Firsts....

Is there even such a word...firsts?? I'm a GREAT aunt!

My nephew, Joel, and his wife Carissa welcomed little Ryan Daniel into their family yesterday. Joel & Carissa live in Oregon...so there won't be a lot of babysitting for this aunt...=(!

And Yes, he does have red hair! Congratulations Joel and Carissa.

Spring Break #4

4th and final....choke back the tears.


Friday morning we had to have Tyler to Moody BI at 9am to met up with the youth group. So no sleeping in & laying around the hotel room!

Today we were off to the Lincoln Park Zoo. This is a free zoo in Chicago..so I thought it would be kinda like any other free stop..Lame. Not at all..it was beautiful and full of animals. It took us 5-6 hours to get through it. We were planning more like 2 hours.

So, this is our picture in front of the entrance...some how the guy couldn't get the sign (not us) centered..lol! You have to laugh at volunteers! Troy & Trent holding up the sign Leopard Polar Bear paw...

Troy laying an egg!

We ate lunch at the outside cafe...we ordered footlong hot dogs. They were like no other footlong hot dog we had seen!! They were huge! Steve broke it in half to try and eat it...yes, it does have kryptonite relish on it!

My ginormous hot dog Lions...a side note...they make the windows

dirty so that the migrating birds don't fly into them.

Tigers. Steve was sure these 'strings' were not

nearly strong enough to hold that Tiger in, if he wanted out!! Puma, all packed and ready to be shipped out....

Giraffes

My personal favorite...the monkeys...this one was pretty animated

Well, that's all folks! We had a wonderful time together and made a fun family memory. If you get a chance, you should zip around the lake and take in some of Chicago's sites. Maybe we will return before the year, so we can enjoy the Aquarium again...until then!

Spring Break #3

Just think only one more "spring break" title!...promise!!

After we left the The Shedd we (I...and maybe the kids??) wanted to go see 'The Bean' in Millennium Park. Steve graciously obliged.... Tyler and Troy sharing a brotherly moment...I know...awww!Here it is, in all it's glory...lol! The real name is The Cloud Gate...I'm not sure the artist appreciates everyone calling it 'The Bean'?? I guess that is what they see a large bean shaped object! So anyway...it was pretty cool..and shinny! See the Chicago skyline in it...I'm just that good..lol!! So I got in this one...Hey..'lets do a jump picture!!" Troy you take the picture..ready--set--jump on 3..GO! Okay, Steve you take the picture! Ready on 3....1--2--3, oh man!!

Yeah, we did it!!

WOW, Tyler got air, I'm trying to fly, Troy pencil jump, Trent splits! Solo jump.....

Male jump & twist....

Just for fun! Under the Bean. That's us with our arms out!

Far away shot....Very large LED screens in the park. they don't look that big..but compare them to the people standing in front of them. The cool think is it changes...as she smiles, blinks.... Trent showing me his guns at the hotel!

Steve thinks he kind of liked Chicago Driving...the GPS was a necessity!

Parking at the Park was $19

Hang in there, only one more SB post!

Spring Break #2

Heading into Chicago on day #2....


We opted to stay outside the city and drive in everyday...reason...you have to pay about $30 a day to park at most hotels + you would also have to take a cab/train to your destination. The other reason we are not fluent in mass transit...I've never hailed a taxi. We weren't sure the train schedule....we need a personal tour guide!

So anyway, onward..... Today we were off to the Shedd Aquarium....it was a chill day....but it was all enclosed..so we were good! We purchased a family membership, so we have admittance for free for one year...maybe we will have to make another trip over???? Troy the photographer....

Trent & a Iguana Shark 17 year old Snapping Turtle...could potentially live to be 100+...cute isn't he!

A Sting Ray

A very large Turtle

A close up off a Sting Ray...not the normal picture! Let me just say I had to delete a whole lot of aquarium pictures...fish just DO NOT hold still!!!

This area is where you could actually touch..one of my favorite pictures...Tyler is trying to encourage Trent to touch a sea urchin. This is proof that those two really CAN get along...*tearing up*

Trent & Nemo..okay, maybe his grandson

If front of one of the aquariums....I can't believe there isn't a fish swimming in the back ground...come on...aren't we at an aquarium?? It was pretty dark in there and you can't use flashes...so sorry for the bad pictures!

Saw Fish...clever name...Adam was really thinking on this one!

That would be part of an Anaconda...wouldn't want to meet up with him!

Troy scratching a turtles belly

Penguins...come on jump!

I know you are sad I didn't post all 100+ pictures!! We enjoyed a lunch of 5 hot dogs @ 3.99 each, 1 single serve Cheetos, 2-20 oz Cokes all that for a mere $30....not exactly a bargain!! Steve wasn't done chewing, when he asked if we could head to the vending machines....lol!

Making fun family memories. We hope the boys will remember this for many years to come!!

Spring Break #1

This year we decided to take a mini-vacation to Chicago. Our time with Tyler is short, as he is a Junior. We left on Wednesday morning and headed for the Museum of Science and Industry.

I hadn't been there since I was a Senior in High School...just the other day..lol! Steve went about the same time with his family.

This is the foyer of the M of S&I...WHOA! That's what I said when we walked in. HELLO..we have a schedule to keep!

These are people waiting to buy tickets...add that to all the people that are already in.....

For those of you that have not been, it's three floors with lots and lots to see!...and read!

I narrowed it down to just a couple pictures as I didn't want you to have to look at all 60+ pictures!

This was a Tornado SimulatorThis was a pretty cool exhibit...An Element Table...you moved lighted elements around to see what they form when palced together. A area where Trent (&Troy) could just run and use his immagination In front of the Submarine

The Wright Brothers Plane