Chicago and Wisconsin Trip

We made plans a while back and decided that we needed to go on a much needed family trip. I had originally wanted to go to Michigan as I had heard so many great things, but we decided on two other places to visit; Chicago and Wisconsin. Chicago, because Chris had just been there on travels and thought it might be fun to stop by there for a day before heading to Wisconsin where we have some great college friends that we hadn't seen since we got married 8 years ago!! Way too long ago to not see the Hovestol family! We headed out of Bloomington on Thursday and drove to Chicago.

The kids did a pretty good job and we go right into town and into our very NICE hotel. The Waldorf Astoria

As soon as we got there, we had to check the entire Suite out and make sure everything looked and worked to our standards...

We didn't do a whole lot while in Chicago. A lot of walking a ton of worrying by me, the mother as I found myself constantly being frantic as Cabs do not care whether there is a child crossing the street or not, they will run you over! Lots of hand holding and panic. We did browse through The American Girl store and the Lego store there at the Mall downtown. We enjoyed some deep dish pizza and the hotel even sent up a free movie and popcorn for us to enjoy as a family. The movie the kids picked and the popcorn was eaten for breakfast the following morning as to keep the kids content so mom, dad and quin could sleep a little longer. Gotta do whatcha gotta do! Here is Landon enjoying a hunky piece of pizza. He was in Heaven!

I would say overall, the best part of Chicago for the kids, was the beach. Landon has been asking when we are gong to "the beach" and the poor kid thinks that Lake Michigan in Chicago is "the beach". But you wouldn't think anything of it because the kid loved the sand and crashing waves and didn't know the difference. Some day, we will show him a real beach but this held him over. I just love seeing the kids in complete bliss especially when it's something as simple as sand, water and sunshine. He ran, giggled, got filthy dirty and soaking wet and LOVED every minute of it!

I personally can NOT wait to go back to Chicago. However, if it were up to me, I would take only one person and that would be Christopher. We would stay in the same hotel and have the entire weekend to ourselves! (anyone up to offer to watch the kids, I won't put up a fight)

(don't we look like we deserve and need a break..maybe?) Here are a few other pictures from Chicago:

Funny story about these two pictures. At breakfast Friday morning, during our $62.00 meal, (gag!)Alexa was coloring on her kids menu when she says to me, "mommy, look. I colored a Dinorexia!"

Fashion is must have in a big city like Chicago. There were all kinds of coocky window displays. This particular Barneys window had about 50 oriental, waving cats. Quin thought it was the best and waved back to them. When I would wheel him away he would say, "more, more, more...."

Next stop, Wisconsin to see our long time college friends Dan ("Perm") and Kristin Hovestol. They were so kind to let us stay at their place for a couple nights. Before we got to their house, we stopped at an Outlet mall and a park to let the kids stretch.

Dan and Kristin have two precious boys, Haaken (4) and Hunter (21 months). I would say, overall, all 5 kids had a great time and us adults had an even better, quality time, after the kids went to bed...(i'm just saying). Saturday, we road a train on the East Troy Electric Railway dating back to the early 1900's. The kids had a blast! We road the train into town and picked apples for the first time. We ate lunch there and road the train all the way back.

Apple Picking

The Hovestol's have a dog named Kona and she is such a gentle giant! The Mobley kids, and when I say kids, that includes Chris, LOVED her.

Finally, here are the pictures to close up our wonderful weekend. We decided that it's a given, we are gonna have to do this again. It was long overdue time well spent!