Back to the Future...

...Or back around Thanksgiving since I'm getting behind on some fun moments in our life-  We took an exciting trip back to Chicago.  I know we just got to go to Chicago in the summer but we jumped at the opportunity to go again because we love Chicago and, more importantly, it meant that we were able to spend Thanksgiving in Indiana with the Walker family!
I will tell you that we found out how the Windy City gets it's nickname.  It was chilly.  But seriously such a fun city! We were in the suburbs of Chicago for a few days and Laila and I would mostly hang out at the hotel while Michael had meetings then we stayed in the city for a few days.  Michael would meet up with us when he could and Laila and I enjoyed the city.  We went to the American Girl Store where a kind employee (or scheming depending on how you look at it) let Laila play with a stroller and a doll.  My little girl did NOT want to leave that store.  I don't blame her, but we did manage to leave peacefully. Laila and I went to the Drihaus Museum which was super fun and historical.  There were a few moments of restless baby and pretentious people, but some of those restless baby moments were compensated with some added bonuses like a worker taking us into the Safe Room of the house as well as the servants' hidden staircase AND over the roped off area into the reception room so that we could walk through the secret door to the also roped off dining room.  I was thrilled.  Laila was indifferent to the bonus material, but what an amazingly detailed and ornate home.

As a family we went ice skating at Millennium Park which was so incredibly fun even if Laila was on the grumpy side and we are far from Olympic ice skaters. The view, the city, the weather, it just could not have been more exciting.

And let's not forget the pizza.  Oh the pizza.  Truly, it just is amazing.

We love Chicago. It was also particularly fun on our last night there because there were BYU fans EVERYWHERE getting geared up for the bummer of a game against Notre Dame the next day.

We met up with the Walkers for lunch and the boys headed off to freeze   the football game while the girls and kids went back to the house to play.  We spent the rest of the week with Christi and her family.  They are amazing hosts.  We enjoyed going to their ward and relaxing on Sunday.  During the week, we went to story time at the library, played couples volleyball one night, played volleyball with girls from their ward, having a mom escape to see "Catching Fire" *sigh*, and taking the kids to play on the bounce toys.

And let's not forget going Black Friday (but really Thursday) shopping for my very first time! As well as the amazing food Christi makes and our amazing Thanksgiving dinner!

We are definitely blessed to have the Walkers in our lives!