Boat Excursion

Matt and I did a wild and crazy thing last weekend.  We took the big boat, so Donna & Emil's boat, all the way down to Chicago to listen to the Jack Johnson concert down at Northerly Island.  I LOVE Jack Johnson, and I love the idea of listening to Jack Johnson on a warm summer night from a boat on the open water, with a cocktail in hand.  All of that came true, plus or minus a bit (the minuses really having to do with me feeling a bit seasick from some wavy waters).  All in all it was really fun!  It started with almost a 2 hour trip down the Lake Michigan coastline, watching as the skyscrapers became larger and larger.  By the time we got down there the sun was setting and the sky was on fire, it was so gorgeous.  Then we dropped anchor and had dinner and drinks while the opening act band played.  We listened to Jack play his awesome music, and it was as if we were actually at the concert it was so close.  We could see the Jumbotron of him on stage and everything.  Matt was awesome handling all the boat stuff, including anchoring it among tons of other speedboats and sail boats.  We got to watch the fireworks that Navy Pier puts off every Saturday night, and then started the journey back home in the pitch black night.  That part was a little scary, you couldn't see anything.  We didn't get back to the harbor until 1am, and I feel asleep on the w ay back so I wasn't a very good first mate!  It was quite a memorable experience, but not one we're going to be doing every day we decided.

She likes to wear her shoes outside, even when she's wearing her footie jammies.

Garden is starting to grow!

Totally capable of climbing up and down couches now, it is so nice not to worry about her taking a header off of as much stuff anymore

Dinner at Shannon's with her super cute pup, Porkchop 

Michelle & Shannon

During the summer I swim outside at a private residence on Lake Michigan.  These pictures are from 5:30am when the sun was rising over the lake.  Just beautiful.  Similar to those sunrises we've been seeing while up with Claire at ungodly hours of the morning,

The house we swim at also has beach access, so later in the year when the water is warmer we do open water swims, too.

View up at the pool.  That's the infinity edge we're looking at.

Matt & Luke met me for lunch on Friday as a special treat for me.

Saturday I had my Kellogg girls' brunch at Keli's new house in Elmhurst.  It was soooo beautiful, out of a movie!

Doesn't think look like it is in a commercial or something?  I am obsessed with the front porch, complete with front porch swing!

Setting off on our adventure!

The lovely city approaches

 

Captain Matt setting the anchor

We had a marvelous time together.  We were anchored right next to the museum campus, so in the background you can see the Planetarium and the Shedd Aquarium.

Sunday morning Open Lands trip.  We didn't get much sleep that night!

Spumoni and Luke running down the path together

Throwing rocks in the river

Mom, Dad & Grandma came down for a pool day on Sunday

Yes, that is Dad & Mom in the pool!  It was that hot that even Mom went for a dip, borrowing Luke's zebra.  They were playing with Luke in the water

Grandma kept the kids company on the chairs.  While Grandma was sitting here she looked over at cutie Claire smiling over at her asked me "Don't you just wish you could keep them this size forever?"

These pictures are from one night this week.  When I get home from work all I want to do is be outside for every minute that I can possibly be.  The kids and Matt have been outside already for much of the day, but they indulge me.  Luke is constantly getting the key to unlock the garage door, but he doesn't quite know how to use it so doesn't get as far as he would like.

This is as good as the 4 of us selfie is going to get.

And Luke's gone...

He's back!

Hi there!

Any night where rice is on the menu means that rice is going to cover our floors.  Here is Luke trying to sweep it up.

He sits in the rice, so that when he goes to his time out spot (which is fairly common during dinner time because he's not string on his bottom, not eating with his fork, throwing food, etc) the rice makes a trail behind him.

Let me in!!!