Chicago!

Ok, I warn you now - we took a TON of pictures over Labor Day weekend - so many that I need three separate posts to cover them all!  And this one's kind of a long one....

After our Friday in Nauvoo, we spent Saturday in downtown Chicago with Kevin, Naomi, and their daughters.  We rode the train in - a double decker train!  What fun!

We emerged from the train just across the river from the Sears Tower and were greated by this view:

I like the city instantly!  We started the day by taking a water taxi.  We got a great view of the downtown and saved our feet some walking!  And cooled off a bit.  Win, win, win!

Some views from our boat -

I guess this building (below - the round one with the curves) is a really famous apartment building?  Looked cool to me!  Worthy of a picture :)

This is how Brooklyn spent the ride: 

A closer view of the sprirally buildings - I've never seen ones like it!

Eve had fun with Andrew on the boat ride!  So much fun that she skipped her nap!

But she did relax and kick back a bit....

After we finished our water taxi, we got the jogging strollers set, buckled the kids in, and got to walking!  Kevin records that we walked 6 miles in the next couple of hours!  In the heat!  But it was totally worth it! 

Our first view after getting back on land:

No, we did not peak up her dress....the line was too long.... ;)

2 dads + 3 little girls = 1 busy day!  Eve's examining the brochure to see where we should go next.  She didn't have time for pictures. 

We took turns pushing her and tried to stick to the shade as much as possible - not always an option!

Our next stop was a large....I don't even have words to describe it...two huges walls with faces that had a stretch of concrete between them with water - like a wading pool with an inch or so of water. 

But that's not all!  The faces spit water every few minutes! 

Eve had crashed by this point, but I got the chance to cool off by dipping my feet.  And you can bet Brooklyn and Lily got wet!

Next, we headed to the "silver bean".  Which turns out to be in AT&T Plaza!  Can't get away from those guys if I try!  ;)

It was HOT with the sun reflecting off the bean in every direction - we started sweating instantly just coming near it!

From there, we walked past this large outdoor amphitheater where they hold concerts, rallies, you name it!

And across this silver bridge (also hot!) towards the water front. 

At this point, we were all running out of enery - and time!  We had to get back to the train in order to catch one that would get us home for the BYU football game!  So Andrew ran across the street and toko this picture of the water for me while Kevin and Naomi gave their girls some ice cream to cool off. 

Then we started our walk back!  This was our destination - the Sears Tower (the one with the two tall white pokeys on top).  Or rather, just across the river from the Tower...

Some awesome views on the way back!

Kevin still had the energy to run all over this field with his girls in the stroller!  Andrew and Naomi walked.  And I trailed behind to document!

Couldn't leave Chicago without a picture of the "L"!

This is the restaurant which claims to have originated the Chicago deep dish pizza!  We ordered from them later that night :)

The tallest building in the Western Hemisphere!  The Sears Tower up close!

And finally, after a fantastic time in Chicago, we boarded the train to head back to Kevin & Naomi's - just in time!  A cold front with a large rainfall hit the city literally just as we left!  By the next day, the temperature had dropped about 30 degrees - which made for a beautiful last couple of days of our vacation!  To be continued!