Saturday, August 09, 2008

Chicago and More




Our girls
Julie, Katie, Emily and Brie

I have a connection for a little while!! It keeps turning off and on so will try to blog as long as I can. We are back at my home town here in Illinois...Tuscola!! We left this morning from up in Northern Illinois from our daughter's house. We really hated to leave all of our loved ones but we had a great time while we were there.

We left there and made it to Tuscola after about 3 hours!! Stopped at the outlet mall first. Hubby had purchased a pair of shoes there last year and they had a life time guarantee...so he got a brand new pair...Called my parents and met them at our parking place here. We are are now all hooked back up again and going to be here till maybe Monday!!

Wanted to tell you about yesterday!! WE (girls) headed into Chicago to shop around!! We had a great great time!! There is so much to do in Chicago!! I have never cared for that city but I found out yesterday that it is a beautiful city!! I so enjoyed being there. We went into some big stores and shopped but I bought nothing!! I was just having fun taking pictures and being with our daughter and my granddaughters!! I love seeing them all!!


Brie, Emily and Katie
our girls!!

We went to a new sculpture that Julie had told me about...The Bean!! That was awesome. You can stand under it and take pictures...It of course reflects you and is such fun...I will include pictures for you to see. We looked all over the park!! What fun we had!!


The Bean in Chicago
This was so much fun!! We took pictures one after the other!! What some people can come up with their imagination!! WOW!


See us reflected in the BEAN!! I am at the back with the girls!!


We went to a large and I mean large..wading pool where they had big faces that come up then when the face smiles the water pours out of the mouth for the kids to play in!! Just so much to see and enjoy!! We also had the prettiest day!! It was cool and so pleasant!!





I have tons of pictures that I would like to share but well you might get very bored with me!!











The Wading pool.......




The guys were at the CUBS game!! CUBS won that day so they were especially happy!! They met us at Giordano's Pizza!! We had Chicago style pizza!! One piece is all that you can eat..it is so big and it is stuffed so it is a BIG PIECE!!



Isn't this a BIG PIECE of stuffed pizza!! Seems like we have been doing lately is eating!! My favorite food so far has been stopping at our favorite spot in Normal...Avanti's!! Oh you just cannot beat that place for great homemade bread and tortellini!! I love that stuff!! We have managed to stop by there twice now!! We tell them that we drove all the way from Georgia just to eat at their great restaurant. We took the kids there for years when they were little!! Just have to go there!! The prices have really risen in the past 35 or so years!! Smile!! But the flavor is still there for sure!!


We rode back to Aurora, Illinois on the train..That was a lot of fun!! I had not been on a train for years...We left from Union Station!! It was just fun to ride on a train again!!



Tonight we went to my 45th high school reunion!! I will post pictures from that on tomorrow's post!! We had a great time!! We had about 20 some of our classmates show up plus their spouses. You know it is great...several of us have remained married and several are Christians..which really tickles me to death!!

Well I got this posted so far any way!! We are off to church in the morning with my parents...then will be leaving heading back home Monday. We are going to try to stop by someone's house that ya'll know...Lazy Daisy's!! I cannot wait!!

Take care!!

Flip Flop!!
Thought for the day: "Sometimes I think I understand everything, then I regain consciousness. "


8 comments:

Puss-in-Boots said...

Love The Bean scupture...and the wading pool with the faces spitting water...lol.

I,too, like trains, Sandy and I'm going on a trip on an old steam train called "The Rattler" for obvious reasons! That's next month and I'll post about it afterwards.

Glad you're having such a lovely time with your family, Sandy. I hope your parents are well.

Take care...

Denise said...

Sounds really awesome sweetie, I love the pictures.

Unknown said...

what fun times

Peggy said...

You must be wore out!! But what fun you are having and that pizza looks yummy!! Love the picture of the girls. Go get some rest!

Melli said...

Oh Sandy! You guys are just having the BEST time! That is wonderful!!! I would love to see that bean - but I saw a similar sculpture when I was in Harrisburg, PA - so I guess maybe it's not worth makin' a "special trip" to Chicago JUST to see the bean! LOL! I never liked Chicago much either - but I haven't been there in at least 21 years... Mathew wasn't born yet... so I suspect it has changed quite a bit and may BE a beautiful city now!!!

I'm glad you made your reunion too - it amazes me that you have stayed in touch with these people over the years -- I guess because I'm in touch with NO ONE from that long ago! (nor do I have a desire to be...)

OH! Those shoes with lifetime guarantee! SEARS used to have that policy on their work boots (i don't know if they still do - but I don't THINK so) and when my brother was young he worked in a gas station. He bought a pair of their boots - ONE pair ... well, working in the gas station he would sometimes walk through spilled battery acid and it would completely EAT the bottom of his boots! He kept taking them back and getting a new pair - and everytime he took a pair back they gave him a brand new pair! He only EVER bought the ONE pair! I don't know HOW MANY pairs they ended up giving him - but he worked in that gas station for a good many years before he went in the army! LOL!

Anonymous said...

Love Avanti's!!!! Just think, they are building a new one near the airport so you can pop in, eat at Avanti's and pop out! :) Doesn't that sound good? I think that is what my sister would love to do from Pensacola. :)
Sounds like you are having a great time with family. Praying for your safety as you travel.

Vicki Belyus

Susan said...

I don't know how I missed you telling about my FAVORITE CITY!! I have to know where this bean is...makes me want to book a trip there just to see it. I love everything about downtown Chicago. This is the one large city I have visited where I honestly think I could live...that is, if I could afford it!!

Hugs!

:-) Susan

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