The Cousins are Comming!!!

In July we had a lot of visitors! Jeremy's Mom, Bella (Jeremy's sister Liz's girl) Sister in law, Mandy and her kids (Makenna, Parker, Nate and Smith) and later in the week, brother Seth all came for a visit. It was pure excitement and craziness, but as always the highlight of our summer is to get together with family! The girls all slept in Savannah's room and did girl things (giggling until all hours of the night and writing songs) And the boys all slept in the boys room (that was one stinky room!). Here is a peak at our week. The gang arrived on Friday night (July 10th).

Saturday, Mandy and I rode the train downtown to shop the Magnificent Mile. We saw a dress for $3,000 and a purse for over $2,000. We discovered a great store called Lush that sells organic soap where we each bought a "buffy". It is an exfoliating soap that the sales girl said would get rid of our cellulite. Well, I've buffed and buffed, but somehow that stubborn cellulite is still hanging on. Hmmm. In another mall we somehow got talked into buying this great little nail file that shines up your nails to look like you have clear polish on. I still think that was a good investment! On our way back to the park and ride, we (ok, Mandy is innocent....I) wasn't paying attention and rode all the way to the end of the line only to have to get back on to go back a few stops to our car. OOPS! Sorry, Mandy.

Chris

Mandy



Sunday we rested and Monday we dressed the kids up and took them to the park for a photo shoot. I'll post those pictures separate. Tuesday we went to Lego Land. It wasn't great, but the kids had fun.


Parker and Alex

Wednesday, all the girls went back to school shopping while Jeremy loaded up all 6 little boys and picked Seth up from the airport. They went to the lake for the day. And you guessed it. They took zero pictures!


Thursday we went to the horse races at Arlington Park. Then we went out to eat Chicago style pizza and then home for our annual Kids B-day Party.

Friday was our big day! We got up early and got on the train to go downtown. All 5 adults and 9 kids. We ate breakfast on the train then took a bus to Navy Pier where we took a ride on the Tall Ship Windy and listened to the Pirates tell stories about Piracy of the Inland Seas. The kids even got to help with the sails.
Makenna and Savannah on the train

Chris and Gray


Seth and Nate


Jeremy and Gray


Lesli and Savannah




After the Ship and a quick bite to eat we hopped on a couple of these family sized bikes and tooled along the Lake front and back, stopping for a photo op. This was my favorite part of the day! Jeremy and Chris


Jeremy, Chris and the kids.


After the bikes some of us rode the Ferris Wheel.

Savannah, Makenna, Bella and Lesli


Jeremy, Micah and Alex


And then took a long walk through the city to have dinner at a fun diner called Ed Debevic's. A place where the waiters are rude and yell at you and dance on the tables, but it's all in fun. Then we walked back to the train station and rode back home. Very fun day!