Water Park with Jacob and Cindy

Ber Ber was 3 years old today. Happy  Birthday Ber Ber!

We all went to the water park in Rockford     Spent the whole day. 

Then a birthday dinner at Outback Steak House. After dinner the staff brought Ber Ber a big dish of ice cream with a candle in it. He was beaming from ear to ear and ate the whole thing. 

With Jacob and Cindy and family

Last night we got to have dinner with a cousin, Randy Atchley,  that I have not seen for about 30 years or so and also met his son Steve that I had never met. 

We were awake well before sunrise this morning.  Several hours of thunder and lightning and lots of rain. 

Lots of low elevation streets and land were flooded. 

We drove to Crystal Lake Chipotle Grill. I had a "beef burrito". It was huge but almost no meat.  Almost all rice.  

Took the kids for a train ride. We could see lots of flooding from the train. But everything was green. 

Randy

Steve

Randy and I and our sons. 

Get up, Grammy says Ber Ber. 

 

Taking the train back home. 

Made it to Jacob and Cindy's

Happy to be here. The traffic was annoying. Jacobs HOA Natzis don't  allow campers here. So we had to park about 5 miles away. Very nice farmer from Jacob's church let us park on his place. 

As soon as we arrived the kids wanted to go to the fair.  And Jacob wanted sushi. 

Galesburg, il. Ellen's birthplace.

Our camp for tonight was just outside Galesburg, Il. 

Ellen was born here not that many years ago.  Her dad used to run a farm just outside Galesburg. He and his brothers grew up on the farm   It is beautifully green here.  The corn on the fields is about knee high. The farmers goal is "knee high by the 4th of July."  

We are in a lush green campground that has its own fishing pond. Catch and release.  Also a swimming pool. It even has a frog that might turn into a prince if kissed.  It didn't work 

After a long day and not wanting to cook,  we bought dinner at the local supermarket deli counter. A little microwave back at camp and instant dinner!  We ate outside under the oak trees. Perfect dinner. 

 

Hannibal - home of Samuel Clemmens

Http://www.hanmo.com/

Lots of America reflected in this town. Ellen 

and I took the long way to Hannibal by way of

smaller country roads.