Road Trip 3 - Freeport, Illinois

We finally arrived at Cori & Jesse's beautiful home where grilled barbecue pizza and chocolate chip cookies were waiting for us . . . what could be better after a long road trip?

We went to the parade in downtown Freeport on Memorial Day and it was delightful. There were lots of farm implements, a few bands, and lots of veterans in the parade, and they received lots of cheers from us - Grace is cheering loudly here on the right . . .

The kids amassed tons of candy and even some large stuffed animals were given out. It was a great parade!

We spent some time reflecting here at Debate Sqare, where Lincoln and Douglas held their second debate.

The Walker family gave us a special treat - they let us join them at Rock River where we had a great rainy day picnic - and rode on the jet skis - it was a really fun day!

We had just set up the table and picnic, when it started to rain - it took quite a while and a whole team of scouts to get the charcoals going. . . but it was worth the wait!

Cory & Brittany at Ulysses S and Julia Grant's home in Galena, Illinois.
Sandy & Brittany overlooking Galena, a beautiful town with steeples rising nearly on every block

Cory, Hunter & Ashton, Grace and Papa Ray - Missississip River in Dubuque Iowa.

Ashton - watching the turtles at the Mississippi River Museum in Dubuque Iowa. A lovely museum and aquarium that we all enjoyed. They have a lot of hands on things for the children to do.

How would you like to reel that one in

sometime? Grace checking out a mighty big catfish

Grace & Ashton man the controls of the dredge boat on the Mississippi

Playtime - - - Grant, Ashton & Grace

And, aaaah, a stop at Culver's