Independence Day gives many people a nice long summer weekend in which to relax, enjoy the weather and have some outdoor fun with the family. This weekend there are plenty of fun things to do to keep cool, but we took our fun to the basement of one of the legendary Underground Railroad stops to learn more about an historic landmark. Graue Mill in Oak Brook is a waterwheel gristmill that dates back to the 1850s. Frederick Graue, the owner, purchased the land and began to make bricks for the building using clay from the Graue Farm and a kiln on site. The total number of bricks used to make the …

This Momma is heading back to office work next week and I find the task daunting for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, I will worry about my little guys. Lucas is accustomed to me leaving the house for work, but Sammy has never been away from his mommy. I trust that they are in good hands, but worry that while I am working I may miss a milestone, boo-boo or triumph. More importantly, what am I going to do without them?! I have spent every last minute of the past five months covered in spit-up, dressed in sweats and most likely needing a shower and they still give me hugs and kisses …

My favorite Dad story happened my first year of college. After driving a truck all night, my dad rolled into the house in the morning, only to be told he had to go to my school. Not only that, he had to learn a dance and perform it with me at the football halftime show. Did he complain or go to bed? Nope. He got back into the car and we headed over to my school. Fueled by a large cup of black coffee, my dad spent the morning with me, the gals on the dance team, and their dads. We taught our dads the dance and they laughed at themselves as they tried to perform them. Then we spent the entire …

One of my friends mentioned that she had been to the drive-in movies recently. Now I know we used to have a drive-in theater in Montgomery (and I loved it!), but it has been closed for quite some time, much to my dismay. So I asked my friend where she went, and she said the Cascade Drive-In, located in West Chicago. As it turns out, Tuesday night is $14.00 for an entire carload of people, so we loaded up the car and headed to the Cascade Drive-In Movie Theater. I’ve always liked the drive-in because it is fun to be outdoors. If you bring the kids you can let them play outside during the …

The pool is open! It’s time to play. School is over and the fun begins. So get out your bathing suits, sunblock, and towels and head over the the Oswegoland Park District Aquatic Center, located on Ashlawn Avenue. The pool has a couple of new features this year, including an extended deck and large sun umbrellas. You will also find some of the things you loved from years past. The pool hosts swimming lessons, barbeques and holiday parties, as well as birthday parties. The three slides include two drop slides and one twirly slide. The pools help you play with kids of any age. The toddler pool …

I went country line dancing last night. Boy, oh boy has it been a while since I’ve done that! I’m not gonna lie, I called it a night pretty early and was asleep by midnight. I knew I would be up with the baby in the morning, so I usually have to choose between sleep and “me” time.  Last night “me” time won, and I’m glad I went out. Not only is line dancing fun, it’s a great workout! We went to the 7:30 p.m. lesson at Saddle Up Saloon on Ogden Avenue, near Route 59. They also host an 8:30 p.m. lesson, so if you head out early you can learn two line dances on a Friday night. (I heard from a …

This week my son’s school set a good example for their students. The teachers, principals and students organized a Volunteer Appreciation day for all of the parents, guardians and grandparents who help out at the school. To express their gratitude for the year of lending a helping hand, they held an assembly for the volunteers, where the students got a chance to personally thank us for the help. It was so nice to hear “thank you” from so many people! District 308 schools depend on support from volunteers. Due to recent budget constraints many schools have lost the ability to work with a full …

Have you ever taken the kids to a Kane County Cougars game? If you haven’t, I highly recommend going out to enjoy America’s past time at our local stadium. Even without free tickets from the Ozzie’s Reading Club program, the most expensive seats are only $12 each. Lucas and I had a blast at the Cougars game last night. The weather almost didn’t hold up, but at the last minute the threat of rain seemed to clear. The crowd was wild and it was a lively evening. The game started at 7 pm at the stadium located on Cherry Lane, just off of Farnsworth, north of I-88. Bundled up in our coats and hats…

Mother’s Day weekend is here, and I hope you spend it being pampered. I also hope you remember to thank your mother for all that she has done for you. I did not understand all of the sacrifices my parents made for me until I became a mother. Many of us don’t. As a child the world revolves around you, and you imagine that your parents are on the earth entirely for your benefit. You don’t imagine that they have hopes and dreams until you grow up and have dreams of your own. Then your children come to brighten your world, but they also take up most of your time. It is easy to see how parents …

Where does the time go? Seriously, my to-do list for this week was barely touched. I love to check things off as I go, but lately as soon as something is started I am interrupted. I guess that is just part of Mom territory. It’s why we are evolutionarily programmed to multi-task. My focus lately has been trying to get the last of the baby weight off. Most of it fell right off after delivery. Seeing the scale go down 23 pounds in two weeks is really encouraging. Unfortunately, after the initial drop, you actually have to diet and exercise to keep losing more. I’m a big fan of food, so I have …

Easter is a religious holiday celebrated by Christians worldwide. It has become a sign of spring, a day to be with family, and a day of tradition. Many children relate Easter to baskets, bunnies and egg hunts, but the real reason for Easter is Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension into Heaven. In the 40 days prior to Easter many people repent for their sins by giving up something that they enjoy such as chocolate, or soda. While we do not follow that tradition, this time of year I do think about all that I have to be thankful for, and what sacrifices have been made for me. This year I am…

Remember the old adage April showers bring May flowers? Well… it’s gray and raining now, so it’s a great time to clean out closets, basements and garages in preparation for nicer weather (and flowers… in May). You may be able to host a garage sale, donate to needy families, or participate in a local consignment sale, which is a great way to reduce, reuse and recycle. This week we cleaned out our garage, and let me tell you, it feels good. Next we’re tackling closets. I purchased a few storage containers so we can be extra tidy and keep a few more things in our newly cleaned storage racks in …

I was up five different times last night- 3 times to feed the baby, and twice with a sick little boy. My 8-year-old came into my room because his ear was hurting so badly he could not sleep. Hours later, I could hear him moaning in his sleep as his pain meds wore off. I felt badly for him, but I still asked myself- why do kids always take turns waking up in the middle of the night? It’s like they plan it beforehand. “Baby, you wake up at 1 am, I’ll wake up one hour later” Lucas says to his 2-month-old brother. Needless to say, it was a long night. It breaks your heart to hear your little ones…

This weekend my son and I attended a skating party at the Aurora Roller Rink. Later that day I told my best friend of 25 years how going to a roller rink always brings back wonderful childhood memories. It seems they never change the formula- you enter a darkened room full of energy, with lights creating the mood and music pumping through your body. You lace up your skates and look for your friends. The DJ keeps the party going and when your favorite song comes on you just have to get out there and skate. The breeze cools you as you weave through other skaters, enjoying the feeling of …

I’m not going to lie, the first time I expressed my desire to leave the house without kids and go do something “just for me”, I felt guilty. Now, a week later, I still leave for the gym and come straight home after my class is finished. But I must admit, the time to myself, spent focusing on MYSELF, is priceless. I think if you had asked me as a child, I would have said that moms who do things for themselves are selfish. Now I realize that moms do everything for other people, but often neglect themselves. After countless hours of rocking a newborn, being ready to wake from any amount of …

Looking for ways to get outside with the kids this spring? I know I am ready to head outdoors and soak in the vitamin D. There are so many ways to have outdoor fun this season. Oswegoland Park District activities are a nice way to get involved in the community. But if you’re like me and you haven’t signed up for any sports this season, that doesn’t mean you have to stay indoors. This spring I am encouraging my son to be spontaneous and play outdoors often. You don’t necessarily need a schedule to play a sport. All you need is a little equipment such as a ball, hoop or goal, and you can play …

I don’t know how people leave the house with a new baby. So far, I’ve had a really hard time getting out. My new favorite place is anywhere that has a drive-thru. This works well for me because Starbucks was already my favorite store. Unfortunately sometimes you have to get out of the car in order to go to a store, and therein lies the problem. The thought of bringing baby, car seat, and diaper bag out of the car and wrangling all of that into a cart makes me cringe. I know I’ve done it before, and I don’t remember it being so difficult, but this time it makes me think twice before I head out…

Six days into being a new mom for the second time I realized that something was very wrong. I had not slept since the night before I went into the hospital. I don’t mean that I didn’t sleep for very long. I mean that I did not sleep once. At all. Don’t get me wrong, I had plenty of opportunity to sleep. My mom and sister were helping me with both boys and often told me to go lie down and get some rest. The trouble was, as soon as I laid down my mind raced with horrible thoughts. I imagined that if I dropped the baby his skull would shatter into a million pieces. I imagined that if my older …

I recently read an article about a celebrity, and it was so touching that I wanted to share her story and my feelings about being a parent. If you haven’t heard, Christina Applegate recently gave birth to her first child, just two years after undergoing a double mastectomy to fight breast cancer. I also recently delivered and it made me realize that her story easily could have been mine, or anybody’s. The famous actress was very insecure about her chest after having survived breast cancer. She mentioned in the article that she was very private and would not have her gown open for any of her …

After the winter we experienced, we deserve a little spring, don’t we? With temperatures creep upward, may I suggest opening the windows, airing out the house, and taking the kids for a walk? I fully intend to do so myself. In fact, I took my first post-baby walk around the lake yesterday, and it felt exhilarating. Oswego is a great town for biking and walking. We have paths that practically connect all corners of the town. The paths are picturesque, some meandering through playgrounds and sports parks, others lining waterways. In the summer, my son and I bike from our house, on the Oswego …