Midwest Trip, Summer 2015 part II

Midwest Trip, Summer 2015  part II

Day 5  Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Wednesday was a planned travel day - breakfast with George and Normandie, lunch on our own, and dinner with Amy and Rick.  We had some minor changes, ended up staying longer in Lyons, having a late brunch with biscuits and gravy, a frittata, and french toast (Normadie went all out!) and then then we left Wisconsin for another year.  Back in Illinois, we stopped at Gurnee Mills Mall for a short time, then headed to see Amy, Rick and Anna in Libertyville.  Amy and Anna had just returned from a 10 day trip to London and Paris the day before and were surprisingly rested given the expected jet lag.  They cooked up a real Chicago summer dinner - brats, hot dogs, baked beans, potato salad, etc…  it was wonderful.  

She made strawberry shortcake and we supplemented the dessert table with pies from the Lake Geneva Pie Company.  We were stuffed and stayed until almost 11:00 pm chatting the night away.  In the end, we headed for our hotel, the first of several Holiday Inn Express’s.

Day 6  Thursday, July 2

Day 6 was the Chicago day - and it started with a change - Mark was to meet us for lunch, but he 

had a broken washing machine and had to wait for a repairman to arrive between 9 and 1.  We were just about to leave the hotel when we got a text from him that the repair was complete and all was good.  Plans changed and we were to meet him, and Laura, Liz’s mom, at Mark’s jobsite.  He works for a small start-up company named PoopBags, marketing biodegradable pet waste bags.  The comapny appears to have a bright future and is growing quickly.  After meeting Mark and waiting for Laura to arrive (a very short time) we headed to the Flat Top Grill,

a Mongolian BBQ a mile or so away, for lunch.

 

It was terrific - Mike had 2 bowls, the rest of us just one.  After a few pictures, we headed out with Laura to Lincoln Park, in search of the Conservatory.  We found parking at a lot near the marina, and headed into the Park.  We found the conservatory, did a full visit, and then did some of the zoo.  It’s all free - thanks, city of Chicago!  Lots of picture opportunities and we all had a very good time.  Then we headed down Lake Shore Drive, and on to i-94 down to the Northwest Indiana area for the next part of our trip.

 

 

We visited with Bud and Wilma (my parents) for about an hour, then headed to our hotel, another Holiday Inn Express.  Finally, we went over to Edith’s and then to Beggar’s Pizza for a real, authentic Chicago style deep dish pizza, the kind that does not exist in the East.  Heaven!

Day 7  Friday, July 3

Friday, Day 7 of the trip, and my 54th birthday.  We started the day at my parents, where we went out for Chinese for lunch.  All had a good time, and they seemed to enjoy it.

Next, back at the house, Mike went swimming and the kids took the new dog, Mac, for a long walk.   After leaving there, we shopped at the DVD replay store while Mike went with Edith to the house to get lots of old stuff from Eric, Allie and Stephan.  He got a Gamecube and a bunch of games.  That evening, we grilled burgers at Edith & Fred’s condo, then had an ice cream birthday cake from DQ. It was nice.

Day 8  Saturday, July 4

Everyone having good time on the patio - like old times.

This was the big day - Amy and Anna came down from Libertyville for breakfast with mom, dad, and us, then a picnic with Edith & Fred, Eric, and Stephan & Michelle in the late afternoon.  We had a great time with Amy - breakfast of eggs, donuts, and fruit was delicious.  Sarah, Mike, and Anna took the dog for a long walk.  After killing a few hours at the hotel and getting some laundry started at Edith’s, we returned to mom & dad’s house, picnic food in tow for a picnic.  Fried chicken, baked beans, potato salad, deviled eggs for dinner, and for dessert, there was a berry custard pie and apple pie.  We ate, we laughed, I took pictures, Mike swam.  Everybody had a very good time.

Mike with a butterfly on his head!

Day 9  Sunday, July 5

Day 9 began with a trip to O'hare, to say good bye to Sarah and send her back to California, where she is doing an internship at JPL labs in Pasadena, and living in Caltech housing. Sort of seeing how the other half lives... It was great to have her with us, and a quiet car ride to the airport. Light traffic made the drive easy and we were back to the hotel by about 8:30 am. It was also dad's birthday - we went over to mpm and dad's house and went out for brunch at Skillets (formerly Michael's). It was the most crowded that mom and dad had ever seen it, and we had to wait for a table almost 15 minutes, but it was ok. We ate, we talked, we laughed, we had a good time. After visiting with mom and dad, more swimming for Mike, and another long walk for Sarah, Mike, and the dog (Mac) it was time to say good bye. Next we went to the hotel and did some packing of our own. Finally, in the late afternoon, we went to Edith & Fred's, then back out to Beggar's pizza for one last deep dish pizza. We finished the evening, early, at Ediths, hit Culvers for a final ice cream, then back to the hotel. It was the last night in the midwest.

Day 10  Monday, July 6

Drove from Schererville to Novi MI to have lunch and visit with Liz's sister Karen and her family.  It was a good visit, and we all had fun, but it had been a long trip and we were ready to get on home.  We said good bye, and drove another 200 or so miles, ending the day in Youngstown, OH, at yet another, and possibly the best Holiday Inn Express of the trip.

Day 11  Tuesday, July 7

Final day, drove from Youngstown OH to home.  Had lunch at a Panera somewhere in central PA and got home about 2:30 pm.  It had been a long trip and we were all happy to be back home in the east.