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{Allerton Park}















We spent a wonderful day with my parents yesterday to celebrate my mom's birthday. Lunch at the Mexican restaurant we used to visit all of the time when Ben went to U of I, a walk through the mall, a couple of hours at Allerton Park, and cheeseburgers and ice cream for dinner.
I love Allerton Park. I haven't been there in years, but Ben and I used to go often. The first time that I ever visited Allerton was my eighteenth birthday. Ben packed a lunch of all of my favorite foods and took me for a picnic under the Sun God. After that day, we spent many more great afternoons there throughout college. Ben proposed to me on the one lane bridge at its entrance in 1998. It is a special place to us in so many ways.
It was fun to take the kids yesterday and watch them explore. The maze, the strange statues, hearing echoes in the sunken garden, running (and running and running) in the open meadow, looking for fish and tadpoles in the pond.....it was a great time for them.
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Next Door to Normal said…
One of my very, very favorite places! I first remember visiting there when I was about 4yrs old...it was one of Dad's favorite places too. Looks like you had a perfect day making memories for your kids too!
June 1, 2009 at 6:11 PM
indyhumes said…
Where is this? I want to go!
June 2, 2009 at 11:55 AM
Nini said…
One of my favorite places, too. I remembering being upset as a kid because my Mom wouldn't let me take a Foo dog home (that's a big concrete statue!)There's a great picture somewhere of a 20 something Elaine standing in front of the Centaur, my favorite statue. It's great that another generation is building memories in that beautiful park. We'll have to take a Koski/Hedenberg trip there this summer.
June 2, 2009 at 6:23 PM
Leslie said…
Karin, Allerton Park is near Urbana, Illinois. Our drive time from Zionsville was a little over two hours, so it would be quite a trip for you guys unless you were doing something else in central Illinois as well. It is a great place to visit, though!

Patti and Barb,
I'd love to go have a Koski/Hedenberg picnic there sometime! Maybe this fall when the leaves are changing?
June 2, 2009 at 8:30 PM
Nini said…
Absolutely!! Paul and I were talking last night about how we had taken a picnic there when we were first dating. I had packed a picnic, fried chicken (I couldn't have been more than 18 at the time)and all the fixings. We ate by the Sun Singer, too and then Paul fell asleep and slept the afternoon away!! Should have been a sign!

Set a date and we will be there.
June 3, 2009 at 11:37 AM
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