Pumpkin Patch and Chicago (LegoLand!)

 

Obligatory pumpkin patch trip. Here we are picking out pumpkins. (Like Leo’s hat? Crocheted it all. by.myself. Kind of excited about that.)

And here’s us on the hayride back from the pumpkin patch.

 

The pumpkin eating dinosaur…

 

Sophia’s highlight was petting the ponies.

The next day we headed to Chicago. We realized half way there that we gained an hour going to Illinois. Wohoo! Then Chicago traffic took it back and we just barely made it to meet John’s parents in time for the session.

 

John’s Mom and Dad watched the kids while we went to the Temple. Here she is keeping them busy around the parking lot. Sophia is a little Houdini. On the way to the Temple I was really chilly. Then a fever developed by the time we were done. I think it was not nursing Leo on his normal schedule. He was boycotting nursing when we made pitstops. So I ended up nursing him every 2 hours at night.

We went to IKEA for dinner, (mmmm Meatballs mmm). I bought some Christmas presents for the girls. some pots and pans, and random things for around the house- curtain wires for hanging kid’s artwork, magazine organization, tea lights, a mortar and pestel. Good trip.

Then we checked into our swanky Marriott hotel. I was so happy I had a luxurious cushy mattress to sleep on with my low grade fever. (Sophia took the picture below. Pretty good, considering she usually takes pictures of bananas and VHS’s lying around our house)

The next day we swam in the pool and I enjoyed the hot tub. The girls were all about watching cable. We finally checked out and went to the Rainforest cafe down the street in the Schaumberg Woodfield Mall. I’d never been, only heard about it from my sister and friends. The girls loved it, and the prices weren’t too bad, the food was good. The best part? Kids meal purchases meant a BOGO coupon for the Legoland discovery center. The same place we’d already hyped up for the kids trip. And the same place that charges almost 15 bucks a kid. Good deal.

Even though the kids got in free, LegoLand Discovery center was kind of anti-climatic. Sure, they had cool stuff made out of Legos. But there wasn’t much to DO…it was mainly looking at stuff made out of Legos, riding a cart to see a huge dragon made out of Legos, and then seeing a kind of lame instruction on how legos are made out of molds. The only thing to do was play with big legos at the end and endless legos at tables all around. Granted, it was packed when we went (on a Saturday), but I think it’s a one time trip- and probably best for 8-9 year old boys.

 

        

 

 

This was by far the coolest part: riding and pedaling this ride to make your seat go up and down.

John and the girls liked playing with humungous blocks.

 

Ahhh! King Kong Leo almost crashed the tower. Watch out! That lady on the right sat there and didn’t crack a smile once while Leo climbed up it.. Sorry Lady, I think it’s funny.

Ok, so maybe this was really the best part of Lego land- the Jamba Juice across the street. Strawberry Surf Rider, how I’ve missed you.

Hooray for Chicago!