Legoland

We have started this summer with lots of go-go.  We, the kids and I, took a long, long drive to Chicago earlier this week.  I have never known the drive to be as long as it was taking Interstate 55 across the state.  Yes, we stopped three times in our first hour, but geesh, the road itself seemed to go on forever.  Finally, we got there.  I messed up taking my exit where we were to meet Debra, but I found out by accident exactly where Ikea is, so watch out, I might just take off now and go there sometime. 

So anywho, we finally connected with Deb at a Wendy’s and then headed on up together for the next leg of the drive to Legoland.  Jack decided he didn’t want to do Legoland which was probably an appropriate choice since it was more kiddie than he is, so he and Deb did their own thing at Woodfield. 

I know we had a really good time!  Tell me how else could you pet Einstein’s tongue?

 

^^This is a replica of where Caroline was yesterday.  She stayed with Aunt Deb and they were going to Navy Pier.  Side note:  It sure is quiet around here.

       

    

We paid a bunch of tolls there and back.  This, unfortunately, is the only pic I snapped of our lovely hostess and beautiful sis, Deb.   Back at her place that night, we had some fabulous Aurelio’s pizza.  Wow, that stuff is good.  Very Dimaggio’s like.  Delish.  We watched True Grit (the new version, a good one!), and then left Caroline and headed on back home late the next morning.  We took I-57 to 70 on the drive home and for some reason, it is so much more enjoyable of a drive.  We stopped in Champaign for a late lunch at Cracker Barrel. Grant enjoyed his first beer in a bottle.  The root kind, that is.  

That’s not his tooth, but a funny thing did happen…a waitress dropped a dish clear across the big room and we heard the crash.  A second later, this shark-tooth-shaped piece of glass sailed right across Grant’s chest.  I never would have thought the glass would have travelled such distance and it seemed like such a delay after hearing the crash.  Weird, and so glad it didn’t hit those blue eyes. 

This is my other mystery son that won’t let me take his picture.  Is there a sad mom face icon?  : ( 

Sam threw a whopper of a fit because we walked into Cracker Barrel instead of the neighboring Steak and Shake, but with a jelly biscuit, he seemed to come around.  

 

This is my list of things I wrote down at lunch that wished I had taken a picture of…

Deb and Caroline—self explanatory

Airplane wing—on 74 headed into Champaign, we passed a truck with one of the longest trailers I’ve ever seen and its load was literally an airplane wing.  It was huge and I’ve never seen anything like that going down the road.  It so deserved a picture, but sometimes I have to just drive.  You know, kids in the van.

Limos—on the drive up, we kept playing the passing game with these two stretch limos.  The funny thing was, they were both so full of luggage that their trunks were overflowing and had to be held shut with a cord, plus, the front seats were filled with luggage with only a little open space for the chauffeur to sit and drive.  It looked like a plenty big enough car.  I told the kids it was the Chilis inside. 

Braidwood Inn—And yes, it is the actual one where Neil Page and Del Griffith hilariously share a room when their flight out of Wichita is delayed in my all time favorite movie, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.  It is right by I-55 and its sign says Sunset Inn.  But it’s def the Braidwood Inn.  Man, I wish I had a picture.  I’m gonna snap one when I go on my Ikea getaway.

And are we good or what?  Fourteen seconds to spare.  We hit the Effingham Steak and Shake just in the nick of time to get our half-price drinks and shakes to fuel us the rest of the way home.

 

And speaking of fuel, I saw my all-time highest price gas price ever—Chicago $4.29/gallon.  Whoa.

Well, it was a good, fun trip and thanks for the hospitality, Deb!   Love ya!!