Day 2: Utica to Springfield, IL to Horseshoe Lake, IL

Cody started stirring at 5:30, but I kept my eyes closed and hoped he would to. Brooke woke me up around 6:30, but I explained I would be a much nicer mommy if I could sleep just a little bit longer. At 7:30 Brooke was completely dressed and no longer willing to wait. Then the memories of last night came flooding back and I decided I should move a little faster.

After a quick check to make sure the van still had four tires, I commenced the morning routine: dress Cody, roll up sleeping mats, stuff sleeping bags into their sacks, pull back Brooke’s hair, collapse the Pack and Play. Scott and Brooke helped as much as they could and then started to clean up the other outside items such as the chairs and the tent fly. Cody just kept trying to break out.

Speaking of….

We knew it was going to happen sooner or later, but we were hoping more for later than sooner. Last night Cody learned how to get out of the Pack and Play. I had actually fallen asleep sometime around 9 when I awoke to a two-year-old pouncing on my back. I was still trying to wake up and figure out why my back hurt when I realized I better chase the child escaping out of the tent. Note to family: pull zipper up higher than Cody can reach.

We headed to Starved Rock to find a picnic table for a simple breakfast of cereal. We went for a hike today at Matthiessen State Park. Camping for our first time together, Scott and I took in these same sights years ago, but frozen! As I mentioned in an earlier post, but it requires multiple mentions, Brooke was a great guide on our walk today.

After our hike we headed towards Springfield. I had hopes of seeing the Lincoln Library. We discovered the library is only a research library with a few exhibits available only for viewing during the week. However, the Lincoln Presidential Museum was incredible. We spent a little more than two hours there, and we easily could have spent the entire day. The kids loved the kid section.

Since we stayed at the museum until close we ate out, which is a rarity for us, and headed on the road towards Edwardsville. We took a five minute cruise through the SIUE campus, where Scott and I attended as undergrads and then headed to Horseshoe Lake.

Brooke riding at a park after breakfast.

Matthiessen State Park

We explored a lot of fun caves.

Some of the many stairs we went up and down.

Photos from Scott and my first trip here in January 1997!

Cody loved this mini-cannon. He wanted it to work and we told him we didn’t have balls for it, so he thought the wooden bowling pin would work well.

Brooke loved the dress-up area. This is Brooke as Mary Todd Lincoln.

Cody loved the doll house more than Brooke did. He took every piece of furniture and put them all out on the lawn.

Scott and Brooke posing with the Lincoln family.

Brooke posing with the Lincoln boys making a mess in the White House. The display stated the boys created quite a ruckus in the White House at times. Brooke could relate. Some kids love to make a mess of her house too.