windy city adventure

a quick trip on a long weekend to a big city with these kids = super fun. sure, the temperature got down to -8 degrees, but we're tough so we hardly noticed. (except james, who cried every time we were outside because his face hurt.) he cheered up pretty fast whenever we went inside, because we kept going inside incredible places. our hotel gave us a pretty ridiculous upgrade because we asked nicely, and i guess there weren't that many people there. check out our view from the 33rd floor: river view, and lake view. jaw dropping.

our first adventure was a cold walk down michigan avenue,

an abandoned attempt to get up to the top of the hancock building, and some posing in front of the watertower.

back in the fancy hotel, james discovered a whole long row of smiling jamesies in the bathroom.

the next day, the big event: the field museum. holy cats, this museum is unBELIEVABLE.

so many good things to see in the museum, but i think james and ramona's favorite part of the museum was having cousin rachel along.

we visited the plastic dinosaur mold machines,
 

and then we gently stroked and petted and held plastic dinosaurs. james insisted on a photo booth photo with his new triceratops, 

and ramona took her apatosaurus to the walrus diorama.

diorama posing is always elevated to a new level when staple is around. he's a master pointer.

after the museum, we snuggled and read some stories


and then took a very very VERY cold and fast walk through the new maggie daley park, crossed a fancy gehry bridge, and quickly got ourselves into the chicago athletic association. this gorgeous old building has been lovingly restored, and you guys, if you are in millenium park ever, you should really really really go into this building.


here are ramona and i up on the deck, taking in the view over millenium park. see the bean? there's the bean.

inside, we snuggled down in the cozy game room. the kids enjoyed the bocce ball court,

and then had a hot cider while smearing and spreading bocce ball court sand and dust all over everything.


later, a very exciting cab ride home (no car seats! woo hoo!) ended our evening,

and a chilly icy river and lake sunrise over lake michigan woke us up in the morning and gave us a sight to remember at the end of a wonderful weekend getaway.