Adventure Calls

I used to really enjoy going on trips. I think I took my ES on trips at least three or four times a year. When we moved from DeKalb, IL to Indiana, I continued to visit DeKalb two or three times a year for a while. I haven't been back for more than a brief visit since August of 2007 (we popped in to visit our dear friends, Andy & Renee, back in December, on our way home from my family's Christmas gathering). Somehow travelling with three boys doesn't give me as much of a charge as I used to experience. I'm hoping that those sentiments will change and I will go back to loving a good trip, but we shall see.

That is not to say that I am not looking forward to this weekend. I am very excited about our trip, just a tiny bit worried about the logistics. We plan to attend my niece's end-of-treatment celebration up in Janesville, Wisconsin, on Saturday. Since Janesville is so close to DeKalb, I knew my ES would be anxious to include a visit with his best-friend, Michael.

In order to break the drive into chunks, we plan to leave tomorrow night and spend the evening at my in-law's house. We will continue on to DeKalb Friday morning, arriving as early as possible. We are all hoping to be able to spend a good part of the day at the Hopkins Park Pool. We have so many fond memories of our times at that pool. From the time ES was 1 to the day we officially moved, we spent every summer practically living at the pool. It was only two blocks away from our house and we often went twice a day (in early morning and late afternoon to avoid too much sun exposure). My ES was such a "pool rat" that all the lifeguards knew him and gave him special privileges and treats.

This is where my worries come in. When I had my first two sons, I was always careful to slather them up with sun-screen whenever we headed out in the summer. Then, I discovered that their complexion is much more like my husband's than mine. Those boys tan nicely. We still do the sun-screen, but I don't worry about them burning as much. My YS is also very blond, but we really haven't had many opportunities to determine what skin type he has.

Recently, I have begun to notice that whenever we are in extreme temperatures, my YS grows very pink in the face and limbs. I have always struggled with heat exhaustion and with severe burns or reactions to too much sun. I am wondering whether my YS will have a similar experience. So, a long time at the pool might not actually work out for us.

Then, there is the little question of the weather. If it rains, I will be in DeKalb, with very little to occupy two small toddlers. We have made arrangements to stay with friends on Friday evening and ES is sleeping over with Michael. I don't really want to put them out with our presence the whole day. I'm going to just see how the cards fall. Hopefully, all will be well. Best-case scenario: the weather will cooperate, we will spend several hours at the pool, see lots of old friends there, pop in on a few others and have an enjoyable evening visit with our friends.

Saturday morning we will retrieve ES and head up to Janesville. I am hoping to arrive early because I have always enjoyed visiting at the house of my sister-in-law's parents. The celebration is in the afternoon and should be a very joyous occasion. I can't wait to see Amelia's face when we give her this:


This is the namesake which Michelle Kemper Brownlow created for me as a gift for Amelia. Half of the proceeds of her namesakes go towards pediatric cancer. She is getting ready to open up another 24 hour window for placing orders, so be sure to visit Michelle's blog or her 4theKids site.

We will spend Father's Day back with my in-laws and my hubby will join us there. I headed out this morning to purchase supplies to make a special cake to honor hubby and grandpa, but when my husband came home for lunch he noticed the supplies and told me not to bother because his brother always buys an ice-cream cake. So, I guess I will have to postpone another cake adventure until we reach YS's half birthday at the end of this month. It is just as well, because I'm sure we'll have more than enough adventure this weekend.