We just returned from a long weekend away from the city. We took a three hour drive to Galena, a small town near the Mississippi River where Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin meet. Rolling farmland, lush bluffs, and wide open skies greeted us as we left behind the everyday stresses that tend to weigh us down. Spending a few days in the country gave us the chance to quietly connect as a family. This was our first vacation as a family of four, and I think we made some fun summer memories.We are living on a pretty strict budget these days, so we put aside a few dollars every week this summer in order to make this little trip happen. It was nice to have a goal in mind and work towards it. Plus, knowing that we wouldn’t have any lingering credit card bills made it a lot easier to relax and enjoy the fruits of our labor.

While in Galena we took a tour of Galena Cellars, one of a few vineyards in Illinois. Surprisingly, Evelyn and Mack were very well behaved during the tour. Evie asked for a taste of wine, and I immediately thought back to when I was five and my dad gave me a sip of his gin martini. Thinking she’d react the same way I did to the gin – with an exaggerated “Ewwwwwe” and an internal promise never to drink the stuff again! – I gave her a sip. Her response? “That is SO yummy! More please, mommy.” Eek! I must have looked like such a bad mother!!

Evelyn loved walking through the vineyard. I want her and Mack to appreciate the effort farmers put into the foods we consume. I pulled a few grapes off a vine and offered them to her. She thought they were just as delicious as the wine!