Rolling to Springfield

This week was Spring Break. Instead of making off to a tropical destination, the girls and I road tripped to the Illinois state capitol, Springfield. Being the Lincoln Bicentennial, this seemed like a good time to go to the Lincoln Museum (which has been open for 4 years). We also visited Lincoln's New Salem which is a reconstructed town that Lincoln lived in prior to moving to Springfield (as some of you know, although Illinois has totally appropriated Mr. Lincoln, he was born in Kentucky and lived in Indiana before coming to Illinois). Lots of log cabins, and re-creations. I even learned a few things.

I had some trepidation about spending 4 days uninterrupted with the girls. Hotel rooms are pretty small. But we did quite well. Their attention spans at museums and reading little signs is limited, and some of the scenes at the museum were a little overwhelming (Willie Lincoln's sick bed, and the re-creation of Lincoln lying in state). And did I mention A doesn't like to walk much? Yeah, well besides that it all worked out. The girls thought Applebees was the best thing ever, we found a nice restaurant for one dinner, and the girls got to swim in the hotel pool 5 times in 3 days. Does it get better than that?

I really enjoyed listening to Gooney Bird Greene audiobooks with the girls in the car. Even G who claimed she just wanted to read was listening and laughing. Those are really good books, and with G always in a book, we don't get many shared book experiences. Gooney Bird is a hoot. And just enough like every kid to be totally lovable.

Tomorrow it's back to the reality of school and the rest of it. But it was a good Spring Break.