checking in...

I know, I know I mentioned on Thursday that I thought I was going to go and take new pictures that day. Well... it didn't happen. Clara started out sniffly that morning and by the time we needed to leave she was feeling pretty rotten. So, needless to say, we stayed home.... one sickly girl and one despondent boy (who was upset that we were missing a going away party for some homeschool friends). I hate when it works out like that... it never seems quite fair.

Friday we stayed close to home as well. Jeff came home early from work which was nice... he was home shortly after lunch. Friday night Clara added a cough to her sniffles. Saturday was dance... she still felt rotten but since the recital is next weekend, she wanted to go. That afternoon we went to Devon Avenue to have dinner with a friend and her mom. Our friend ordered our dinner for us so we could try some new food... it was wonderful! We had a great time. The kids loved that we topped off our meal with kulfi (the kids and I had mango). Then it was home and to bed because Jeff and Alex had a big day ahead of them.

This morning they woke up at 4:30am so they could go down to the start of the Bike the Drive event. Lake Shore Drive was closed to cars this morning. The entire ride is 30 miles but Alex and Jeff did the 15 mile north loop. I asked Jeff if he would take the point and shoot camera and thankfully he agreed :-)

Here's a sleepy Alex getting ready for the start of the event....
lots of cyclists....
they had purchased tickets for the all-you-can-eat pancake and sausage breakfast, so here's Alex enjoying his post-ride feast on the lawn in Grant Park...

Clara and I lazed around at home and took the dog out for a walk around 8:45ish.... imagine our surprise to see Jeff and Alex already home when we got back! They rode 15 miles in 1 hour and 43 minutes (including a rest stop)! I was impressed!

We took our time getting ready and then around noon we headed out for lunch. We walked to lunch and afterwards we decided to keep wandering. We ended up a bakery to get some goodies for tomorrow's breakfast. Next door was a photography center... it's gallery was open today so we decided to take a look. They offer classes there that seem really cool. There was a man who worked there who offered to give us a tour of the building. I thought it was just going to be a tour of their classrooms and such but instead we were in for a big surprise! The building is a former bank and in the basement is a HUGE vault!! We got to go inside and the kids got to investigate the workings of the lock. There were all kinds of cool stuff down there. They even had an old dumbwaiter that they think was used to bring money up from the vault downstairs. Alex loved it.

When we got home our neighbors were out playing in the alley.... so, of course, our kids had to join them. This was at 2:30.... they did not come inside until 6:15. They were non-stop action. Clara wanted to get in on the bike riding action and enjoyed jumping the ramp...


She's such a daredevil. She's decided that she wants to do the Bike the Drive next year... we'll see.

Alex was asleep on his feet by the time he came in.... so dinner and then quick showers... now they're both in bed!

We have a fun day planned for tomorrow..... if the weather cooperates! Hopefully I'll have more photos tomorrow!

'nite!