Before leaving on vacation, I packed a tote filled with my journaling supplies: Moleskine watercolor notebook, watercolor pencils, water reservoir brush, Pitt pens, pencil, eraser, scissors, glue stick and pencil sharpener. (I had stamped some background images on half a dozen pages before packing up the journal.) My collage elements were garnered from tourist brochures and travel guides found at rest areas along the way. Not only was this journal a great way to pass the time as we rode along but is now a wonderful memento of a fabulous road trip.
Our journey began on June 29th when we headed West to Wisconsin. We spent the first night in Erie, PA after a smooth start, eight hours of drive time and two stops. These journal entries were made as I "rode shotgun" and kept the kids filled with snacks and juice and made sure their power cords were plugged into ports. That was my job. (It seems video games, iPods and portable DVD players have replaced "the license plate game.")
The morning of June 30th greeted us with torrential rain, thunder and lightening. The hotel lost power and quickly switched to generator as we were waking up and getting ready to leave. We drove through some of the heaviest rains I have ever seen and thankfully avoided the reported flooding. Shortly after entering Ohio the rains let up and the drive was much better into Illinois.
Arriving in Chicago brought a special feeling and a flood of memories. It always brings me back to the many car trips we took when I was young to visit family who lived in the suburbs. Staying in the suburb of Schaumburg naturally included a visit to the Woodfield Mall, the number one tourist attraction in Illinois (go figure.)
On day three of our road trip we arrived in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and were lovingly greeted by cousins, aunts and uncles. I am so grateful to have had this time with my family and we spent the next four days talking, laughing, eating, celebrating, swimming, boating and laughing some more. Much too soon, and with a tearful goodbye, we head back to Chicago and the final highlights of our road trip.
July 7th began with a trip to the Field Museum and oh, what a museum! There was a thrill around every corner, especially for my ten year old son who could hardly contain his joy amidst the Egyptian mummies and prehistoric creatures. His wealth of knowledge on these particular subjects came pouring out at lightening speed. (We had our very own tour guide and expert for the day.) After barely scratching the surface of what the Field Museum has to offer, we head to Clark and Addison...home of the beautiful, historic Wrigley Field.
Before entering Wrigley we made sure to find the personalized brick paver, in memory of my dad, on the concourse surrounding the stadium. We take in all the sights and sounds of this wonderful ballpark and after a disappointing Cubs loss head back to the hotel and prepare for our journey home.
An art journal can be used for many things, among them recording events we want to remember. My advice is to make sure to pack your journal and supplies along with your swimsuit and sunscreen...you'll be glad you did.
© Nancy Lefko
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