When I stepped outside this morning to get the newspaper from my driveway, I felt a cool lake breeze. I was suddenly taken by the desire to walk on the shoreline and to hear the waves. My plans for the day included finishing laundry and scrubbing out burnt on crud in my crock pot, but I decided to be spontaneous. What if…

We live right off of Lake Avenue, which goes directly to Lake Michigan. I’ve never driven all the way to the lake; when I have driven those eleven miles, I’ve turned south to go into the city. What if the girls and I drove all the way to the beach?

If you know me, you know I can’t be THAT spontaneous. I began to look at online maps for free parking! I was hopeful that since it was a cool week day, there would be plenty of parking spaces available. The girls and I packed a couple of snacks and beach towels, but we weren’t planning on swimming. It was definitely too cool to swim in Lake Michigan. Plus, the swimming beach charges about $10 for non-residents of that lake-front suburb.

With a plan in mind, we hopped into the car and…had to stop for gas before our adventure could begin!

Back on Lake Avenue, we drove over the Des Plaines River and under I294. Lake Ave. also goes by Hackney’s, where I had one of my very first dates when I was 16 years old. We drove past Wagner Farm in the middle of Glenview, where I’ve taken preschool students on numerous field trips, and over the Chicago River.

I was worried that the free parking would be full and we’d have to punt, but there were plenty of spaces. As we found our way to the water, we discovered that there was no swimming allowed because of the rip tides. But that was okay. We only wanted to dip our feet in the water and dig our toes into the sand for a little while, and then we would be on our way back home.

We had discovered a little bit of heaven just 11 miles from our house. It only took me about 13 years to explore that beach, to tear myself away from the laundry and the dishes and the sameness of being a mom.

When’s the last time you were spontaneous? Do you find it hard to be spontaneous like I do, or is it easier for you? Tell me in the comments below!