When we got our car checked in Texas, we learned we were going through oil at a pretty rapid rate. So, every couple days we would make sure to check the oil level and add as much as needed. Bryce was super excited to learn how to help with the process. I suggested to Aubree that she learn too, but she commented, "I don't need to know that yet."
We had a fairly long drive from Ohio all the way across Indiana. The kids kept themselves occupied with their fruit loops from the hotel breakfast. Aubree and Bryce made Nellie a Fruit Loop necklace.
Aubree used Thane's cereal to make him a crown and a decorated flag. He was quite pleased with the accessories.
On our way through Indiana we made a slight detour so we could drive past the Notre Dame campus. It's impressive! I kind of wish we knew someone there who could have given us the inside scoop. As it was, we mostly drove past the stadium, told the kids we need to watch the movie "Rudy," and saw a few of the buildings.
Our main destination for the day was the newly designated Indiana Dunes National Park. We arrived at the Visitor's Center in the early afternoon and discovered that to get the Jr Ranger badge we had to visit many different parts of the park. Oh, we also learned that not much changed when the park became a National Park. The previous designation as a "National Seashore" meant things have mostly been business as usual.
First, we took a hike to the old Bailly Homestead and visited the Chellburg Farm. The farm is a working farm, with cows, goats, pigs and chickens. I'm pretty sure this is the first (only?) National Park with a farm that we've seen.
Once we completed the necessary tasks at those locations, we made our way to the most anticipated part of the park - the beach. Pictures don't do this beach justice; the colors of the water and sky were magnificent!
You can't tell very well from the picture below, but since it was a clear day, we could see the skyline of Chicago across Lake Michigan.
As expected, Thane jumped right in. The water was quite cold, so he didn't stay in very long.
Nellie, Mark, Aubree, and I mostly stayed on shore and played with the rocks. We started out making cairns. Nellie learned quickly. Mark and Aubree soon got more ambitious. The sorted rocks into colors and made themselves a nice mosaic. Bryce started out playing in the water, but halfway through made his way over to help with the mosaic.
Thane and Graham spent all their time near their water. They tried to build a retaining wall to hold the lake back from the shore. We left before their work was destroyed.
Behind the rocky shore was sand, and Nellie convinced Mark to bury her and turn her into a Mermaid. She was super pleased with the whole thing. I was less pleased when it was time to go and she was completely coated with sand.
We made it back to the Visitor's Center to get their Jr Ranger badges and be sworn in. Then we stopped at McDonalds for dinner before making our way to the next hotel for the night.
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