On a last minute whim, Adam booked us a last minute mini-vacation.

It was only a 30 minute drive from Chicago in the suburbs. So technically we didn’t go anywhere.

We didn’t vacate.

We stayed.

We had a staycation.

But in fact, we didn’t even have that. Because staycation infers leisure and enjoyment and in truth staying at the Lincolnshire Marriott ended up a lot more headache than just staying at home. It was a disaster!

It wasn’t a staycation.

It was a staycaster.

The hotel was one Adam remembers from childhood. A resort type hotel with swimming pools, game room, and little lake with paddle boats.

Cute for a quick get away with four small children, right?

Adam called the day before and confirmed directly with the hotel for adjoining rooms, one with king and the other with two double beds. He also confirmed that they still had the game room he remembered as a child.

Yesterday after the naps away we went!

When we arrived an hour after check in time, they didn’t have the adjoining rooms. The manager explained to us that they can not guarantee rooms together under any circumstance. He would have to check to see if that was available. It wasn’t.

Putting our kids on a completely different floor than us does sound tempting, Larry the Manager, but I’m pretty sure DCFS would have other ideas about that one.

Larry told us to hang out and wait while he sorted out rooms and he would find us later. We headed to the pool.

Someone’s back is going to be hurting tomorrow…

TWO HOURS LATER he brought keys to us. They were for two rooms that were next to one another, but not adjoining.

Maybe DCFS would look kinder on us, but probably not when they find a kid or two wandering the hotel in the middle of the night screaming and looking for our bedroom.

Adam went back again. This time they managed to get us two adjoining rooms, but no king bed. Fine.

That evening after room service we decided to wander down to the game room. It was gone. They got rid of it years ago.

Marriott meal, at least, was perfect as usual.

Oh, and there was an Indian wedding blaring music until 11pm right outside our window.

And the two rooms we outrageously had to ask for THREE times were right next to the elevator. After the blaring music stopped, I really enjoyed the group of shouters that woke me and Jack up around 12:45 in the morning.

And the kids did not adapt well to their new sleeping arrangements. They couldn’t sleep for hours after their normal bedtime, but they were up at the same time they usually wake. Of course!

The nicest part of the suburbs stay was going to our favorite suburb restaurants.

Like Walker Bros.

Utensils optional, Aaron.

Afterwards we checked out the grounds, including their chef’s farm.

And a little more swimming…

After the swim, it was time to head home. We used the opportunity to stop at one more suburb favorite, the Claim Jumper.

Kitsch cowboy decor runs through the entire restaurant.

And now onto the next adventure – school!

After a failed attempt at one last great summer adventure, (we told the boys we were taking them to Great America, but it’s already closed for the summer during weekdays) we were stuck.

We had exhausted all the new and exciting places to visit over the summer! Six Flag Great America was our last trick.

Adam suggested we drive the long hour out to Wheaton and see Cantigny Park.

Adam told me it was formally a private estate, now turned into a park with a bunch of war tanks on display. Which creeped me out. Probably because I just watched the movie Foxcatcher.

But in fact Robert McCormick designated this space, formally McCormick’s farm, as a public space for education and recreation. McCormick was a bonafide military man. He helped capture Cantigny, France in World War One and later named his estate after it. John du Pont, of Foxcatcher Farm, was a wealthy eccentric with erratic and violent tendencies.

Also, even though Adam and I have the utmost respect for the people who serve our country, we hope our kids don’t idolize them so much that they dream of having such dangerous vocations.

Still after all that I couldn’t help think, “Well, climbing on a bunch of old tanks does sounds like a really cool thing to do.”

Must be all the testosterone I’ve been sniffing lately.

So we went.

And it was cool.

The kids were running around like crazy, climbing, shouting and screaming about each tank.

There were lots of educational opportunities as well.

Adam spoke to Jack about the perils of war.

We studied the tanks, noticing their different colors. The last tank pictures was used in dessert storm, hence the sandy color. Camouflaging your tank is different for different war zones.

In addition to the tanks, there were gardens to roam through.

And on this hot day, a wonderful fountain to run through for the kids. If only I brought the swimsuits!

Oh, never mind. Apparently you can play in the fountain but not wear a bathing suit? Riddle me that one.

Also a playground…

A three mile trail with fitness circuit…

And lots of great picnic spots…

We missed the Idea Garden for kids, bird watching, and much more! I think we’ll have to go back to explore the rest another day…

And just like that, he was gone again.

Once again my father managed to be an incredible help while he was here. Patiently playing with the kids for hours on end and quietly, behind the scenes, doing all the laundry and dishes!

Whether it was giving each kid special attention….

Or sometimes in a group…

He made them all feel special. He listened to them. He joked with them. He loved them.

Each morning they would wait outside his room like a bunch of groupies until he woke up.

And when someone lets you do this to them multiple times a day, why wouldn’t you?

No job was to dirty or annoying for him to help with.

He even volunteered to put the older kids to sleep while we were home!

We are all going to miss him terribly!

Normally when your husband is out of town on a business trip, it means mom is more overwhelmed.

Adam hardly travels but tonight he did. And I was not more overwhelmed in the least.

Because I had not one,

not two,

but THREE grandparents here to help me.

And boy were we Calisoffs all spoiled rotten by it!

My father watched the twins and waited for Ben’s bus so I could take Jack and his buddies on a playdate at the Morton Arboretum.

A spinning bowl of flowers and two telescopes makes for a cool kaleidoscope.

Climbing in Adventure Woods

When we arrived home we were greeted by Bubbie and Grandpa Bill. They showered the kids with gifts. Sticker books and books so sneakily educational that the kids had no idea they were learning about dinosaurs and wildlife.

Then, the best gift of all, they spent time enjoying those books with the kids.

As if that wasn’t enough, Bubbie and Grandpa Bill went on to treat us to a very fancy sushi dinner at one of the kids favorite restaurants.

Afterwards Grandpa Devensky took us all out for ice cream.

It was such a lovely evening: beautiful weather, spending time with family, eating great food.

The kids are so lucky to have so many loving, involved relatives in their lives. If only they all lived closer…

Adam’s firm organized a family outing at the Kane County Cougars field yesterday.

At first I was worried about getting 4 boys to sit patiently and watch baseball during what should be a nap time, but as it turns out they rented the terrace. There were seats in the front, but also a large area to run around in behind them.

Staring contest

We stayed as long as we could, then took the kids to the kids zone to burn off some energy. On our way, Ozzie the mascot made an appearance…

Amazing how the kids love the adults dressed in costume almost as much as they enjoy dressing in costume themselves.

The kids zone was a pay to play space with lots of bouncy houses and a playground.

There were inflatables of every kind. Besides the traditional bouncy house, there were obstacle course, baseball, soccer and basketball ones, slides and more!

After a couple of hours we were ready to head back to the city.

It was a nice outing for the whole family. If it wasn’t so far from our house I would consider doing it again.

Guess what we found waiting for us when we got home?

Another year, another great party!

It’s a fairly set formula, but it’s so fantastic that there is absolutely no need to change it.

Who doesn’t like to walk out of their house to a fresh cone of cotton candy (or two? or three?).

And when you are done, it’s crafting time! One of the neighbors organizes this great crafting table every year…

Burgers, hot dogs, brats, wine, kegs and a special food stand from Summer House were part of the afternoon as well…

They just kept bringing out stuff! I was full after the fried chicken, corn, guac and salsa but I ate the cookies and pizza that brought out later anyway!

We were so busy with all the other stuff we almost missed the magician!

The Great Scott delighted kids of all ages with his jokes and tricks.

Afterwards, he made balloons for all the kids.

Did I mention there was a bouncy house too?

And the ice cream truck? He pulled up and gave out treats to all the kids.

And we got to spend some time with friends. Mostly we ran after kids, though. Actually I think our kids enjoyed our friends more than we did…

When it got dark the glow in the dark toys came out and the kids had another round of fun…

I don’t think we can ever move.

(You know it’s a good party when public urination is involved!)

Aunt Aloha and Uncle Ronnie were in town last night. Actually they were here to see one of their grandchildren compete in the Olympic golf tryouts at Olympia Fields.

THE OLYMPICS, people!

He had already surpassed the first qualifying round and this week will compete in the second round. Still they managed to find time to drive over an hour away to visit us for the evening. As usual, they showed up bearing wonderful, age appropriate gifts that the kids loved. There were books about Star Wars AND Legos. A triple win for the older boys. Adam and I were treated to a lovely dinner out.

We got a chance to catch up with them and hear what was going on in the lives of all the Baumgartens. They also had four kids, so there is always something happening. I got a glimpse at what my future would be like. Guess “not busy” is off the table forever.

The other gift they got was for the twins. It was a sticker chart. The kids glommed onto it, asking all day the next day how they could get more stickers. I’ve introduced chore charts before with little success, but for some reason this time they all got into it. I had Ben doing laundry, Sam unloaded the dishwasher and Jack cleaning up legos.

It was awesome.

It reminded me I need to be better about rewarding more than punishing. Same result, but done in a totally different way.

Thanks Aloha and Ronnie, hope to see you again soon! And if your grandson qualifies, I’ve got an extra Elmo sticker here waiting for him…

No, not Ben this time.

Yesterday while we were out to breakfast at Walker Brothers, Jack abruptly spit out his half eaten blueberry pancake and said he was done eating.

We finally figured out he lost the tooth and perhaps ate it, until Adam dug with his bare hands through the mush to find it.

Jack was so sweet, so innocently excited about the tooth fairy coming. Sometimes when you have a lot of kids, you forget that your oldest kid is still just a child, but then they do something like that and you remember all over again.

“Do you think the tooth fairy will bring you an egg hunt?” I asked him. He seemed upset that the tooth fairy used that method with Ben but never on him.

“Don’t know. It’s always a surprise. That’s part of the fun.” He replied.

Right, no egg hunt then.

I noticed at breakfast he is starting to be able to do the mazes and word searches on the children’s menu. An idea struck…

A maze hunt. Each map had three pictures. Each maze only led to one picture, and that picture was the next clue.

I was worried the last maze would be too difficult but Jack didn’t even bother using a pencil to solve any of them!

This time the money was in the cash register. He was very pleased to find it.

Superhero Telepathy is the only explanation I can think of. How else could they have figured out which park they should all go to today?