Art and Culture and fun, oh my!

I really wanted to take the girls up to Chicago to go to the American Girl Store and the Art Institute.  Bob thought I should have another adult along and my parents were more than willing to tag along. :)  I took the girls out of school for this adventure (gasp), but it was a free day at the Art Institute and I wanted to go before it got really cold.  Dad let me drive, and he kept me from getting lost and didn't act like I was making him nervous so... haha.  It has been a long time since I've been to Chicago so it was fun to re-experience the drive into downtown.  The girls were pretty impressed with the sky scrapers and didn't act like they were worried about my driving until I drove down into the parking garage. "Mom, where are you going!??"  I even managed to parallel park (with just a bit of coaching from Dad).

We got up there in time for lunch and decided to eat at Wildberry Cafe, mostly because it was nearby.  

The food was really, really good and the girls were hungry.  Miri insisted on ordering a waffle with strawberries and chocolate from the regular menu- it was as big as her head and she somehow ate all of it!  

I knew it was going to be expensive, but I'm terrible at mental math and yeah, it was kind of a lot.  😜 The girls were also quite impressed by the total... haha... we're not used to big city prices. 

Next stop was Water Tower Place to go to the AG store! 

So many displays to look at, and a few photo ops.  :) 

It was a cool store, but I still wish they would have kept more of a historical emphasis over the retail.  Long ago, when I first visited, the displays with all of the dolls' historically accurate accessories were just the coolest thing ever... but then, I was a rather nerdy child... 

 Next stop was the Lego store.  😊

I gave them each a budget, and they each managed to stick to it. 

We rode the glass elevator to the top floor of the mall, then rode the escalators down. (That and the revolving doors were super exciting.) We don't get out much.  hehe.  I can't hardly look over a railing in my old age, but the girls wanted to look down from every floor. 

From there we got back in the van and drove down the Magnificent Mile. I did not get to gawk at the buildings as much as I would have liked since I was driving, but it's still a really impressive drive.

Cecily wanted to go see the Bean so we got the obligatory pictures.  😊

 

Cadence wants to live in Chicago now. 😋

There we are, reflected in the Bean!

Our final stop was to the Art Institute.  After a bathroom break we looked at all the miniature rooms.  The Thorne rooms are my favorite thing at the Art Institute. 

This Tiffany window is just glorious in person. 

We found some of the art they recreated! 

Dad found "Calf's head and Ox Tongue," of course. 

Song of the Lark is a family favorite.  😊

Then we split up for a bit- I took the girls to find the Medieval Art and Suits of Armor and Weapons. 

Dad found American Gothic and Nighthawks, Mom and Miri stayed in the Impressionists gallery (Miri was getting tired.)

Such fun.  At one point I felt like I had spent more time in the bathroom with girls than in the galleries, but we still saw a lot of cool art.  It's kind of mind blowing to be looking at the actual van Gogh self portrait... and the actual Sunday on La Grande Jatte (much larger than I expected it to be)!

Then it was time to head for home. There was a lot more traffic than I'm used to, but between Dad and the gps, we made it out of the city.  We stopped at McD's for supper, much cheaper than our lunch, and made it home by bedtime.  😊

It was a pretty short, but sweet trip.  The girls had fun, I had fun, and I don't think we wore Grandma and Grandpa out too much.  😉  Miri said her favorite thing was the escalators... they told our waiter that the buildings were "really tall"... and Emmy noted that they were the only people wearing leggings.  haha.   They also wanted to know why artists didn't put clothes on the people they drew and sculpted.  😂 I thought we had avoided most of that....

I think Mr. Perrin missed us a little bit.  Bob said he was pretty quiet all day.  Not so quiet when we got home, little rhinestone cowboy. 

The next night was Cliff and Alyssa's shower at the farm, Friday I taught Chem, and somewhere in there our green van drove away (after needing to be jumped. again.). 

I took the older three girls to the Madrigal Dinner that Friday.  I thought they should experience it at least once before they are old enough to be in it if they want to be. 

Overall they enjoyed it, but the food was a bit too fancy for them.  😋

We got to have some Beutel kids for supper during the second evening, and Perrin was very busy serving us hamburgers and french fries. 

Most of the time he's so ornery, and then we'll be trying to take a Christmas picture and he'll reach over, out of the blue, grab Cadence's face and sweetly say, "I kiss Cay-nance."  😍

One of the last warm sunny days...

They all decided on eating an apple for a bedtime snack, which is great, but they aren't supposed to be eating on the couch.  😋

And now we're back to all of our usual everydayness.  Our healthy streak is unfortunately over; I spent the afternoon getting Cadence tested for Strep and picking up antibiotics.  Huzzah.  I despise sickness season. 
Blessings.

Fall days

One of the first places we drove our new, freshly detailed and carpet shampooed van was to the field for combine rides... (Bob took it to Restmor the next Sunday and they could hear corn stalks dragging underneath...)

Waiting their turn and drawing pictures.

"I'm a farmer! Why do farmers look like this?"

The older three wanted to run to the farm. :)

We didn't have school because of parent teacher conferences, so we picked up lunch and ate at a park.  Certain of the children were scared of the geese that were getting a little bit too close for comfort. 😜

And I made the older girls spring summer fall clean their bedroom.  It was a painful process- the have so. many. precious. things.

We cleaned and swept out the old green van.  Some of these things have made the move from at least three vehicles.... like the Stine Seed gloves. 😏

 

And then I needed to move the green van to get the new van out, and it wouldn't start. huzzah.  It will not go quiet into that good night (rage, rage against the dying of the light) and I am just over it.  I don't think I've ever been so emotionally UN-attached to a vehicle, even though I drove it for 10 years.   

One more wiener roast.  Perrin kept bringing me hedge balls.

I took Perrin and Miri on a walk at Firefly woods.

It was lovely.  When the leaves fall you can see down the bluff to the valley.

We spent an afternoon picking pumpkins.

And looking at animals.  'Oh! Sheeps!'

'Oh! Chicken!'

Also, someone can open the fridge and the drawer with straws and takes full advantage.
 

More chalk art.

'Take a picture me! Cheeeeese'

I celebrated Mole Day with my Chemistry students. :D  We sang Mole Day Carols and the looks on their faces when they realized I was serious.... hehe.  We have snacks too, and Lana brought in these adorable mole cookies.

Some of the girls wanted to carve pumpkins.  Somehow I end up doing most  of the work. 

 

Shooting stars, happy face, tractor, kitty cat, Olaf.

 

Middle School had theme days for spirit week, neither girl was excited to participate but Cecily was J.R.R Tolkien for celebrity day. 😂

Apple cider donut cake calls for a tea party.

Mr. Buster Brown was all about the apple cider.

We always love a reason pull out the teapot and tea cups. :)

I got to go to 5th grade pumpkin carving with Emmy.  She didn't do any carving, just decorating.

Her four trick-or-treaters and tiny candy bucket turned out super cute.

We took three Queens of Narnia trick-or-treating.  Queen Susan, The White Witch, and Queen Lucy were quite excited.

Cecily just finished the Wheel of Time books and wanted to be a Green Ajah Aes Sedai. 

Perrin was supposed to be her warder bodygaurd, but he did not want anything to do with his costume or pictures.

Until we gave him chocolate... "cheeeeeese."

We went to a few friends and two streets before they got too cold. 

Lots of leaf piles lately.

Rachel found this shirt at the local thrift store and thought I might like it. :D  The girls neeeeeded to try it on. 

It's hard to practice piano when somebody is driving monster trucks right next to you.  😋

Cadence had a short dentist appointment on election day.  Cecily and Emmy were hanging out with Lincoln and Gwen so Miri and Perrin and I were very loud in the waiting room.  I also didn't feel like fighting about footwear before we left, obviously... ha. 

We almost didn't bring Mr. Perrin to the HarvestCall family night, but he actually helped fill shoe boxes and was fairly well behaved.  Until the snack, when he dumped over a glass of water and started tearing around like crazy. Miri knotted comforters like an old pro with me, and the other girls had lots of fun.

They've been very industriously moving leaves around, but they never want to help when I'm actually removing leaves... of course.  😋

Blessings.