I hope everyone reading this is as happy as I am today. Not only am I blessed to have an amazing father, but I married someone who is a wonderful father to four very lucky boys.

This year we packed the car full and headed out to the suburbs. Packing the car has taken on a whole new level of discipline since we’ve had more kids. Strollers, a cooler of drinks, camera, DVDs for the TV in the van, baby carriers, snacks, water bottles, sunscreen, change of clothes for four kids, diapers for three kids, extra formula just in case for two kids, and one old iphone loaded with games. Then you have to put the kids themselves in!

Adam carrying half our kids

This morning (yes it was still morning after we packed up everything and backed out of our garage) we drove out to Lisle to the Morton Arboretum. It’s quite a trek, but every time I go I feel the drive is worth the effort. You can’t experience anything like it in the city. Nature, big and beautiful, along side a very kid friendly garden.

They had a new exhibit called “Tree House Tales”, a bunch of little different houses set up in a patch of land in the Arboretum. It was super cute and nice to see a new section, we always just head to the Children’s Garden and never manage to see the rest of it.

One of the Tree Houses

2 Toots Train Whistle Grill

Afterwards Adam took us to 2 Toot’s Train Whistle Grill for lunch. The boys had gone when I was in the hospital with the twins and loved it. This time I got to experience the train delivering our food, the train whistle pulled every time there was a new order, and the actual food. I was pleased to see they used all Tallgrass Beef. As the 2 Toots website says, “Tallgrass Beef was founded in 2005 by Bill Kurtis, who in addition to being a nationally recognized journalist, is a rancher, conservationist, highly respected businessman and a Chicago Channel 2 news anchor… Kurtis was compelled to find a sustainable method of raising cattle that was not only good for the environment, but also the animals themselves and the American food consumer.”

Ever since reading the Omnivores Dilemma, I’ve tried to stay away from corn fed beef. So it pleased and surprised me to see that the concept was spreading even in the suburbs, even in kid focused restaurants. I hope it continues to grow!