I Love the City, Part 1

My husband had a presentation on some waste water sludge pump filter...the largest one in the world...or the United States, maybe it was California...it lifts cakes of dried waste, or maybe it drops them? I know the cake part is correct. I definately remember hearing the word 'cake' and getting very excited until I learned it was a cake of dried waste, which I really don't think should be named after a baked good of any kind. That's just wrong. It's wrong and cruel and decietful and disturbing on so many levels. Oh, I just remembered another phrase about his project: screw conveyor. So if that means anything to any of you, there it is. The largest one in our county, at least. Anyway, as I am sure you have all percieved it really is the most fascinating stuff, the life of an engineer who works in waste water treatment. Well, I'm just as proud as can be about his screw conveyor cake lifter... or dropper. (remember, not 'cake' as in delicous baked treat. Cake as in 'are you seriously telling me that this cake you've been rattling on about for the last 20 minutes is a lump of dried poop and not a treat you picked up for me on your way home tonight from an upscale bakery which comes in one of those adorable 'old school' pink bakery boxes tied with white string and cleverly kept hidden in your car to pull out and surpise me at this very moment?! Are you serious? You do know I'm PMSing don't you? I know you didn't just talk for 20 min. to a PMSing woman about a 'cake' that is- What? What's that? We're going to Chicago?! Honey, you're the best! ) That kind of cake.

So here it is...our lovely trip to Chicago.

My daughter's loved when we walked around with the Chicago tour books in plain sight so much that they had to document it on film. (Yes, this is posed, I was not that bad!!!) They would rather wander for hours and be lost than suffer the shame and humiliation of (gasp) looking at a guide book made for just this purpose. I don't know what I was thinking. (Maybe about cake.)

Drinking Chocolate Peanut Butter milkshakes that came with a fortune cookie on top. How adorable and witty is that?!

Yes, my children have marketable skills for the future.

Spending half of my life savings getting my niece a gift at "American Girl Place."

Laur (who didn't pay) found it quite enchanting.

Stepford Dolls!!!

Attending the Midnight showing of High School Musical 3.

Drinking oreo milkshakes at Potbelly Deli. They came with tiny cookies on the straw. How adorable and witty is that?!

Visiting University of Chicago. There's the beloved tour books again!

Taylor getting some free counseling from Bob Newhart.

Giving Bob a piece of my mind after he blamed all Tay's issues on me. (It's always the mother...)

We found some local children to frolic in the park with.

Until one little boy started crying...

And Taylor mocked him.
Back to Bob's counseling couch for her.

Well, trust me, there was much more, but I must get back 'in studio' and solder like the wind. (Ooh, a wind reference in a post all about the 'windy city'! Sometimes I even surprise myself with my clever wit.)