Last Thursday we started our Christmas vacation early in the morning at Hartsfield-Jackson, hopping a flight to Chicago to visit my parents. I have to say that flying with these kids has gotten infinitely easier since I flew solo with them last April. Thanks, Ada and Roxy, for being good travelers. You make my wanderlust a bit easier to handle.
A DVD player and a Biscoff for Ada
+
Sesame Street Podcasts and a Biscoff for Roxy=
Relative peace and quiet for the 2 hour flight.
When we arrived, there was lots of rejoicing by the kids as they happily reunited with their Nana and Papa. At this point in the game, they practically push me away and focus on the grandparents and the copius amounts of candy, presents and TV-watching that comes with that territory.
Which is fine with me. That's why they call it vacation, right?
We settled in Thursday, with small excitments for me, like: noting how flat the land is here, and how good it would be for long runs if it weren't for all the snow on the ground... being randomly accosted by fresh faced midwestern strangers telling me "Merry Christmas" (seriously, I thought southerners were friendly but they ain't got nothing on these suburban Chicagoans) and viewing the fabulously unpretentious light displays.
Then on Friday we went for it, taking the kids into Chicago to see the Museum of Science and Industry. I hadn't been there since I was in college, when the speech team happily footed the bill to send me traipsing around the globe to speak competitively. Speech tournaments always allowed us a bit of time to see the places we were visiting and I have happy memories of hanging out with a number of fun people from both my school and others while we were here last time.
And now I have new memories that I made with small people Ada and Roxy. We saw hatching chickens and the old-timey movie theater, ate ice cream and spun in the atrium where Christmas trees from around the world were on display. It felt like magic.
Then for me, it was off to be social. I have a couple of friends from college who live in the area. I added a state to my list of places I've been by heading to Wisconsin to see my friend Drew. He likes his Blackberry.
It snowed a bit that night, so there was fun to be had for the girls the next day. They got their first pairs of snow boots and out we went.
I have to say, it's kinda hard to sled in the midwest. The general lack of hills in the backyard where we are staying meant Dave did a lot of pushing the girls around on this. Well, Ada, anyway. She was much more into the snow play than her sister.
"You want me to go out in this cold and do WHAT?"
Roxy, being a bigger fan of indoor play, wears her funny glasses. Or, as she says, "funty glasses." Funty indeed.
Sunday brought church and a movie date with David. (I got to see two while we were here--"Everybody's Fine" with me mum. Lots of weeping in that one. Hello, puffy eyes. Also saw "Up in the Air" with David. I loved it--it's simply and beautifully shot and I thought the story was complex and real. I am a Clooney fan, and I also like Anna Kendrick, who is about the only Twilighters who can act. Hilarious.)
Sunday night my friend Chris, his wife and their two adorable daughters came to church with us and then came over for dinner. Roxy took to Chris and deemed him "my friend." So we had to get a shot of the lovebirds.
My girls and Chris' older daughter Sophia got along great and posed so sweetly for a snapshot. (Chris' other daughter is just 4 months old, so she didn't pose for the picture. Next time, Bella, next time.)
What else? Ah yes, a Christmasy Chicago date with David that included a chat with the lovely volunteer Milt Levin about Sue the TRex at Field Museum, shopping at Macy's, and a visit to the German wonderland that is ChristKindl Mart. Ask me if I took pictures. NO I didn't. I was on a date, thankyouverymuch.
Oh my Chicago, I do love you. Even if you are so cold you make my face hurt. You are magic and you make my heart swell. I feel both grand and insignificant when I visit you. I leave a little piece of my heart here until I come back... preferably in the spring... when I regain feeling in my limbs.
xoxo
Lindsay
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5 comments:
I can't wait until Joshua and I can finish up our Chicago trip. There was so much we had planned to do and didn't get to.
Copious amounts of candy?
--Anonymous Papa
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