chicago in a day

 

our trip to chicago treated us mighty fine last week, even if we were only in town for a day! 

max has seen all different parts of the city but we had never taken him to the navy pier to eat sweets and watch sail boats and ooh and ahh at the skyline behind us. and so that's what we did!

 

oh how he loved it...with all the people watching and "beach birds" and tallest tall buildings all around. we rode up in the ferris wheel and squealed at how lucky we were to have such beautiful weather and such a fantastic view. we walked and walked and legoland-ed and ate way too much mcdonalds. it was a true vacation.

 

and such a treat to get to pack up the car and be with my guys on a quick adventure...seeing sights and smelling different air. it was just what i needed.

animal crackers

there's something special about chicago in the fall. it's got a happy disposition or something. or maybe it's just that everything seems a bit happier to me this time of year. i've got autumn-colored glasses on, friends!

we took buddy to the lincoln park zoo while we were in town over the weekend. it was breezy bundle weather out but so so lovely...the perfect place to stroll around. i loved taking in bits of urban city and exotic animals at the same time. i guess it's not everyday that you get to see gorillas with skyscrapers in the background. 

the zoo was the place to be! max was smitten with the beavers and their scary red teeth, matt had guilt and wanted to free every last caged animal, and i couldn't stop taking pictures of the leaves on the ground or squealing at baby monkeys (i'm not sure there were even any baby monkeys...it turned out to be a hidden adult monkey head every single time).

three cheers for fall time zoo trips!

and beavers. 

and max and his little fleece sweatshirt that he refuses to stop wearing. 

xoxo

on the road again

matt has been away for work all week in chicago.

it's been the pits without him...it always is. 

so we're hitting the road and spending a couple days with him in the city! we've got our sights set on him and on the lincoln park zoo. october is turning out to be a busy one.

happy happy weekend, friends!

kings of the road

 we made it home safely from our extreme spring break and are still spinning from the time we had!

although, being on the road with my two friends might just have been the highlight.

i love traveling with matt because he has zero road rage...and in moments when most would be giving gestures or pounding on the steering wheel he will make these funny little calm observations...("they're not using their turn signals...the whole lot of them")...it tickles me to no end.

we opted to not bring along any technology for max and traveled like days of old...with family sing a longs and snacks from home and a million rounds of the alphabet game.

max was a real trooper. he was inspired by the open road and decided to write and sing a spring break theme song...then boredom set in and he found a pair of safety scissors and gave his stuffed dog a hair cut, causing blue fuzz to fly and cover the car.

he only asked if we were there yet 40 times and was convinced that matt was driving in the wrong direction the majority of the trip. he has a sixth sense about these sorts of things.

chicago was amazing. and of course i took way too many photos...

i'll be back tomorrow with pictures and tales of white-knuckle cab rides, adventures 1,353 feet in the sky, and the city's best macaroni and cheese.

ohio, i'm gone...

we're busting out of this place for a few days of reckless spring break abandon in chicago.

max has a taxi cab ride, the sears tower, pizza, and the lego store on his check list.

i like his style.
clear the road, we're on the move!
be back in a couple days...

chicago chicago

we're back from our trip to chicago and are still catching our breath and digging through unpacked bags.

matt and me and his mama hopped and skipped and jumped it over a couple of states to visit matt's brother todd and his wife tonya and all their fabulous friends. 

i love visiting this city, but have never been in the fall before. it might be my favorite.

we ate amazing food and drank our weight in ginger ale (thanks to tonya's wine bar), got to sleep in and stay out late, explore on foot and ride in crazy taxi cabs, window shop and try on fancy hats....

and being the shameless gal that i am...we did all sorts of touristy nonsense...like taking a rickshaw ride downtown and a boat ride to the navy pier. ...watched magic shows and held hands by the lake.

...tucked ourselves away in the art institute gardens and enjoyed the weather with a side of quiet time and some coffee.

...got caught people watching...

...ordered way too much pizza and root beer

and had the loveliest weekend away...and todd and tonya were the best hosts!

really and truly, we left yesterday feeling so inspired and energized after being around such a beautiful city and even more beautiful people.

 dear chicago in fall, you are swell. 

you would be even better if max had gotten to come along though.

more photos on facebook

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2069473&id=1162141043&l=34375fd8cd