Chicago: The Landmarks

 Formerly known as the Sears Tower

 View from the 103rd floor

 Skydeck

 Looking down on the city

 Officially the Cloud Gate but known to the world as the Bean

 The kids had so much fun

Pritzker Pavilion

I understand the acoustics here are amazing, but it is also beautiful!

 We loved the John Hancock Building!  This was our view every morning when we woke up

 View from 94 floors up

 The history wall at JHO.  Andrew is standing with Mrs. O'Leary's cow who took the blame for the Chicago Fire.

 Buckingham Fountain

We discovered on a sunny morning the sun coming up over Lake Michigan will create a rainbow in the fountain.

 Navy Pier

 Navy Pier fireworks viewed from the John Hancock Observatory.  Such a different perspective to see them from above.

Navy Pier is very commercial.  The ferris wheel, shops, and vendors everywhere.  Then we got to the middle of the buildings and found gorgeous stained glass.  There was an amazing, huge stained glass museum in the middle of Navy Pier.  

Chicago Top Ten

On our last night in Chicago we asked the kids to tell us their favorite things from the week.  Here are the top 5 from each.

 Evie #1~ the Cubs game

 Andrew #1 ~ riding in a taxi

 Evie #2 ~ American Girl

Andrew #2 ~ Lego Store

Evie #3 ~ Field Museum

Andrew # 3 ~ Running the bases at Wrigley Field

Evie #4 ~ Buckingham Fountain

Andrew #4 ~ The Bean

Evie #5 ~ Double Decker bus tours.  

I somehow managed to not get a pic of the bus, 

but this is a view from the bus.

Andrew #5 ~ John Hancock Observatory

Orange Beach

We headed back to our favorite beach for vacation last week.  We had a great time, and there was definitely not a dull moment.  We hadn't been there 5 minutes when Evie dropped a 3 foot shovel off the 9th floor balcony.  Thankfully it was plastic and landed in the bushes below.  We had big waves the whole time and red flag conditions at the end of the week.  Andrew kept us entertained with his observations.  My favorite was when he pointed out the person on a string, which turned out to be a person parasailing.  We watched two weddings and a beach rescue.  There weren't any lifeguards during our last trip, and it turns out there is a great story about parents turning a tragedy into something positive behind the new beach patrol.  Lots of people were helped by Molly's Patrol on Thursday and Friday. The rain kept us off the beach on Saturday and caused the roads (and our breezeway) to flood.  During the rain the fire alarm sounded in our building, so we had to to evacuate.  I'm sure we looked a mess but we went to lunch instead of standing in the rain.  Andrew lost a tooth on Saturday and failed to look for tooth fairy money on Sunday before we left, so his dollar was left behind.  Yep, never a dull moment.    

 OBA 2012

He loved riding the waves

 She was more timid, but loved it once she got brave enough

Field Trips

The kids got to go on field trips over the past couple of weeks.  The 2nd graders went to the Mayfield Dairy in Athens. 

Easy to know which way to go...just follow the Mayfield trucks

Post tour ice cream

Mayfield Fashion

The Kindergarten classes went to The Little Ponderosa Zoo in Clinton.

 The kids got to touch snakes and reptiles

 Feeding deer

 Feeding leaves to the kangaroo

Pony ride

runDisney

It was marathon weekend at Disney, so the kids got to participate in the runDisney Kids Races.  Evie ran the 400m dash and Andrew ran the 200m dash.  

 Warming up with Tony Horton