Family Weekend in Chicago

Even though it was too short, we had a great weekend staying with Jennifer and visiting our midwestern family. It was a milestone birthday for Jennifer, a baby shower for Christine and Mike, Father's Day, and our anniversary--plus a hockey event which brought some of the Minnesota folks down to Chicago. Talk about action-packed!

On Friday we had dumplings and sushi in Chinatown before heading to the airport for a quick flight into O'Hare. We got our rental car and drove to Jennifer's, where John and Emi were waiting up for us.

Saturday morning brought breakfast with Jennifer and Joe, John and Emi, Judy and Bill, and Uncle Max, and then a visit to Uncle Max's house to talk about paintings and play some checkers.

Saturday afternoon we were all at Christine (Tia) and Mike's house to celebrate their sweet baby boy, Coeur, who is due to arrive the last week of July. We got to see Yasmine, Mike's brother and sister-in-law, three of Mike's nephews and one niece, and Uncle Frank, Aunt Martha, Uncle Michael, and Brian, as well as a friend of Tia's and a few friends of Yasmine's. We ate delicious Italian food Mike's parents provided, and some lovely fruit and cookies courtesy of Jennifer and Judy, the co-hosts. Tia and Mike opened their gifts, Marcus played in the backyard for hours, and Samantha applied Star Wars tattoos to many legs, arms, and cheeks. It was a perfect afternoon.

That evening everyone was exhausted. I made pasta at Jennifer's for us and the kids, and it was an early night to bed.

On Sunday, Judy made a Father's Day breakfast of eggs and pancakes, and then we drove up to Dave and Candy's house for the day. Uncle Don, Aunt Loretta, Candy's parents, and Candy's grandma joined us there, as well as Mark, to eat Portillo's beef sandwiches and to visit and talk. In the afternoon, Jennifer led a giant-bubble-making adventure in the backyard, while Uncle Frank helped Candy's parents dig up some rhubarb from their yard for a state-to-state plant transfer. At the end of the day, Candy's sister and brother-in-law and nieces arrived too, and the kids ganged up on Dave with nerf guns in the basement. Emi taught Samantha pool, John and Joe played poker together, and someone showed Marcus how to use the slot machines (though all the winnings go back to the house, he learned).

Too soon, it was time to head back to the airport and back to Boston. Our flight was slightly delayed due to thunderstorms, so we walked through the door just a few minutes before midnight.

 

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Created: 6/23/15. Last Modified: 6/23/15.