The Windy City

The dinner of champions on a flight, after having your flight canceled b/c of bad weather in Atlanta, then barely making it out after sitting in the airport for 8 hours!

On the train, heading back to the airport

Cara with her tiny suitcase

Leslie HATES flying b/c of a previous really bad experience where the air masks actually came down. Yikes!

Samuel's loft....my pictures don't do it justice

It has huge windows and brick everywhere. LOVE It!

His kitchen...we left him a few goodies. One being laundry detergent b/c we figured out he had been washing his clothes with fabric softener :)

Along the lake, we went running on this awesome trail several times while we were up there.

Me and Leslie

Cara and Leslie

On Sunday it was a beautiful day, cool and breezy in the shade. A little hot in the sun but still very nice. We spent the day at the park with Leslie's twin sister and her husband's family. We played lots of volleyball, which was really fun but I am not to skilled at.

I think we had just won a game or I had just hit myself in the face with the ball trying to hit it back over the net.

Leslie's cute niece Haleigh

Look at those ups :-)

Haleigh

Samuel lives right across from Navy Pier so on Saturday night, we walked over and rode the ferris wheel. Me, Cara, and Sean (Laura & Ricky's friend)

Laura & Ricky....and Leslie

Giving Ricky some love

Twins

Ricky & Laura and Leslie

Leslie, Me & Ricky

Sean, Laura & Cara

Group shot

The girls

David trying to take a bite out of the yummy cake

Samuel was a great host. He had a party on Saturday night at his place so we got to meet a lot of his friends.

Some of his friends

Leslie, Me and Cara

Me & Samuel

Why did he get the long legs?

Leslie & Cara

Lovable Leslie

They were filming the Transformers movie while we were there. This is part of the set. They actually shot a scene while we were watching. It was VERY loud.

Transformers set

Cara & Leslie

The Windy City, love it!

More Transformer set

Me & Cara

Cara & Leslie

On Saturday morning we went to Fox & Obel's for breakfast. It was delish! This is Samuel's favorite food market just a couple of blocks from his loft. It was really neat

Me & Cara

Leslie trying to get some air from the hose in the cab

We went to a tapas place and met 2 of Leslie's high school friends there for dinner. We ordered dessert and this is what they brought us....

Leslie and 2 of her high school friends. Les grew up in Chicago and her family still lives there so we got to meet a lot of them.

Me & Leslie

Cara & Leslie

Cara, Leslie & Me

Cheese

Cara being silly

We met Samuel and all of his work buddies after the Cub's game on Friday in Wrigleyville. He took all his employees to the game, but we didn't go. This is one of his employees. They were all super nice.

It was packed!!

We got a cop to take our picture across from the stadium

Cara & Leslie

Me & Leslie

This is the view from the top of Samuel's building

We brought our coffee up here on Thursday morning, gorgeous view!

Me & Cara (you can see Navy Pier and the ferris wheel in the background)

So pretty!!

On Samuel's rooftop

Cara & Leslie

Cara decided to wear one of Haleigh's bows

Laura and her crotch rocket

Being silly

Les on a moped

I just don't think I could ride one of these without laughing my head off

On Thursday night, we got all you can eat sushi at a restaurant near the zoo. YUM!

Me, Leslie, Cara & Laura at the Lincoln Park zoo

We met Laura, Ricky & their kids at the zoo. It's free!

Leslie & Haleigh

A giraffe

A large rhino

That's a rhino in the back

A seal

I think that's a leopard behind me

In the gift shop

Laura, Haleigh and Leslie

Leslie & Jayce

Me & Les

Yea for a free afternoon at the zoo

Eating an Italian beef at Portillo's. This is a must have in Chicago according to Leslie :-)

She was sooooo excited to finally get her Italian beef!

Sightseeing the first day

On Thursday morning, we walked with Samuel over to Starbucks to have coffee before he headed to work.

Samuel and I on Wednesday night on his rooftop

Me & Cara

Leslie & I

Cara & Leslie

Leslie and her nephew Jayce

Me, Cara & Leslie

Laura, their Grandma, Leslie and their friend Kristen

Twinkies

Kristen, her little girl Olivia and Leslie

Leslie and Haleigh

Me, Leslie and Cara on the flight to Chicago. Leslie was REALLY nervous, she hates flying!

Leslie waiting for our flight to board

Cara and I waiting for the flight

On Wednesday, after I finished my US History exemption exam (we had finished 2 nursing school finals the day before) Cara, Leslie and I headed to the airport to fly to Chicago for a visit with Samuel and Leslie's family. We had a fabulous time. Samuel was a great host! It was a much needed vacation after a cram packed semester!