My kids and I were visiting my mom, who lived in Chicago.
I hadn’t seen her in over a year, and my kids were excited to see their Grandma.
The first thing they wanted to do when we arrived was go to Orland Park and visit Lake Catherine Nature Center and Botanical Garden. Last summer we had been here, but it was too cool and rainy to have a good time. My kids wanted to try it again. We drove to Orland Park, IL, and found our way to Lake Catherine. I remembered mom bringing me here during the summer. I was such a relaxing venue with so many things to do. Mom and I were happy to walk around the botanical garden, but the kids wanted to go canoeing. They were now teenagers and as long as they were allowed to go alone; I was okay with it. They had been kayaking and canoeing since they were little tots. Their dad was an avid water lover, and he instilled that love in them. They were content to spend the morning walking and chatting with their grandma, and enjoying the botanical garden and experiencing nature. My oldest son asked why it was so cool? Where we lived, it was much warmer, and we were already using the air conditioning, even though it was early June. Grandma invited them to stay for the summer, and they begged. They wanted to experience a summer without air conditioning. I only wished I could have stayed, too. I missed mom and I miss the weather in Orland Park. IL.