Chicago finally happened. With kids, back in November. It had been on my list for years.
Long before kids—back in my working days and before iPhones to take instant pictures—I went to Chicago for a work conference. My friend met me out there after the conference, and we spent a few days exploring Chicago. It was a really great trip. One that I wanted to recreate with the kids. Before Covid, I was going to take only Blaise and Laine. But it never worked out. Either flights were too expensive or timing wasn’t right. Then during Covid, I found flights for like $35 each way. But Covid. All the things were closed or had reduced entry. It didn’t seem worth going. I shelved Chicago yet again.
Until last June. Southwest was having an anniversary sale. I priced flights for several destinations because I’m always looking for somewhere to go. During that sale, they had direct flights to Chicago for $49 and return flights for not much more in November. I don’t remember the exact flight amounts but looking in my email, it was $112.58 roundtrip for each of us. And, we had about $450 in flight credits so it only cost a bit over $300 to book. There was no reason to pass up this opportunity. I immediately booked. It was November when I went before kids, and I really liked the cold Chicago experience. And at that price, I couldn’t care less about which month we went.
Maybe it’s bad but I have no problem pulling the kids from school for trips. I think they get more from traveling than they ever will sitting in a desk. And family time is priceless (even the family time where I get frustrated and lose it, so I tell myself). They all have excellent grades and are good students, so I’m even less concerned pulling them. We have a few more trips coming up before this school year ends. One in April and another in June. I feel like June is optional anyway, haha. They all tell me they don’t do much in June anyway. Eh, everyone—students and teachers—are so done by June. It’s just about sitting in their seats to get funding at that point.
My pre-forties self would chastise me that I don’t follow [all] the rules. Brian says I’m in my IDGAF mid-forties. Blaise and Laine’s school has this planned absence form you’re supposed to fill out if they’ll be gone more than three days. Last year it was simple, only my signature and then the principal approved. This year, they added a line for each of their teachers to sign off and the principal. Seems unnecessary to me. I’ll pull them regardless of teacher signatures. I played dumb and let the office know they would be gone for three days the morning we left for Chicago. I received an email back letting me know for future trips, they have the form. I responded with, Gotcha, thanks! Bureaucracy noted for next time. I really DGAF these days. I’m leaning into my mid-forties.
Wednesday
Our flight was Wednesday morning. Melvin was already at his BFF’s house which made the morning less stressful without the added stop to drop him off. We all packed the night before so it was just wake up, get ready, feed the kids, and head out. Like any other morning. We dropped off our cars at the airport parking lot we like, and took the shuttle to Sea-Tac. Smooth.
One of the benefits —that I’m sure will be on the chopping block soon—of flying Southwest is they offer up to two free checked bags. (Ugh, since starting this post, they’ve ditched the free bags. I KNEW it was coming.) I find checking bags to be the easiest. Yeah, we have to wait at baggage claim but not having to deal with bags through security and in the airport, it’s so worth it to me. Bags checked and through security, we waited at the gate. Our flight was on time and boarding was smooth. I like the back rows. I don’t love flying and I find comfort in watching the flight attendants. We scored the back two rows, and a row in front of one of the back rows. Seven people and all. Thankfully the flight wasn’t full and none of us had to sit by anyone outside of our family.
That whole not loving flying thing, I take Xanax right before boarding. And I rarely remember a damn thing. It’s glorious. Also kind of scary but whatever, I won’t remember anything—good or bad. I remember boarding and sitting in my seat, and then I don’t remember anything until usually after we claim our baggage. Brian says it’s kind of creepy because I appear like I’m alert, I’ll talk, move around, listen to music, deplane, walk to baggage claim, get my bag, and yet I’m not really there. I like this?! Maybe because I’m as clean as can be, and have very limited experiences with any kind substance. The hardest drugs I’ve ever taken were during childbirth. This is probably why I loved giving birth, all five times. I’d totally do it again if we were younger.
Flight kiddos. I don’t remember taking this picture but it was on my phone. Xanax is amazing and slightly concerning. Googly eyes on the women’s bathroom identifier. Saige taking on Maive’s backpack by choice, such a great sister!
Apparently we flew the fiveish hours to Chicago and retrieved our bags. I was back when it was time to take the train to downtown. I changed our hotel last minute and I scored with the change. My requirements for booking a hotel are a two-queen room (or suite) with a pull-out bed couch (we’re a big family), free breakfast, and free cancellation 24 hours before check in. The original hotel I booked met these requirements. But when I looked up which trains to take from the airport, it would have required transferring to a second train to get to the hotel. I quickly changed our hotel with those same requirement, but only one train ride from the airport. And it was a good change. I checked in online and selected a corner room on the 21st floor with a view of Lake Michigan. We walked right in and took the elevator up.It was a essentially a one-bedroom apartment. The room has a full kitchen with an eating area, living area, and bedroom with two queen beds and a full bathroom. But the view. Amazing. We stayed in South Loop and not only did was our view of Lake Michigan, we also had a view of the Natural History Museum and Shedd Aquarium.
It was dark by the time we made it to the hotel. Early sunsets in November and all. It was also dinnertime. Time for deep dish pizza, of course. After settling into the room, we headed back downstairs and asked the front desk which pizza place would be best. There were several within walking distance of our hotel. They recommended Giordano’s. So we went.
Probably because it was a Wednesday evening, we were able to get a table right away. This isn’t common for a group of seven. We quickly decided what we wanted, knowing it would take a bit longer being deep dish. It didn’t feel too long when the pizzas made their way out. It was all about the cheese pull for the kids.
They cheese pulled, we ate, packed up the extras, and went back to the hotel. It was nearing 9pm. We were still on PST time so it didn’t feel that late. But after a day of travel, we were all ready for downtime. Tech time if I’m honest. Each kid went on their preferred device. Except Baby, she brought a bunch of Tech Decks to occupy her time. Brian and I enjoyed the view while the kids tech’d. And then the quiet once all the kids went to bed in the bedroom. It had been a full day and we had two jam-packed days ahead of us.
Deep dish pizza and cheese pulls.
Thursday
Thursday was a full day. I’m going to leave this to mostly pictures (likely with rambling).
First up, Field Museum. Specifically to see Sue. But also all the other things. Brian has a thing for dinosaurs and I’ve grown to appreciate this over the years. Back when we watched the movie about Sue, I knew he needed to see her if we ever made it to Chicago. Even I found Sue impressive to see in person. Brian said he’d love to go back and spend an entire day at Field Museum. I think the kids and I were ready to leave before Brian was, even though it had been a few hours.
Field Museum. And Sue!
Next, Millennium Park. The bean. Or whatever it’s called. Google tells me it’s Cloud Gate. I like The Bean better but they didn’t ask my opinion. We walked from Field Museum along Lake Michigan to Millennium Park. Kind of on accident. We were heading this way because Blaise really wanted to try Raising Cane’s which happens to be across from Millennium Park. Score.
The Bean and Cane’s.
Next was a hotel break. We walked back to the hotel for a bit of down time. Also to put away the extra Raising Cane’s we left with, including two full cups of Cane’s Sauce that Blaise and Laine had to have. Even though we had no way to transport it back home. We ended up tossing it the morning we left. Wasteful but lesson learned I suppose.
An hour or so later, we left the hotel on foot again. This time to the Shedd Aquarium. I had been before, back when I first went to Chicago but my memory is so freaking bad I can’t recall anything other than I know I went there.
We weren’t going to hit up the Shedd Aquarium at first because we wanted to go to the Planetarium but it was closed for field trips. It would be open Friday. Which is why we decided on Shedd instead; we switched the order that we were going to do things. It was nearing closing time for the aquarium and we wanted more time to visit but went for it because we were there. We still had a good two hours and it ended up working out just fine. The only downer, Brian had to ditch his knife. He carries a pocket knife, and has for years, and they have metal detectors before entering the Shedd Aquarium. Usually Brian will hide his knife behind a trash can or bush, somewhere, when places have metal detectors. Not this time. The young kid was cute though. He actually came to Brian after we left the metal detector area where Brian had turned in his knife to be thrown away. He asked Brian if it had a blade of whatever size. This was totally an out for Brian to be able to keep it but this went over his head. He opened the blade and the kid said he for sure had to dispose of the knife. This has happened before so we had to buy yet another knife. I should probably buy like two more because there is one floating around somewhere that Brian lost. I imagine it’s stuck in a small crevasse in the car or somewhere Brian goes often. Knife gone, it was time for the aquarium.
Again with the beautiful architecture. I don’t usually love classical architecture—or whatever official style it’s called. I should know since I worked at architectural firms before kids. Which is why I was in Chicago the first time. I’ll leave this to pictures now.
Shedd Aquarium kiddos.
Nearly 11 miles of walking later, it was time to head back to the hotel. Not before stopping at the legs. I’m sure there is an official art installation name but I’m calling them the legs. The sculptures at the park on the walk back from the Museum Campus to our hotel.
The legs are fun. And a great place for the kids to play hide-and-seek. They kind of did?! More like they would run and hide, and see if anyone could find them but it wasn’t an official game. It’s a fun maze-like art installation. I really appreciate all the open space Chicago has and the walkability options. The legs are in a park that takes you in whichever direction you want to go, with paved paths every which way. It’s a walkable city and well-thought-out. Back when I was there with my friend, we were at Sears Tower and wanted to go to Navy Pier. We asked the nice woman at Sears Tower the best way to walk to Navy Pier. She was super nice but begged us not to walk, that it was too far—we definitely needed to take a taxi. We walked. It wasn’t bad at all. Maybe because it was November when I was there (both times now) and she thought we’d be cold?! Whatever the reason, I say Chicago is super walkable.
The kids legged and we enjoyed the open space as it got darker and darker while the sun went down. It was time to call it a night. We went back to the hotel and ate leftovers for dinner. We had extra pizza and Raising Cane’s to make disappear before leaving Saturday. Thursday had been a successful, full day. And we had another full day planned for Friday.
Legs.
The kids all went to bed and Brian and I stayed up a bit to decompress. Five kids and traveling is draining, even if it’s all good. We needed some down time to just exist as I say. One of my favorite things about our downtime in Chicago was watching the apartment building across from us. We could easily see into three apartments. Not that we sat and watched intently or anything, but it’s always fun to watch other people just exist. One couple was cooking dinner with their dog’s assistance. Another couple was hanging Christmas lights in their family room. A guy was lying back and gaming on his couch. Another apartment—that we couldn’t see into since it was higher up—had a banner of cats with birthday hats hanging across the top of their window.
Sonder. I love this word and its meaning. And I think of it most when I see people in their own homes. Sonder is the profound feeling of realizing that everyone, including strangers passing in the street, have a life as complex as one’s own, which they are constantly living despite one’s personal lack of awareness of it.
Friday
Shoreline Architecture Tour time. I went on this same tour my first time in Chicago and really enjoyed the experience. And since it’s a City Pass option, we decided to go for it and booked the first tour Friday morning. To get to Navy Pier, we could have walked. But after going nearly 11 miles the day before, we decided to give the kids a break. Mostly Maive, who was newly five at the time. Short legs have to take even more steps; not that she complained. It was bus time. Before this day, I don’t think any of our kids had ever been on a city bus. Airport shuttles but never a bus. It was an experience. Specifically the guy watching porn on his phone in plain view of a few of our kids. Only one noticed. I’m super liberal and not one to worry about what my kids see in public, but Jesus, who watches porn on a public bus?! Brian once sat next to a guy on an airplane who was watching porn. And actually, on the flight home from Chicago, there were two 20-something guys who didn’t know each other but were sitting in aisle seats across from each other—two rows ahead of me—who were handing their phones back-and-forth with videos of naked women. The had been chatting about the kind of women they like and somehow jumped to sharing videos. They tried to hide it but I could clearly see what they were watching. And people wonder why there’s a male loneliness epidemic. I digress.
The bus was busy. It was morning commute time and most seats were full but we managed to snag seats, just separately. Most people exited as the bus made its way to Navy Pier. Our family and a mom with her teenage daughter were the last on the bus. We all exited at Navy Pier. It was early. We still had an hour to kill. Blaise was set on finding a Dunkin’ Donuts. We nosed around but had no luck finding donuts. Brian and the kids found a Starbucks instead. We killed time until the boat tour kiosk opened. With tickets in hand, we walked to the boat loading dock. The mom and teenage daughter from the bus were also on the boat tour.
The boat tour was interesting. It hit differently being out of the architecture world than when I first went on the tour. I appreciated the architecture more the first time and decided what I like and didn’t like this time. I’ll leave this to pictures now.
The boat tour guide was great. I like how he said the building named the Willis Tower is called Sears Tower. Even as a non-Chicagoan, I call it Sears Tower. Sears Tower is the one thing we skipped on the City Pass. Nobody was that into it, and we didn’t have much time to squeeze it in anyway.
After the boat tour, we hit up a restaurant inside Navy Pier. I can’t remember the restaurant name but it has famous people’s pictures and random items all over the wall. There is even a signed toilet seat?! Kind of tacky and gross but whatever. The food was eh but of course it was expensive. Paying the tourist rates.
After we all ate, it was time to head back to the hotel for a short break. Bus time again. Sans porn. We grabbed a few items at a grocery store around the corner before heading back up to the 21st floor to our hotel room. We all wanted a small break before heading back out. We still had a full day ahead of us.
An hour or so later, we were back on foot to the Adler Planetarium. It was closed the day before for a field trip and we wanted to check it out. Bonus that it was a City Pass attraction. It was impressive but underwhelming?! Not sure what I mean. When we got there, they were just about to show a movie in the theater. It was cheesy but informative, and I tried really hard not to close my eyes. I was so tired and the chairs reclined, since the movie was on the ceiling dome. I’m not one to fall asleep places but I was close this time.
After the movie, Brian and the younger gals found an open area where they had rocket making supplies. Blaise, Laine, and I explored the rest of the exhibits. The telescopes were pretty cool. We met back up in where the girls were still making rockets and jumping on the air shooter thing to blast them upwards. It was time to go. We needed to eat dinner before our next outing.
The kids all held the moon, haha. Earth being bald on the Pacific Ocean side is my favorite. Also, when we left the planetarium I took the picture of the kids on the steps. The bus driver had been watching, and when we entered the bus he commented how quick and well-organized taking that picture was. Haha. The kids are so used to me taking their picture that they know exactly how to do it quickly (so they can be done).
Back to the hotel, on a bus this time. Everyone was tired from all the walking. Looking back on that day, we walked nearly seven miles. And we spent the morning sitting on a bus and boat.
Dog Man: The Musical was the plan. Across from our hotel is a college theater. I love all things theater and had looked up what was playing. It was a musical that wasn’t ideal for the younger gals, and I was going to take only Blaise and Laine. Until Brian found Dog Man: The Musical was also playing Friday night, at a theater maybe six blocks up from our hotel. We debated about splitting up and seeing both shows but ultimately decided to all go see Dog Man. I’m glad we stuck together.
It was a great show! I mean, I love musicals so I’m probably always going to say a musical is great. (Maybe not always, there have been a few disappointing ones but I still find the talent so amazing.) But, Brian liked the show! For Brian to like a musical means it must have been pretty great. They aren’t really his thing. All the kids seemed to enjoy it also. An overall success. Go, Brian for finding it and suggesting we get tickets for all of us.
Musical kids!
And bonus, the Studebaker Theater is beautiful. It’s an old building and the woman sitting in front of us was telling me how there are vintage posters downstairs by the restrooms of the theater. Of course I went to look before the musical started.
Vintage posters.
It had been a full Friday! It was time to head back to the hotel and call it a night. Call it a trip actually. We were leaving Saturday morning to fly back home. But not before one last stop at Dunkin’ Donuts. In a sketchy part of town but hey, it was all good. Brian and I are pretty sure the young kid working was high as a kite, and the other customers were partaking in harder drugs. It was after 10pm. I think the night was just getting started for everyone except us in there. A man did approach me to ask, “Does your man treat you well?” Haha. I chatted with him a bit while the kids selected their donuts. We said goodnight and left for the hotel. It was bedtime.
My people.
The kids at some random statue and then at the drugged up Dunkin’.
Saturday
Our flight was mid-morning. We were up and out of the hotel before 9am. The train station is around the corner from the hotel where we stayed. With our luggage in hand, we made the short trek and managed to get everyone and their bags up to the train waiting area. We did get on the wrong train and a nice woman who noticed we all had luggage helped us by letting us know. We exited at the next stop and waited for the right train a few minutes later. Thankfully I’m an always early kind of person, and we had ample time for this error. I always pad times with more than enough in case anything happens.
The airport experience was smooth, we all checked our bags and made our way through security easily. A friend asked me to bring home some popcorn from a place she likes, which happened to have a location in the airport. Across from our gate, which made it easy to grab. Baby had to complete her soccer Secret Santa form so we worked on that while we waited. Eventually we boarded and I took my Xanax. I don’t remember the takeoff but I came to sometime during the flight this time. About when the two 20-something men were sharing porn. The flight was smooth and we landed safely back in Seattle.
We were running a bit late between deplaning, collecting our bags, and waiting for the car shuttle. Baby had a soccer game and Saige a birthday party that we were trying to make. We had even taken two cars to the airport because we were going to split up when we were back in Seattle. It had been a great trip—probably one of our better family trips—but we were all ready to be home. The best part of coming home on a Saturday is that there is still Sunday to have a day off before all things life start again on Monday.
Maive HAD to get a picture at the Statue of Liberty. Haha. What she called this. We could see this from our hotel room and she really wanted to get a picture with it before we left. I can’t remember when we did this so I’m putting it at the end.
Until our next family trip! Soon actually, since I’m so behind on getting this sucker documented. (I’m actually on a trip with a friend, and staying up later than I planned to finish this post.)
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