Friday, August 12 - Sunday, August 14, 2016
Rockford, Illinois
A year ago Friday we were driving to Port Ludlow, WA, when we got the text "He's here!", and just like that we were grandparents, and our hearts belonged, forever, to a little boy named Ezra Michael.
It is hard sometimes to not be with him more often, but we've enjoyed the opportunities we've had for he and his parents to join us on the road.
What a blessing he is - so smart and happy and adorable.
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| I am so happy about this turtle!! |
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| Sea World for his birthday |
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| Watcha got there? |
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| Birthday dance for Pop Pop |
The very next day is Bill's big 6-0! We're not big birthday celebrators, but last year I really failed on recognizing his :-(
This year I had to do better - at least have cake!
It's his birthday weekend, his Dallas Cowboys are playing their first pre-season game on his birthday - and I put us in a tree-covered park where we can't get satellite!! I'm the worst wife :-(
We go out for breakfast, and the celebration begins with the first bacon he's had in 18 months - yummy!!
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| Birthday breakfast |
The heat and humidity keep us in the air conditioning except for running a few errands. We will be so glad when this weather is behind us.
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| More fun to say than "Safeway"! |
The trees may have been a bad idea for the weekend, but it is a beautiful park along the Kishwaukee River.
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| Entrance drive |
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| Central open space |
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| Our pretty, no-satellite, site 72 |
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| Somebody's figured it out :-) |
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| Kishwaukee River - lots of campers kayak from the park |
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| Some of the nicest seasonal sites we've seen - river in the backyard |
I find a local sports bar where I'm sure the game will be on. The Olympics monopolize the numerous screens, but they change a big one in front of us to the game <sweet>.
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| Not as comfortable as home, but not too bad. |
We enjoy a few brews and dinner, and leave at half-time when the Cowboys are still winning.
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| And there's birthday cake!! |
Sunday is going to be humid again, but we really want to get outside for at least a little bit. The Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Garden sounds lovely, and should have shaded paths.
For $6 each I am disappointed at the lack of signage. Only the trees are marked, leaving us to guess or make up names for most of the flowers.
I'm delighted that there are still so many blooms this late in the season, and even the fading varieties have their own appeal.
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| This Sugar Maple stands out |
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| The prettiest flowers |
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| Hold some scary visitors |
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| A single Water Lily floats in the small coi pond |
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| Rainbow Garden |
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| Alphabet Garden |
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| Wooly Bugger |
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| Love this pink and blue area |
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| Holy Hippo - very rare |
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| Preferring the shade |
We return home for the afternoon, and get ready to head for Indiana on Monday morning.
Those little ones steal your heart. I am excited to see my grandsons this weekend. Oh, Happy Birthday to yoooou!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your grandsons!
DeleteHow nice that Bill did get to watch some of the Cowboys game and have bacon and cake!! Great birthday:) At least you remembered. We've had years where we have forgotten our birthdays while on the road. We never know what the date is...haha!
ReplyDeleteWe carry a portable dish with us for those times when there are too many trees. And we are very glad to have it now since the board went out in our rooftop dish and we can't a new one til Aug 24th. Maybe you need a portable...just saying:)
Lovely gardens:) Smart dog finding the shade:)
They just seem very "un-portable", but we probably should look into one. Oh you're going to be so happy when you get that and the w/d replaced!!! You guys are really roughing it right now :-(
DeleteSuch cute Birthday Boys! You did good (remembering a cake!) Too bad the Dells weren't more exciting.
ReplyDeleteThey are, aren't they?? Yeah, the Dells were definitely a bust :-(
DeleteI think we miss out on a lot by not traveling much during the summer. We're thinking we'll change that next year.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Bill. Plus .. grandkids are wonderful!
We figured we'd never see New England if we didn't cross the country in the summer - and we're excited to see so many new things. But the humidity is not conducive to getting out and seeing all of it for us.
DeleteI'm amazed at that grandbaby of yours. He is quite grand since it looks like he's practically running at a year old. Boy watch out if he's that athletic. He's a cutie for sure. Sounds like you did a little better for Bill's big SIX OH!! Glad his team won. We're basketball fans and nearly always have to go to a sports bar to watch the tournament since we are almost always in the boonies although not so much this year to my chagrin. I got pretty touristed out in upstate New York. Thanks for the laugh out loud about the rare Holly Hippo and the Wooly Bugger. I'm laughing out loud just typing it but it's a perfect description. Lovely pictures there and a great sense of humor. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI forgot that NFL games are played so late in this half of the country - we're used to them starting around 4 pm in CA. Not sure we'll see the end of too many this season! Glad to share laughs with you :-))))) I loved the gardens.
DeleteYou're a good wife-you did remember CAKE :-) Bacon, football and cake make for a perfect birthday! Ezra is gonna be a lady killer. That sure is a nice looking park. Did Bill get a chance to drop his fishing line into the water? I like the flower photos even without knowing their names. The hornets, not so much...
ReplyDeleteNo, he didn't get a IL license, even for a one day (the bugs were out with the humidity). Those hornets - and there were lots of them in that one bush - were red and nasty looking :-((((.
DeleteYou are certainly Not a bad wife, or mother or grandmother seeing that cute and intelligent Ezra. The arboretum is delightful even without flower signs.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gaelyn :-) The flowers really were wonderful, and some of them I think I knew.
DeleteGood grief, girl, the heat and humidity! WTF? I may have to skip the whole "going east" thing. I don't do well in that kind of weather at all. As always, Tessa is looking adorbs and you both seems to be enjoying yourselves. I guess that's all that really matters in this lifestyle, eh? I'll be glad to get home to good Internet. :) Happy Birthday, Bill!
ReplyDeleteWe've spent a lot more time indoors than we prefer, but at least with the AC in the Jeep we can get out and see some things. We won't have to do the trip "back here" again for a while, but I'm glad so far that we're doing it now.
DeleteFriends of ours took us to their Schnucks in Alton, Illinois last year. Awesome selection!
ReplyDeleteFor looking pretty sad on the outside, I was impressed with their selection as well. The name still cracks me up :-)
DeleteHappy Birthdays!!! I can't believe Ezra is already one year old—and just as cute as ever! I think you celebrated Bill's birthday in some mighty fine ways—bacon, football, and cake. He's a lucky guy to have such a GREAT wife. :-) The botanical garden is beautiful—you had me there for a moment with the wooly bugger. :-)
ReplyDeleteHe was pretty happy after all :-) It was the weirdest pine tree I've ever seen - but great for the children's garden!
DeleteHappy first birthday to Ezra and 60th birthday to Bill.
ReplyDeleteI love your meander through the botanical garden. The Black-eyed Susans and cone flowers are two of my favorites and stirred up memories of our sticks and bricks and my gardens.
I never had cone flowers in SoCal and am finding I really love all the colorful varieties. The Black-eyed Susans were soooo bright!
DeleteWhat a cutie patootie!
ReplyDeleteThanks Roxi! We agree :-)
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