Day 995 | A Glorious Weekend

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I'm sure it's not a surprise (at least it shouldn't be) to hear that our weekend sans kids in Chicago was absolutely the best. Seriously, the best.  A HUGE thanks to my mom and dad for taking such good care of our boys while we were away. It was much easier to enjoy the weekend knowing they were in your loving care.

Just a few of the highlights (in no particular order):

  • The weather! I mean, what are the chances we hit 60•+ weather in Chicago in February? We spent every available second walking around and soaking in the sunshine. A bit of a tease since we know we've still got winter left ahead of us, but we'll be thankful while it lasts.
  • The food! We had Indian, sushi, plus my favorite new eggs benedict variation with tomatoes, balsalmic glaze, + goat cheese (pictured here from my last trip to Chicago).
  • The views! I love walking around cities and being in awe of the energy. Chicago is no exception. We even had a super special view of the cityscape from the Signature Room in the Hancock Building where we managed a romantic table for two right in front of the window.
  • The company! Part of the decision to head to Chicago was to reconnect with one of Chris's college roommates. It's been years (eek!) since we've seen them and yet the conversation flowed like no time had passed. Hopefully we don't let 3+ years pass again.
  • The shopping! Being the bargain shoppers we are, the Magnificent Mile wasn't really our idea of prime shopping. However, the decision to drive (instead of fly) made a stop at the outlet mall on the drive home a reality and we definitely scored some great deals. You probably won't recognize us the next time you see us. 
  • The lack of a schedule! Our nap/eating/bedtime schedule is one of the reasons I've managed to stay sane as a stay at home mom. It also drives me crazy. It was beyond lovely to take a break from the monotony of our daily routine for two days. 
  • Time with the husband! Chris and I are thankful every day to call each other best friends. When things get busy+hard+crazy+exhausting with the boys, sometimes you forget just how amazing the person who you spend every day with really is. I mean, I never forgot that, but this trip was a nice reminder that we do have more in common than the kids, the household tasks, food, and friends. We laughed. A lot. And some of the predicaments from the weekend will live on as inside jokes for years. The testament to a good trip!

That's it. Chicago in a nutshell...oh, except for one little thing:

Hamilton!!!

The best musical I've ever seen. No question. And I've got quite a few under my belt (mostly thanks to my mom). I almost feel like this theatrical experience has been what my love of musicals has been prepping me for my whole life. The seats were amazing. The songs were crazy impressive. The emotion portrayed by everyone in the cast was infectious. Almost indescribable. 

Thanks, Chris, for making all my musical dreams come true. I'll be happy if I never see another broadway show. But, hopefully that's not the case...especially because Hamilton will be in Minneapolis in 2018/2019. Ha!

No idea what I'm talking about? Here's a brief video from CBS Sunday Morning that gives a pretty good introduction to the phenomenon that is Hamilton. [Remember when I started linking videos all the time?!?]