Chicago

For spring break this year we drove to Chicago. I was a little concerned about the drive (12 hours each way – though we broke it up by spending the night in Ohio) and staying with Jeffrey’s aunt and uncle in their small two-bedroom condo (on the 21st floor of the building with my family of five, oh, and ALL the stuff that we brought along too).

However, I was pleasantly surprised at how these aspects worked out (only a few really harried moments in the car when everyone was hungry and stir-crazy and a few really loud crazy times when I am certain everyone on the 20th, 21st, and 22nd floors of the building could hear my kids). All in all, we had a great time.

Here are a few highlights of things we did:

Visited Michigan Avenue, the Chicago Art Institute, the Shedd Aquarium, the Museum of Science and Industry, Hot Doug’s (one of the top ten places in American to get a hot dog, apparently), Navy Pier, and the American Girl Place;

Ate the free breakfast buffet provided by the Marriott we stayed at (you wouldn’t think this would be noteworthy, except that Mia and Maggie said it was the best breakfast they had EVER had, and Mia was certain that it was at least as good as doing brunch at the American Girl Café);

Went swimming in ice cold water – both at our hotel’s indoor pool and when the girls played on the beach of Lake Michigan;

Rode the bus while Elsie Jane practiced her screaming (She is REALLY loud and has started to scream if she is happy, if she is tired, if she is hungry, if she wants something…) and Mia talked the ears off of the other passengers;

Got Mia’s ears pierced – thanks, Grandma! (It took her dad a while to warm up to the idea; it is hard to have her grow up, but she didn’t even flinch and has been so excited and responsible about it.);

Had lunch at the American Girl Café, bought matching shirts, PJs, pets, and outfits for American girl dolls and secured for Elsie Jane her first American Girl bitty baby (Our waitress felt bad Elsie didn’t have a doll to share lunch with and brought a baby over for her to borrow, when Elsie Jane was clearly smitten, Grandma was convinced she needed her own and bought it for her – boy, that American Girl place has it all figured out!);

Played with “Cookies,” the cat at Uncle Nasir and Aunt Shamala’s house, and begged mom (who could not stop itching and sneezing during our visit) to have a cat at our house;

Ate fabulous “Desi” (which I learned means “native” in reference to people from India and Pakistan) food prepared by Aunt Shamala -- I even got some instruction and spices which I brought home to try my hand at cooking some, but I am certain it won’t measure up to Shamala’s;

Bought Jeffrey some “Salwar kameez,” traditional Pakistani clothing (which he has determined is the most comfortable clothing on the planet and is trying to gather the courage to just wear it to work, claiming it is just a cultural thing);

(as you can see) Expanded our knowledge of Urdu by about 3 words; and

Visited church history sites in Kirtland, Ohio, including the Kirtland Temple, the Newell K. Whitney store, home, and mills, and the John Johnson farm – all of which were sites where the prophet, Joseph Smith lived and received heavenly visions (They were truly amazing places to be in and feel the spirit witness related to the events that transpired there.).

We are already looking forward to our next trip to Chicago to enjoy the amazing hospitality and love of family, see more sites, and, of course, go to the American Girl Place. We are thinking 2012, but that may not be soon enough.