My friends and I had a long, uninterrupted conversation last weekend. Nobody cut in to request a puppet show. Nobody wrestled over the Legos. Nobody needed an explanation as to why we shouldn't keep Mr. Potato Head in the refrigerator. And it was both glorious and sad at the same time.
Our good husbands watched the children while my friends and I enjoyed a girls trip to Chicago. Don't get me wrong, Mom's Weekend Off was fabulous! I just missed my three favorite boys. I kept thinking throughout the road trip, I wish Benson was here to see this! and John would crack up about this, and HOW'S COLE DOING???
We of course indulged in some hearty deep-dish pizza. (By the way, you may notice there's a baby in this picture! Landon was the only child that made the cut to join the weekend party, and he deserves a medal! He is the most easygoing baby I've ever met.)
We enjoyed a boat tour down the Chicago River and into Lake Michigan. Now you can ask any of us anything about Chicago trivia.
Here's me and Chelsea enjoying the ride. How come nobody told me all these years that my arm is freakishly long?!
We battled the crowds at Garrett's Popcorn Shop, and split a jumbo bag of Chicago-style popcorn: caramel corn + cheese corn. Don't scoff until you've tasted it!
We stopped by the American Girl Store, and one word came to mind: OUTRAGEOUS! (In a good, over-the-top way.) You could easily spend thousands in that store. It made me relieved I only have boys, until I noticed there's a three-story Lego megastore being built next door.
These doll hairdressers must feel pretty weird each day at work.
I want to be a doll!
Another sad part of this weekend is that Jana and Chelsea are both moving away in two weeks. TWO WEEKS!!! We're trying to pack these guys in as much as we can before they leave for their anesthesiology residencies. Our husbands were all study buddies that survived med school together, and there's a special camaraderie that comes from that. We'll be friends with these med school families for life.
And speaking of husbands, here they are! Let's hear it for the boys! We drove back from our weekend vacation just in time to crash their barbecue party. (John wants it down for the record-- these guys planned this party with only 5 text messages, no help from wives, and they didn't forget anything. Everything looked and tasted great! They had fresh strawberries, grapes, homemade potato salad, chips, hot dogs, steaks, homemade cookies, and sodas. We were so impressed!)
I had a wonderful trip with my friends, but I was so happy to see my boys again. I spent the next two days doing coloring pages, blowing bubbles, kissing owies, making helicopter propeller noises, and connecting dot-to-dots while John recharged! I actually convinced John, Benson, and Cole to drive to Chicago with me again this weekend, and I'm going to try to recreate some of the things I did during Mom's Weekend Off. They're going to love it!
5 comments:
Way fun!
It looks like you had a blast!! I wish we were still in WI, and I would have stolen away in your suitcase. :)
Okay McAllisters! I knew you knew the Mays--and I guess I should have clued in then that you would know Brand Nance too! I about died seeing him in your BBQ picture. Who would have thought you would hang out with Salem and Spanish Fork Utah kids! ;)
Lucky anyone who gets to rub shoulders with you two! I know the same can be said of the Nance family. Karisa and John - Thank you for being who you are! Love you both! You are great examples to this cousin!
What fun! I got to have that pizza once... heaven on a crust:) And those American Dolls are CRAZY. My girls will NEVER give their doll a facial unless they dunk her in a mud puddle.
Sounds like a blast! I agree--the AG stores are over the top, but so fun! :-)
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