Family Vacation

Dad and Olga have been so great about coming out to see us in Colorado. Since Frankie arrived, they've been out about twice a year to visit. After five years of them diligently coming out here, we decided it was high time we flew out to visit them in Indiana. So, tomorrow... off we go!

We're going to fly to Ft. Wayne and then drive over to my grandparent's house on Lake James for a few days. I haven't been to the lake house since my grandfather passed away a few years back, and I'm already bracing myself for what will undoubtedly be a flood of memories--- All happy, but bittersweet since I miss grandma and grandpa so darn much.

We have plans to watch fireworks over the lake, eat fabulous summer veggies on the screened-in porch, and just generally be lazy while listening to the sound of boats on the lake, wind in the trees. Lake James is one of my favorite places on Earth, and I'm so glad I'm going to get the chance to see it again.

After that, it's off to NW Indiana. We'll stay in Valparaiso for a few days, and make as many day trips into Chicago as we can manage. I'm dying to show Frankie the Museum of Science and Industry. I hope she loves it as much as I did when I was a kid. I'm really looking forward to seeing the look on her face as she explores that fabulous old building. I've heard a rumor that we're also going to take a Chicago architecture cruise on Lake Michigan, and hop a double decker bus tour across the city. Sounds perfect to me.