & I explored the neighborhood.
That afternoon, we visited my Aunt Marilyn's house and got a chance to catch up with my cousins while all of our kids played!
We spent the evening at Uncle Brian's again, going for rides on the golf cart & watching the sunset.
Monday morning, the guys loaded up the trucks and were off to Wisconsin, while Gram and I brought the kids to play at the neighborhood park. The weather was mid 80's and beautifully sunny, we sure lucked out!
I love Spring in Illinois, the weather is (generally) beautiful and everything starts to bloom - I was lucky enough to catch my Gram's peonies as they opened up.
Monday afternoon, the kids and I drove to Morrison to visit with my Uncle Steven and his family. It was a quick overnight trip, but definitely worth it to watch the kids play!
The next morning, the temperature had dropped over 40 degrees, so we had to bundle up for the chilly weather. On the way back to Joliet, Cooper spotted this little blue crane off the side of the road and wanted to take a picture with it for Daddy.
Tuesday afternoon, we visited with my Uncle Jim & Aunt Deb. Of course, Cooper insisted we bring "his bike" along so he could show everyone how well he can ride.
The weather on Wednesday was really dark, damp, and dreery - to keep warm & dry, we didn't do much besides hangout inside with Gram and prepare everything for the annual fish fry.
Thursday, the rain & sleet cleared, but the chilly weather hung around for another day. The cold didn't stop Cooper from having a good time! We did several laps around the neighborhood before Josh & the rest of the guys got home from their fishing adventure.
Throughout their days in Wisconsin, they sent me some great pictures - even though they had poor weather, the scenery couldn't have been more beautiful.
We spent Thursday evening eating, drinking, and laughing at Aunt Tina's with her kids & Aunt Laura while watching the Blackhawk game - it's so nice to get the opportunity to visit with family that we rarely get to see.
Friday was the annual fish fry at Uncle Brians - luckily he had a bike small enough for Cooper to occupy himself until Anna & Katie arrived. Before anyone arrived, we brought the kids on a walk to the bridge to take our picture.
That afternoon, while Caedyn napped at the house with Grandma, we took a ride on the river.
The kids (and Josh) had a blast exploring the woods on the golf cart after dinner.
That evening the kids had free reign in the yard, whether it be playing in the hammock, chasing the turkey, or wrestling, we didn't hear a peep out of them except happy squeals!
After lots of pestering from the kids, Uncle Brian lit a fire for them to roast marshmallows.
The kids crashed on the way back to Gram & Pops that night, and woke up recharged and ready to do it all over again.
Saturday morning I met Shay at the mall to watch Pitch Perfect 2, while the boys took the kids fishing.
That afternoon I took a few graduation pictures for Shay - I'm so happy with how they turned out!
We spent the rest of Saturday relaxing around Uncle Brian's with the kids torturing the chickens & turkey and going on pontoon rides.
This is one of my favorite pictures from our whole trip, Caedyn snuggling on Papa in his favorite chair!
Sunday we woke up early to make it to church on time. After coffee hour, we ate breakfast before visiting Abraham Lincoln Memorial Cemetery to pay our respects to our fallen veterans. With it being Memorial Day, they had flags at each of the grave stones. It was a beautiful day - words can't even begin to describe how breathtaking the grounds were.
While packing for our trip back home, the kids burned their energy by trading the bike back and forth.
Before we left, I had to get some pictures of the kids with their great grandparents - we don't get to see them often enough.
Of course, I wanted one too!
It was finally time for our trip to come to an end, and as always, it was hard to say goodbye. Luckily the kids both did great on our flight home and slept in the following morning, its always nice to sleep in your own bed!
Once home, it was time to prepare for our visitors coming at the end of the week... no rest for the weary ;)
1 comment:
What a fun trip!! The face on the kids riding the golf cart is priceless! LOL 😍
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