Years ago Dave gave me a sewing machine and everything to go along with it for Christmas. He read the manual to see how to thread the machine, wind the bobbin and to see how to use the machine (he knew I wouldn't). I have loved my sewing machine, but I have never really sat down to figure out how to sew. So for Christmas this year Dave gave me another great present, that I finally got to use on Saturday. He gave me a sewing class, but not from your grandmothers sewing shop, it was from the coolest place ever. The Needle Shop has amazing materials with awesome prints and colors. It was a 4 hour class that went over the basics of sewing and then taught you how to sew a pillow with a zipper.
Now Dave knows me well enough to know that I would be nervous doing the class on my own, so he had the foresight to plan it far enough in advance that I could ask a friend to go with me. So Jenny and I went made our way into Bucktown to take make our pillows. We had such a fun day. After we proudly finished our pillows we headed over to a little restaurant named Cleo's and had a very delicious lunch.
Then for another first I caught an L train all by myself. There was some confusion at first but I made the Blue Line train, that took me right into the middle of the city were it dropped me off on Jackson and Washington at 4:28. I walked a couple of blocks then haled a taxi to take me the rest of the way to Union Station. I was able to take the 4:40 train home. I felt very much like a city girl taking all types of to get you to your train on time.
This is Max sleeping under a desk downstairs.
Yogurt marinated kebabs and my favorite artichokes
Lego Land. The only thing on this trip we could have done without. The kids liked it, so I guess it was worth it.
Shedd Aquarium
The infamous Phoenix restaurant. Supposedly this place in China Town is one of the few remaining establishments that still brings you out your dim-sum on a cart...like they do in China.
Yes, this is the cart. I was expecting some beautiful bamboo cart with engravings all over it. Nope it was a hospital metal cart. The dim-sum made up for the cart, it was delicious.
Sky line tour
Wrigley Field is pretty awesome. They still change the scoreboard by hand, and the Ivy wall both pretty amazing. It was so much fun and so cold.
You can't go to a game without getting a Braht.
I love this picture of my family. Izzi is into making funny faces in pictures right know.
Signature room at the John Hancock. It was so amazing to eat on the 95th floor. You sat next to huge window that overlooked the city and Lake Michagen.
This was my dinner. Salmon with fingerling potatoes. Oh my, amazing!
This was dessert. Everybody loved there meals. Not one bad one in the bunch.
Why oh why would I ever think these would be safe in my fridge?
Max was so proud of himself that he put mascara on all by himself.
This is Max trying to hurry and eat all of the Frosted Mini Wheats he had dumped out. Most of it was the shredded dust at the bottom.
I was trying to get snacks ready for church when I noticed the granola bar in the toaster. Why not it fits perfectly.
I was trying to make dinner one night, I let Max and Izzi play with cookie cutters on the counter. It was keeping them entertained I thought. Apparently they were not as thrilled with the cookie cutters as they should have been. I look over after I hear little Max saying "Uh O", yes that is his cute fat feet foot prints out lined in pepper. He had dumped out all of our pepper out of our pepper cellar. We were all sneezing by the time I could clean it all up.
Yep, that is him finishing off the bottle of red wine vinegar.
These fine condiments get pulled out for every dinner. He thinks it is his job to make sure that they are on the table. If you try to put them back, he just gets down from his chair and pulls them out again. 
Earlier in the day Izzi asked if she could were her pajamas to the store. I told her no we don't do that. She asked me why she couldn't when she has seen people at the store in them. (We obviously shop at Walmart.) That morning this is the outfit she came up with that was closest to pajamas I think. It was pretty awesome. White socks, with baggy leggings, and her Jelly Belly hat. Yep, sometimes I have a very hard time letting her dress herself. She has such cute clothes when paired with the right thing. Oh well she is figuring out her own fashion sense.
