The Windy City

Last week the kids and I accompanied Mike to a work training in Chicago. (If we wouldn't have gone he would've flown: 1.5 hour drive to the airport + 1 hour wait in the airport + 1.25 hour flight to Chicago + .75 hours before he'd be at the hotel = 4.5 hours OR 4 hours in the car with me and the kids. He opted for the latter. Thanks, Mikey!)

Looking through my pictures, there are a lot of Abby (and hardly any of Mike since he was at work while we played) so this post is going to be about Abigail...

The Shedd Aquarium is really impressive. A bit spendy, but it was worth it for our splurge day.

Abby loved the penguin display. The real penguins were great, but the penguin play area was even better. In case you are wondering, the sign to the left of the slide says something like, "Penguins slide head first. Kids slide feet first." Also, in case you are wondering, that is Abby on the right slide.

If you'd like to know where she was here, imagine that the above picture extended to the right a bit. She wanted to to climb where only brave little penguins go.

In a submarine. I just realized that none of these pictures have the real animals in them. Believe me, we saw lots of aquatic life, but I get a bigger kick out of the Abby and Briton species.

On the last day (accompanied by the dad) we visited the Museum of Science and Industry (thanks in part to some trusty recommendations by Facebook friends). Fabulous museum. I'd have to say better than the aquarium, and half the price. We were very impressed. How can you not be when you have a full on gingerbread rendition of the White House.

We had a fun time. Here are some other highlights:

• Chicago Temple - taking the kids to see it during the day and switching off with Mike so that we could each have a chance to attend
• American Girl Store
  
• McDonald's PlayPlace - really, Marinda? Yeah, we were worn out from lots of traveling so it was very nice to not feel guilty hanging in the hotel and having the big excursion of the day be to McDonald's
• That work paid for lots of it
• Driving around in downtown and having my GPS go in and out because of the VERY tall buildings (or because it was giving up trying to decide where I was going)