So, the summer came and went. Poof. Just like that. Despite the turmoil and uncertainty swirling around the globe, our little (ok, big) family made the most of my favorite season. Here in Chicago, much of what we love about the city is locked down (beaches, playgrounds, museums) or burning down (looting and rioting), so […]

This summer has kinda sucked for my kids. All my grand plans to take them all over the city basically fizzled when I broke my ankle. I intended to take them on an urban adventure every Friday, checking off our Chicago bucket list every week. Instead, they’ve been shipped off to camp most days while […]

A few weeks ago I took the kids strawberry picking. It was on my summer bucket list, and I am so glad we checked it off before I broke my ankle. We stumbled upon the strawberry farm quite unexpectedly. The kids and I were driving home after a weekend at Notre Dame when we (almost) […]

Summer. The blissful four months in Chicago when the kids and I walk everywhere – parks, beaches, Michigan Avenue. We might hop the Red Line to Chinatown. Or jump on a bus to State Street. It isn’t unreasonable for us to cover five miles a day via foot, scooter and stroller. I LIVE for this […]

Summer officially started for our family (and Mother Nature) this week, and we couldn’t be happier. After a cloudy, rainy day on Wednesday, today’s PERFECT summer weather demanded that we spend the day outdoors. I couldn’t have been more happy to oblige. One of the many reasons I never want to leave the city is […]

Summer has officially landed in Chicago. We were deprived of a full summer last year when it took forever for steady 80 degree days to arrive, so it seems like the whole city is celebrating this year’s consistent warm temps and sunny days. We leave the windows open, we’re walking everywhere, and we’ve even managed […]

Today was hot. And humid. And it is the tail end of summer so I am fresh outta ideas to keep the kids busy. After a dreadful trip to the park in the morning, I was in no mood to entertain the kids all afternoon. I was short with them. When Chris called at 4:30 […]

A few weeks ago I wrote about my special date night with Mack to see Blue Man Group. It was such a fun show – 5 year old Mack and 35 year old me LOVED it! Holding hands, we left the theater with smiles on our faces and warmth in our hearts. With all that […]

This rain! I know several parts of the country are enduring droughts and water shortages, but here in Chicago we’ve had rain, rain and more rain. We are all waiting not-so-patiently for summer’s arrival. Even with the clouds, there is always a bright side. Last night we turned an otherwise dreary and rainy evening into […]

Winter is coming. For the past week, the weathermen have been warning us of frigid temperatures headed our way. It is hard to believe, though, as today’s high reached a sunny 65 degrees. After school, the kids and I visited a new park along the lake shore. It felt like spring! Oh, how I want […]