Weekend Adventure Part 2: Chicago

Saturday, October 31, 2015

You may have read about our Normal adventure earlier this week. Well, Normal was only half of our fun! Friday night, we continued our little road trip up to Chicago, home to Dane's sister and her adorable & growing family!  (Eeeep...aunting is one of my favorite things, and I am so excited about welcoming another niece in a few short months.) We got to town just in time for supper... mac n' cheese from the Honky Tonk...YUM!!! It was a pretty relaxed evening. Well, as relaxed as it can be when you have two crazy babies chasing each other around. We just got to sit and visit and catch up on life, and that was awesome!


The next morning we went to breakfast at Hashbrowns before Lerisse had to leave for work. The boys had fun (Rowan usually enjoys anything that involves food!) and we tried to plan our day of activities. Of course, it was raining...again!

We thought it might be best to stay indoors for the day, but at the last minute the sun came out and we decided to go to the Lincoln Park Zoo! Rowan had never been to the zoo, so I was excited for him to see all of the animals. The zoo was really crowded. Apparently, it was their Halloween day, and they were giving out candy to little kids. We worked our way through the swarm of princesses and super heroes to see most of the animals. Rowan's favorite were the ducks...go figure! After a couple hours we made our way back to the car and shortly after that it started raining again! Talk about perfect timing!




Our time in Chicago was quickly (too quickly) coming to an end. We loaded the car, gave hugs, said our goodbyes, and had to hit the road again.

Ultimately, our weekend trip was a huge success. Rowan handled the car ride like a champ, we got to spend time with people that we love, Rowan and Lendon got to have some quality cousin time, and we had a blast!

Our Normal Adventure

Monday, October 26, 2015

The Normal/Bloomington area is quickly becoming one of my favorite places. There is a little bit of farm and a little bit of city a Target, which is pretty much the recipe for success in my book. Oh, and did I mention it is the home of a few of my favorite people! So, I was very excited to take a little road trip for a fun, fall, family day!

Unfortunately, it started raining and our fall day ended up consisted of Chick-fil-A for lunch, a quick trip to the pumpkin patch, and Rowan chasing my aunt's dog around the living room...which was absolutely perfect! Every time we visit Normal we get to do something new, and we always have a good time. Below are some pictures of our fun at the pumpkin patch and a list of great spots for your family to enjoy. 

I suggest getting an early start to the day, and heading over to the Rader Family Farm! It is seriously the cutest pumpkin patch that I have ever seen and there is so much to do. You can stop in their cute little cafe and grab a pumpkin donut and some hot apple cider...you know, to fuel up for the corn maze. They have a petting zoo, slides, sing along wagon rides, a bouncy station, and SO MUCH MORE! You could really spend the whole day there. 




Just down the road is a cute little farm complete with baby Jersey cows and cheese! We plan on taking Rowan the next time we are in the area...he LOVES cows! 

Miller Park is one of the spots that we went to the last time we were in town. It was so pretty! There are little trails that wind through the park and it is home to the Miller Park Zoo

The last place on my list is Constitution Trail it is a beautiful bike/jogging trail...perfect for a day outside! We drove by part of it while it was raining and it was GORGEOUS!  The trees were all bright orange, yellow, and red! Seriously, beautiful! 

Well, we didn't get to spend much time outside, but our day could not have been better! The key to a perfect fall day is spending it with people that you love, and that is exactly what we got to do!

If you are ever in the area I suggest visiting planning to spend some time in Normal and Bloomington. There is so much to do including events like festivals, fairs and the Halloween Treat Feast! Who doesn't love festive events?! (PS...If events are your thing, you need to check out Eventbrite and their Event Planning and Management page!)

Coming up: Part 2 of our weekend getaway...Rowan's first trip to Chicago. 

Fall Favorites

Monday, October 05, 2015

FALL-la-la-la-la!!! Fall is in full swing around here, and I have rounded up some of my favorites for the season!



I don't really like football, unless it is the local high school team. BUT these leg rolls + football leg warmers may make me a fan of the sport! Let's face it...these are the only leg warmers Rowan will ever be allowed to wear!

This fall scavenger hunt for kiddos is so cute! Rowan is still too little to enjoy this, but I am sure he would love to watch his cousins play...or try to eat everything they find. 

Cool weather is great for so many outdoor activities, However, curling up with a book, a blanket, and a baby is pretty sweet. Right now the only books I really read are kids' books. Dracula and A Halloween Scare in Illinois are our top picks for October, but I would like to get Fletcher and the Falling Leaves to add to our collection. 

Express was running a sale on this sweater! It pairs so well with leggings and boots, making it the perfect sweater for fall! 

Fall is the perfect time for chili. We like ours loaded up with sour cream, shredded cheese and Freetos, but this recipe looks pretty delicious (another reason I need a waffle iron)!!! I really want to have a fall party with some of our friends. A chili bar, some cold beer, and a fire pit sound like a good idea to me! Who's in?!

I am still swooning over this nail color from last year. I don't really have time to paint all 10 nails in one sitting, but my half a manicure will probably be Fall in Line.

My list of fall favorites could go on and on, but I will stop there...for now!