Wrapping Up Chicago: That Last Part

We've finally gotten to it: The last installment of our last days in Chicago!  And it only took me over 3 months.  

We moved on a Monday and packed up our moving truck on Saturday morning.  After all our packing and after we went to our church one last time, we didn't have a lot to do.  We cleaned a little but after that, we were just looking to get out of our empty apartment.  Sooo...we headed into the city to cross one more thing off our list.

The kids and I had never been up the John Hancock Building.  Since it was a Sunday afternoon, there was no line.  It made the experience so stress-free which was really nice after all the craziness of packing and cleaning.

 Our friend, Julie, came along.  She's super fun and we miss her very much.

We enjoyed wandering around the observation deck and just taking in the views.  The Hancock building isn't quite as tall as the Sears/Willis Tower, which we've all been up before, but it is right in the middle of the Magnificent Mile so you could argue that the views are more interesting.  I loved that we were right there on the edge of the lake so we could see the beaches and all of the Lake Shore trail that we love so much.

Seminary friends.

 Taking it all in.

 Telling Albert about the city in which he was born.

 Playing with the mirrored ceiling.

 Cute kid.

 I can't remember what was said but it must have been funny!

 I mean, look at those smiles. Funny!

We're so vain.

 So are we.  Look at that cheese ball face!

 We're vain too.

Hmm...I'm seeing a trend.  Maybe I'm just the vain one.

 For dinner we went to Giordano's one last time.  Not this one though.  There was a crazy long wait.

Instead we got on the train and went to one on the way back to our apartment.  It was much smaller and quieter and just as delicious.  

Since the kids' beds were already packed, they got to camp out in their bedroom.

Happy campers!

During our last outing, we tried to recreate a family picture of us that we've always loved.  Not everyone was really into taking a family picture though.

Anyway, the family picture we loved was taken back in Tyler's second semester of seminary, back when we only had two kids (although we found out later that day that we were pregnant with Elias).  It was a kind of silly picture of us where we were standing in front of this very brick wall and we were looking very serious, almost angry serious.

We've always thought it was funny and loved the picture because of it.  Therefore, before we left, we wanted to recreate it at the other end of our time in Chicago.

These may not have turned out as great as the original but I think they will help us book end our experience well.

Goodbye Chicago.  We miss you so much!