Snap Into a Slim Jim

Day two of our trip included a morning run with Lorren and Tay Tay. The awesome part of being in Chicago is that you can start your run at 8:30 and not die from heat exhaustion.

The original plan was to run the loop at the forest preserve for 11 miles. After the first three mile loop and before the fourth mile Lorren and I decided that the German feast from the night before was not the best idea. We ended up walking two more miles and called it quits at 6.1. Whatever, we got out there.

It should be mentioned that around the five mile mark my niece pulled a monster sized slim jim out of her skirt. I am not even kidding. She literally snapped into a slim jim. All I can say is the marathon is going to be interesting.

After our run we went for breakfast and I got the call from the airline saying they found the bottom half of the car seat (cue the choir of angels!).

The rest of the day was really chill. My Mom and I took the kiddos to Big and Little which is a shoe store in the area. I was fitted there for shoes when I was kiddo so I was thrilled that they could be fitted there, too. It's not the same location that I went to as a child, but it still had the same little stage area that I remember from my childhood (pictured behind the kids).

After the trip down memory lane we met up with my brother and cousins for dinner at Aurelio's. Talk about another blast from the past. I have to say there is something comforting in being able to go back to places that you frequented in childhood and see that it is pretty much the same. The pizza still tastes like you remember it, the prize machines are still in the back room, drinks are still brought out in a pitcher in the party room. It's just wonderful.

The kiddos also made a new friend at dinner, we met my niece Meghan's boyfriend Joe, and to say the kiddos latched on would be an understatement. He was such a good sport being sandwiched between the kids (if he only knew was he was in for that weekend!).

More to come, including the wedding!