Illinois Hawaii Part 8: Champaign-Urbana

The next day was Saturday. We spent it with Grandma in Champaign-Urbana to revisit some old stomping grounds.

First, we drove by the hospital where Ramona was born:

Then we caught a glimpse of our old apartment on Oregon Street--door #2. It looked about the same as it did when we lived there.

After passing The Bread Company, where I used to work . . .

 . . . we made it to the quad.

It hadn't changed too much, either.

I enjoyed watching our kids walk around the place where our story began.

Lunch was at Papa Dels, of course. But the restaurant had outgrown its previous location and was now in a completely new building, which was a bit unsettling.

Still the same delicious deep-dish pizza.

Car nap dominoes:

For dinner we were invited to Gavin and Kristen Stoddard's house back in Decatur. The kids all played together so well in their woodsy backyard.

Ramona pushing Wylie and Gemma on the swing:

Joni and Paula:

Gemma and Wylie sneaking ice cubes from a cooler:

Gemma, Joni, Paula, and Wylie throwing rice everywhere:

Thanks, Gavin and Kristen, for having us over! You are the best!

Illinois Hawaii Part 7: Chicago

I am now almost a year behind on this blog. It makes me want to cry--both in a weeping way and a hysterical laughing way. It is always frustrating as a mother when it seems like I can never get to everything I intend to accomplish, but at the same time, some failures are just funny and you just have to laugh at them to maintain some sanity--here I am, posting pictures of kids that barely look like them anymore because they have gotten so big since last year. 

But I am posting anyway.

While we were in Illinois last July, we took our little crew up to the big city of Chicago. Our main destination--one we have been talking about for months--was the Shedd Aquarium. Despite Ramona's favorite animal being a dolphin, she had still never seen a real one up close. This was the best we could offer without booking a trip to the beach.

I loved visiting Shedd Aquarium as a kid. It was still pretty awesome to be there at age 33.

The trash art displays were of course very memorable for me.

Paula dressed up as an otter:

Dolphins!

In order for us to make the most of our day at the aquarium, Wylie had to sacrifice some nap time. Fortunately, I was able to pull him off to a quiet corner and tip his umbrella stroller horizontally like a hammock so he could doze off for a bit. Forest and the girls went ahead to explore more exhibits.

The grand finale of our Shedd experience was the famous dolphin show. Somehow Wylie and I were able to pick through the crowds and reunite with the rest of our family before it started so we could all sit together.

Wylie's short nap helped him behave quite decently during the show.

The girls were each awarded a stuffed animal from the gift shop before we left. Paula got a little grey dolphin, Ramona got a sparkly pink dolphin, and Mika got a sea turtle.

Once we got out of the aquarium, we had just enough time to walk around Millenium Park and grab a bite to eat before it was time to get back in the car and drive downstate.

I may have failed to post about this day in a timely fashion, but the fact that this day happened, whenever it happened: success.