We went to Woodfield Mall for this evening’s date. We had great conversation about the upcoming school year, being separated from Alexis for classes, and making new friends. I recounted how adding new friends was a wonderful journey. Then I described my friends from Ohio, college, seminary (meeting Heather), and Wisconsin. Upon entering we raced up the escalator and down the elevator. Rachel posed with all her bling. We found a delightful train which Rachel chased all the way through the mall to the station where we boarded. Rachel made a new friend at the playground. We ate yummy ice cream and kissed in the parking lot be the sunset – that was no longer visible. Good times.
Author Archives: Rob
Ridgefield Bike Path in our backyard
The McHenry County bike path is building a bike path, Ridgefield Trace, a two mile path that connects McHenry County College to Walkup Ave, in our backyard. Well, it’s really under the power lines. The path is 10 feet from our property line. We are very excited about the path and are sure to make many happy bicycling memories in the coming years.
We said goodbye to our garden as the skid steer plowed through half our garden. Fortunately, we harvested most of our garden in advance. Sure made the weeding easier.
Today’s rain storm made a perfect mud pit for Alexis.
Date with Rachel at Veteran Acres Splash Pad
Rachel wanted to go to Veteran Acre’s new splash pad for her date with Dad. The splash pad just opened along with the new pavilian and playgrounds. One playground targets younger children and has a sand pit nearby. The other playground is designed for older kids with whirly bars and has swings nearby. Rachel loved the splash pad and ran through it with her play clothes on instead of a swimsuit. The splash pad is closed (water is turned off) from 11:30-12:30 and 3:30-4:30 daily. The water is off if the temperatures are below 72 degrees.
We went home to change before heading to Dairy Queen for dilly bars. Then a quick trip to the adjacent pet store, Birds and Beasts.
Date with Alexis at Three Oaks Recreation Area
Summer is here as is a new park in Crystal Lake. Three Oaks Recreation Area is open with a splash pad, boat rental, sand beach, concessions, and trails made from a rock quarry. It’s very nice so Alexis wanted to go for a boat ride on one of their paddle boats. We chose one of the blue sparkly boats for our date cruise. It’s $6 an hour for residents, $10 otherwise. Alexis’s legs were barely long enough to pump if she sat at the end of her seat. We circled the islands and peered down at the sea weed in the crystal clear water. It was a wonderful date with my lovely daughter.
Memphis in May
We enjoyed a splendid trip to Memphis for the Memphis in May celebration. Angela Potter hosted a party with friends and family for her 40th birthday. We drove downtown with Sonia Willis and took the trolley to the park. Here’s the lineup.
- Symphony, Blues, and Soul music on stage
- Air Show
- Fireworks
- Good eats with friends
The in-laws watched the twins. Sonia was my air show buddy saying all the right things when the planes came rumbling through and maneuvering the sky with their stunts. The trolley ride home was a blast. The conductor’s microphone was so muffled that a lady, somewhat tipsy, echoed her version of what he said. “One dollar, no change. Main St. stop.”
Alexis rides her bike
Rachel rides her bike.
Rachel learned to ride her bike and then Alexis. Our neighbor, Makayla Kennett, learned to ride by pushing with her feet on a tennis court. So we took the tip and tried it too. It worked! Here’s video.
Sterns Woods Date with Alexis
We went exploring with Alexis at Sterns Woods. Instead of walking the paths, we ventured to distant hills and yonder valleys through the woods on small deer paths. Alexis climbed steep slopes and stirred up animals.
Bookstore Date with Rachel
We had yet another date at Barnes and Nobles where Rachel read several books. The ladies sitting next to us were so impressed with Rachel’s reading that they stopped to listen. It was “Rachel’s Reading Time” at Barnes and Nobles. Of course, we purchased a steamer from the coffee shop.
Here’s an audio recording of when my muffler broke on my Toyota Echo. The recorder’s microphone did not capture the bass frequencies. It was much louder than what was recorded. The muffler would have been louder than the audio for my voice.