We're Back

Yes, we are home at last, and back into a whirlwind week of double camp for Dugan--Eco Explorers at Northpark Nature Center for 3 hours each morning and gymnastics camp for 3 hours each afternoon with Sagezilla. Tomorrow he does a hat trick, where we scored spots in the above two camps plus a "Twits" by Roald Dahl writing workshop in the evening, at 826CHI.

Months ago, nature camp required a 4:30AM--4 hour stake out of a spot in line, by a slew of tired moms and dads, with thermoses of coffee, lawn chairs and good books. I told one dad, "There better be a freakin' rock concert at the end of this line!" There wasn't. But we did get quite a few quizzical looks from the local deer. I think they were laughing at us. Park gymnastics required pleading with neighbors of the kids' school to let me borrow the secret code to their wireless, so I could get a signal in my car, as I frantically hit enter on my lap top. 9am camp registration coincided with morning drop off at school and classes literally fill in minutes. 826CHI is the same way. Ya gotta be quick off the starting block to place in these excellent, free workshops! Oh the joys of urban child raising.The upside of all this campy goodness is, I now have 3 kid-free hours a day to get my freelance writing done, and catch up on ChiIL Mama. There are 8 days left to vote in the GoCityKids Best Blog Contest, so vote for us Chicago style-- early and often. If you're a huge fan, you can vote once a day under every user log in on each computer you have.

Starting tonight, I'm going to recap our 11 day series of adventures in Oregon.....in reverse. So, buckle your seat belts and make sure your tray tables are in the upright position, cause I've got some stories to tell.