CHICAGO CHICAGO

Okay. I really messed this blog up. trying to upload this slide show. SO I will try again.. Lou and Bryce you've read this already move on! no serioulsy same story ... different beginning...

Katie and I's TRIP to Chicago was fan freakin-tastic! It was so much fun!!!! I could do it again for sure!

We started if off on our very first train ride.. 2 hrs long. But what a way to go. so much easier then having the two of us directionaly challenged girls try to navigate thru Chicago. (mad drivers in CH.) it was relaxing and fun to talk to all the little boys who sat in front of us! we had to watch the map pretty close cause you can't understand the person on the PA. Katie and I had to Jump just to catch our stop!

We walked a couple of blocks to our Hotel... and all I can say is HOLY POSHNESS! It was a beautiful hotel... I knew we were in for it when a lot of the door man, bell boy. etc were in uniform and white gloves. It was gorgeous. and we were way underdressed! I believe it was a four star. or should have been! with our own elevator key we went up to our room.. and let out a squeal of delight!( hey! we're stay at home-mom's who never go anywhere that is not child proof. give us a break!) we were so excited. But I assure you we minded our manners and pretended like we got this sort of treatment all the time. ( i wish!)

We decided to have dinner in the hotel since we didn't know where else to go... They had a fine dining called Lockwood in the lobby area. It was a beautiful restaurant. I didn't hardly recognize anything on the menu. The Mat re D was kind enough to go through a few of the items and give us and idea. and yet the shocks just kept on coming with every course.

First they started off by bringing this small dish to cleanse our pallet.... ( you heard me.. CLEANSE OUR PALLET!!) It was a small thing of raw tuna in a cucumber sauce. it was "interesting" Katie waited for me to take the first bite I managed to keep a straight face and said" hmm, interesting" so she tried it... gaged and mumbled an I hate you. I laughed my evil laugh! Next we ordered our First Course... I ordered the bacon and egg... and Katie ordered the beet root salad... Nothing about it was normal looking... I almost felt bad for messing up there creations. the only thing that looked like bacon and eggs was the small egg on top..then there was a piece of pork ( or something meaty) the bacon was with something fruity on a crusty break thing all perfectly squared...and it was really really good!!! Katie salad was again beautifully presented and really good.. as well! ( I admit I was nervous after the tuna cucumber thing that this meal would really suck and leave me grossed out and hungry... so I was a relieved a little after the first course)

For the main course I order the only recognizable some what safe looking thing on the menu which was prime rib and other things that were I swear in french... Kate order the 2nd thing that looked safe which was the fillet Mignon... Both were delicious... mine was really big and came with a side of what I thought to be Halibut.. I thought what the heck try it.... IT was NOT Halibut.... in fact I believe it was a LEEK! I managed to keep my straight face... and said hmm.. Katie try it... she did... again ... and again gagged.. followed by her famous I hate you.. ( by this time I'm rolling... misery LOVES company right!) Her fillet Mignon was wonderful she even tried the mushrooms ( a different type of name I can't remember!) and ended up loving them! ( I had to redeem myself right?) It was so yummy!!!

We both decided to have a dessert mine was some sort of choclate volanic thing ,when I poked the chocolate it oozed out all over the ice cream stuff. it was really good, not too chocolaty. Katie had an Apple tart tini thingy. with this rum stick sticking out in the middle. How did Katie know it was rum? hmm. ( just when you think you know a person!)

The chef came out and asked how the meal was ( FANTASTIC!!! )

which was followed by the bill. . . . . . . now I knew it was going to be a little expensive seeming as how they didn't put the prices on the menu. but I wasn't quite prepared for the amount... $$$ Go ahead and guess !!! If you already know no cheating. all I can say I about died! my stomach flipped and I thought my hubby is going to kill me... But no time to worry about that now. We were dressed and ready to go see . . .

WICKED!!!!!

what an amazing play! It was fantastic.. if you ever have the opportunity take it . you will NOT be disappointed!!! It was just so neat! and funny! The theatre was just beautiful it was the oriental theatre in CH. very ornate! But just so your prepared there is no flash photo's in the theatre. The ushers are on you like fly's to poop! and they will make you delete every one of them!( MAAAMMM!!) the music that started off the blog is from the production... cool eh?

We held our first cab coming home, my feet were killing me! We were so excited after wards... we had to walk to a mini mart on the corner to pick up a Dew for me. ( apparently 4 star hotels don't know that MT.Dew is my drink of choice and only carried coke products UNACCEPTABLE!)

We slept like queens in the fabulous beds with wonderful linens. lounged in our hotel robes. The shower was cool it had a dual heads. I would have appreciated it more if actually hit my back,I was just to short. Katie loved it tho, in truth i didn't sleep well at all , I was to nervous about telling Paul how much mu la I had spent just for dinner... I stewed and stressed about it all night... So we called in the morning and told them our dinner experience. Both of the boys were really great about it... ( well.. you only get to do this one right . . GULP....glad you are having fun . . GULP) So thank you boys for being so great about it!

That morning we went to Shedd aquarium which is awesome. and so fun.. Since I have never been to sea world or anything close to it. I thought this was really neat. The dolphins were fun to see! you had fish swimming below you above you... . I could have spend longer there IT was so fun.. I am definetly taking Paul and the kids back to see it. .But it was nice to be able to read and take as long as I wanted at each aquarium.. with out the kids pulling on me. We had to race back to our hotel to get our bags and make the train... IT was crazy thanks to all the parades that were going on for memorial day! But we made it! ( whew!)

Katie and I had sooooooooooooooo much fun!!!!! It was relaxing and rejuvenating to be pampered and spoiled like that. I am so glad I got to have one last WAHOO with My girl Katie.... I need to shout out a big huge THANK-YOU to Brent Craig for make'n it all Happen for us and spoiling us!!! and to both our boys for willing to watch the kids while us girls played .. you guys ROCK!

Now Katie and Brent are off to Fl. for a new job opportunity... we are so going to miss them!!! But hey we can always go Vac. in FL right?! Miss you guys!

if you want more detail and pics hit up Katie blog!

I know this was long winded But I just had so much freak'n fun! I could do it again for sure.. .anybody comes out and sees me we can make a trip to CH. ( bribe,bribe!)