{Weekending :: Chicago}

my buddy and i left super early for the windy city.
i see the sunrise every morning...she's a getup right before the kids do kind of mama so it was kind of funny hearing her say..."wow the sunrise is beeeeautiful!"

she also feels her stress melt away as she hits heavy traffic and tall buildings.

me on the other hand pretty much not!

i think i might have photographed that exact building like a million times.

the architecture is just so amazingly beautiful in chicago.

as we were driving to breakfast we noticed a few people wearing green.

"hmmmm...guess they are getting ready for st paddy's day a little early?"

says the dingbat duo!!!

HUGE st patrick's day parade was about to begin any minute.

and we were pretty much trapped in it.

and not wearing any green!

ha

we scarfed down our meal, bought an amazing jar of wild berry jam and got the heck to the shops.

but first we had to get at least one shot of the green chicago river.

we're not totally against celebrating in drunken craziness at 9 am ya know!:)

we shopped

and walked

and laughed at crazies in their 20's hanging over balconies

and then finally it was time for the show.

never been to the chicago theater before but this place was truly beautiful inside.

i would have loved if they had turned all the house lights on for me so i could get better pics!

the show was great!!

i just love music. of all kinds really.

and maybe my very limited musical experience (7 years of piano and 5 years of clarinet) makes me appreciate it a bit more...but i am blown away by people with true musical talent! when they make it look so effortless and love every minute of it.

that makes me happy.

afterwards we went to eataly.

this place was amazing!

(nicolle you would have been in heaven!!)

it's an open type market that is suppossed to give you the feel of walking around italy. they have 4 restaurants inside. desserts. beautiful produce and bottle after bottle of wine.

what an amazing concept and from the crowds inside it's a pretty popular place.

we had pizza and thin mint chocolate chip gelato for dessert.

pizza was yummy...but nowhere as good as my honey's!!:)

next time i visit the whole family will be with me...and we won't be wearing heavy coats!:)

hope your weekend was wonderful,

cindy

{Chicago}

i was so excited to be able to go on the chicago trip with the fourth graders this year.
i went to indy with them last year and that was a blast, but chicago....well it's chicago ya know!

5:30 am was our school meeting time.
riley loved that i got to wake just her up early.
janey...not so much.
she wanted me to wake her up too so she could get in bed with daddy.
i told her good mommies don't wake their sleeping children up unless they absolutely have to.
she didn't like that answer one bit.

this is the note riley left on the island for her sissies.

we rode a school bus to indy.
the charter bus made this trip all the sweeter.

i only used my phone to take pictures.
i wanted to stare around in awe and snap a ton.
but having to keep your eyes on wandering 4th graders in the big city will scare that right outta ya!

our first stop was the museum of science and industry.
we have to visit this place again as a family.
amazing doesn't even begin to describe it.

we only had a short time here and a big chunk of it was unfortunately spent in the gift shop :)
and in line for the flight simulator...a must on every fourth graders list.:)
please visit this place with your family if you can.

wanna hear my crazy museum story??
i took my group to the restrooms and while i was washing my hands i see these 3 little ones i totally recognize waiting by the sink. you know that feeling when you are searching for the connection but you can't find it. you know these faces but they are totally in the "wrong place". then it hit me!!! my bloggy friend lauren! she steps out of the stall (sorry lauren) and i was like OH MY GOODNESS LAUREN!!!  i had that momentary thought of what if she doesn't recognize me...but she did and we hugged and did the "this is crazy" thing! she is just as beautiful and sweet in person as i knew she would be and i so wished we had run into each other on a different day and time.  i really wanted to chat.

so...moral of the story...visit the museum and don't forget to check out the bathrooms...you never know who you might meet.

our next stop was the buckingham fountain for lunch.
the weather was so gorgeous that day.
we ate, ran off steam and tried not to signal the birds.

are you humming the song from married with children??;)

we jumped on the bus for a drive down michigan avenue on our way to the architectural boat tour.

the tour was over an hour long and extremely interesting.
a lot of history about the chicago fire and how it changed the landscape of the river and brought about the chicago we know today.
my dad would have loved it.

next stop willis tower.

wow was all i could manage.
that and crazy!

look down...
the willis tower is over 1450 feet high with 110 stories.
tallest building in the western hemisphere.
(nicolle would this freak you out!?!?:))
the elevator was freaky fast.
but i guess it would have to be right?

we finally headed to the bus for our long rush hour drive home.
it was such a wonderful adventure packed day.
and i'm so thankful i got to be a part of it.
i cannot wait to get back to that city.
but next time with just us.:)

have a happy day,

cindy

{thankful for}
1. a hubby who takes the day off so i can play
2. organized teachers
3. friends to chat with on the bus
4. beauty
5. life