Our Chicago Adventure - Part 3

When last we left our happy travelers, they had just seen Sue the T. Rex, gone swimming at Grandma and Grandpa's hotel, and enjoyed a GREAT dinner...

On the last full day of their visit to Chicago, the most special, most exciting event was planned: lunch at American Girl Place. Unfortunately, Eleanore had to head home to Milwaukee for play practice, so it was Molly, Mommy, Grandma, Julie, Morgan, and Lindsey.

AGP (as we lovingly call it) had moved into Water Tower Place recently, so we hadn't seen the new place. It is BEAUTIFUL, with a little city main street with shops and a Sweet Treat store, leading you to the cafe.

We had a wonderful, very special lunch. All the girls borrowed dolls to join us (since Morgan's and Lindsey's were getting their hair done at the salon and Molly doesn't have a doll yet... although not for lack of asking that day). The girls really enjoyed asking the discussion questions at the table and it was fun to hear the answers Mom and Julie shared.

Molly kept reminding me that she REALLY wanted a Molly doll... so that's our first official entry on the 2009 Christmas list.

Our Chicago Adventure - Part 2

On Saturday, our plan was to visit the Field Museum to see Sue the T. Rex.

(Before our trip, I asked you if you would be afraid of the dinosaur. Your reply was, "Mom, it's not a real dinosaur. It's just the bones. Dinosaurs are dead." Thanks, little palaeontologist...)

When we woke up, Chicago had a light blanket of snow covering the streets. Luckily, it was about two to four inches instead of the six to eight that was predicted -- but it was still C O L D. And windy. And COOOOOOOOOOOLD.

Grandma called from the hotel - she wasn't feeling well. (Came down with a case of intestinal unpleasantness.) So that left Uncle Paul and me to herd Ellie (12), Morgan (8), Lindsey, and you (both 4-1/2) to and through the museum. Uncle Paul decided that he should take Grandma some medicine, so he volunteered me to walk you girls to the hotel and meet him there.

Awesome.

So we bundled up, buddied up, and started walking.

Now, you REALLY don't like wind 0 so as soon as I opened the door to the outside, you started yelling, "I want to go back in!!!" Being the sensitive, loving, gentle mother that I am, I picked you up and hauled you outside. In the eight or so block walk to the hotel, you and Lindsey yelled, "This is the worst day EVER!" no less than 3,000 times. But we made it, delivered love and medicine to Grandma, then grabbed a cab to take us the rest of the way.

Did we have a great time? I'll let the photos tell the story...

Hamming it up with Sue for Aunt Vicki...

Elephants! No one told us there would be elephants. HOORAY!

(No wonder we call her Peanut - she's the size of one compared to them.)

More hamming it up... and Eleanore getting annoyed with Aunt Vicki's requests to "Look like it's chasing you!"

Now the Triceratops... it's chasing you, too!

After all the fun at the museum - and lunch too - we returned to Uncle Paul's for nap time. After nap, we ventured out again in the cold - this time for swimming at Grandma and Grandpa's hotel.(Luckily, Grandma was feeling better.)

Then, I cooked my famous Parmesan Chicken for all nine of us -- and Morgan declared, "That when everyone is done, they will cry that there is no more of this wonderful chicken left!" We ate cookies and brownies and crawled off to bed... with plans for American Girl Place awaiting us on Sunday...

Stay tuned for Part 3 of our Chicago Adventure!

Our Chicago Adventure - Part I

Early in January, Daddy found some cheap airfares to Chicago, where your Uncle Paul lives. "Might be a nice weekend trip for you girls while I'm out of town." Nice thought, but then I started thinking about flying by myself with you... dealing with security, airport delays, shuttle buses, etc. and got thought, "Yeah, I'll pass."

Later that week, Uncle Paul passed along a deal from Amtrak. Round trip, you and me - $60. Sold. Grandma and Grandpa could come over for the weekend, too, and it would be a nice little family gathering.

I really didn't think through the "Chicago in February" part... but other than that, we had a FANTASTIC time. And it was a trip filled with lots of firsts.

First #1 - Amtrak ride! The Amtrak was great. Nice and relaxing with no traffic to worry about. Ellie's Grandma Lil dropped us off, so we didn't have to worry about parking or anything. We walked in, checked our bag, and waited to board. The very nice lady behind the counter gave you a Pinocchio coloring page (why Pinocchio? I don't know... it's what they had on the counter) and some crayons.

We boarded and were seated on the top level, which you thought was amazing. You spent a lot of time just looking out the window, which was so sweet.

Next, the conductor announced that the dining car was open. Dining car! How cool! So we ate pizza on the train as we watched the countryside roll by...

You took a little nap after lunch and, before we knew it, we arrived at Union Station. Grandma and Grandpa met us there to help me with the luggage (and you!) and escort us to Uncle Paul's apartment. We made dinner and greeted Uncle Paul and Ellie as they arrived from Milwaukee... then Uncle's Paul's girlfriend Julie and her two girls.

Grandma and Grandpa headed off to their hotel as we settled in for bed, making plans for Saturday... Day one of our Chicago Adventure was a success - and the fun hadn't even started yet!

Tomorrow: the next part of our Chicago visit, including the trip to see Sue the T. Rex!