Thanks Grace! It was a great trip. Short, but a lot of fun.
Let me preface this TR by saying that I didn't take many pics because my camera is broken and I had to use my camera on my phone, and wasn't sure how they would turn out.
So, this trip happened because my DSis is taking her kids to Disney for the first time, in Aug of this year. She went years ago, when we were young, and I believe she went in high school. So, I have been trying to get her to go. Money is always and issue, but she wanted to go when her two children were old enough to remember and enjoy. So, I tell her about the possibility of free dining in Aug. They were originally going to go in Sept/Oct. She had mentioned making autograph books and I say, too bad we couldn't meet in Chicago and work on something. Chicago is half way for us, well, Omaha is farther, but she put her mind to work and we found airfare for $125/rt. That's doable she says! So, should we invite mom??? Of course, let's invite mom. My mom almost cried when she found out that we wanted her to join our girls weekend. My sister and I were nice to each other growing up, but we had our own friends and did our own thing. Now, she is the first person, next to my DH, that I want to call when I have/need something to say/share/vent. Anything! There are days when I/we call each other 3-4 times a day. Love her!!!! So, let's meet in Chicago and do some scrapbooking, laughing and of course eating! Here's my Dsis
I left work on Thurs at 10:30, went to the bank, stopped at the gas station for a beverage and I was on the road by 11:15. Their plain was to land in Chicago/Midway at 1:45. I was really pushing it, but I had all of my "singing" cd's in the car and was ready for American Idol by the time I got to the airport.
This was my view ALL the way across Ohio and Indiana.
This is what my speedometer read across Indiana
So, my sis called at about 1:30 and said that they had landed. O.K. I say. "according to my Verizon Navigtor, I'm about 15 miles away". Great, she says. Well, I'm not so savy on the whole Navigator thing. DH got it for my just for this trip so that I would be able to find my way around Chicago. (thank you dear) So, I was ACTUALLY, 15 miles away from my exit onto I90 into Chicago. Dangit! Traffic in Chicago moves very fast, and that's fine with me, I just don't like it when I'm moving a long and traffic stops, that was my big concern. No stopped traffic this trip. I get off on my exit and it's in a neighborhood, well... let's just say I was feeling "uncomfortable". There was a guy with a cane begging for money, so I gave him some change and rolled up my window REALLY quick! I turned left, according to my directions, and at the next light there were 3 other beggers on each corner.
Now, I expected that I would be driving to Midway on a highway, not through the ghetto and little Mexico!
The road was TERRIBLE!! I'm thinking, please don't get a flat, please don't get a flat. Thankfully it was in the middle of the day, if it was night, I don't know.
I get to the airport, FINALLY, and am so glad not to be in the car alone. Now, I have to say that my Verizon Navigator has different voices, and they all have names. I chose my voice to be Michelle. So, we will now refer to my navigator device as Michelle. I consult Michelle, and she proceeds to direct us in the direction of our hotel. We arrive to the road where Michelle is telling us to turn. Um, Michelle, there is not a hotel on this road! We are noticing that Most of the surrounding hotels are looking like you can rent by the hour! Hmmm... We find ours and it is VERY nice! It's a Clarion and has been renovated. WOOHOO
The guys checks us in and we are on our way to our room. Wait, "I don't know what room we're in? He didn't give me a number." Okay, we got it. Second floor. Perfect. Now no one can break into our room while we sleep.
We open the door and are pleasantly surprised at how nice the room is. Then my mom says "what's under the blankets? They look bumpy!" Me "maybe it's a person mom, waiting playing hide-n-go seek" Duh! They are synthetic down comforters. Very nice!
Now, I know some of you are familiar with hotel pillows and how "thin" they are. These pillows were like brand new, never been slept on fluffy pillows. The mattress was extremely comfy and the towels in the bathroom were SO plush and soft! Very not like the towels I've used. We had a mini fridge and microwave in the room and a nice desk and chair area. We unpack a little and are out the door to go to the scrapbook store. Gotta have supplies, you know. We pass a Texas Roadhouse on the way to the store and decide that that's where we are going to eat dinner. We shop and eat. Now, for those of you who have eaten there, you know how yummy the bisquits are. I could eat a pound of that butter. Our hostess brings us 4 rolls and ONE little tub of butter. Umm... HELLO! So when our server gets there, I give him sass and ask for more butter. We had, well I had, a good time with him. It was all about the butter. No pics, but I had a mushroom, cheese and chicken sammich, sis had pulled pork, and mom had a steak. We did not leave hungry.
On the way back to the hotel, we almost died! You drive like 70 miles an hour in Chicago and we were just cruisin along. All of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye I see a car coming directly at the side of my van!
I had to swerve out of the way and lay on the horn and she still didn't slow down or move out of the way. Thanks to my ninja like reflexes, I was able to save us from certain death!
Back at the room, we turned on Survivor and I jumped in the shower. We were in bed by 10, but not asleep until 11. You know how girls get when they get together. We were talking about who snores and who had ear plugs for the snoring, who sleeps on what side of the bed and who was going to share.
NOT ME!! I got a whole bed to myself. There was snoring in the night, but we won't name names. (MOM)
None of us really slept well Thurs night, and we were awake by 8 and on the road to a Michaels and another couple of stores. We ate at a Taco Bell for lunch, thanks mom, and we consulted Michelle for directions and were on our way to our next destination. We were on I-294 on our way back to the hotel and were noticing these big toll signs, but they were off on the right. So, we thought they were for the exits. NOPE! You have to pay a toll, and get back on the road. You kinda detour over to the toll, pay and then get back on. Well, I'm sure that I'll get a bill for skipping two tolls. Oops!
We get back to the room, ready to get down to scrapbooking. The whole purpose of this trip. We start to stamp and my black ink is dry. DANGIT!!! Now, we have just spent all day in the car and have to get back in the car to go and buy more ink. Shoot. We found a JoAnn's fabric and buy more scrapbooking stuff and then find a Wendy's and get some salads for dinner. We busted it out! We got two autograph books completed by 10 o'clock.
sorry if some of them are on their sides. you can get the idea though.
It sucks that we're going to miss each other (AGAIN!) by just a couple of days. Have an amazing time and take lots of pictures for us!!
I think I'm going to start a PTR just to keep everything straigh
