Big Family Trip: Day 3, Eau Claire to Elmhurst, Illinois. We

That’s Chaz and Emmett in the morning inspecting the ants, termites, whatever they were.
Man, it’s just city after city on the interstate and every place has at least one massive water tower, even the big city. Wisconsin had breaks of thick trees resembling a mountainous area with “CHEESE” signs nestled in them. But I forgot to buy cheese. We saw beautiful resorts and rock formations.

I pondered the enormity of fear it would take to make a parent carry a concealed weapon at all times. How much do they think about an attack on them? What does it feel like to live like that?

The differences in speech are becoming noticeable as are the distinct divisions of skin colors in restaurants, malls, vehicles…
Coffee is harder to find here. We find a Starbucks here and there but it’s no Tim Hortons every few blocks. I’ve been drinking a lot of tea and water and it feels so clear. Strangely all my nausea has gone away, even while on the road, so long as I eat often.
The kids had an absolute blast at the Children’s M

I spent $50 on fruit, lunch meat, garlic stuffed olives, non-Wisconsin cheese, kamut puffs, bowls, spoons, licorice and a few other things. I found some extremely reasonably priced organic milk from grass fed cows. The $3.50 a lb apples surprised me as did the kombucha and milk find! The last two were scores! I made sandwiches which everyone liked.
In Madison, Wisconsin at the mall we also ate a pizza slice each from Sbarro. The employees were fun and felt big city. I got a neck and back massage at the mall and he said I was tight. The malls have photo ops with the Easter bunny just like with Santa.
I’ve decided to write my daily blog to you while driving to Chicago. We will spend the night just outside, in Elmhurst then wakeup and do a day of big city Chicago. I have no idea what to expect. I have found that its important to have destinations where the kids can freely play. I am planning a museum for tomorrow. Michaels explaining to me how in Saskatchewan he doesn’t have to look at the road all the time. I don’t like his Saskatchewan driving. The traffic can be intense but it’s seriously calmed with the help of our GPS. I love that I can look up restaurants, gas, grocery stores or anything and it gives me the closest one with directions. Michael likes that “she” redirects him so gently when he takes a wrong turn.
So, today was awesome. I told myself that we’re settling into traveling. I did have a moment where I became angry over Michaels constant pestering his brother in the back seat. Chaz gives of a Hugh pitch squeal and I tell myself that he shouldn’t do that. But he does and it hurts when I argue with reality and I say things like “quit it or I’ll whip this at you!”. I have a lot of work to do… Michael says things that surprisingly don’t bother me like “Way to keep your cool”. I smiled and pulled out the folder from my mom with Byron Katie’s “The Work” in it. I filled it up quickly in mostly darkness and yelled “Mom, the sheets not long enough!!!” and then I laughed when I realized how much paper she put in it.
I really enjoyed each of my kids today. Emmett and I went early to the breakfast room were he told me that Grandma and Grandpa Dalton had told him that fruit loops were good for him. I cringed and gave him a bowl and he barely ate any.
I dreamt about the conference last night and I cried when I got there and saw Laurie A. Couture.
Back in the van…
“Michael says “Can you feel it? The buzz of one of the biggest cities in America?”
We ignorantly passed a toll booth without paying. And the fourth time we didn’t have change. The camera snapped our license plate. We’re outlaws now…