Weekend top 5 - Chicago

This weekend we had a crazy busy and exciting weekend in Chicago.

5. On Friday when we got there we walked over to the park right by their house. The boys love this park and pretty much know how to get there from all our trips over there in the last couple of years.

Cole loved riding the the car just like cousin Dylan.

Both of my boys love climbing on the tall tower. I tried taking the pictures from the ground under them.



I think they turned out pretty well.

Alex loves climbing and this was a pretty neat one. It was the first time he had managed to get all the way across. He fell off once when I was watching from far away that he couldn't see me. He just hopped back up and started over. I was so proud of him.

Doesn't this look like fun. We love this park.

4. After quite a while at the park we headed home and the boys played for a while.

The basement is a great place to play and the boys always have a blast. Alex wasn't feeling real well so he was pretty grumpy all afternoon. Dylan and Cole however had a great time playing together. They really played nicely and Dylan shared his webkinz. A major change for him. Max (one of the cats) was always within arms reach of the boys. THey couldn't get rid of him.

3. Later we walked to "The Ale House" for dinner. Alex complained about the whole walk, but it was a gorgeous night for a walk. Of course it was all good when we discovered that Marcella's favorite ice cream place was open and we would stop on the way back. Which we did. Dylan kept telling us it was the best ice cream ever "It's so creamy, and it goes all the way to the bottom, I love this ice cream." Over, and over, and over. It certainly made the walk back easier.

2. On Saturday morning we went to the Arboretum. Sorry can't remember the name or spell tonight either. The boys LOVED it. There was a huge children's garden. With slides and climbing.

Waterfalls to play and splash in, yes that's my Dylan getting all wet in the water.

Streams to wade in. It was a gorgeous warm day, but the water was still a little cold. Just ask Alex

A frog pond to jump from stone to stone.



No shoes and socks, just in case.

This would be right after Dylan stepped into the water and got his shoe a little wet.

After that I had him take his shoes and socks off. Good thing to because not two minutes later he was up to his knee in the water. If you look closely some of the other pictures have him with his pants rolled up so the wet was on the outside.

He actually handled it pretty well considering how he doesn't like being wet or messy.

Dylan and Cole loved playing with the froggy fountain together. They just got along so well this weekend.

There were also lots of things to climb on. There are several treehouses with rope ladders, bridges, lofts, and everything else monkeys like these 3 can imagine.

After we played in the children's garden we had a picnic lunch. Then we went for a hike. Brian and Marcella wanted to try out their hiking backpack to see if Cole would stay in it. He loved it!

Alex loved walking through the woods.

Dylan had a rougher time. He kept getting mulch in his shoes. I'm hoping to find a better pair for him for Hawaii.


The mid point of our hike was called the Big Rock. It weighs between 12 and 14 tons. The boys loved climbing up and jumping off.





Alex's favorite part was seeing the pictures of himself jumping off.

Cole needed help jumping off, but loved it as much as the big boys. Or maybe just loved being like the big boys.

Dylan was on the rock at the end of our time there and really didn't want to leave. He loved being up high.

Dylan having a blast on the hike.

Our one good picture of all 3 boys together, of course on the rock was the best place to take one.

Cole went to bed talking about the Big Rock and woke up talking about it too. A first for him.







1. After all of the excitement of the morning we rested at home for a while before heading for a new park (at least for my boys) for a little wile. Alex made some new friends and was running around with them the whole time. Dylan and Cole did some more climbing then it was time for a quiet dinner at home and straight to bath and bed. When Alex woke up on Sunday morning (at 9:00, the latest in a long time) his muscles were really sore from all of the running and walking yesterday. Uncle Brian taught him some stretches to loosen up his legs.

Well that was the end of our spring break. It was a great weekend although it was nice to get home.