Just Be a Duck: Chicago Times

In April 2012, Chris and I took a trip to Chicago to see his brother Keith and his family. It happened to also be the last time that we saw Keith on this earth and I know chris and I are so thankful that we made this last minute trip. It has taken me awhile to upload these photos but now that I have, I am realizing how much of a roller coaster this short trip was, and I wouldn't have changed a thing about it.

Kim, Brian, and their kids (Sierra, Cody and Erik) decided to make a trip of it too. A lot of the trip (I felt) was to let Keith have some quality family time before he passed. In saying that, i felt my main purpose was to help distract the kids with Kim but taking them to do things.

It was a lot of park visits.

Here are some photos of us playing :)

Sierra learned a cool trick!

The boys!

slides

my tush was a little too wide for this slide!

Sierra always lets me take pictures :)

We went to Addy's favorite library that had the "witches hat" at the front... picture to follow

Standing under the witch's hat (an upside down cone that Addy loved)

This was also so cute because Addy grabbed Erik's hand and we all swooned

Next stop was this delicious ice cream shop in Downers Grove. This little shopping center was where Keith and Addy used to go to watch the trains.

Everyone loved their ice cream!

Blue!

Cody... who would have thought to eat ice cream this way?! :)

Sierra :)

Another day Kim and I took the kids into the city to go exploring. We thought it would be a great idea to go to the top of The Sears Tower (now renamed The Willis Tower). Wow... warning -this is not a very enjoyable event for kids. Its like waiting in a line at disneyland to never reach the ride. It was really cool once we got to the top, but honestly the line took us what seemed like 3 hours (in reality it was probably only 1.5 hours) with another line just as long to go back down to ground level.

Train ride pictures!

Kim trying to figure out where we were going :)

We did have fun taking pictures at the top

Saw the Chase building - Cupcake!

This was kind of freaky...

Erik has no fears!

Sierra doesn't either!

This is a better portrayal of how it really felt... weird!

Looking down

Cody was really afraid

Cody wanted to be carried onto the platform :)

Note: we did get suckered into buying the super expensive print but we did a jump shot in it... totally worth it!

It may seems weird that I took a picture of these cups... The reason (you will know if you have visited since I have been working at Riverside) is because my work hands these same cups (with the Riverside logo on it) for job fairs and similar events.

They are hyper colored and they seem to be a hit everywhere else too! Reminds me of my youth with hyper colored shirts :)

These Mold-A-Rama machines were new to me. Apparently they are all over Chicago. You put in quarters and it makes a wax sculpture for you! This seems amazing to me! I really wanted one, but I didn't really want one of the Sears Tower. Bobby (one of the cousin's kids that we stayed with) had a collection that I was very envious of! :)

After the Willis Tower adventure we wandered to Michigan Ave (which is a hopin street with lots of stores, etc.) They happened to have a Lego store right next to an American Girl doll store. Pretty smart for business!

I took the boys to the Lego store while Kim stayed in the American Girl doll store with Sierra.

I have never been in a Lego store before and I would have to say that I was very impressed. It was a mad house filled with people but still enjoyable :)

self portraits while building space crafts out of legos

His ship!

Sierra and Kim met back up with us and she was very excited to show me her new treasure from the American Girl store.

Of course instead of a doll she gets a horse :) My little horse loving niece!

We waited outside the Lego store for them to finish up and I made Sierra pose by the window display with the buildings of Chicago made of legos.

Jump shot!

Self portrait

We took a cab to where are she decided to play on my phone with the camera :)

Shirley's youngest brother lives in the outskirts of Chicago so one day we ventured out for a visit,

Uncle Richie and Aunt Marsha had a lovely plot of land with horses, dogs, a little pond... tons of fun! We spent a whole day there playing, eating local food, taking time riding horses and Addy riding her cousins like horses :)

The horses had a ton of space to roam

The pond

A video view

Pretty close by they even had train tracks. I used to think living near the train tracks was bad. Now we live right by them. I love the sound of the trains (guess I married into the right family!). On the east coast it seems like there are so many trains/tracks that it is much more common.

We took a walk down the the tracks and the kids had a ball throwing rocks. The poor pup was trying to fetch them!!!

Fossils

Trying to take a self portrait

Addy meeting horses with her Uncle Richie

Shirley with Richie and Addy

Addy seems unsure of the horse...

Love my niece Addy!

Free horse brushing! Sierra is a pro!

More spectators that workers

Addy riding her cousin Bobby (he has the mold-a-rama collection)

Cody and Jane join in on the fun!

Brian and Erik riding!

Up a hill!

Shirley is the professional rider. I wish that Shirley and Richie would have had time to go on a ride together. Sibling bonding time is very important

Sierra got Uncle Richie to get another horse ready to ride. We couldn't keep her away from them! :)

Chris decided to ride too! What a surprise!

Cutest video ever :)

I rode in the car back with Chris, Shirley and Addy and I got some cute videos of her singing :)

While we were in Chicago we mostly stayed with Chris's cousin Paul, his wife Beth, and kids (Bobby, Jane and Mary)

Paul brought out a bunch of photo albums for us to look through and I spotted this gem of Chris's dad John in his younger years!

We all (like 30 of us) met up at a local Polish Restaurant for lunch one day. We didn't get a whole group picture (which I wish we would have) but I would have to say this place was amazing!!! I really wish I would have taken picture inside and of my food. I guess I was too busy eating!