Wildlife Prairie Park

Maybe you have forgotten your first adventure to Wildlife Prairie in the same way I no longer remember mine. But I have idealized what that trip was like as well as the subsequent 50 others that have since followed.

We were headed to Champaign to celebrate Caroline's birthday and decided to take the detour to Peoria to enjoy a bit of nature. The girls 'knew' of Wildlife from the countless stories I've told of my childhood adventures involving everything from eagles to chipmunks. They knew of the famed Gollywhopper slide that had provided countless hours of entertainment for the JABS. Now was their chance to enjoy this magical place...

So, my memory has failed me. It wasn't quite as huge or magnificent as I had remembered. It wasn't as incredible as recalled when the stories of donkeys or Pixie Dust were being retold. The up-keep seemed to have taken a backseat and some of the really awesome points no longer accepted visitors (log cabin & school house). But try to convince my kids it was anything but incredible and you're in for an un-winnable fight.

From bison to eagles, from foxes to wolves, our kids were in paradise. It didn't matter that the bear didn't come out or that the cougar was sleeping. They loved every minute. They fed and petted the sheep and donkeys (Gus even attempted to ride one), they got to watched the bison and caribou eat and they saw the baby squirrels.

But the highlight of the trip was the famed Gollywhopper! Fearlessly they rode, and rode, and rode some more...I made more that 8 trips up the 58 stairs to carry Gus back up to the top. Great Grandpa & Grandma Hoerr watched with the same enjoyment that I assume they watched us grandkids with all those years ago. Thankfully, we saved the train as our last event of the day or we may have never gotten them to leave. Great Grandpa got to co-conduct as we took the quick loop while munching on our rock candy.

A true trip success is when:
1. They beg to go back
2. They pass out in the car before getting to the interstate

Both happened within a matter of 2 minutes after leaving the front entrance!

Bike Riding

Last year Lily learned to ride a bike...sorta. She rode on the Stenger's magic bike. We call it magic because a club-footed elephant could learn to ride on this thing, its that easy!

As spring rolled around, Lily was determined to learn to ride her own bike this time around. It didn't take too long, maybe 3 or 4 days, and she was able to ride fearlessly up and down the block. A day or two later, she learned to turn and now the world is wide open for her. Around and around the block she goes with Maura and Miller girls with some amount of ridiculous, never ending, energy.

Flash forward to Kiki's birthday celebration in Champaign. Hap and Di got her a little 12" bike complete with training wheels and the whole shabazz. She loved it. She petaled as fast as those little tires would take her in her efforts to keep up with Lily and Maura. They graciously slowed down a bit, but Kiki still felt behind.

About a week after getting her bike she brought me some tools. I thought her seat was loose or something needed to be straightened. NOPE. She wanted her training wheels off. Caroline was convinced that she would be able to go faster if she wasn't slowed by her extra wheels and so I took them off.

2.5 days later, she was riding by herself. She could start, stop, and even turn around all by herself. My little girl just wanted to keep up with Lily, and so it begins.

Trikes Abound

Caroline and Gus seem nearly inseparable these days. Everywhere Kiki goes, she offers to take Gus with her. The catch is that he has to ride on the back of the neighbor's trike. Gus, seemingly unfazed by this turn of events gladly hops on and chugs along.

If I recall correctly, when I was a little boy, Aje and I did this exact same move. There was one slight difference, I made Aje pedal so that I could hold the garbage can. You see, we wanted to hang on the back of a Garbage Truck so badly that we used our trike as an equivalent substitute. Oh the days!

9 a day

Gus got some type of liquid-poo virus. He is averaging between 7 and 9 massive blasts of liquid green slush a day. It doesn't seem to matter how dry his diapers are, the shear force with which they come out of his hiene is so powerful that they render the diaper helpless.

PJ's are filled, pants destroyed, socks soaked.

To the tub is about the only thing you can do except, taking a quick pic. Nothing says 'Keep Sake Photo' like a kid covered in poo.

Climbing fences...in a skirt

Lily, Gus and myself were all playing in the sandbox. Gus and his 29 second attention span decided it would be more fun to chase birds. Fine! I check with Lily asking if it would be OK if Gus and I ran around for a bit. I told her that if she needed us, just call and we'd come back.

Flash forward about 10 minutes. Gus has now been in at least 5 different yards looking for squirrels, birds, and anything else he could see move. Suddenly there is a loud shriek for help. Instantly I know its Lily.

Immediately I begin running to the south side of the house in order to jump the fence and be by the sandbox. As I round the corner of the house, I find Lily. She is hanging upside down from the fence with her head just millimeters above the ground. She said she had climbed the fence and prepared to jump down. Unbeknown to her, that favorite skirt of her's wasn't going to be able to clear the posts during her jump. It snagged, ripping off a huge section and swinging her directly back into the fence.

I graciously pulled her off the fence and though she was shaking, she was actually unharmed. Upon taking her inside, we convinced her to pose for a few pictures. Carrie couldn't stop laughing and Lily actually got mad!

Thankfully, she was unharmed...the skirt: I'm afraid it needs a very qualified seamstress.

Mexican Siesta

The last two times we've been expecting we've taken a little get-a-way. Previously we went up to Door County, Wisconsin. This time: Cabo San Lucas!

Carrie and I were blessed. We were able to leave the kids with Hap and Di and get a worry-free 5 day trip to Cabo. Not only did Carrie pick a spectacular place (Riu Palace) with immaculate service, I can't remember a time of such relaxation.

Whether it was mojitos by the pool or margaritas in the sand, the atmosphere was purely conducive to relaxation. We enjoyed 85 degree days with a light breeze to keep you cool and 65 degree nights with great company to keep you warm. The food was amazing even though we ate some of it buffet style.

Perhaps my favorite memory of all will be the incredible breakfasts we enjoyed on the terrace as we planned out our days of doing nothing!

Gus the Worshiping Prince

We had just wrapped up the second service (and 5th teaching) of our Culture of Honor weekend seminar at the Vineyard. Carrie and I had been fortunate enough to flip-flop services so that we could each hear the teaching during one service.

I had the pleasure of keeping Gus 'contained' during second service and he was getting to be too much. His wild shrieks and screams had reached a crescendo that even peppermint candies couldn't buy off. We retreated to the crying baby room and waited until worship started. Finally, the music light up the room and Gus and I walked up to the front to worship. As we approached the front the flags were already out.

It didn't take the little guy long to notice that there were actually extra flags sitting on the stage. He wandered up, grabbed one and to our surprise came right back to Carrie and I. Then, with the faith that only a child can display, he waved his bright yellow flag with all his might! Triumphant in his quest to be just like everyone else, he started worshiping with his flag as though he was the only person around (i.e. he actually whacked a few people!)

Since that Sunday, he now demands a flag when worship starts. But he isn't comfortable to just wave a flag in the back. Nor does it work to give him just a little one. He likes 'em big, bright, and wants to be near the stage!