Ten years ago, someone I worked with mentioned bringing his kids to Sheboygan. A word I had never heard of, and a word I had forgotten about until early this year, when I was trying to figure out where we should go on our first trip with two kids.
Why not Sheboygan, WI? A three-hour drive from where we live in Illinois, a city with lots of kid activities, a county that offers the beach and forest. And boy, it did not disappoint.
We found a rental right on the beach and as soon as we got there, the kids raced straight to the sand. The joy on their faces as they rolled around, picked up shells, and dug holes. Sand in every nook and cranny. The wind whipped our hair and rejuvenated our spirits, now free from the confines of the van. The peace we felt as we listened to the waves crashing into the shore. No one else around us.
I get why families take vacations now. Despite G fussing in her carseat and Bub asking every few minutes when we’d be there. Despite lugging noise machines and remembering to bring diapers. Despite navigating nap times and trying to make a new place toddler-friendly. Being away from home took us out of our comfort zone but forced us to grow closer as a unit. No distractions.
Memories were made from swinging with G in the hammock, playing Green Bay Packers checkers with Bub, and tackling a Minnesota-themed puzzle with Steve and Bub while G napped. I want to remember Steve and G doing yoga together on the living room rug and watching Buddha ride the waves as she retrieved a giant stick. I want to remember that the kids were happiest outside in the sand.
And when we did drag them away from the beach, we had a blast visiting the Mini Mocha Play Cafe, Bookworm Gardens, and the Above & Beyond Children’s Museum. We found everything we needed at Nature’s Best Market. I wanted to leave the trip wishing we could stay longer, and I got what I wanted.
When we got home, before unbuckling his seatbelt, Bub turned to me with a smile and said, “Oh, I thought we were going to go run to the sand.” For a brief moment, he had forgotten that we had left Sheboygan. Feels like a dream now, doesn’t it?
