Chicago with a quick visit to Racine

After our quick weekend in Saukville the family drove down to Chicago for 4 days for Kim's training. We stayed right downtown. Burrr! It was cold that week in Chicago! The girls and I went out exploring each day.

We had lunch at Ed Debevic's, a 50's dinner in which there is a lot of customer interaction. Mattie got up and danced with the waitstaff:

Even Mackenzie got a special hat:

Our first stop was at the Shed Aquarium:


Mattie loved the dolphin show:



"Look how big I am!" Mattie was as big as the Sears Tower:


Next we went to the Chicago Children's Museum:


They had an "Ice Skating" area in the museum. It was a special padded slippery floor that you "Skated" on with your socks:

Mackenzie joined the fun in the infant area:


The "Water Works" area was great too:


At night we went down to the big downtown Macy's to see Santa Claus. Mattie again asked for an "igloo" for Christmas!:


Mattie made sure that Santa knew that Mackenzie wanted some toys:

There was the coolest puppet show out on the street:


Mackenzie holding her bottle in an elevator:


One of the days in Chicago, the girls and I drove up to Racine to visit with some of my Aunts and Uncles. We went to Uncle Ray and Aunt Pat's home. There we visited with Uncle Lawrence and Aunt Marilyn, Uncle Slim and my mom's cousin Suzanne Cremer. My cousins Jodi (and husband Karl) and Tim were there along with a few of their children. A big "Thank you" to my Aunt Pat and Uncle Ray for having everyone over for lunch. I really had a great time visiting with everyone.

Mattie and her 2nd cousins had lunch together and played in the basement:

Aunt Marilyn with Mackenzie:


On our last day in Chicago the girls and I went to the top of the John Hancock Building.


Wow, what a view!







Sadly we had to say good bye to the midwest and come back to Denver. Mattie, Mackenzie and I flew back earlier in the day than Kim. Boy-o-boy was that a difficult task for me and the girls! It was about 14 degrees in Chicago so we were bundled up and we had a stroller, 2 car seats, computer bag, diaper bag and portable DVD player as well as snacks and toys. Getting everyone through security and onto the plane after gate changes was not a fun experience! Several people were unbelievably helpful to me and I would not have made it without their help. Mackenzie rewarded me with a HUGE blow-out diaper immediately upon take-off! I spent 20 plus minutes in the tiny airplane bathroom trying to clean her up. Good thing both MM and Mack are such easy-going kids or this nightmare trip would have been 100 times worse! Lets say I've never been so glad to get home as I was after that flight!