My road trip

Today I ate breakfast and went to lunch. I went to the museum. It was really cool. I saw in the museum, a fake tornado. I did the smoke thing after. I got on a fake train and saw all the things inside. And then I had dinner with my family, Uncle Charlie, Aunt Kathy, and Great Grandma Wilma. I like to visit Great Grandma Wilma because she has a nice house and I love her.

- Maggie

From Springfield to Chicago

After another late night with the Batchelders, the McLains were a little slow rolling out of bed this morning. We had a quiet morning at the KOA campground (or is it Kampground?) in Rochester and prepared the rig for the drive to Chicago. Prior to leaving town, we headed to the Batchelders for one last morning together. We played a few hands of rook, boys versus girls whiffle ball, in which the boys won, and lunch.

We had about the quietest drive we've had so far, with Jll, Alastair, and Magnolia all sawing logs. Adelaide and Dagny read to themselves, and I got my fill of talk radio. We pulled in to New Lenox just before dinner time, unloaded the car, and headed over to Smith Crossing in Orland Park, the home of Wilma McLain, the matriarch of the McLain family. My father and step-mother are still here as are my Aunt Kathy and Uncle Charlie from New Jersey. After spending a little while catching up, we headed to dinner with my dad, step-mother, Aunt Kathy, and Uncle Charlie. Unfortunately we missed the run to Fox's pizza last night, so we made do with a local Mexican restaurant. My grandmother was not feeling very well, so she stayed behind and visited with one of her good friends, Fran Carlson, who had come to see her.

After dinner we went to spend a little more time with my grandmother before hitting the rack. I had dreams of getting a few hands of poker in tonight, but it wasn't meant to be. By the time we got back to the RV, I was more ready for bed than for the poker rooms in Joliet. They will have to wait until tomorrow. I need to bankroll myself to a few more tanks of gas.

- Dave

A day with Abraham Lincoln

After last night's shenanigans at the Batchelder home, the kids were not up at the crack of dawn this morning. The family did not starting rolling out of bed until about eight o'clock or so, which is a new record for sleeping in. After slowly getting ready for the day, we headed into Springfield to find a place for breakfast and to get coffee for Jll. She ran out of coffee additives in the RV and could not be persuaded to drink it black. We fueled ourselves and headed to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. I appreciated that the museum was able to hold our kids attention and we were able to make it through all of the exhibits, movies, and shows. Perhaps this task was made easier by engaging in the history detective competition, by which we had to answer a series of questions about each of the exhibits.

Here is a picture of Adelaide, Alastair, and Dagny reenacting the end of the Civil War. I can't vouch for the historical accuracy of their reenactment, but it looked pretty good to me.

After the museum, we met up with the Batchelder clan for lunch and a quick tour through the Old State Capitol. From there, we walked to the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, where the kids were able to meet the President.



I have always been enamored with Abraham Lincoln, not only because of what he did, but the adversity he had to overcome in order to get into a position where he could make a difference.

After hanging out at Lincoln's home for a while, we headed back the Batchelders'. While not as historically significant, the Batchelders' home does have air conditioning, so score one for the Batchelders.

Curt and I handily beat Jll and Katie at a game of Rook as we waited for dinner and we took turns listening to the kids' favorite songs from You Tube.  Following dinner we took a nice stroll through the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Gardens. It was fun to watch our kids discover fireflies as the sun went down. Alastair frantically ran back to the van to get a clear water cup from the morning's Starbuck's visit so that the kids could inspect the lightning bugs a little closer.

We ended the day back at the Batchelders' with more games, dessert, and catching up. This was the latest we've been out yet on this trip and I envision tomorrow will involve more sleeping in.

- Dave

Lasers and Blades

Hi, it's Alastair again. Yesterday we drove to Rochester, IL. In Illinois we met up with my cousins Noah, EJ, and Katie. Then we went to their church and played laser tag. I never won laser tag, but I beat EJ at sword fighting about two times. I also dueled my sister Addie in sword fighting. Then I played more laser tag. After that we went home. Then I got ready for bed. Then I read books and wrote this blog post.

Goodbye,

Alastair

Slap jack and laser tag

We were able to have breakfast this morning with my Great Aunt Sue and spend a little time with my Great Uncle Howard.  I am grateful for my little visit to Indianola and for my extended family.  Good stuff!

We were in the RV for about 6 hours today which was pretty good, except for the slap jack.  The kids don't play fair and always look at their own card before laying it down which is totally cheating because they always know if they have a jack before they lay it down.  I tried to show them how to pull the cards from the bottom of the deck, but it was still total chaos.  I had to take the cards away because the game was about to turn into slap your sisters. 

We made it to Rochester, IL for dinner with my cousin Jen Batchelder and husband, Curtis and their family.  When you have as many cousins as I have you have to pick your inner circle and Jen has always been part of my inner circle, mostly because we were born in the same decade.  Of notable interest, just my first cousins (not second cousins), range in age from 22-59.  There are a bunch of us and I am so glad my crew can claim some more time with the Batchelders.  We had a great time playing at their house and having dinner and topped the night off with laser tag in the youth suite at Curt's church.  Curtis is a youth pastor and has always been the most fun, especially for kids.  We have stayed up WAY past bedtime for the past few nights.  I know it is catching up to us because Maggie and Alastair took naps this afternoon.  I hope they can power through tomorrow because we have planned about 20 hours of fun for just one day.  Sleep tight little McLain people and the rest of you too.

Jll

I've Been Waiting

Guess who. That's right, Addie. Today we started by going to my Great Great Aunt Sue and Uncle Howard's place. I had delicious cinnamon rolls Aunt Sue made. We then got on the road for our five hour drive. When we arrived in Springfield we parked the RV at KOA and headed off to meet the Batchelders. We got there and had dinner. We played lots of games then we went to their church and played laser tag. We played lots more games. This time I think I had just as much fun as when we met last in Chicago. I can't wait to spend tomorrow with them.

Goodnight,

Addie

My mother's humble roots

Spent the day in Indianola, IA which was my mother's home and summertime stomping ground for me and my sister, Julie.  It really hasn't changed that much and I was really proud of myself that I was able to find all of the sites I wanted to visit on instinct alone.  It is such a small town that the tour for the kids took about a half hour, which is perfect, because that is only as long as anyone wants to hear about "when I was a kid."  I feel so fortunate that my mom was raised in such a nice little place and I also feel really fortunate that she went to college in CO and met my dad.  I find it difficult to envision life in such a small town. 

My lunch with my Great Aunt Sue and cousin Terri was so nice.  We find a way to see them every time we are here and they are so lovely and hospitable.  We will have coffee in the morning with Sue and my Uncle Howard before we hit the road again.  My mother's family was very well known and respected in this little town for a long time.  My few family members are dwindling now and it makes me feel sad that we have fewer and fewer chances to be here.  I had such a great childhood riding bikes with Julie through these cute little streets.  I wish I could go back in time for just a glimpse of those people I loved so very much.  Instead, I listen to my little people breathing deep as they sleep close by and am filled with gratitude for them and for my very wonderful roots on my beautiful family tree.  - Jll