Goin' to Chicago

Steve and I are getting excited about our annual holiday trip to the Chicago area to be with his family!

Due to tight finances this year, as a result of starting our Golden Legacies business, we have not been to Chicago since last Christmas. And his grown daughters and one son-in-law did not visit us this year for the same reason. It has been a loooong time since last December, and we are longing to see the "kids".

Last year we stayed a full week; I hope we can do the same this year. We usually stay at a hotel in the Oak Brook area, but last year we booked a room at the Candlewood Suite in the suburb of Warrenville since it was about halfway between both girls. It was a long haul up to the northern burbs to visit his parents and siblings, but Warrenville was very quite and pleasant, and close to shops and restaurants in Wheaton.

Some highlights of our trip were: eating Gino's East pizza ( you just can't get good pizza in the Nashville area, especially for someone from Chicago!); shopping at IKEA (we don't have one here), and eating at diners...yum. One of my favorite things about the Chicago diners is that they all serve delicious "cream of" soups. My favorites are the Hi View and Kappy's, both in the southwest suburb of Villa Park. I like the cream of spinach soup at the Hi View, and the cream of chicken at Kappy's. We also enjoy dinner at Journey's End when we are up in the Mundelein area. Each entree is served with big crocks of homemade soup!

Last year, a couple of weeks before we left I ran out and purchased a heavy coat (don't usually need one here, esp. as I am hot natured). Turns out, I did not need it in Chicagoland last Christmas season, either. I wore it a couple of days but the weather was fairly mild. Especially a few days after Christmas when we went to the Naperville River Walk with Steve's youngest daughter...she took the entire week off work so she could spend extra time with us!

With all the family visiting, though, we never seem to have time to get into the city to visit the museums and other attractions. We are actually thinking about telling everyone we've left and then staying a couple of extra days to play tourist! I feel like a mischevious child, writing that!

I am trying to post a photo of the Naperville River Walk that I pulled off the internet but I don't think it's working too well. I need a blog tutor!