The Parrillo Family

What's better than a trip to a National Forest?  A trip to a National Forest with family that we haven't seen in a while.  Nat and I packed the kids up and went out to southern California for a vacation this month with the full Moran Clan.  Of course, we stopped at Disneyland (more on that later), but spent a full week up in the mountains of the San Bernardino National Forest on Big Bear Lake. We had a full week of family and nature.  And more nature.  And swimming.  And hiking and walking and exploring.  It was such a nice break and a lovely way to spend a week together.   On the lake, collecting world-record-breaking pinecones, finding geo-caches, spelling out J O Y in pinecones on the path, climbing trees, hiking in the hills, pondering life's great wonders, exploring town and riding the Alpine Slide.  Memories to last a lifetime.

Who says you can't hike in Illinois?  One early evening on our way out to dinner, we spotted a forest preserve in Downers Grove that we wanted to explore.  The kids were eager (well...SD and Frank where!) to explore, so we burned off some calories and explored our new town just a little bit more before the trees all are set to lose their leaves this fall.