Today we decided to spend the day in Chicago which is a couple of hours away.  So we woke up bright and early at 8am and headed out.  Heather graciously offered to drive the way there!

 

Just filling up some gas. I figure since Heather is driving I could at least clean the windows.

Just filling up some gas. I figure since Heather is driving I could at least clean the windows.

We decided to change our rental car since we were going to be in Chicago anyway.  Our existing rental was for a week and we’d have to pay BIG money to keep it until Monday (which is what we wanted to do), so I went ahead a booked a new reservation.  It would be nice to switch our car from a gangster hearse car to something more normal that didn’t stand out so much.

I asked the rental agency if they had anything that wasn’t a PT Cruiser and they were happy to oblige…..  However it didn’t quite work out as well as I had hoped.

After we got our wheels, we wanted to go eat!  We had read a lot about this place in Chicago called M. Henry, so we figured it was worth trying out.

Behold the new bright red gangster hearse car! It isn't a PT Cruiser, but it is a Chevy HHR. Apparently that's all they rent in intermediate sizes, OH WELL.

Behold the new bright red gangster hearse! It isn't a PT Cruiser, but it is a Chevy HHR. Apparently that's all they rent in intermediate sizes, OH WELL.

 

 

 

M. Henry, where all your food dreams can come true

M. Henry, where all your food dreams can come true

 

Heather is so excited at the prospect of coffee and food!

Heather is so excited at the prospect of coffee, fresh orange juice,and food!

 

Our drinks arrived. I think it is impossible to not feel great in this place!

Our drinks arrived. I think it is impossible to not feel great in this place!

 

Heather found the one person in the whole restaurant who wasn't that happy. haha

Heather found the one person in the whole restaurant who wasn't that happy. haha

 

I got an open faced Santa Fe sandwich. It had wilted spinach, goat cheese, tomatillo salsa, red bell peppers, and chicken on it. As you can see from the photo, the plating on this food was very appetizing and the food was great!

I got an open faced Santa Fe sandwich. It had wilted spinach, goat cheese, tomatillo salsa, red bell peppers, and chicken on it. As you can see from the photo, the plating on this food was very appetizing and the food was great!

 

Heather ordered a vegetarian sandwich that had goat cheese, avocados, and a whole lotta stuff in it. It was beautiful and incredible.

Heather ordered a vegetarian sandwich that had goat cheese, avocados, and a whole lotta stuff in it. It was beautiful and incredible.

 

After our great breakfast/lunch, we drove further into Chicago.  We had originally planned to go to the aquarium, but the day was so beautiful we decided to spend it outdoors which turned out to be a great idea!

They had a beautiful fountain that reminded us of our time in Rome.

They had a beautiful fountain that reminded us of our time in Rome.

 

Look how nice the sky is!! and the skyline! And the flowers!! And look at the clouds!!

Look how nice the sky is!! and the skyline! And the flowers!! And look at the clouds!!

 

They even had some nice gardens with purple flowers blooming

They even had some nice gardens with purple flowers blooming

 

Doesn't she look beautiful??

Doesn't she look beautiful??

 

More purple flowers!!

More purple flowers!!

 

There was a lot of interestingly dressed people out and about today. From the casual to the super fancy. She ALMOST made the fashion mistake list for being too overdressed. What do you think??

There was a lot of interestingly dressed people out and about today. From the casual to the super fancy. She ALMOST made the fashion mistake list for being too overdressed. What do you think??

 

If Heather and I start looking alike and dressing alike as this couple is, can someone please shoot us repeatedly?

If Heather and I start looking alike and dressing alike as this couple is, can someone please shoot us repeatedly? This is a total couple fashion mistake. Collectively they're a walking fashion mistake.

 

They have this cool kidney shaped bean mirror sculpture thingy that is really fun! People naturally congregate to it and everyone is taking wacky photos and there's all kinds of intersting things to see. Take this photo for instance, you got people on the far right doing weird poses with their arms and legs up, you got the yoga group on the center-right, the 3 people in the lower center having a nice serious discussion, us in the middle , and the two red-shirted kids with one of them with his leg being squashed.

They have this cool kidney shaped bean mirror sculpture thingy that is really fun! People naturally congregate to it and everyone is taking wacky photos and there's all kinds of interesting things to see. Take this photo for instance, you got people on the far right doing weird poses with their arms and legs up, you got the yoga group on the center-right, the 3 people in the lower center having a nice serious discussion, us further back , and the two red-shirted kids with one of them with his leg being squashed.

 

There really were a lot of fancy dressed people

There really were a lot of fancy dressed people

 

They have a tunnel going through the kidney bean and from inside, everything is all distorted and weird looking. We're at the very center of the photo if you can find us. We took the photo upwards.

They have a tunnel going through the kidney bean and from inside, everything is all distorted and weird looking. We're at the very center of the photo if you can find us. We took the photo upwards.

 

I had to put this photo up. We have a friend, let's call him "Myles", he once went spelunking with us in California and you're supposed to wear kind of junk clothes because they get pretty much destroyed in the mud. However "Myles" must have thought that by junk, they meant "most ridiculous clown-looking pants imaginable" so that's what he brought. His pants were 5 times more clown-ridiculous than this lady, but even so, this lady deserves a fashion mistake award. I really gotta search my old photos if I can find a photo of Myles wearing the infamous clown pants.

I had to put this photo up. We have a friend, let's call him "Myles", he once went spelunking with us in California and you're supposed to wear kind of junk clothes because they get pretty much destroyed in the mud. However "Myles" must have thought that by junk, they meant "most ridiculous clown-looking pants imaginable" so that's what he brought. His pants were 5 times more clown-ridiculous than this lady, but even so, this lady deserves a fashion mistake award. I really gotta search my old photos if I can find a photo of Myles wearing the infamous clown pants, for now, enjoy this ridiculous photo.

 

They have a big outdoor theatre too with a lattice roof over there. All of this stuff is in Millenium Park I think.

They have a big outdoor theatre too with a lattice roof over there. All of this stuff is in Millennium Park I think.

 

Just a mom and her bimbo son walking by

Just a mom and her bimbo son walking by

 

Heather was so happy to notice a woman wearing a POPCORN shirt! Just like the ones they were selling at the flea market in Shipshewana. You know, now that we actually see it on someone, it really doesn't look that b...ahh who am I kidding

Heather was so happy to notice a woman wearing a POPCORN shirt! Just like the ones they were selling at the flea market in Shipshewana. You know, now that we actually see it on someone, it really doesn't look that b...ahh who am I kidding

 

As big time traffic would start in Chicago once the evening commute started, we figured we should try and get out of the city as early as possible.  But we couldn’t resist a drive down Michigan avenue.

I always liked the painting American Gothic and they had huge real-life replica of it!

I always liked the painting American Gothic and they had huge real-life replica of it!

 

We’ve been to Chicago several times now over the years, and one of our favorite places to go and get a coffee or a sandwich is right below the John Hancock observatory.  As luck would have it, we found parking within a block of it!!  I think it was some higher power’s way of telling us we had to go and get a snack, even though neither of us were THAT hungry.

Here's Heather in front of the cafe

Here's Heather in front of the cafe

 

Since we both were coffee’ed out and we were both full, we decided to just get a snack.

 

Gelato!!!

Gelato!!!

 

We were so happy to be able to have a snack at this restaurant and we still had a few minutes left on our meter so we went across the street to a church for some photos.

 

I like these old looking Churches with the ivy/plants growing on the side of the walls

I like these old looking Churches with the ivy/plants growing on the side of the walls

 

Across the street I captured this bird having a good time in the fountain

I captured this bird having a good time in the fountain

 

One last photo as we cross the street to head to our car and leave the city back to Elkhart. 2 hours more of driving, hurray!

One last photo as we cross the street to head to our car and leave the city back to Elkhart. 2 hours more of driving, hurray!

 

The drive was pretty easy except for a little bit of traffic getting out of Chicago. I  think we missed the worst of it though!

We arrived back to Heather’s grandma house to find a full house!  A lot of Heather’s grandma’s children and grandchildren had arrived and were visiting.

Heather's grandma and her 5 children! From the far left: Tim, Paul, Bob, Maryann, grandma, and Mark

Heather's grandma and her 5 children! From the far left: Tim, Paul, Bob, Maryann (Heather's mom), grandma, and Mark

 

ALRIGHT! Leftover pizza! (yes we were already hungry after the 2 hour drive so we had a few pieces)

ALRIGHT! Leftover pizza! (yes we were already hungry after the 2 hour drive so we had a few pieces)

 

I'm not a big root beer fan, but Heather loves it! Especially in a root beer float!

I'm not a big root beer fan, but Heather loves it! Especially in a root beer float! This is home made root beer one of Heather's uncles bought. There's gallons of it!

 

Heather's uncle Paul and his wife Theresa brought 6 of their 12(!) children along with them that night. Heather's dad decided to hang out with them for awhile. First it was darts and ping pong.

Heather's uncle Paul and his wife Teresa brought 6 of their 12(!) children along with them that night. Heather's dad decided to hang out with them for awhile. First it was darts and ping pong.

 

Then it was around the merry go round

Then it was around the merry go round

 

and around and around and around

and around and around and around

 

Now I know where Heather inherited her "get really sick while on the merry go round" ability haha.

Now I know where Heather inherited her "get really sick while on the merry go round" ability haha. I think Paul's kids were smart to keep their distance just in case he got really sick!

 

Tomorrow is the big reunion!  So we called it an early night, but not after doing a few last minute checks.

I'm just shaking the cole slaw and making sure it has enough salt.

I'm just shaking the cole slaw and making sure it has enough salt.

 

Heather stole another cookie from the freezer just to make sure they were still delicious. YUP, still delicious!

Heather stole another cookie from the freezer just to make sure they were still delicious. YUP, still delicious!

 

See you tomorrow!!!