Chicago - Vegas Style

I used to think that my need to go...go...go...was just my personality, but now I think it's just the Vegas blood in me. My aunt and uncle are HUGE Cubs fans and they always spend some time in Chicago when they come to visit me...they usually go to several baseball games. My mom, the kids, and I decided to join them this year...we have NEVER been as pooped while visiting Chicago as were during this trip.

Wednesday
My aunt and uncle left a day earlier than us to catch a baseball game. We had to get a nice early start today so that I could get my grandma here with enough time to get to the Cubs game. After Mom and I dropped Grandma off at the station, we made our way to the Field Museum. I think that one might be my favorite...it has a good mix so that both the kids and I can enjoy it. We were all having such a good time that we stayed until they kicked us out...literally. That place starts shooing you out fifteen minutes before closing.

The kids LOVE the Underground Adventure.

After we left the museum we began our next adventure...finding the hotel. We are staying at the Holiday Inn at Market Place/Plaza/Square or whatever...it's in the Sun Times building. I usually stay downtown and know my way around pretty good I think. BUT I must say...I like this place a lot. The rooms are nice and there is a food court here (that will be REALLY convenient in the mornings.) There is also a subway station connected to the building.

My family takes the subway A LOT when they are here. I have stayed clear of it because I am usually here with the kids by myself. I pick my battles and dealing with three children on a subway alone is NOT one I am up for. BUT they are getting to an age where I am less intimidated by the idea...and I HAVE used the subway in NYC and Philly (why not add Chicago to the list).

The scariest part was waiting for the train to come. I wouldn't let the kids get off the bench until then because I was so freaked by the thought of them falling on the tracks.

The boys were thrilled to ride the subway for their first time...

they LOVED standing up while the train was in motion.

Aspen was so pooped from the long day that she wanted to sleep at dinner. BUT, I realized tonight that my boys DON'T get tired. As if the day wasn't long enough, we decided to take our chances and head to American Girl and do some shopping in The Water Tower...but it had just closed :( So we just window shopped for a while. After we missed our station we decided that we walked so much we might as well just walk all they way back...it was a trek, let me tell you (especially after 10PM)...and when we got back the boys were still going...STRONG.

Thursday

Today was the lonnngest day I have EVER had in Chicago. My kids may not have been tired and grumpy, but I WAS. We started out at Navy Pier because 1) The kids and I LOVE it there and 2) I thought it was a good place for my mom to go to on her first visit in the Windy City. I realized two things while I was there, 1) Grandma LOVES to smoke and 2) Mom LOVES to text...I think that woman might text MORE than a teenager. I had to pull the parent card out on her at lunch and tell her it was inappropriate to text at the table ;)

After our walk along the pier ALL I could think about was fried dough and gelato...a stand advertised 24 flavors. I ate really healthy at lunch (too healthy) so I could be REALLY naughty. I was even tempted to order yummy key lime pie, but passed because come on...when would I have another chance to get fried dough outside of a fair??? After the kids got their Dip n Dots and Grandma got her sundae (my mom was being REALLY good and not getting anything) I walked to the end of the pier to get my dough...I wanted it so bad I was probably salivating...thinking the WHOLE time about what flavor of gelato I was going to have.

When I asked the guy what flavors they had he responded, "Well...we have vanilla?". I thought he was just being a smart ass...duh, there is ALWAYS vanilla...but no, he meant that was ALL he had. WTF??? I asked about the 24 flavors and he corrected me, "Actually, it says FIVE of 24 churning flavors" or something like that. FINE..where are the other four flavors dammit. Sigh...I tried to settle down and tell myself that vanilla gelato is really yummy too. Now what topping did I want, fudge or caramel? While I was debating about that he added, "Oh...we don't have any dough either"...OMG. I had enough...I gave up and walked away...I was NOT compromising with myself that much. I was down right PISSED...I had salmon and rice...NO pie...all for NOTHING. My addiction is obviously desserts ;)~

The kids had a great time though...they enjoyed their dessert. Aspen was really bummed though that she couldn't go on all the rides like the boys. She was especially upset over the flying swings.

But Great-Grandma made it all better...she got her some tokens for the boats.

AND a ticket for the carousel.

Aspen WAS super excited that she could go on one big girl ride.

She's a natural (see how her hands are in the air?)

We ended our visit at Navy Pier with a trip on the Ferris Wheel.

From there we took a taxi to the American Girl store. I might love that place as much as Aspen...poor Nicholas hates it though. My mom had to take him out after a while because he said he couldn't take all the girlishness anymore...where was the boy stuff? ;) Aspen decided that she was moving up from the bitty babies and REALLY wanted Molly. I couldn't justify getting her a $100 doll just because...getting her out of there WITHOUT the doll was going to be fun. Luckily I came across mini-dolls (I didn't know they made those) and was happy to see they had mini-Molly. I CAN'T wait to get her big Molly for Christmas.

My mom may be lacking a lot of female traits...but shopping is NOT one of them. That woman LOVES to shop. At least she likes girl stores now...I would have never thought, EVER,that I would be waiting outside of a BeBe store for my mom. Too bad we don't live closer...I might actually want to borrow her clothes now ;)

From there we made our way to the Lego Store for the boys. We had every intention of walking back to the hotel again, but then it started to rain steadily and my mom thought it would be best for us to get a taxi. I was too pooped to even think about leaving the hotel for dinner so we just ate at the restaurant in the lobby.

FRIDAY

Today was a GREAT day...besides telling my family goodbye when they had to depart for the airport this afternoon. We started out with a nice breakfast at a local cafe near the hotel. Grandma headed back to the room after that (she was still pooped from us dragging her around yesterday) but the rest of us decided we would take a water taxi...just for the sake of taking a water taxi (we were really just trying to kill time.)

We wanted to go into the Sears Tower, but it was a 45 minute wait. After the long last couple of days I knew better than to try and push my luck with the kids...I did NOT want to get the day off to a bad start by getting frustrated with their impatience. We ended up just walking around downtown some more instead.

After my family left I took the kids to the pool, hoping to tire them out. Who was I kidding??? Of course that didn't work. The boys seem to find anything and everything to fight about these days. I was definitely looking forward to some alone time after a very busy week. I had every intention of going out with some girls tonight or just spending some quality time with a friend but the thought of just vegging out by myself was just too appealing. I don't even want to entertain anyone with my presence tonight ;)~