Our Chicago Trip

We went to Chicago a few weeks ago because Kris had a AAA meeting (American Accounting Association). The girls and I tagged a long and had the opportunity to visit what's become one of my favorite big cities. Our hotel was downtown, close to Lake Michigan and about a mile to where we spent most of our time at the Shedd Aquarium, the Adler Planetarium, and the Field Museum....

I should back up and tell you that we parked our car out in the suburbs at the home of a friend of Kris'. Then we took the train into town, otherwise we would have payed an arm and a leg for parking. So, as you can imagine, we used city transportation including buses, trolleys, cabs and the train to make our way around town. But mostly we used our own two feet!

I don't think I've ever done so much walking in a big city in all my life. The girls did miraculously well. Kourtney's highlight had to have been Lake Michigan as she pointed out the ducks, geese and seagulls and asked "Can we have a boat?" Well, she didn't exactly get a boat while we were there, but she did go on a speed boat ride off the Navy Pier. She also liked all the fountain's around town one of which was at the foot of the Hancock Building.

Alyson seemed to like the aquarium a lot, and of course was so excited about "living" in a hotel. She often referred to our home in Indiana as "the place with my bed" and the hotel as "our home in Chicago". She also had the best seat on the speed boat ride and got the most wind in her hair. She loved the ferris wheel at Navy Pier and the dinosaurs at the Field Museum.

I had two favorite places in Chicago: The dock between Museum Campus and our hotel, and the Chicago Water Tower. The Water Tower was so beautiful at night with the lights illuminating it's sandy facade. I also enjoyed seeing the girls get so excited about all the things they got to see at Museum Campus.

Kris got to spend our last afternoon and evening in Chicago together. We went to the free Lincoln Zoo, and then walked all the way to the Water Tower after which we took a trolley to the Navy Pier where we ate, took the speed boat tour and let the kids play on some of the rides. What a view from the boat! The city skyline situated behind a beautiful blue lake! Wow...

Kris will have to write about what he liked best, because unfortunately, he didn't get to do as much site seeing as us, but he did have the opportunity to do a lot of networking. People kept asking "when are you coming out" meaning "when are you graduating?" Kris told people next year...and so, there is a lot of work for him to do, but I'm sure he'll be able to keep his word!