Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Chicago

We spent the last few days in Chicago. We visited Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium. We also did a little "big city orientation" with the kids. They learned how to ride the train and the bus and transfer between routes. I realized again how much I love a small town. The large crowds in the city for Lollapalooza - see crowd shot here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lollapaloozafest/3802872632/in/set-72157621983473398/
and the Bears family day made getting around with our crew hectic and stressful. We lost a kid once for several minutes and constantly had to hold onto them to keep everyone together in the crowds. Stressful!! When asked what they liked most the kids said: spending time in the hotel while Daddy was working and Sue the Dinosaur:

Carter loved the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier. He was the only kid brave enough to ride! He and Tim enjoyed the skyline views at night from on high (see below) as the rest of us enjoyed the sites from the ground!



We also found we still love the Drury. After trying two other hotels with suites, the Drury still reigns supreme for the Johnston crew. On the way home there were some strong storms. We took a break for dinner during the worst of it and when we left the restaurant we saw this:


Too funny. Gotta love the Drury.

The highlight of the trip was actually the side trip we took on the way up to Chicago. We saw Tim's brother and his family and visited the Abraham Lincoln Museum and Library in Springfield. It was great. We want to go back and highly recommend it. It was definitely our favorite this trip. Here is our family pic with the Lincolns: