chicaaaaaahgo

We decided to take advantage of Ryan's time off after Christmas and spend a few days exploring more of Chicago. We usually go for doctor appointments, so it was fun to have nothing on our agenda. 

While not quite as cold as last December's jaunt to the windy city, it was still a pretty chilly few days. The girls were troopers, especially when we walked away from the protection of the wind-blocking buildings and out to the museums around the lake. Brrrrr!

We logged plenty of steps and ate some seriously good food to more than make up for it. And I finally tried Garrett's popcorn, which is now a Chicago staple for me. We attempted Eataly, but after wandering for an hour, trying to find a place to sit with two strollers, we gave up and braved the line at Shake Shack across the street. Eataly will have to wait for an adults-only trip another time. We had a great time at the Adler Planetarium; and it was FREE because of our reciprocal pass from our local museum, which is always a bonus. We also made our obligatory stop at the Bean (where Leah was less than impressed, I guess, since she had seen it before - she fell asleep!). Kate's initial impression was not great but made for one of my favorite pictures. "But mom, I don't WANT a picture at the bean!" Sometimes two year olds are just plain fun. But she eventually came around. We also took them to the American Girl Doll store for the first time which is an experience of its own. 

The girls loved the hotel, especially Kate, who took a liking to singing "Let it Go" in the shower as loud as possible. I think Leah mostly loved the continental breakfast. 

Definitely a fun three days with my little family. 

Nauvoo in the fall

We took a "quick" trip to Nauvoo today so Ryan and I could attend tag-team sessions at the temple. I attended the first session, then we ate a quick lunch and drive around town (where I got to see the home of some of my ancestors) before Ryan headed in and I hung out with the girls. 

I decided to take the girls to Carthage as neither of them had been inside the jail before. The foliage was on fire as we drove around town and down the road that parallels the Mississippi River. By the time we reached Carthage, Kate had fallen asleep in her car seat. And if there was ever a child you should NOT wake unless there is an actual fire, it is Kate. So, we parked the car, rolled down the windows and Leah and I walked around the courtyard (about 20 feet from the car) to stretch our legs. 

Leah was so quiet and reverent and still. It was a fun moment to talk about Joseph and Hyrum Smith and this piece of our church history. 

On the drive back to Nauvoo, Leah fell asleep too. Those two are angels when they sleep.  

When Ryan finished, we picked him up and walked around the temple grounds. We feel so lucky to live near this beautiful and sacred building. I really hope Leah can go inside someday. 

Stone's Apple Orchard

We spent the most glorious autumn afternoon at a local apple orchard. We picked 20+ pounds of fresh, crisp apples. We wandered aimlessly through the tidy rows of trees (nestled next to the tidy rows of corn, of course). We sat on hay while riding a tractor (a green one). We admired the farm animals (Kate from a distance, Leah up close and personal). We basked in the radiant October sunlight (have I mentioned how much I love October?). 

And we will be going back next year (a little earlier in the season so we can snag some Honeycrisp).

And now for an abundance of pictures. After that, I'm off to make applesauce, apple juice, apple crisp and apple chips. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me. 

Starved Rock

Ah, camping. We had it on our bucket list all summer, but after being in Utah for nearly a month and then Ryan traveling for most of the second half, it obviously didn't happen. 

So, we marked our calendars to go with some friends the night of September 5th...and then had a conflict. Thank goodness, because the night of September 5th just happened to include a torrential rainstorm. Seriously epic. And the night of September 26th, when we finally ended up going, did not. 

In fact, September 26th was one of those glorious yes-we-know-it's-fall-but-here's-one-last-awesome-glimpse-of-summer kind of nights. 

We chose Starved Rock State Park in Illinois and had a great time with the Johansen family. If you ever want to go camping with people who will be prepared for anything, this family is your guy. Plus, they're fun to boot. So, win-win. 

We roasted hot dogs for dinner and s'mores (with nutella instead of chocolate) for dessert. Our brand new dutch oven was inaugurated with some seriously delicious peach cobbler for a late night snack. Kate was entertained by the flashlight and glowsticks until it was time for bed. Both girls went to bed peacefully, willingly and quickly (which was a complete 180 for Kate from last year) and we all slept soundly through the night. Really, we did!

We woke in the morning, played a bit on the camp playground, ate french toast and breakfast casserole, packed up and went on a beautiful hike. 

The hike was supposed to be to a waterfall, but since there was no water falling, it was just a hike through a beautiful canyon right along the shore of the Illinois River. I rocked the backpack while Kate only whined a little, and Ryan and Leah walked tandem for 3 of the 4 miles (and Leah on his shoulders/in his arms for the other mile). Leah seriously killed it on this hike. And my quads were killing after climbing all those stairs with Kate riding on my back.

We finished off the day with a picnic lunch on the beach of the river, basking in the sunshine and enjoying our company. 

It really was a picture perfect weekend. So much so, that we determined right then and there we would come back next year for two nights. Here's to hoping that no matter what day we choose, we get September 26th kind of weather.