Chicago Trip Part 3: Millennium Park: The Cloud Gate

This is one of my favorite pictures of the trip! Luke loved this sculpture and he interacted with it at every chance he could get!

I always wanted to go to Chicago for a vacation or a weekend get away with Mike. It's close and it's such a great city! So when an opportunity arose (I was done with school, Mike wasn't working, and we didn't have any church activities), we put it on our calendar, and made reservations. We had a blast!

One of the few family photos we got on the trip. Can you spot us on top of the cloud? We also got a picture when we first walked into the Shedd Aquarium.

Anakin

Luke again.

I kept Gypsy Girl in the stroller. There were too many people to let her wander around.

Only one more Chicago post, I promise! We had such a fun-filled-two-day-trip, so I wanted to relive the trip for as many posts as I possibly could!

Chigago Trip Part 2: Children's Garden and the Palmer House

After we left the Aquarium, we walked back to our car at Soldier Field. We made a quick stop at the Children's Garden. You can see the Sear Tower above Anakin, and Soldier Field behind Luke. The boys had a great time playing. Luke would even hold the rope ladder steady while Anakin climbed up. I love seeing their team work! Even though it was fun, the boys were excited to go to the hotel--we had promised them swimming you see!

Mike got reservation through hotwire.com, and we stayed at the Palmer House Hilton. I felt a little out of place until I realized that there were other hotwire guests. We had a great time at the swimming pool.

The only down side was dinner. Gypsy Girl threw up during dinner--I'm so glad we decided to leave the hotel for dinner rather than stay in. We got settled in the room, and slept fairly well. (As well as you can sleep in a hotel room.)

Chicago Trip Part 1: The Aquarium

We had a great time in Chicago. Rather than drive down early in the morning, and come home exhausted at the end of the day, we drove down on Friday, stayed the night and came home rested on Saturday.

Part 1: the aquarium. We had a great time at the aquarium. Surprisingly, it wasn't overly crowded. It was too late for school field trips and tool early for summer tourist. We saw and recognized so many marine life. In preparation for our field trip, we read My Visit to the Aquarium. The boys recognized a lot of fish from the book. It is interesting to see how much they learn and grow!

They also had a new play portion at the aquarium. The boys loved the submarine. I loved watching them play, especially when Luke was ordering Captain Anakin in the sub. They played there for a good 20 minutes.

Anakin loved finding different animals. I especially loved seeing the iguana. We saw lots of fish, of course; frogs, chameleons, dolphins, and beluga whales.

Gypsy Girl loved all the stairs. While Mike and the boys watched the dophin and beluga show, Gypsy Girl and I climbed up and down stairs. She is getting really good. Then for her next adventure: becoming a penguin. They set up a little rock climbing, slide, dress up area resembling penguin habitat. She loved it!

Eating Tree Frogs

Red-eye green frogs. The hardest part of this snack: waiting for the jello to set up!

Anakin loved this snack, but then again tree frogs are his favorite!

Pictures from Springfield

Group hug: my oldest sister Anne with three of her nephews.

Me & my Sisters!

This is the inside of the Lincoln Museum. This is an incredible museum with movies and lots of interactive exhibits. We will plan a trip with the kids soon!

The whole reason we went down to Springfield: Mormon Historical Association. My Dad presented a paper on Wilford Wood. Wood is an interesting character. He started buying up church historical properties and selling them to the church. He used various means to get his property. He did not always want the properties restored, but rather preserved in the state he found them. He even started asking his retired friends to be missionaries at these sights. My dad was thrilled to have his daughters come to MHA to hear his presentation.

Dad and his daughters, wife and one of his six sisters. (My dad is the oldest of ten children.) We had a great time hearing his speech, going to the museum, eating with my parents. It was wonderful.

Sacrament Meeting Potty Troubles

We have a little trouble during Sacrament Meeting lately. Last week--Gypsy Girls diaper came off. I really didn't feel like getting peed on while carrying her to the Mother's Room, so I changed her diaper right in the meeting. Then two days ago Luke wet his pants in the bathroom. We were singing the Sacrament Song when he needed to go to the potty. I trot three kids out (Mike was at work) and we didn't make it to the bathroom on time--yikes. Then I run back in to get my keys. We run home for a change of clothing, and get back in time for Sunday School.

Note to self: make sure Luke pees in the potty before we go to church!

Other news: I will now be teaching the 16-17 year old Sunday School Class. I am very excited! I can let my creative juices flow. I already love most of those kids in the class--so it will be a joy!

I had a great weekend: my sisters: Jennie, Martha and Anne went to Springfield, Illinois. We heard my dad present a paper at the Mormon Historical Association, went to the Lincoln Museum, and enjoyed being with each other with no kids! It was fun. I didn't take any pictures, but my sister did. My parents, Aunt and Uncle, younger sister, and nephew all were here for Memorial Day. It was great!

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!

Chocolate Chip Pancakes--awesome! Cutting a hole in the middle of the pancake--awesome!

Those three words describe spending time with my oldest son Luke. My sisters have been in town, so we have been spending a lot of time at their cousins house. Last night on the way home he was being very obnoxious! He got a time out when he got home, and many of his toys in time out--but usually his poor behavior comes from lack of mommy attention. This morning we did mommy-me time. We went to the mall--and everything was awesome! Being able to roll down the windows--awesome! Going in the glass elevator--awesome! Playing at the mall together--awesome! Getting a snack wrap from McDonalds--awesome! We had an awesome time. He says awesome all the time--and I guess that would describe him--AWESOME!