Whatchu Talkin' Bout Willis?

It's the Sears Tower. Not the Willis Tower, as it's now called. It will always be the Sears Tower to me. The Sears Roebuck and Company built it as their headquarters in 1973, and it was the Sears Tower for me growing up. That's just what it is. Regardless of the stupid corporate name change.

The nation's tallest building is a must see if you're ever in Chicago. At 1450 feet it soars above every building in the western hemisphere. So, we jumped on the 'L' to downtown (hooray good public transportation!) and a short walk later, we were at the base of this massive building (3 acres around). The elevator ride to the top is quick. Ridiculously quick. Like, 103 floors in under a minute quick. So fast, your ears pop, quick. I've been on elevators that take longer to go a couple floors.

Once at the top, the views were simply amazing. The highlight of the Skydeck is 'The Ledge'. Added just a few years ago, these 4 glass boxes jut out from the side of the building, allowing people to step out from the sides of this massive skyscraper. We waited our turn, and gathered the girls close to explain to them how perfectly safe it was... “The glass is really thick”... “The people who built it were really smart”..."They can hold up to 10,000 pounds"... “Well, just don't look down if you don't want to.”

In front of us, a European family was gathering on ''The Ledge' for their group photo. One of the grown men in the group was struggling with his nerves. He didn't want to go out. His group pleaded with him. And, although we could not understand what they were saying, it was clear. He was terrified. He finally backed out, slowly, onto the glass box, facing inward, and posed for a quick pic. Then he dropped to his knees, and crawled out. A grown man. Crawling.


“It's OK kids....it's perfectly safe. Just don't look down.”

How Scared Were They? Rankings: 1-most scared)Norah, 2a)Clark, 2b)Jenny, 4) Nina, 5) Nadia

Hello Chicago

Chinatown goofballs.

One of Jenny's closest and longest friends lives with her husband and two kids in Chicago. Here was yet another destination that our family had not been to, and was long overdue for. A short drive around Lake Michigan and we arrived in the Windy City. Clark met up with the rest of the gang there, and a week in the big city was set. Skyscrapers. Trains. Traffic. People of all nationalities. Lots to do. Lots to see. The Woodman's would get a real feel for metropolitan life.

Goodbye Michigan...

The girls' time with their grandparents was pleasant and long overdue. In addition to hanging out at their house, a camping trip was in order. Grandma and Grandpa's nearby campground proved to be a great getaway. Well... it would have been great. In the summer. If your name isn't Jenny. You see, Jenny doesn't like the cold. Come to think of it, she doesn't really like the heat either. Camping in 40 degree weather? Forget about it. “How about going for a hike, Jenny?” … “Uh...no.”

 Luckily, her and the girls stayed in a cute little cabin, while Clark's parents slept in their new camper. The saving grace? A heated indoor pool, which became the highlight of the trip. The girls spent most of their day swimming, while Jenny enjoyed not being cold. Campfires and s'mores (a requirement when camping) rounded out the trip at night.




 Clark's job in Cape Girardeau ended, just as Jenny and the girls headed out from Michigan. The whole family would meet up at their next destination. We had fun Grandma and Grandpa!

Along the windy banks of Lake Michigan. No, girls, it's not an ocean. It only looks like one.

Apple Picking

Did you know that Michigan is the nation's third largest producer of apples, producing around 18 million bushels of the fruit annually? Neither did we. But, it seems that apples are everywhere in Michigan.

Luckily, we were in Michigan for the fall harvest season. Taking full advantage of this, we headed out to Spicer Orchards for a day of apple picking and fun. Besides picking a ton of apples, the girls got to ride some ponies, play in an enormous sandbox, and feed some goats. Afterwards, the girls even helped Grandma bake Clark an apple pie with their bounty.

Over the River and Through the Woods

Jacuzzi Tub + Bubble Bath = Awesome

Clark's parents have lived in Michigan since before our kids were born. The fact that the 2 youngest had never been there before had not escaped us. This traveling road show that we're on was the perfect opportunity to make up for lost time. A lengthy 3 week stay at Grandma and Grandpa's house was in order. Their big house, long driveway, and playful dogs only added to the entertainment.

Movie Night.

Nearby Grandma and Grandpa's is the Village of Clarkston, Michigan. It's downtown, which has been designated a National Historical Site, features a picturesque main street lined with unique shops, restaurants and businesses. A great place for an afternoon stroll.

Clarkston Union Kitchen and Bar, home of the "Most Macked Mac N Cheese"

Fall Fun

Autumn was in full bloom in our time in Michigan. The leaves had turned, and the weather was cool and crisp. We seized this opportunity and rode our bikes from Grandma and Grandpa's to a picturesque nearby park. The gravel road leading there felt like a trip through the country. We stopped to pick some apples along the way. Apparently apple trees are so prevalent in Michigan, you can just stop and pick them, for free, from anywhere. Some bursting cattails added to the girls' amusement, and the views along the way were ideal. Once at the park, the girls topped off this perfect fall afternoon with a giant leaf pile. They took turns diving, and burying each other in it. To the girls, a pile of fall leaves is the most exciting thing ever. To me they seem itchy, dirty and messy. Obviously, somewhere between childhood and adulthood we lose the fascination with leaf piles. I'm glad the girls haven't yet.

Michigan: Grandparents and Ice Cream

Following our time in southeastern Missouri, Jenny and the girls headed up to Michigan to spend some time with Clark's parents. Since 2 of the 3 girls had never once been to Grandma and Grandpa's house before, a lengthy 3 week stay was in order. We spent a lot of our time just hanging out, and playing in their spacious house. The first stop (and second) in Michigan was Cook's Dairy Farm. This small farm makes their own delicious ice cream, and with it being right down the street, it has been a regular stop for us over the years. It goes without saying that everyone loved it. 

Next Stop...

New York City!

Not really. Goodbye to Cape Girardeau's tiny Lady Liberty (she's only 6 feet tall!)

Goodbye Missouri

You could really "milk" the cow!

Jenny and the girls' last week in Missouri was a busy one. First up was a visit to the Discovery Playhouse, in downtown Cape. Walking distance from our apartment, this Children's "Museum" is modeled after the Magic House in St. Louis. The place was cute, and had a surprisingly fair number of things to do. Many of the exhibits were quite similar to their Magic House counterparts, with one big exception. The place was empty. Other than two other toddlers, we had the place to ourselves. I can't even imagine the Magic House that way. No lines. No busloads of children pouring through the door. No other kids messing up the one thing your kid just spent 20 minutes working on. It was nice. Peaceful. Yet fun for them. The girls enjoyed the pretend play the most. The grocery store. The farm. The bank. A fun afternoon of make-believe in a great, little place.

The girls' final day in southeastern Missouri was spent on a field trip to the Lazy-L Safari Park. This walk- through zoo was unlike most typical petting zoos or farms, with everything from Alpacas to Zebras, Emus to Kangaroos, and Camels to Cavies. The girls got an up close view, and often a handful of these and other animals. A great final stop on our tour of southeastern Missouri.

Our time in Missouri was the perfect start for our travels. Cape offered us a good mix of rural life, and small town America. The landscape in southern Missouri is gorgeous at times, and the quaintness of the old river town was both charming and comfortable. Jenny and the girls will travel on, as Clark stays behind to finish his job. Au revoir Cape Girardeau.

Hiking with a Four Year Old

Here, she literally sticks her butt out, waiting for the stroller to scoop her up.

One of our biggest concerns with this trip, was traveling with our four-year-old. We worry about her car sickness. Her need for naps is bound to get in the way at some point in time. Her quick and sudden change from 'big girl that can do it all herself' into 'helpless baby' is definitely going to come into play at the most inopportune time. We expect these things to happen. What we hadn't planned on was her acting like anything further than 100 feet was too far to walk. “My legs are tired!”, she proclaimed after only a few steps. “We're only walking a short way, Nadia.”, we pleaded. “Carry me.” Ugh. We didn't want to start with that. We weren't going to travel across the country, toting around a four-year-old the whole way. We plan on doing a lot of walking. City walking. Scenic hikes. Exploring. We can't do that with a preschooler on our hips. Nope. No way. “CARRY ME!”, she yelled. OK. We picked her up. Sometimes it's just easier to give in. We know she's playing the 'I'm-the-baby-card'. We know she's capable. We get that. But sometimes it's just easier to push a stroller up and down a rocky hiking trail, than trying to get her to change her stubborn mind.

One day, we finally got around to checking out the Trail of Tears State Park. This magnificent setting along the Mississippi River has some picturesque overlooks, and is a real beauty of a park. After a picnic lunch (we seem to take a lot of those these days), we decided on a hike to one of these scenic views. We were ill prepared for this decision. Dusk was approaching. No one had hiking shoes on. It was more rocky and much steeper than we anticipated. No chance for a stroller. Carrying her would've been torturous, at best. So what happened on the 3 mile, rugged round trip hike?

Hiking buddies

She sings, and plays with her sister the whole way. She doesn't ask for help once. She doesn't act tired at all. And, this was no easy jaunt. She acted like it was nothing. She had it in her head, that she was gonna hike the whole thing. We were rewarded with a truly magnificent view, and as an added bonus, we learned something about her. Sometimes, her stubborn determination can work in our favor. We'll just have to see how often that's the case.

Awesome view