Another Wonderful Chicago Thanksgiving!

(Sorry in advance for all of the collages, it was just easier to get as many pictures in as possible)

My sister Delinda moved from her first apartment she lived in Chicago, to a new one this Summer and because we had so much fun last year and wanted to see her new place- we asked if we could come for Thanksgiving again this year and she said "yes!" Sadly Jen couldn't be there, we switched places with her and she came here to visit her family.We left noon on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving for the long drive. I had the day off but Ryan had to work so Ben and I dropped him off in the morning and then got some things taken care of before we picked Ryan back up and jumped right on the road. The drive from here to Chicago is supposed to take 12 hours, but with a 2 year old, potty stops and a stop to pick up the new camera ON TOP of pretty awful rain downpours in Indiana... it took us 14 hours. We got there at 2am. Better than 5am like last year though. So, we took a look around the apartment which is schnazzy and then went to sleep. Thanksgiving day we mostly took it easy besides cooking, and even that wasn't a big deal. Delinda and I had to run to the store but other than that we stayed in. It was chilly! Ben was a little bit of a stinker that day. I attempted to cut his hair and he wouldn't sit still and was kind of a poop head about it. So he ended up with a not-so-cute hair cut. I mean, he was just probably tired from the trip and was in a new place and so he was cranky. Anyway, Ryan had asked if maybe we could try something different for Thanksgiving this year. He was sort of sick of the typical turkey dinner. DJ and I still wanted Turkey so we still made that and then I made Ryan a Baked Ziti. Delinda made the turkey and I helped with the sides and made a Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake. The food was DELISH! I even managed to make (from memory) my dad's Creamed Corn. I was pretty proud of myself. There are two pass downs from my dad that we've got to keep going and that's Creamed Corn and his famous Fudge. Thanksgiving night we watched a movie and just hung out.Friday, we bundled up and ventured out in to the city. Ben was super excited to ride the bus and the train. We even got to see a REAL "choo choo" when we were waiting for the train in to the city. The conductor even tooted his horn and dinged his bell for Ben. It was pretty awesome. Once we got to the city we mostly just walked around and did a little shopping. We ran in to some Fur Protesters, AGAIN (we saw them last year too), and saw the windows at Macy's and went in Macy's for a minute. We mostly walked around, it was pretty darn cold though so we stopped in a Dunkin Donuts at one point for something warm to drink and a snack. Before we went in, a man who was asking for helping asked for some change to get a cup of hot coffee. Delinda decided to just buy him a cup and took it out to him. He came in a little while and was very grateful to her and then went out to see what else he could ask for. I was very touched when from watching inside I say a man stop to give him some money, and when choosing between a $1 bill and a $10 bill- he chose the 10. The man asking for the money I think was taken back by it too said a million thank you's shook the mans hand and then they hugged. Delinda and I watched the whole thing and just got so misty eyed. It was neat that he didn't even hold back, didn't ask why, didn't say he didn't have anything- he just did it. I thought it was neat and wanted to remember that. After the donut shop we attempted to walk up the see the river, but got across the street from it but the wind was SO strong and COOOOOOLLLLDDDD that we turned right back around and headed for the "Bean" and the Art Institute of Chicago Museum instead. We'd even thought about taking a tour of the city on a boat the next day, but it was just too cold and Ben was still getting over his respiratory stuff and we thought it might not be a good idea. Anyway, we saw the bean and museum last year- but it's still terrific, and free. :) It's always nice to have connections! We spent a good amount of time in the museum, luckily Ben was pretty well behaved and he even enjoyed it I think. He was quiet when he needed to be and didn't touch when he wasn't supposed to. Only thing was he wanted to be held... like ALL the time. I think he liked the Mayan exhibit the best. If you look carefully in the collage of the things we saw there, you'll see the room that was in Ferris Bueller's Day Off when Cameron is staring at that HUGE painting on the wall. After the museum, it started to get somewhat late so we went to get some Chicago deep dish pizza at Exchequer and Ryan got a deep dish pizza. I had a piece it was pretty delish! There was the most awesomeness waiter there with highlighted hair and those sunglasses/glasses with the jewels on top? He was so charismatic and sure of himself. Delinda and I got a kick out of him. After that we were all pooped and tired from walking so we got back on the train and rode home. Ben sat by DJ and it was cute to see him looking like a pro city boy sitting on the metro with his Auntie.
Pictures from our day.
A picture from the train station.Saturday we decided to stay as warm as possible, so we took a drive up Lake Shore Drive along Lake Michigan and saw a bunch of different parts of town. We got up to Northwestern University and a cool light house not too far from there. There was a playground so we decided to stop for Benny. It was too cold to stay out for too long though, and Ben was pretty ticked that we had to leave the play ground and one of my "keep myself sane" tactics is to walk away and ignore (kind of, I'm not really- I'm just pretending because really who can ignore screaming and carrying on like that?)... so I did this, Delinda beside me and Ryan ahead. Ryan turned around and yelled "Heather! Ben!" I turned around and the poor kid is standing in the FREEZING cold with his pants down around his ankles! I felt SO horrible, but it was pretty funny too. He "chilled out" after that, hahaha! We got him in the WARM car quickly with daddy while Delinda and I explored a little more...well, for as long as we could stand the cold anyway. We headed back home, trying to find a good hot dog place like HotDoug's, but the stupid people were closed for the weekend. So we went somewhere else and it was just "meh", not super great. Drove around some more, went through China Town and then went back to DJ's place to do some family photos for literally like 10 mins. It was TOOOOOOO COLD. We got a couple cute ones. That night we went downtown to the Christkindlmarket (which is SUPER busy and crowded and crazy). It was fun...just too crowded. But I wanted to get some ornaments, we saw the nativity scene and then left. But it was also nice to have that feeling of Christmas all around us.We watched a movie and ate popcorn and went to bed early, we had a long drive home Sunday. Which actually went quite well except for the the 30 min tantrum in slow moving traffic in the middle of nowhere Kentucky. This was a quiet moment, which there weren't very many of. Ben hardly slept at all for a 12 hour drive. We made it home safe and sound. Had a lovely time, and can't wait to go back. We really enjoy Chicago!

Family Time

We had a visit my cousin Laura (Lulu) and her two kids last weekend. We had a terrific time and only wish they could have stayed longer. It's always good to have visitors (hint, hint) and especially family visitors! (hint, hint!)

I think this photo is adorable and captures just how much fun Ben and Aidan had together. Ben really enjoyed having another big kid come in his room to play or to go out in the back with. They had a good time cracking each other up and it was awesome to hear them talking to one another. Ben said to Aidan on Sunday morning "we gotta go to Church!" and Aidan said "I know!"
Grace was super cute and fun to talk to, she could talk circles around me ANY day- but then so could her mom... haha! I loved hearing about her best friends and her concern with how weird it was that the fire hydrants were silver and not red or yellow.
We went to the mall for a little shopping, lunch and entertainment... that is until my little guy started being, how do you say it nicely... a poop stain. We took a small trip (which the kids fell asleep on the way to) Uncle Shucks for a hayride through the corn and then to the bonfire where we roasted marshmallows and then quickly got back on the hayride because it was a tad bit chilly and we weren't really prepared for the cold! We had fun though, Ben is STILL talking about riding on the tractor.
After sacrament meeting Sunday, we said farewell... sniff, sniff. I hope that we can see them again soon! I sure love my Lulu and appreciate her.

Funny Benny

• I just told Ben that I needed to give him more medicine for his head. And he said pointing to his head "no on my head mommy! in my mouth!"

• Last night when we were waiting for Ryan to come home we were waiting some TV and a Ghirardelli chocolate commercial came on where the lady eats one of those chocolate squares? And Ben said "No eat that! You eat dinner FIRST!" furiously pointing at the TV!

Fantastic Weekend

Started off the weekend with me getting to leave work early, which as I was pulling away I declared my excitement for the new found freedom I felt! I met Martha and Ashley at a restaurant called Brio for lunch. The food was delicious and of course the company was terrific, unfortunately the service was HORRIBLE. But we had a nice visit, I complained to the manager (because apparently I do that...) and we got a coupon for a free appetizer sometime. Not sure when I'll be back now that I don't have $5 off coupons... but we'll see. So after lunch I met up with a photography client to give her a disc of pictures, then zoomed off to Ben's daycare to attend his "Fall Festival". They had a fun snack and allowed the kids to wear their costumes. They asked the parents to put the costumes in a bag in the child's cubby so they could put it on them after nap time. When I got there, I saw Ben's class sitting by the door- but I couldn't' find Ben. So I looked around feeling dumb that I couldn't even spot my own child, but no pirates in sight. So I asked the teacher where he was and She said "he's right here, in his football costume!" and at that moment some child in a football costume was talking to me... and I was like "football costume?! Oh that's not his!" and then recognized my own child... in this random football costume that he looked pretty cute in. But it was NO "piyate"! So I quickly had to take him in his classroom and put his pirate costume on instead. Hopefully no random little kid was without! Oh well. Basically... he just wanted to go home after he ate the snacks they had. Apparently the teachers stashed away and hid the cookies I brought... his teacher said to me "If Ben S.'s mom made those, hide them!" haha! I guess... they've had my cookies before but I don't remember taking any to them?? It's quite possible, because I just don't remember much these days... Here he is with one of his teachers Miss Jessica.

Anyway, after we left we went to the Kroger (a grocery store, like Smith's for all you out West) to pick up some stuff for company that night. They were having all sorts of activities for kids there, unfortunately we couldn't stay long enough to participate in any except for face painting. Ben got a pumpkin on his face and he loved it. He wanted to call daddy and show him! I had to explain that we had to take a picture to show him, not call him. :) Anyway, that night the Terry's and the Elton's came over for dip night. I just have to say that I am so grateful for our friends. I know that I mention that a lot... but with my family so far away I really feel so grateful for our friends who are like brothers and sisters to me. They all love and take care of Ben like he's their nephew and just part of the family. And he ADORES them too. Anyway, Saturday morning I just have to remember a great moment- I had the window open because it was a nice cool night so I was all warm and snuggly in the covers. Ryan woke up way before I did that morning and so did Ben. I woke up to a cute little dude crawling on top of me to lay next to me. I slept a little more and Ben watched cartoons. He gave me lots of kisses and we giggled a lot too. I just love that kid. And I LOVE moments like that! it was like the perfect morning. Because of that, it was hard to get out of bed. But I had a family photo shoot that morning and then we kind of took easy that afternoon. That night we went to our Church Trunk-or-Treat. We had lots of fun, wish we could have stayed longer but for the time we were there I got to meet a few new people and Ben got to show off his cute costume and hang out with his buddy Aubrey. They had delish chili that I enjoyed (not Ryan; not a big Chili with beans fan) and cornbread and they had a costume parade I walked with Ben in, and a jump house that Ben sadly missed out on. There were too many big kids in the big one and not enough room in the small one. Ane then... we had to leave RIGHT as they were starting the trunk-or-treating because Ryan and I had tickets to Weezer at 8pm. We took Ben to Nana and Poppy's house for a slumber party.
We had a good time at the Weezer concert, specifically Ryan. We saw them at Chastain Park Amphitheater this time and it was a little cool that night. Luckily we brought a blanket and were able to cuddle up. We moved from the lawn seats down to the regular seats too because the show wasn't sold out and well... the seats were better! The lead singer Rivers Cuomo kinda went a little crazy and walked around out in the audience a lot while he was singing. He came within a few rows of us... um yah, we're totally cool old people. It was funny to see the girls who touched him holding their hands up screaming they'd never wash their hands again. Oh to be a kid again.
Sunday morning, we decided to welcome the idea of sleeping in and did so... well until Ryan couldn't stand being away from Benny anymore. We took it easy that day I think... I think our home teacher came over, yes he did. Then we prepared for the trick-or-treaters that night. We didn't get to hand out too much candy because we took Ben out to a few houses and then over to the Terry's in Marietta. This time I remembered to draw him a goatee and mustache on. (Was that proper English? I don't think so... but I'm leaving it!) It was a FUN and busy weekend. But it was one of the funnest ones I've had in a while, where I truly enjoyed myself!