Paulding Light

There is the great mystery of the Paulding Light in the UP.  In the Ottawa National Forest, between Watersmeet and Paulding, MI, there is a viewing spot where a mysterious light appears during the night.  There are many theories and it has been studied by scientists- but there is no explanation for it.  Some claim that it is from cars passing on a distant road, others predict that it is gases collecting, but many believe that it is the ghost of either an old railroad engineer or someone walking their dog who was killed by the old train.  

Thanks to websites, we were able to find the obscure location.  We turned off of the main highway onto a dirt road.  Kicking up dust in the dark night, it was eerie driving to the end of the road.  We knew we were in the correct place when we saw the lineup of cars along the side of the road.  Exiting our car, we walked to a metal barricade where a group of 20-something's sat.  There were approximately 15-20 people milling about all facing a narrow clearing in the woods.  I was unsure how long we would have to wait-- but it did not take long.  Within 5 minutes a glowing light appeared at the top of the hill.  It flickered, would shine brighter and then after about 45 seconds, it faded away.  Sometimes it was a white light, other times red or a faint green.  The light seemed to dance a bit in the opening between the trees.

During the intervals as we waited for the light to appear, the site became a social scene as people would tell tales of their visits to the Paulding Light.  One man had been visiting the site yearly for the past 20+ years.  Another man had brought his wife here on a trip from Chicago 15+ years ago when they were dating and now was bringing his teenage son and friends.  The young adults sitting on the barricade seemed to be regulars and experts on the light.  They said that on nights when the moon is not bright, the Light can illuminate the entire sky. (On our viewing night the moon was close to full.)

We watched the Light appear about six times and then decided not to fight the mosquitos any longer and called it a night.  

Taking a photo of the light was near impossible- especially with a cellphone.  The light was so far away that in a photo simply looked like a speck of light.  The next day, as we drove to Bond Falls, we pulled off to see the viewing site during the day.  

The light appears at the top of the little hill where the dirt road seems to end.

Hoping when we return home we can dig up more information or watch the SyFy program about it. We will definitely return on a future visit!

Wildwood Wildlife Park

The kids and I journeyed to Jim Peck's Wildlife Wilderness in Minocqua.  Hard to believe that Wisconsin's 2nd largest zoo is in the Northwoods! The zoo is a private zoo and even though it helps the Wisconsin Government by housing birds of prey that are unable to live in the wild due to injury- they receive no public funding.

As you purchase your tickets to the zoo in the gift shop, you are also given the option to buy Wasa crackers to feed the animals.  Clearly the many goats are aware and wait for you as you exit the gift shop!!!  We were greeted by adult goats and adorable baby goats who tugged at our shirts and shorts wanting crackers.

I especially loved this little kid standing on top of a tortoise!  There are also 2 large pigs who grunt and want crackers.  (We were warned by our waitress during our pre-zoo lunch to stay away from the pigs because they sometimes bite . . .)

In the front area with the pigs and goats were also caged skunks, porcupines, ferrets, a burrowing owl, hedgehogs, opossum, rabbits and a few others.  They rotate taking out these animals for guests to pet.  The young teenager working the area was extremely knowledgeable and answered all questions.  (Someday child #3 would be amazing and love a similar job . . .)

Next we went to a covered enclosure where baby bunnies scurried.  The sign said, "Only 6 people allowed at a time" and without monitoring, people adhered to the signage.  (You would not find that in most areas . . .). My kids could not get enough of the cuddly bunnies!

Next we went into the main part of the zoo.  You would be amazed at the animals housed there- and the proximity to which you can view them!  Minus the Puerto Vallarta Zoo, it was the closest I have been to the animals!  Highlights included the 3 black bears, 2 howling Timberwolves, the Peregrine falcon (eating a mouse as we watched!), the red footed tamarins and their babies, river otters, and the reptile house.  Tame deer roam the park and you can pet them!  The kids especially liked the albino deer.

New to the park since our last visit is the "Budgie house" which houses over 900 parakeets.  Upon entering, you can purchase a feeding stick for $1.  (It's a Popsicle stick with bird food glued on.). Birds are easily coaxed onto the stick.  The kids especially loved putting the stick on their heads so that the birds would sit on their heads.  After 40 minutes of parakeets EVERYWHERE, I told the kids we needed to move on!!!

This zoo was great!  If you ever find yourself in Minocqua (or near it), stop and visit as it is worth both the time and money.

Gills

The past 2 days the kids have spent at least 8 hours each day in the water.  I think they should be growing gills.

The favorite is deep water swims as the sun goes down!

Truly a Midwestern summer!

Min-Aqua Bats Waterski Show

In 1950, the Min-Aquabats ski team was started.  For the past 55 years, the ski show has entertained visitors 3 nights per week during the summer.  Each night the stands are PACKED with viewers.  The show features young men and women doing jumps,

group acrobatics,

barefoot skiers, silly clowns, and many exciting events.  They had a barefoot skier with a harness pulling a slalom skier/jumper.  He pulled him over 3/4 of a mile!

To be a Min-Aquabat is a status symbol in Minocqua.  When they announce the team during the show, you learn that members come from Wisconsin (of course), Illinois, Minnesota, Colorado and even Florida!  What an amazing way to spend your summer!

Lumberjack Show

In Woodruff, WI, we went to see a Lumberjack Show.  This popular tourist event is held 3 evenings and 2 afternoons per week.  On our show night, we were lucky in that our show featured 4 lumberjacks divided into 2 teams.  (Some shows feature just 2 men-- actually college aged boys.)

The show is filled with skill, jokes, history and rivalry. The jokes are corny but keep the audience engaged. The packed stands were split down the middle- each side cheering for a different team and are encouraged to yell "Yo Ho" for your team or "Boo" the other.   Throughout the show, you chant for your lumberjack or yell out "Yo Ho" when he wins or makes a comment.

There is ax throwing,

dual sawing,

balancing while chopping,

Water log rolling, running across a series of connected logs in the water, and pole climbing.

Son #2 was brought up on stage to participate in a "Yo Ho" yelling contest (he did quite well and was the only non-Wisconsin child selected ;) ).  The show was fun for all ages and draws in many families. 

At the end, they encouraged the children to grab a piece of wood, meet the Lumberjacks and get autographs on their wood piece.  The girls waited patiently for all 4 lumberjacks and were in awe when they were able to meet them.  These young men were superstars in the girls' eyes.  Son #2 only wanted the autographs from his representative team.  The Lumberjacks were kind and friendly to all- another example of Midwestern kindness.

In the handful of times that we have visited Minocqua, we have never done these adventures.  Now that the kids are older, it is easier to be gone for long periods of time, to hold their attention and to explore.  Our day today consisted of visiting the Northwoods Wildlife Center, playing at a park (I think that my stepdad and kids will be off balance for a few days given the number of times they spun quickly on the merry-go-round!), dinner and then the Lumberjack show!  A full day!  Tomorrow we are spending it on the boat tubing, skiing, swimming, and looking for eagles as we cruise the lakes!  We will explore from the water!

Northwoods Wildlife Center

We visited the Northwoods Wildlife Center in Minocqua, WI. 

The center was started in 1979 when veterinarian, Dr. Foster (of the well known Drs. Foster and Smith Pet Supply Company) started caring for injured wildlife when locals would bring the animals to his vet practice.  After caring for a injured deer, word spread around town and people would bring all sorts of injured animals to him for tend.  He expanded out the back of his vet practice and created the Wildlife Center.  Now there are many birds of prey that are permanently housed in the yard behind the center.  (They are not able to be released back into the wild.). We saw a bald eagle, red tailed hawk, barred owls, white snow owl, great horned owl, American kestrel, and others on our guided tour.  

Inside the Wildlife Center, there are many turtles, snakes, a crow (named Russell Crow!), and a turkey vulture.  Each animal cage has information about their habitat, diet and other pertinent data.  The kids loved seeing the fresh food in the cages.  

Also there are taxidermy animals- weasels, raccoon, wolverine, otter, loons, and owls.  You are able to see these animals up close since normally you can only view from a distance or not at all.  

An observation window in the nursery showcases small animals that have recently been rescued and are needing care.  We watched a hummingbird be fed with a syringe.  Also, a few day old grey squirrel was fed with a wet Q-tip.  The squirrel was pink and still had fused eyes.  It was impressive to see the care and attention given to the animals.  Our field trip to the Northwoods Wilderness Center fulfilled our science lesson for the week!

Seeing the rescue center was another side of the Northwoods that was great to experience!

The Drive North

Time for the lake portion of our drive north!!!

The kids and I (hubby and son #1 had to head back to California for work and summer camp) drove north to head to our family's lake houses up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and in Minocqua, WI.  Driving through Wisconsin provides a different landscape that what we have driven through so far.  Here the land is green, filled will farms, and generally flat (with a few hills).  It was an overcast day- but rain-free- so a perfect day for a drive!

On our way North, we stopped in Madison to visit a dear friend from our California hometown.  She will be a Junior at the University of Wisconsin and has been given the opportunity to spend the summer in Madison working an internship.  We were so excited to see her, see her new surroundings and share the love that her parents had sent along.  

The kids had stories to share with her and I enjoyed hearing about her college life.  We ate lunch at a comfortable, tasty and child-friendly restaurant (The Old Fashioned) near the Capitol building.  Of course the kids fought over who was able to sit by her during lunch!

Eventhough it is the summer, you can still feel the energy of a college campus. Takes you back to those days . . . After walking around for a bit and visiting the Book Store, it was time to say goodbye.  😢. We loaded back into the car and then headed North.

6 hours later we arrived in the UP at my dad and stepmom's house.  Their house is secluded and on a lake with not a lot of activity.  Time to enjoy the calm of the lake!

Old School Fun

Back in the day- in the early 80's- I spent many hours at the roller rink with my friends.  Couples skate, the hokey pokey, locomotive chains, and just rocking out to music videos- those were the days. . .

I thought it would be fun to take the kids plus the niece and nephew for some fun at the old rink.  My niece and nephew live close and have been a few times so they are good on skates.  My children, on the other hand, have never been on skates- neither ice nor roller.  They were very excited to try it but were shocked at the challenge once they were up on wheels.  Son #1 and hubby chose inline skates and the rest of us were on the standard 2x2.  The girls and I started slow and hugged the wall for a few laps.  The boys went right for it.  After some tears from the youngest- she finally pulled up her boot straps and went for it.  (Watching her same age cousin skate, fall often and get back up without a problem encouraged her to not be so fearful.)

After 2.5 hours of fun, a few falls, lots of great music, and the hokey pokey (and chicken dance on skates!!!!), we unlaced the skates and called it a successful day. We all left without injury and smiles on our faces.  The kids have asked to go to a rink in California when we return!!

Can you name this famous house?

The kids and I had dinner with dear friends (without them we would not be a family as they introduced hubby and I!) in Winnetka, IL.  After dinner, we went for a walk through town.  The kids were excited to see this house.  Can you name the movie?

Hint #1 - it was a movie from 1990 and was directed by Chris Columbus and produced by John Hughes.  (John Hughes produced many 80's Classic movies with Chicago locations (Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller, Uncle Buck, Sixteen Candles)-- a little touch of home.)

Hint #2- In the movie, this house was owned by the McCallister family.

Giveaway hint #3-  Macaulay Culkin became a household name after this movie.

Fun fact--- as we load up our car after every stop during the road trip- we do a head count.  It always concludes with yelling "Kevin!" to quote this movie . . .

Middlebrook Farm

Guest author-  Son #2:

Middlebrook Farm is an operating farm in Michigan. It is two hours from my Grammy's house. They don't have horses or sheep but they have chickens, roosters, cows, cats, and a llama- named Obama the Llama. 

The people who run it sometimes invite people over so that is why we were able to go. I guess kids go there a lot because they mowed some tall grass into a maze. The barn has a coop and an indoor area for the cows. They have mountains of hay bales! They are already getting ready for winter. The hay is for the cows. In the summer the cows go out in the pastures. The chickens were also cool. I sat in the chicken coop very still and quiet. Then a hen ran up to me and started pecking at my jacket like it was food!

We went on the day Preston, the farm hand was cleaning out the nesting boxes so the chickens were making nests in the bales. It was an egg hunt! We were climbing the bales to look for the eggs. We found a few. 

The barn was a good place for a game called Survivor. It is like hide and seek but everybody was "it" except one person. They six minutes to find you or you win. Whoever finds them gets to be "survivor". You get one minute to hide. 

Lastly, Middlebrook farm mostly had animals that you can eat like the hens and roosters for eggs, and cows for their milk and beef. They also grew dill, cucumbers (for eating and making pickles), squash and tomatoes.  A true taste of farm life!  Thank you Farmer Bob and Nana!

I ❤️NY

Hubby scooted off to NYC to work for a week before heading back to California.  As an anniversary gift, my mom offered to watch the kids for a few days so that I could join him.

I do love to visit NYC.  This trip was during an extremely muggy and intermittently rainy time of year.  As the thick air hung throughout the city, it held the city stench in it.  Walking through Manhattan, I commented that the city smelled "like a big fart".  Sorry for being crude- maybe just a tip to avoid this time of year . . .

For me, NYC is walking, shopping and eating!  Each visit, we always try new restaurants- with so many- why go to the same one twice?  This visit's lunch was at Jack's Wife Freda and dinners were Gato (Bobby Flay's) and Perla.  Gato was tapas and at Perla we had pasta.  Both were tasty, but I would prefer Gato over Perla.  There was more variety and each dish was very unique.  Plus, the atmosphere was more lively at Gato.  We dined at Perla with friends- so being able to chat and hear each other was perfect!

Hubby and I stumbled upon a really cool bar- Temple Bar.  Conveniently, it's just up the street from Gato.  We loved the dark wood, dim lighting and relaxed atmosphere.  We each ordered a sassy cocktail and enjoyed our child-free time as we toasted 16 years of marriage. Note the large ice cube- it was infused with lavender, alcohol and juice.  Yummy!

My dear friend came in from Westchester County for my full day in the city.  Honestly, we could have sat in a coffee shop all day and just chatted and it would have been perfect!  As a gift, our husbands arranged for us to go shopping at a custom denim store in SoHo.  This is something that you can only do with a good friend- you need to be able to give honest opinions and not be embarrassed!  We tried on countless number of jeans to find the "fit" we were looking to create.  We had many laughs- but the best was when CS walked out of the dressing room in the ultimate "Mom Jeans"- a high waisted, muted denim with randomly placed and colored paint splashes..  Who would think these are stylish is beyond me!?!  It was easy to pick out the styles that were not flattering, but challenging not to be hypercritical of your body as you are trying on the many pairs.  I suggested to CS, "Should we go bikini shopping next to continue the pain?"  Nothing worse that trying to find a swimsuit or jeans that you feel are flattering . . .  But we survived with many laughs!  Then off to dinner with the hubbies!

Despite the humid days, it was a great 48 hours in NYC.  Always fun to explore the city, catch up with friends and try new things!  

Dodgeball Tourney!

Son #1 was invited by his same age (13 year old) cousin to play in a dodgeball tournament.  We don't have these in our area of California so we did not know what to expect.

This was a NADA (National Amateur Dodgeball Association) sponsored event at a large local park.  There were 12 fields set up with their boundary and court lines sprayed into the grass.  There were 4 brackets of play- separate 4th-6th grade boys' and girls' brackets and separate 7th-8th grade boys' and girls' brackets.  A majority of the teams were dressed in matching shirts- from professionally printed dri-fit shirts to tie dyed shirts written on with Sharpie marker.

Teams consisted of 6-8 players with 6 players playing at a time.  Most teams had coaches- ranging from 9th graders to camp counselors to moms in their team's matching shirt.

The games lasted 3 minutes- with some ending sooner if all players were taken out.  My son's age group was split into 2 divisions with 6 teams each- which they played each team twice resulting in 10 games.  Then, the top 3 from each division played in the playoffs.

It was pandemonium!  Many of the local park districts had brought their "sports camps" over to the event for the day.  The parking lot was filled with school buses and the park filled with Tweens and teens supervised by college aged camp counselors.  Athletes were all shapes, sizes and colors.  Teams were practicing strategy, chanting warm up cheers, and oogling the opposite gender by said teens . . .

Our family drifted between my nephews' two teams.  Son #1 played with one of his cousins while another cousin played in the younger division.  We cheered them all on!

I was very proud of my son for his willingness to join a small team in which he only knew his cousin.  The boys on his team were all very welcoming and brought him right up to speed.  They all gelled as a team and worked well together. 

Games were fun to watch and sometimes the rules were challenging to understand.  The "Wrench Dodgers" went 7-3 and were headed into bracket play.

There was a bracket game in which Son #1 was the last man standing for his team and faced a 1:1 duel.  He wore his determined face and competitive attitude and pulled it out for his team!  It was an excited 25 seconds to watch!!

In the end, they placed 4th.  It was fun to watch but ultimately I was proud of my son and nephew.  I loved watching them connect and work together.  Again, they live far apart yet remain very connected!

As we took a final team picture, I heard many of his teammates ask if he could join the team for their final tournament next year.  I know my son felt honored and continues to ask us if it would be possible to fly in for the event next year.  Time to start saving your money, Son!!!

Helpful items!

As we travel, there are a few essential items that have made this trip manageable.

AAA TripTiks and Guidebooks:  I brought our itinerary into the local AAA office.  In return, the woman handed me Guidebooks and maps for the states we would be visiting.  She took the itinerary and created a TripTik and had it spiral bound.  These items from AAA have been essential as we venture into unknown territory.

Satellite radio: The invention of Satellite radio has eliminated the need for using the seek button on the radio, carrying CD's (or tapes), and allows us continuous music as we drive between states.  Our favorite station has been channel 147- Road Trip radio!  (Update-- Sirius XM cancelled Road Trip Radio on 7/5!!!  We have phone calls and emails in to the company in hopes that it will be reinstated for our drive West!)

Igloo electric cooler:  After reading many articles on Pinterest about road trips, we bought an electric cooler.  It plugs into the 12V DC outlet in the back of the Suburban.  At the recommendations of many, we bought the adapter so that when we are in the hotel, we can plug it into the wall.  No need for ice and the mess that comes when the ice melts.

Roadtripper app:  You plug in your starting point and your ending point and what categories you would like featured (historical sites, odd roadside attractions, restaurants, hotels, etc) and it will map it out for you.  This is how we found the California Trail Museum.

Rubbermaid bins:  The plastic bins have helped us organize the back of the Suburban.  Everything has its place and when you need something- it is easy to find!  We also use the soft sided Rubbermaid storage bins to store beach towels and an extra blanket.

Seatbelt pillows: 

My mom visited us right before the road trip and worked on the Pinterest project for car pillows with the kids.  I did not want full size pillows in the car taking up room when we have 3 bodies and car seats sitting across the middle row.  The kids use them to rest their heads when driving.  The adults fold in half and use them as lumbar support.  

Aerobed:  Bringing along an extra queen sized bed has been helpful- both in staying in hotels and with family. It takes up the same amount of space as 2 sleeping bags and is more comfy.  We keep the sheets on it, roll it on up and store it in the bag.

Door County

If you hold up your left hand to resemble Wisconsin, Door County is your thumb.  

Hubby's grandparents have a home there so he grew up vacationing with them there.  When we were dating, he and I would escape from Chicago to spend weekends with friends whom also had a Door County home.  We chose Door County as the site for our destination wedding.  So, visiting is nostalgic and brings back many happy memories.  We always enjoy sharing this special place with our kids.

(This is a photo of the church where we were married--- now they have air conditioning, but they did not on that hot June day in 1999!)

Fish Creek, WI is home to a great drive-in theater.  We motored in, backed up the Suburban, opened the hatch and tied it to an acceptable level to not block those behind us, coated our skin with bug spray, and readied ourselves to see "Inside Out".  As we waited, the kids played on the playground, played catch with a new friend, and gave plenty of attention to a puppy who was nearby.  Surprisingly, once the movie started, the screen quality was great and we listened through both the drive-in speaker and our car stereo.

This year we celebrated the 4th of July  week with the inlaws (parents, brother, wife and their twins).  Door County celebrates it Old School with a parade filled with tractors, horses, and local groups marching down the Main Street in Bailey's Harbor.  The kids filled Ziploc bags with candy that was tossed.  We sought cooler temperatures in the Blue Ox bar- site of our post wedding party- truly classy being in there in a big white wedding dress!

(We have a great photo of child #4 and I on one of the saddle bar stools- but I am not posting family photos on the blog . . .)

Post parade we danced in the park to a band that played out of the side of a storage container.  The kids loved dancing with their 3 year old cousins.

Fish Creek had a band play in the park (the lead singer and drummer were from our wedding band--- SUPER FUN to listen to them again!) and then fireworks set off over the marina.

The kids spent countless hours near or in the water.  The boys devoured their breakfasts quickly in order to get to the dock to fish.  They stood patiently and learned to untangle their lines.  One day, Hubby rowed the boys on a 2 hour cruise to his favorite fishing spot near a sunken ship.  Before we left California, he had talked about taking the boys on the adventure- so I am glad that he was able to make it happen.  Son #2 had the most luck catching two bass over the weekend.  Son #1 was frustrated with his ability to only catch small Gobi fish.  The girls splashed in the water and created adventures along the shoreline.  They created masterpieces with rocks and lake moss.  Father-in-law took the kids boating in which they attempted to ski and tube-- but it was too choppy for their liking.  Instead they enjoyed the cool wind and high speeds!

As a family, we took a 2 hour hike through Door Bluff Park.  The kids laughed at my screaming and perching on a log after seeing a snake.  We explored trails without a map or knowledge of where we were headed.  Carefully, we walked along the beautiful bluffs overlooking Green Bay.

The kids also loved spending time with their 3 year old twin cousins.  They were often fighting about who was to sit next to them at a meal, who could hold their hands, who could read to them, etc.  Having 1800 miles separate our homes can be challenging, but having quality vacation time to reconnect is priceless. 

Door County vacation means ice cream!  The kids were spoiled with Malibu Moo's ice cream twice and Wilson's ice cream once during our 5 day stay.  Good old Wisconsin dairy!

One of our favorite pastimes of Door County escapes are the beautiful sunsets.  Supposedly fires in Canada during our retreat were creating especially vibrant red sunsets.  To us, it created a perfect end to our days.

A Taste of Wisconsin

From Chicago, we headed north to Door  County, Wisconsin.  

Our first stop- the Brat Stop in Kenosha, Wisconsin.  (As in bratwurst- not a bratty child!). Nothing says Wisconsin like a juicy brat with mustard and onions, cheese and a Leinenkugel beer.

Hubby and #1 child enjoyed a brat while the rest of us were gentler on our stomachs.

We saved our cheese intake for later in the day--- bring on the fried cheese curds. Delivered was a mixture of cheddar, beer-cheese and mozzarella cheese curds deep fried and served with a side of ranch. (If given a choice between fried and fresh- choose fried.  The fresh ones have a weird squeak when you bite into them.)

A few days later, we attended a Door County classic- a fish boil.

At a fish boil, they build a fire and put a kettle of water on top.  They add a tray of potatoes, followed by a tray of onions and lastly a tray of white fish and let it cook for awhile.  Then, they throw kerosene on the fire which creates a huge flame and creates a boil over of water.  The "boil over" clears the ash from the water and does the final cook.  Not only is it a sight to see- but it is quite tasty too!  You eat the whitefish, potatoes, boiled onions covered in melted butter and fresh squeezed lemon juice and with a side of cole slaw and marbled rye.  The finale to the fish boil meal is Door County cherry pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yum!

Sweet Home Chicago!

Decided to spend the last 2 days downtown in Chicago.  Hubby and I had spent our early- mid 20's living in the city and again for 2 years after baby #1 was born.  We are always excited to return and now to have the kids experience it!

On our way into the city, we stopped at my good friend from pre-birth's (our dad's were fraternity brothers) home.  Kids were excited to hang out with "Crazy Uncle E".  He did not disappoint as he told the kids, "Mom's rules don't apply here" and he entertained them by letting them feed the turtle he has had since we were together in the 3rd grade.  Hubby and I enjoyed the quiet time connecting with his better half while E ran around with the 4.  Before we wore out our welcome, we said our "goodbyes" and headed to our hotel near Navy Pier.

After a late dinner at a cool Irish Pub (D4), we called it a night. 

The next morning we woke up and enjoyed the deluxe breakfast offered by the hotel.  Nothing says "Road Trip" like being able to make a donut sculpture at the hotel's buffet.

We then picked up my sister and kids at the train station and proceeded to the Lincoln Park Zoo.  Lincoln Park Zoo is an amazing zoo in that it is in the middle of the city (in the near north side neighborhood of Lincoln Park) and is a free zoo.  When I lived in the City, I would often pass through the zoo to get from point A to point B and loved the family friendly vibe that filled an often isolating city feel.

With my sister, sister-in-law and the gaggle of children, we enjoyed touring the zoo, pointing out our favorite animals, oogling at the 4 month old gorilla baby, and frequently taking head counts to check that we had not lost any of our people.  

When in Chicago, you eat what Chicagoans eat--- so we went to The Dog Joint near Gamekeepers and Geja's.  (Anyone who has lived in Chicago as a twenty-something knows this exact location . . .). The kids were not adventurous to try a true Chicago hot dog- they ate theirs plain.  But not I . . .

From there we cut back through the zoo to cross over Lake Shore Drive to North Ave Beach.  I was surprised at how empty the beach was in late June.  The kids ran around, wrestled in the sand, raced each other with the younger cousins on piggyback and splashed in the water.

After many "goodbyes", we proceeded back to the hotel.  I ran across the street to get takeout from Whole Foods so that the kids could eat in the room.  After a swim in the pool and showers, the kids settled into their Jammies, ate and discussed TV movie plans while the adults readied for a night out.

We Übered it down to the Billy Goat Tavern on Madison to meet friends and pick up our tickets to see U2.  (Earlier in the day we had connected with former neighbors and were excited that they could join us at the concert!  The impromptu get-togethers have been an awesome part of our trip!). We then walked over to the United Center- home of the Bulls and the 2015 Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks.

U2 played a fantastic show. We sang and danced along to songs we knew very well and some that were new to us.

After the show, we headed towards the hotel and detoured to the new Lurie Children's Hospital.  For years I had worked third shift at Children's Memorial and had connected with the night cook- Miss Bettye.  At midnight, we strolled into the hospital, explained to security that we  did not have a patient to see- but wanted to see Miss Bettye.  After a few phone calls to supervisors, he cleared us to go to the cafeteria.  (Everyone knows what a special and loving woman she is so it probably was not too strange of a request.). The new hospital is AMAZING! It is clean, crisp and welcoming to everyone-especially children.  (The former hospital was worn and outdated- but holds many memories for me.). Miss Bettye was thrilled to see us- just as we were to see her!  She shared memories from 15 years ago when I was working there and informed us that she is retiring after 50 years!  Such a warm heart and kind smile.  A perfect end to the night!

The next morning the kids and I walked over to Navy Pier.  Child #3 has become an animal lover and specifically a panda enthusiast.  My mom had done some research for me ahead of time and found that the IMAX theater was showing a panda movie!  Perfect for my daughter!  (It takes a village to not only raise a child- but also to plan a road trip!!)

With our movie tickets in hand, we had an hour to explore.  With hubby's dislike for heights, I knew he would not go on the famous Navy Pier Ferris Wheel.  Since he was working, it was the perfect time for us to go!

He doesn't know what he is missing!!!  The beautiful views of the magnificent city from the Ferris wheel were spectacular!  We walked through the arboretum at Navy Pier as well.  The kids enjoyed the water fountains spurting arcs into the plants.

Then it was movie time!!!!  The kids had never been to a 3D IMAX movie- so this was a thrill.  The movie was very informative and entertaining.  I wouldn't be surprised if animal lover daughter wants to learn Mandarin so that she could someday work in the Panda Rescue Center in China.

After the movie, we ate Potbelly's for lunch.  (Again- when in Chicago . . .  ). For those who do not know Potbelly's- it is a sandwich shop that serves sandwiches on a soft roll and warmed. The meat and rolls are fresh and tasty.  It started as a single store across from Children's Memorial on Lincoln Ave.  Now it is franchised out and can be found in many cities nationwide.  Sadly, they have not made it to Northern California yet . . .

After lunch we walked through the Loop to find a camera store for a new camera card.  My suburban kids were not accustomed to the sights of the business district of a major city.  My biggest challenge was keeping them together and shielding them from crossing the street against the signal.  They all commented on how sad they were to see the homeless- especially the Veterans and those with animals.

We then met Hubby at Millenium Park.  The kids loved looking at their reflection in the silver bean!

The kids were tired and complaining that we had walked too far.  So, we took a little rest break at the Petrillo Band Shell to listen to the Orchestra rehearsal.  It was not too humid with a slight breeze and perfect to sit and relax and listen to the beautiful music.

Time to close the Chicago chapter.  We packed up, headed back to the burbs and prepped for the next Road Trip adventure . . .