Splashing in Dixon, IL

We had an afternoon of no plans last weekend. With the severe heat we've had the past month, the kids & I haven't spent much time outside. You can imagine (esp. if you have young, energized kids like we do)that we were getting a bit stir-crazy! Matt suggested heading to Dixon, IL (a little more than an hour east of us) to see something that he thought we might like. He described the surprise to me, but I couldn't imagine it. So, we headed out to see this surprise. We drove to Dixon and ate lunch, then drove a bit further to Franklin Grove, IL to Franklin Creek Nature Preserve. While taking a lunch break a few years back, Matt took a short hike on a trail and came across a natural spring! We hiked down the paved path (about 1/3 mile) and came across this!

 Due to the lighting of the day, the pictures do this spring no justice!  You can't even tell that there is water under the rock that the kids are standing on.  The water is coming out of the rock/hole beside Katie (in pink) and flowing all the way down (see next picture).  Also notice (in this next picture), Will's boots.  The water is high enough to flow into his boots!

Soon after this picture was taken, Maddie announced that she needed to go to the bathroom.  If you know Maddie, this is typical for her!  We try to announce rest stops a few miles ahead - because she always says "no" initially...and then changes her mind as we get closer!  So, Matt left with Katie & Maddie to use the rest room at the foot of the trail.

Katie & Maddie in the water - very cold!!

 Will, Alex & I stayed behind to play in the water.  It was very cold water and Alex didn't have good shoes for playing in water (we will plan better next time!!), but Will had a blast!  He played in the water - throwing it in the air, building a rock dam, sitting in it (after being told not to since we didn't have a change of clothes or any towels!  Like I mentioned, we weren't prepared!)

Check out the water FLOWING from the boot!

Alex enjoyed climbing on the rocks and looking for little bugs. 

On our way back to the van, Matt snapped this shot under this cool tree!  Once at the van, I remembered that I still had an extra days worth of clothing from our Ohio trip - stored in the stow & go of the van!  I was pretty excited about this since I had nothing else for Will to sit on, change in to!

We drove back in to Dixon to get a special treat for the kids - ICEEs!  After the treat, we walked along the river to admire the beautiful work Dixon has done with their riverfront.

The kids with Abraham Lincoln

 The girls and I walked across the bridge to the other side of the river while Matt & Will drove the van around.  We "played" in the fountains (another 100 degree day!) and enjoyed reading the history of Dixon, IL along their river walk.

Across the street, the kids noticed this chicken.  They asked if they could have their picture taken in front of it (doing the chicken dance, of course!).

 While posing for the picture, the owner pulled in and told us that there was another chicken behind the dumpster, alongside the restaurant.  So all of the kids took a turn sitting on this chicken!

 All in all, it was a nice, impromptu outing.  We left late morning and got back home in time to get Katie to her evening party and the rest of us to a swimming party!