Summer Trip to Sycamore
I have a handful of blog posts and moments and feelings to catch up on to post for you all, but I’ve really been trying to sit back and enjoy every moment of this summer! If you know me, then you know days, moments, or trips like this aren’t just for taking photos of and posting. There is always a story behind it and it deserves more than just plastering a bunch of pictures. Also, I would have made a couple different albums apparently from just this trip because I took so many (oops) so there’s another reason we turned this into a blog post.
So backtracking to just the most recent tiny trip away last weekend that has made my mama heart feel complete for the summer shenanigans is here for us to share, our trip to Sycamore, Illinois. Sycamore is where my dad grew up his entire childhood years and as a family we would come here to visit and stay with these lovely people. Gary grew up with my dad and they will always be a part of our lives. Penny + Gary have since then, became Owen’s Godparents. Gary’s ability to play and nurture and Penny’s soft spoken voice, even in the hard moments has always been things that I looked up to since I was little.
So, we looked at our calendars, took a spontaneous trip, invited Nana to come with, packed our bags a few days later and got on the road without looking back to soak in one of the last weekends of summer. We had literally NO plans besides swimming in their pool, playing with toys, ordering pizza from and eating donuts in the local pizza place and bakery in town. Owen had all of his necessities and he laughed so much on this trip. It was surely a happy one!
Here is a cute little Owen moment for you:
We stayed right on schedule with nap time while we were gone and when we shut the lights off in the area we were sleeping this old photo lit up. Owen rushed over, held Bear and George up and said, “Mommy, guys, look! It’s da Islaaand! Moana and Maui is waiting.” Nana and I giggled and we loved that he put his mind deep into that photo.
The next morning was peaceful. Owen ate his favorite banana bread that we made and took with us there and the rest of us got to eat some yummy homemade biscuits and gravy. Plans for this day? Jumping back in the pool! We planned to leave the next day around lunch time so we were trying to soak up some pool time and sunshine as much as we could. We made small talk here and there about how it would be nice to stay an extra day as we don’t get to do this as often as we should…
Plot twist.
While we were in the pool we suddenly heard a loud CRASH!!!!!
A car accident! GASP
But wait, what? We were all together and safe in the backyard! We were all so confused by the noise that happened coming from just their front yard!
We all rushed out and saw that Nana’s parked car had been t-boned in the DRIVEWAY by a truck! Her car got pinned between both cars and eventually taken away after the chaos settled. I guess that’s ONE WAY to stay an extra day! Yikes…
“Bye Nana’s car!”
After the chaos of the afternoon settled, Penny + Gary’s grandkids came over and the boys got to meet Owen for the first time. They all played really well together and we were so surprised (and in love) with how well Owen let them be all over them like a big teddy bear when they all just wanted to cuddle! They laughed so much and asked Owen to laugh on command because they loved his laugh! Ha.
The boys heard the ice cream truck later and ran outside. This was a special memory from the weekend because it was Owen’s first time experiencing this childhood joy! He chose “Da Minion one, please.” I enjoyed watching him continue to get all sticky and sweaty. Just in time to get back in the pool!
The last day we were there, we had originally planned to be leaving, but since we had one more day now due to the car being wrecked, we made the most of it! We enjoyed coffee on the porch each morning and Owen “slept in” so well while we were here. I joked and said that ‘at this rate, we may have to move in!’ I was so happy that he was getting such comfortable rest being out of our element and basic routine.
Once he woke, he had a few minutes to play with his favorite DVD’s before the bakery opened. The bakery is a tradition to go to every time we visit! After that, we spontaneously went into a few of the shops downtown too before leaving. Owen and Gary hung out together while us girls did what girls like to do…
Before we left we took a couple more photos with Penny + Gary wearing Owen’s shirt. We don’t get to see them as often as we would like so any updated photos are a must when we are together. I love that Owen’s George and Bear are in these photos. That is who Owen and Gary played with literally the whole time together.
They ended up taking us home and ate lunch with us before they left and our trip together was finally over.
Thank you, as always, for having us Penn + Gar and for such a fun, relaxing (but still eventful) weekend! Haha We love you so much! Until next time… we will continue to always still take ‘One day at a time…’
xx
