Hey, Littlebs, Where Have Ya Been?

September 3, 2016 by Carrie 4 Comments

Hello everyone?  Did you miss me the way I missed you?  It’s been a few weeks since my last blog post.  I’ve had a really exciting few weeks.  First, I took a week long class in interview based/documentary theatre.  It was amazing.  But more on that in my next blog post (exciting stuff!!!!).

Then me, Ken and Oliver took a trip to the midwest.  We wanted to visit Ken’s sister who now lives with her wife in Madison, Wisconsin so we decided to make a vacation out of it.  We flew into Chicago, spent two days there, then rented a car and drove to Door County, WI, and ended in Madison.  There were so many highlights I want to share.  Again, there will be a multitude of Oliver pictures.  We did so much during this vacation and I feel like I need a vacation from my vacation.  But I always feel that way.  There’s always so much I want to do and I never want to miss out.  So, here is our trip from beginning to end.  You can click on each image to see what we did!

Day 1: Chicago – Railroads, Millennium Park, Trains, Lake Michigan and The Aquarium

Oliver found a railroad crossing right away.

Selfie at The Bean

Oliver learning about punk on the Green Line

More Bean selfies.

The Crown Fountain was amazing!

The Chicago skyline from a beautiful garden behind the Art Institute.

I didn’t know Lake Michigan was so blue!

Getting sprayed at Buckingham Fountain.

Studying the fish at the Aquarium.

On day 1, Ken and I also went to the most amazing restaurant, Alinea.  It’s one of the top restaurants in the world and Ken has been wanting to go for as long as I can remember.  You can watch a documentary about this chef of Chef’s Table on Netflix.  He’s a genius.  Here, we are eating a balloon made out of strawberry taffy, filled with helium.  You can eat the string too!!!

Day 2: Chicago – Neighborhood Exploring, Murals, Pie, River Walk, Navy Pier

Mural in Bucktown.

Walking the 606.

Mural outside the 606 in Logan Square.

Stump mural in Logan Square.

Yummy pie at Bang Bang in Logan Square

Mural in Logan Square.

More murals in Logan Square.

River walk.

Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier.

Family shot at the top of the Centennial Wheel.

Getting soaked in the fountain at Navy Pier.

Day 3 was a travel day to Door County, WI but because we had a car rental mishap, we lost the day.  But thankfully, we got there safely in the end.

Day 4: Door County, WI – Rainy Day, Lighthouse Exploring, Rough Lake Beaches.

On a cliff overlooking Green Bay.

Lighthouse overlooking Green Bay.

The storm brought in freezing cold water!

There is a strong Scandinavian influence here.

Look what the wind was doing to my hair!!!!

Another lighthouse.

A beautiful sunset at the end of the day.

Violent waves crashing on the cliffs at Cave Point on the Lake Michigan side.

Day 5: Door County, WI – Beaches, Cliffs, The Clear Water of Lake Michigan

Oliver at Whitefish Dunes State Park

In the freezing cold but beautifully clear water of Lake Michigan.

Rock formations built on a beach at Lake Michigan.

Oliver is building his own tower. Spoiler alert! It falls down and he cries.

This is not a tropical island! It’s Lake Michigan! Holy Moly!

Photo taken by 3 1/2 year old Oliver. Cheese tasting!!!!

Getting in a little play by the beach.

One of my favorite pictures of me ever. Taken by Oliver.

On Day 6, we traveled to Madison.  On the way we stopped for a cheese tasting and at night, with Ken’s sister, we went to a Friday Fish Fry and I tasted my first fried cheese curds.  Nomnomnom!!!!

Day 7: Madison, WI – Farmer’s Market, Children’s Museum, Capital Building

There were many railroad crossings in Madison. Oliver made us stop at every one!

Yummy vegetables make a plant based diet easy.

I wish I could have brought these flowers home.

Look, Mommy, a worm!

Oliver and his Auntie Foo in the human hamster wheel.

The Larsens.

The Capital Building.

Day 8: Madison, WI – Exploring Madison

Walk through Downtown, Madison.

Singing “Let It Go” with Auntie Foo.

View from my run in the arboretum, my only run of the vacation.

Lucky guy gets a muffin and yogurt parfait for brunch. It’s good to be 3 1/2.

Cow. Because, like, in Wisconsin, they make cheese!!!

Photo by Oliver by Lake Menona

Photo by Oliver of Ken.

In a gift shop, they had books about NY and Brooklyn!

Day 9:  Madison, WI – Last Day.  I didn’t take too many pictures this day.  We mostly explored again but we got super tired and stayed low key.

We went to a cheese curd festival and they had baby farm animals. Here, Oliver is teasing this lamb with day glow orange cheese popcorn.

Fried cheese curd sampling!

Crazy ice cream place. This picture doesn’t do it justice.

Look! More railroad crossings!

Look, mom! I’m on the tracks!

So, this is what I’ve been up to.  If you actually looked at all of these pictures, you are my hero.

Happy Labor Day, everyone!!!  Can you believe summer is over?