Farms and kids and puke

I love driving to my parents' house. They live about 30 minutes away from me. I have to drive through some farm country to get from my town to theirs.

In our area of Illinois, the farmland is becoming rarer and rarer. And every farm that DOES still exist is looked at as a potential housing development. Don't get me wrong - I love that our area is growing and that we have so much newness to the stores, homes etc. But it's so sad to see the farms that I grew up knowing, slowly disappearing...

I drove past a particularly old tree line and wondered if it would still be here in 5 years? 10? They are so beautiful...

And the fields... I love the fields. I love the changes from season to season. Looking for the baby corn and beans poking their little tops bravely from the frozen ground in early spring. Being amazed - EVERY year - at how quickly it grows. And the excitement of harvest time. Just the changing colors, smells, and feel of the air. Knowing that fall is nearing. Knowing that the holiday season is so close around the corner...

This is the time of year where I am SO ready for the summer to end! I am ready for sweatshirts, bonfires, pumpkins, and jeans. I am ready for hiking in the woods without the fumes of bug spray and the heat of the sun. I am ready for the nights to cool off (icky icky thick peanut butter air night tonight). I am ready for the change of the season!

I guess that's why I like living in the midwest. I can't picture a sunny Christmas or getting excited over a few snowflakes once a year.

It's a bit depressing to know that my hometown areas (I grew up in a nearby city to where I currently live) will become the overlapping towns of inner Chicagoland soon. I hate that when I drive through the Oak Brooks/Parks/Groves/burgs etc. that I have no clue of what town I am in! (visit Chicago suburbs for a day. Or just look at a map to see what I mean).

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We spent the day at my parents' today with one of my sisters and her 2 girls. My 1 year old niece is a riot! She and Corinne are actually playing together and it is so sweet. They had a bit of a pacifier crisis, though. Corinne popped the princess' 1st paci in her mouth, and grabbed her 2nd and Corinne's own and started scooting away, giggling for all she's worth! They went back and forth, popping and snatching, without getting upset, while I frantically tried to figure out my dad's video camera (to no avail) as we all cracked up.

Oh, and my DAD! He just had a ball with the three oldest grandkids in the 2 foot blow up pool in their backyard! They played outside for 4 hours straight! I kid you not!

It was all fun and happy till my oldest niece got really tired, really didn't feel good and then ended up puking in the toilet. Which was clogged (my boys tend to clog toilets. Don't ask me how). Which overflowed poop and puke. Which made my sister shriek and practically throw my niece out of the bathroom... as she puked again. And then slid into her own puke and landed in it. Which made her FREAK out... Sigh... And WHERE Was the Video camera for THAT one?!?

Ended the night by driving home in the sweaty night. The kids fell asleep (of course) and I had to carry all three out of the Big Red Van and into the house, up the stairs. I am now treating myself to an orange pop. (no liquor ANYWHERE to be found. Sigh.)