Chicago (Part 3)

Friday night in Chicago was a fun and adventurous night. Travis had to work all day and very late into the night, so I was on my own with the 3 boys. My cousin Becky and her husband Dan decided to take the boys and I on a tour of downtown and see some sites. We started the evening with showing off our hotel room. The kids had a blast looking out our huge window and getting a view of the city.

Once we had everyone packed up into their strollers we were off. We headed toward Michigan Ave. to check out the statue of Marilyn Monroe. I think she stands around 28 feet high. She is only in Chicago for a year, so I am really glad that we had the opportunity to check her out. After our visit with Marilyn we headed off to Millenium Park. Here they have some fun things for the kids to do. They had a water area that the kids were able to run around and burn up some energy. The boys loved it! After the water we saw The Bean! This was the highlight of Logan's trip. He had seen a pictire of The Bean on the internet when I was checking out the hotel and what was around. Once we told him we were in Chicago all he wanted to do was "see the Bean". He was trilled to see it and he even got to touch The Bean.

After all the excitement we headed off to dinner at The Corner Bakery. Yes, 3 adults and 6 children had dinner in a restaurant. It was acutally nice and peaceful. I think all the kids were worn out and hungry from running around, so they were too tired to be rowdy at dinner. We had a blast that evening.

Once we said good-bye to Becky, Dan, and the kids it was just the boys and I for the night, because Travis was still working. I was a little dissapointed, but that's why we were there, for him to get some work done. It just happened to storm that night, badly. This was the night that Chicago just happened to have the most rain (7 inches) in one storm that it has had in a long time. I was worried that the storm would wake the boys, or one of them, but I guess everyone was so worn out from the past 2 days of the trip that they slept right through.

I was so tired that I forgot that Travis was not there and left the door completely locked that he could not get into the room when he returned early in the morning. I did not realize anything until the next morning when he was not in the room and I finally had to text him to see where he was. He had bunked with the other guy from Scripps that was here working as well. They had worked late into the night (early morning) and were drenched from the rain. Poor Travis, he was soaking wet and could not get into his hotel room, so he had to sleep on the cough in the other guys room until I woke up and realized what was going on. Sorry!

The Allen Family Takes Chicago (Part 2)

While visiting the lovely city of Chicago we not only saw some of the sites, but we took this opportunity to see family too. The first morning in Chicago, at my cousin's house, Nathan and I were up at the crack of dawn. My cousin Becky was already up and getting ready for the day and so was her oldest, Sean. Sean and Nathan took this opportunity to get to know one another while the other 4 kids were still sleeping.

Later that morning, after everyone had breakfast and showers we headed off to the hotel to get settled in and Travis had to get to work. Our hotel was pretty cool (Embassy Suites on the lakefront). We had a nice view of downtown Chicago from our 13th floor window. There was a pretty cool clock on the ground that we are guessing the hands broke off or it just worked another way, but it was still pretty cool to see. Braden really wanted to ride one of the double decker tour buses, but time got away from us and we did not get to ride one.

The Allen Family Takes Chicago!

We had an opportunity to go to Chicago with Travis this past week. He had some work to do in the Scripps office in downtown Chicago, and since I haven't seen my Aunts, Uncles, & cousins in 9 or 10 years (and no one had met the boys) we tagged along. The trip up wasn't too bad. Nathan slept most of the time and with the dvd player in the van Braden and Logan were happy as well.

Once we hit Indiana we saw TONS of solar windmills along the interstate for miles and miles. It was pretty creepy and Travis and I both agreed it looked like an alien invasion. Braden and Logan thought the windmills were pretty cool too.

When we finally hit Illinois and were nearing Chicago I noticed a sign that I just had to get a picture. One of the boy's favorite shows is Phineas & Ferb on Disney Channel). The cartoon takes place in a town called Danville, not sure if Danville is in Illinois (it's one of those town that there are multiple ones throught various States). Still, I thought it was picture worthy.

We arrived safe and sound in Chicago around 2 or 3 pm. My cousin Becky was nice enough to let us crash with her and her family for the night since we couldn't get into the hotel until the next day. Let me tell you 6 kids ages ranging from 6 to 5 months in one house hold was very entertaining. Everyone had fun and we were all very tired in the morning.

Nathan is 5 Months Old!

Wow!!!! I cannot belive that 5 months has come & gone so quickly! Nathan is doing so much now. He is rolling over, playing on his tummy, he LOVES his thumb, & he is eating cereal & starting on vegetables. He loves sweet potatoes. I am taking the pictures with Nathan just like I did with Logan every month. Logan had George & Nathan has a little puppy dog.

Craziness & Other Summer fun

Just a couple of little things that have been going on lately with our family. Nathan is doing really well playing on his tummy & is getting interested in more & more things. Braden is just like his dad, very into video games & computers! I just hope this gets him into a good college & a great scholarship one day. Logan is a complete nut! The kid loves to jump, run, & play. Here are just some random pictures from a few weeks this summer.

One thing we did this summer was hang out at the Doubletree Hotel in Oak Ridge, TN with Pop. He won a 2 night stay there at an auction & had all 5 grandsons come swim, well not Nathan he just went to hang out. Travis swam with them too & I just say with Nathan & took pictures.

Big Brothers Love To Help Out

I was giving Nathan his daily formula bottle when both Braden & Logan said to me that they wanted to feed the baby. I was more than happy to let them help out. I am so lucky that both boys love their little brother. They are so sweet to him. Time will only tell if the three of them will continue to get along as well as they do now. I better take tons of pictures to prove that they do like one another!

Sorry it's been so LONG

Ok, I know, I know I haven't been on here in a VERY long time. I am sorry for that! Here's what's been going on since last August. Braden turned 5 and started kindergarten. He loved every minute of it too. On February 17, 2011 we welcomed baby number 3 otherwise known as Nathan Joseph Allen. He and dad share a birthday. Logan turned 2 in May. Braden finished kindergarten with flying colors and Logan is really working hard on his letters and numbers. Nathan was baptised toward the end of June as well. We are so happy to have Summer & Brain Babis and Amanda & Scott Durham as his Godparents. We are lucky to have them all as friends & not a part of our family.

Yes, things have been a little crazy, but we love it. I love having my 3 wonderful little boys and boy do I love watching them interact with eachother. Logan and Braden just love Nathan and they ask to hold him constantly. Logan will even get mad at me if I tell him that the baby is eating and he can hold him in a minute. We are working on that as well. Logan is definitely a different kid than Braden. Oh well, we learn somthing new with him everyday. Here are some pictures over the past year to kind of "catch up" on things.

We are headed to Chicago next week for a mini-vacation. Although Travis is working while we are up there it will not be much of a vacation for him. We will get to visit with family that we have not seen in about 10 years & they all finally get to meet the kids! We are excited!!!!