Vacation Day 3

We got up Sunday morning and enjoyed being able to sleep a little later than usual, having no class lesson to finish preparing, no breakfast to make (it was Fast Sunday, see previous post), no beds to make, etc. After spending some time reading and discussing scriptures together, we made our way to the Schaumburg 2nd Ward building which was just a couple of miles from the hotel - literally around the corner and up the road. I was very thankful to not have to negotiate a bunch of turns and directions to get the church on that rainy morning. We were holding our breath that the weather would turn for the better because our afternoon plans didn't involve museums or indoor ticketed experiences. In fact, our plans included a whole lot of outdoor walking and exploring. Luckily for us the rain abated and the weather and temperatures were actually very pleasant for being outside that afternoon.

After attending Sacrament meeting, we returned to the hotel and changed clothes, grabbed the next train to downtown and because we had elected to still be fasting, we decided to do a little bus reconnassaince work for the following day instead of walking and walking with hungry bellies. That may have worked for those brave pioneer souls, but we definitely are a lot softer.


Fortunately, we were able to step out of the train station, walk 1 block over and get on a bus that would take us to museum campus. Why would we want to go to museum campus if we weren't planning to go to any museums? The answer is simply, no one was on the bus - literally no one but the driver and some guy she was talking to while driving (ahem!) so the kids got to see the route we would be taking by bus the next morning when I knew the bus would be jam packed with people and they were able to see what things would identify their stop was coming and their stop had arrived. That way if we couldn't all sit together the next morning they wouldn't panic. That plan worked like a charm. They also got to practice their "standing while riding" balancing skills because I knew that not only was it likely to not sit together, it was also going to be likely to not sit at all. They liked that part of the adventure more than the "boring" part of just riding the bus.


Once the bus arrived at Adler Planetarium (which is the furthest end of that bus route), the driver was concerned that we had missed our stop or something since we had not gotten off the bus. I explained what we were doing and she thought that was a pretty good idea. So we rode the bus back toward downtown and got off near Grant Park. This is where mom forgot the important detail of Buckingham Fountain and its hourly display. Therefore, we did not see Buckingham Fountain in all of it's splendor up close and personal, but we did get to see it from the cab on a later day of our travels.

Instead of going very far into Grant Park, we stayed on the Columbus Drive side of the park and saw a cool Abraham Lincoln statue set in the midst of semi-circular tiered and columned sitting area. We're not quite sure what it was called or what its purpose was, but it did seem like a nice little respite spot.


We stayed on the Michigan Avenue side of Columbus Drive and headed north toward Millenium Park. On the way we passed the Art Institute of Chicago and several interesting water fountains. As we approached Michigan Avenue via Monroe, we decided that hungry bellies had to take priority over Millenium Park so we continued west on Monroe to Wabash where we ducked into a little sandwich place (can't for the life of me remember the name but it was very similar to a Panera Bread or St Louis Bread Company type place) and had, according to the kids, the best ever chicken pasta carbonara and a couple of sandwiches to share around so that we all got to taste and as a just in case one thing didn't live up to expectations we could just share the things that did. Keep in mind the kids didn't even know what carbonara was before reading it on the menu board, and the last time I had carbonara at a little place here in town I didn't care for the addition of the red wine to the sauce so I knew that just because you recognize a name doesn't mean that each restaurant will prepare it the same way. We also elected to eat our meal outside because the temperature inside the restaurant must have been 90+ degrees. Granted it was about 65-70 outside and windy, but even with the wind it was more comfortable. The downside was the panhandlers that seemed to be in abundance and the noice from the elevated train overhead. Oppps. Needless to say we didn't linger long over our meal.

I suppose I could have taken the opportunity to show love and compassion for all of the people - 99% men - who literally had their cups out in our face on many street corners, but I didn't. Instead I instructed the kids to keep eyes forward and keep moving, not looking back and not to feel guilty because there was no way to help all of those who wanted helping and some of those that wanted help were very clearly already intoxicated or under the influence of something. Had any one person asked for help for the bus or a meal, we'd have gladly and cheerfully provided but I've made it a strict practice to never just turn over money for someone who says they have a need - I'll offered the needed item instead. This attitude stems back from my early days living in Chicago when I was entering a busy fast food restaurant at lunch time and was approached by a man who said he needed money to buy food because he hadn't eaten all day and he was so hungry. I told him that I wouldn't give him any money but I would be happy to buy him a meal. His response was "never mind" and he continued panhandling. I figured he must not have been that hungry after all to turn down the offer of a meal over some loose change. I related this story to the children by way of explaination and encouraged them to think of other things they could do to help people besides dropping coins in the cup of a stranger. There are, I'm sure, times when we will be inspired to drop coins in a cup and we should always follow the promptings of the Spirit and it's never wrong to help someone in need.

Anyway, once we got done with our meal, we headed back toward Millenium Park. It is such a gorgeous place and I can't believe how much work has been done on it in the couple of years since my last visit.


Girlchild enjoyed herself with the water spraying/spouting walls by rolling up her pants and taking off her shoes and socks to prance around in the puddle. It was very enjoyable to watch because you could see just how much fun she was having.


Boychild decided he was too cool to go splashing, but he didn't mind the opportunity to set down the backpack and act like he wasn't carrying around this bright pink and blue butterfly printed thing... after all he's a boy and boys don't carry those kinds of things. Ha! After pointing out to him all of the males who appeared over the age of 10 who were indeed carrying something pink or flowered or otherwise "girly" he did agree that he could take his turn with the backpack (one of us had the backpack, one of us had the camera/tickets/money bag, and one of us got a break from carrying something for a little bit every day) no matter how much he really didn't want to. I have to give him credit for not complaining about it!

After we got girlchild dried off and appropriately shod, boychild got an upclose look at some contemporary art that was on loan from China.


His favorite was a bright red vehicle with a tongue that was hoisting a gold hog embraced by a man who was embraced by a woman. The whole thing was rather creepy actually, but it's good to see that the kids are keeping their minds open when it comes to art.


After the smaller statues, we got to see "The Bean". Really it's called "Cloud Gate" but it is this giant silver bean shaped sculpture that you can walk around and under and it acts like a variety of funhouse mirrors. It's fun to get some different perspectives of yourself and those around you (literally and figurately)!




There was a gospel music event going on that day so there were a lot of people around as well as several street corner preachers. It was sad to hear one man who so fervently believed that we are all damned and going to hell, that man cannot be saved from himself and that we won't know until after this life if there is any hope for those who try to walk the straight and narrow. Whoa, dude! Please, can you try reading that bible you're holding for just a moment? I really just wanted to stop and educate him about the contents of the scriptures he was holding, but given that he seemed a few crumbs short of a sandwich as it was, I didn't figure it would be good to confront him with the kids in tow. I get a lot bolder about approaching strangers and speaking my mind when I don't have to worry about how it may affect the kids. And I bet my friend Steve at church would have told me that this was the perfect time for pass along cards, but alas I have not yet learned that lesson to carry them always. Next time, Steve!

Anyway, once we were music filled and fire and brimstone warned, we decided that perhaps it was time to head back to the hotel for a quiet evening together. We walked back to Union Station given that we had about an hour before the train would leave and that gave us the opportunity to see things in the business district (ie Chicago Board of Trade and many of the bank buildings), see stores that were entire blocks long (I swear would could put several our entire Sears store in the one we passed - and that was just the first level of a multi-stored establishment.), and be thankful that it was Sunday and that we were avoiding spending money unneccesarily as we passed gourmet chocolatiers.

Once we got back to the hotel we made some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and did some reading before watching television for awhile before we feel asleep. We were going to indulge in the hot tub because of all the walking but the hotel decided to rennovate the pool area in the middle of our visit and the pool area was closed. We were free to use the outdoor pool if we wanted, but who really wanted in (at that time of day) 60 degree, cloudy, breezy weather?

We spent so much time talking about "I remember when..." and showing them the building I worked in when I first moved to Chicago. The building was closed or I'd have taken them inside, too. I truly was a great day and I'm glad we got to spend it together even if my feet were beginning to protest all of the walking. no