Good Ol' Chicago!!! (2005-07-27 - 4:55 p.m.)

Two weeks ago on this coming saturday, we went to Chicago. Friday we had plotted and staged everything. Had the kids to bed at 8, when the usual summer bed time is whenever, saying I had a headache and wasn't feeling well. My husband and I got up at 6, took a shower, and we made a big breakfast for the kids, got them dressed then told them we had to go shopping. When we went the opposite direction of our usual shopping destination, the started asking where we were going. I told them Mejiers, they were having a kick ass sale, (I wasn't sure, but they didnt' know the difference), we pulled into the train station, parked the car and paid, as we were walking up to pay, Liam asked if this was a park, I said no, is it a store, I said no, (the tracks are up a flight of stairs so he couldn't tell where we were or where we were going.) Finally, he looked at me, and said, we are at a train station aren't we? We're going to Chicago aren't we? We're going to the Sears Tower huh mommy!!!!!!! I told him yes, and this was all before we had paid for parking and gotten the train tickets. So then we laid down the rules of the day. They were so good I was so proud. So we go in pay for the tickets for the train, go out and wait. Me myself, I had never been on the metra trains, I had no idea that some of the lines in to Chicago were double deckers. So when Dave asked if we wanted to ride the top deck I was really confused. It was all great fun. The kids had a blast, laughing and giggling. It was the first time any of them had been on a train of any kind.

When we pulled into Union Station it was 10:15 it took us till 10:30 to get out of there. Busy busy busy place. We went straight to the Sears tower, I had brought a couple of camera's with me so I could take a ton of pictures for Kelly of our day. When I stood at the base of that building I felt so small. Going into a city never ceases to amaze me. I live in the suburbs of one of the most beautiful city. I love Chicago. As I stood there, Dave and I decided to take a picture looking straight up to the top. Wow it's BIG! I felt tiny no matter where we went. Liam and Taylors eyes were HUGE as they stood there and looked up at the size of these buildings. When we went in, we had to get into the elevator, go up a floor or down, or something, to get tickets and go thru a security check. Then into what was like a cattle holding area, where we waited to watch a movie about the tower and some quick facts on chicago. When that was finally over, we got into another elevator and up we went. You had never seen so many people yawn and gum smacking at the same time. We wondered around the top, looking out each side. The kids were blown away at how much they could see and how small they looked. We must have spent a good hour or so there, then down we went again,with more yawns and gum smacking. My son said as the elevator, that was really fun mom, very cool thanks! Then this really mature grown man, started making fun of him. What an asshole. If it was so horrible, why did you waste your cash to go?

Anyway. Then we decided to treak down to Lake Michigan, and hang out on the lake front a bit and let the kids see buckingham fountain. Relaxed, snacked, and kicked off our shoes (my dumb ass didn't think and went for looks instead of comfort DUH ME). Then we headed to Millenium Park. Which neither Dave or I have seen yet. It's really cool...it's one huge ass ampitheater. I took picks of it for Kelly. I had to it was way to nifty. So then we HAD head down michigan ave in search of a mall, instead I found a filens basement, got my new clothes and off we went. But then we found an old navy like 2 blocks from where we were from the park. I could have spent 15 instead of 30, but oh well. We saw the Water tower, my husband loves that building, he took quite a few pics of them as well. We thought about going home, but all was well, so we went for lunch at McD's where they could fuck up a wet dream. I was wondering if they had a brain in their head. I'm thinking if they did, it was just way to small to accomplish a simple task like tying shoes.

Back at Millienum park we ended up watching a Music festival. Was very nice and relaxing, the kids ran in the grass and played, giggled, said thanks a million times over. we caught the 8:30 train home, got back to the train staion at 9:46, back to the house at 10:15 where in the back everyone but Liam was passed out. We then counted blisters on my feet (remember my dumb ass went for looks instead of comfort) eight in total, and a rash on my leg. Sore feet, calfs and inner thighs for days. I can't forget the REALLY bad sunburn I had on my face and arms. When I took my shirt off, I looked like a skunk with a sunburn! OH well, it was worth it. I brought my pedometer with, we had walked a total of 10 miles from the time we left the dining room table, to the time we got back to the dining room table. It was great fun. Sunday, we all sat around the house moaning about how sore/tired we all were. But it was a great exeperience with the family that we have a lot of now, cause of Dave's new job. Until later!