Vacation: The End

Friday morning we were out the door by 9 to head back to KC.  The girls knew it would be a long trip and that we would be in the car all day, and I think that made for a very successful, relatively easy drive home.  We spent several hours in the car everyday on this trip (except on Thursday) and so the girls (and Mark and I ) were pretty tired of the car! 

We watched a lot of movies, read books, colored, played with toys, sang songs, and played games along the way. 

On our way to Chicago from Des Moines we stopped at a gas station in Iowa.  I told the girls they could pick anything they wanted from the gas station.  They were in heaven.  They wandered around the gas station for several minutes trying to decide on a treat!  Addison picked these powder donuts (which lead to Mark telling me I would clean up the car when she was done!)

Lauren chose a bag of sour gummy worms...again...they were in heaven!

The girls took several naps in the car as well!  Thank goodness. 

Addison slept too!  We learned very early on that "I want to go home" was code for I am tired, I need a nap, please let me go to sleep, it was usually followed by "I am not comfy, rub my feet." So who ever was not driving was rubbing Addison's feet for about 10 minutes and then she was asleep...ahh..peace and quiet for maybe 45 minutes.  The girls took naps in the car, but never for very long. 

I bought this new stroller for the trip and I am so glad I did.  It is an umbrella stroller, but it holds up to 55 lbs (so Lauren can sit in it if Addison does not want to) and we can use it for a long time.  I was a great purchase (with garage sale money of course) and Lauren had fun pushing Addison around at times.  Although, it is now time to sell some stroller because we now own 4 strollers...

This is Soldier Field where the Bears play.  Mark took some pictures to show his brother who is a huge Bears fan! 

One of my favorite pictures of Addison. 

and again...One of my favorite pictures of Lauren. 

Good bye Chicago...we will miss you!  Thanks for all the wonderful memories. 

Next up, a vacation scrapbook! 

Vacation: Part 9

Thursday morning we headed to the train station!  The girls were so excited to ride a real train.  We went to the Brookfield Zoo today.  We could have driven there and only had to deal with about 1/2 of the Chicago traffic, since the zoo is not all the way downtown, but we decided riding the train would be much more fun...and it was.  Until of course Addison started screaming, which she does..you know, everyone on the train turns and looks at you...that loud of a scream.  That's our Addison.  Love her to pieces!!!

The girls loved the ride in the morning on the way to the zoo.  Lots to see and lots to talk about. 

So it looks like Landen is flipping us off...but he is not!

Addison had fun on the train.  Running from seat to seat, until the train got a little crowded and then we made her stop...then the screaming started!  That is Jessica in the background (she did not know she was in the picture or she would have smiled!) 

This alligator was something we had not seen yet at the other Zoo's we have visited this summer. 

Addison had fun looking at the monkeys.  They seem to be her favorite. 

Lauren and Landen had a blast, of course.  We only stayed 4 or 5 hours at the zoo.  It was a little hotter this day and everyone was getting pretty tired.  We had a very busy, fun filled week.  We enjoyed ice cream in the shade before heading back on the train.  Addison fell asleep in the stroller in the afternoon, and Lauren took a short nap on the train. 

When we got back to Landen's house we hit the pool one last time.  It felt great to cool off in the water.  We enjoyed deep dish Chicago style pizza for dinner.  It was so good!  We did some shopping and got some Cubs gear ( a hat for Mark and a shirt for me.) 

Our time in Chicago was so much fun! 

Vacation: Part 8

The Ferris wheel at Navy Pier was our last big thing on Wednesday.  Landen and Jessica had to catch the train back home so it was just us riding the Ferris wheel.  Addison fell asleep as soon as we got off the boat and she got in her stroller, so Lauren and I headed to the Ferris wheel while Mark hung out with Addison. 

To say that Lauren loved the Ferris wheel would be an understatement.  I was not really sure if she would even go on it, but she did, she did awesome and had a blast.  She was not scared at all!  Really, you can hardly tell that it is even moving it goes so slow. 

  Do you see Mark and Addison down below?  Addison woke up while Lauren and I were on the Ferris wheel and she was so mad because she wanted to ride it too.  Mark told her he would take her on it, but she wanted to ride with Lauren and I.  Mark said she cried for almost 20 minutes while Lauren and I were gone.

 

But, look who is happy now!  We decided to go up together as a family.  Lauren loved it so much and Addison was so sad that she did not get to go that we went again.  The second time it took much longer because there was a filming crew on the Ferris wheel.  I guess something was being filmed from the top.  A movie, TV show...who knows.  But it was kind of fun after we got on.  We had to wait a little longer while in line while the filming crew loaded.  Then once we were on the Ferris wheel we were stuck up high for a little while while the filming crew unloaded down below.  The girls loved it, Mark did not.  Addison was being a little feisty way up high, and he was so nervous.  She was moving from side to side, trying to look out the side, screaming, etc...but we all ended up getting off the Ferris wheel in one piece!  I loved riding it with Lauren and seeing her excitement to see the whole city from up above.  Addison made me a little nervous as well, but all ended well. 

The view from the top.  Absolutely gorgeous.  Do you see the building to the right?  The tallest one.  On top of that building is a restaurant.  Mark and I had dinner there the day he proposed to me.  It is a french restaurant.  April 5th, 2002.  He proposed to me that morning and then we flew to Chicago for the day.  We stayed at the Drake Hotel and had dinner that night.  It was such a fun day, memorable weekend. 

Such an amazing city.  This looks like a post card...

Addison sitting still...a rare thing on this Ferris wheel ride!

So much fun...and more to come.  2 more days left of vacation.  Another zoo trip and then a full day driving home. 

Vacation: Part 7...and Thank you.

So if you are still reading all my vacations posts...thank you.  This is my only way to remember this trip and all the details and fun we had.  I will have this blog forever and of course I will scrapbook our trip and I will need to look back at the blog to journal. 

Wednesday afternoon while on Navy Pier we decided to take a boat ride.  It was one hour long and gave a detailed history of several of the building in downtown Chicago.  Mark loved the history, I loved the relaxing boat ride, and the girls enjoyed their first ride on a boat! 

A rare family picture and I love it.  Thanks Jessica for taking it..and thanks Lauren and Addison for smiling! 

The girls had a blast.  They enjoyed watching the water, looking at all the big buildings and just relaxing in the afternoon on the boat. 

Landen was asleep before we even left the dock! 

It was a perfect afternoon.  Gorgeous, sunny and 75 degrees.  Again, another reason why Mark and I love this city.

One more stop on Navy Pier...the famous Ferris wheel. 

Vacation: Part 6

Before we headed down to Navy Pier we stopped at the Rock and Roll McDonald's.  Lauren has been begging to go to McDonald's for breakfast, so I knew this vacation would be the perfect opportunity.  Mark and I hit Starbucks before heading to McDonald's for the girls.  If you notice in the background...escalators...yes, this McDonald's was very big! 

It is the Rock and Roll McDonald's and on the top level (where we ate breakfast) there were displays through the years of McDonald's (starting in the 50's I believe.)  There was music from the 60's, 70's, 80's, etc...and memorabilia significant to that decade.  It was very cool. 

Next stop, the Children's Museum, located on Navy Pier.  It opened at 10:00 and Landen and Jessica were there waiting for us! 

Addison had fun building things with Mark, while Lauren and Landen were firefighters...

Addison had to try it out too of course.  She actually spent a lot of her time in the fire station area.  She seemed to really love it. 

Lauren and Addison both love to dig for fossils at the dinosaur exhibits.  They played here for a long time as well. 

We enjoyed some Chicago style pizza for lunch.  We sat outside along the pier.  The weather was perfect and the kids had fun. 

Next up...a boat ride to learn about all the tall buildings in Chicago. 

Vacation: Part 5

We spent almost 6 hours at the aquarium and had  total blast.  Addison took a nap in the stroller, and then Lauren fell asleep on our way up to the hotel.  We drove up Michigan Avenue to get to our hotel. 

Again, Mark was worried about driving in Chicago traffic, but he did great.  The drive up was fine, not a lot of traffic until we got into the heart of the shopping district on Michigan Ave.  Then we turned left on Huron to get to our hotel, traffic was a parking lot.  Lauren was asleep, Addison was screaming.  We had to go a total of 5 blocks and it took almost 30 minutes!  Addison and I could have walked faster...and we almost did with all her screaming!

Mark found our hotel, Hotel Felix, on price line. We got a 4 star hotel for $100.  The reviews were great, very clean, modern hotel.  The only negative review were small rooms...and they were small!   We requested 2 beds, we got one.  So Addison stayed in a pack and play and Lauren on the floor in her sleeping bag.  They slept great.  Addison took her first shower, since there was no bath tub and she loved it.  The room was perfect for our stay in downtown Chicago.  Valet parking and all! 

The Rainforest Cafe was a short 3 or 4 blocks away.  We walked there for dinner and had fun. 

It was a perfect setting for the girls.  After dinner we headed up to Michigan Ave to walk around and shop a little bit.  We stopped in the Garmin store and the Nike store. 

I snapped these pictures of the girls while Mark was in the Garmin store.  He really wants a GPS/Running watch, and well the girls were just crazy in the store...so we came outside to hang out...it was beautiful outside.  We walked back to the hotel and got the girls ready for bed.  It was a very fun day in downtown Chicago. 

Do I really need to say anything about these pictures?  The sunlight was perfect Wednesday morning as Lauren sat on the window sill watching the cars and buses whiz by in Chicago.  These are 2 of my favorites that I snapped as she sat up there.  They are so good I will probably blow them up and frame them...

Off to Navy Pier for the day...more to come.