More fun in Chi-Town

Today we got up early to go to the Shedd Aquarium. We had to take two cars - Papa and Bam in one, Lilli, Bella, Jimmy and Pamela in the other. We got there good and early and there was only a hint of a line.... though it was pretty crowded already. Some of the things I loved: The Octopus, the Spider Crab, the Snapping Turtle, the beautiful Poisonous Frogs, and the GIGANTIC ALIEN CATFISH. Bella loved the Sea Dragons, the Spiny Lobster, Nemo and Dory, and the tiny luminescent fish. Pamela was a fan of the alien Sea Cucumber.

We did catch a dolphin show, which was fun and educational (FACT: If you go swimming in the ocean, do NOT expect dolphins to rescue you if you start drowning. It's not that they don't care, but they just don't KNOW you - you could be a predator for all they know). And the Venue was gorgeous, with huge windows showing Lake Michigan behind the pool... But as a SHOW, I have to say that Seaworld was a bit snazzier, and actually having all of that blue sky and vista behind the show made the pool itself a little dark, and the contrast wasn't so great. But it was a good time. I guess when a man has got to the point he is comparing the aesthetic merits of various Dolphin shows, he may need more things to focus on.

Afterwards, we went back to the American Girl store for our late lunch.... it was a delightful meal (very healthy and delicious - I was impressed that they had no pop, no fries, nothing aggressively bad for you), in a very nice environment. Bella and Lilli had their dolls. Papa and I were able to "borrow" a pair for the lunch. They had little clip-on chairs so we all had dolls sitting between us, and they even brought little services out for the dolls.

The drive home was long - total rush hour, but we took the route that had us hugging the lake as far north as we were going, then west to the house. It took a hour and a half, alas (twice as long as the trip down did), and Bella and Lilli snoozed most of the ride.

Of course that means that it was a party around here until 9:30 when Bella first showed signs of getting tired... but her eyes weren't closed until 10.

And naturally, I had to check my mail, and deal with a few things relating to my new role.... I'm just not THAT unplugged. Tomorrow will be 100% offline as we drive back to Minnesota. The only question is what we'll do to break up the trip... the dells? Madison? Naughty but Nice? The mind boggles at the possibilities. I may let the location of Chipotle be my guide....

In all, this has been a wonderful, if short, vacation. We did a lot, and I especially loved spending time in the City of Chicago - escaping the suburbs. We really need to plan more excursions! Revisiting the Peninsula was also wonderful... and it got me thinking about planning a 3 day getaway down there.... how romantic it would be!