I know it is alarming to see that I (yes this is Kristin and not Tyler and there will be no trout in this post) am posting on the blog. Yet again I have neglected this thing and I regret it. So here's to a big comeback. And what a way to kick off--Ty and I just returned from the most amazing trip to Chicago. At Christmas time we had received some money to take a trip and we booked our flights right away. It seemed like May would never get here but before we knew it we were boarding a plane and on our way. It has been a couple years since we took a trip together and way too long since we had seen Chris and Aubree so we knew we were in for a fabulous weekend. My littlest sis got married last August to quite the guy (that would be Chris) and they moved out to Chicago. (He is a pilot that flies out of O'Hare Airport.)
I also have to state that most every picture in this post was taken by Chris. He is a very talented photographer (by hobby, not by trade) and we were lucky enough to have him constantly snapping shots. When you are old and married like us, you hardly ever get pictures of yourselves together. We will be using some of these as our engagement photos for when we renew our vows this summer. Haha. At any rate (and he wasn't cheap), these photos mean a lot to us. Thanks Chris.
Needless to say, it is a whole different life out there. So much fun. I don't want to be like one of those people that is showing their vacation slides while everyone else is asleep so I'll just list some of the highlights.
Aubree & Chris's ADORABLE apartment. (I should've taken a picture of the air mattress we slept on because it is the only one we have ever slept on successfully without rolling to the middle.)
The city skyline was breathtaking. Everywhere we turned looked like a postcard. Although these are not postcards, just Chris Schroeder originals.
Architectural boat tour. Fun AND educational.
Here we are at the John Hancock Building.
Super delicious Chicago deep dish pizza.
Dinner overlooking Michigan Avenue at the Grand Luxe Cafe.
Wrigley Field is barely a mile from Chris & Aubree's apartment.
The infamous bean. Gotta love it. The weather was amazing as you can see. I don't know what everyone is talking about with the ice and the 30 degrees below zero nonsense. It was beautiful.
Jumping Bean.
Someday you should ask Ty what he did right before this photo was snapped.
Sadies photos. WHAT? I never got asked to Cheap Dance and as a result of my bitterness I never asked anyone to Sadies so I was always dying for a picture like this. Next time I will be sure to bring matching shirts.
Boys playing Flightplan on Iphones while we shopped away.
Then it was the boys who got distracted at the Orvis store. It didn't take us long to find some guys that enjoyed our company. 
Oh and Chris can cook too. Chicken tacos that literally melted in our mouths. The pics don't do it justice. Not pictured here: honey wheat banana cinnamon walnut pancakes, and cookies and creme milkshakes. (I just noticed that Chris seems to be holding his knife in a menacing fashion. I wonder why?)
Maybe he was just hungry because look how happy he looks now!
AMAZING Latin Restaurant for Saturday night date.
Meeting Schroeder's friends Joe & Megan and enjoying their fantastic view of the city from the 43rd floor. Their whole wall is windows. (Yeah this is the view from their living room! Frealz!)
Balcony.
It was a little windy up 43 floors. The camera does love this girl.
Ty wore a helmet for safety reasons during one particularly windy part of the night. Or maybe he thought that he really was landing a plane (note the iphone in his hands).
What do you think is going through that head of his? Such a deep thinker he is.
Then we scored this sunset like I have never seen before.
It looked completely fake. Very very cool.
A giant hot fudge sundae at the Ghirardelhi Shop.
Fireworks from Navy Pier overlooking Lake Michigan. Just beautiful. (it was incredibly windy in this pic)
(Ty, Kristin, Chris, Aubree, Megan, Joe)
The thing we enjoyed most of all was spending time with these two. They are two truly great people. They are the best of friends, incredibly unselfish, extremely talented, hard working (I learned some great techniques for removing peanut butter from my carpet), beautiful, thoughtful, and not to mention gut busting hilarious. We owe you guys big time for showing us country folk such a darn good time! We'll never forget it.
Oh and being together wasn't so bad either. Can't believe it has been 8 years!!! Only infinity more to go!
Took all the kids too the zoo this week. The weather cooled off a little and we decided to take advantage. I guess it is sad when you think the weather is cooling off when the high is 93 degrees.
The kids were awesome and thank goodness for Grandma we had a fantastic lunch and didn't lose anyone!!!
I could never get them to all look at the camera at the same time.
Cooling off at the waterfall.
We are really going to miss these little blonde smileys when they move in less than 2 months!!
Cash and his trademark grin. I dunno about this kid.
This was just before we lost 2/3rds of them to heat exhaustion.
Little hatchlings
After packing the kids to the parking lot (there were a few hills she had to tackle with 4 kids riding in the wagon), Grandma demanded that the kids get out and push her to the car. While all of the other Grandmas are carefully buckling their brood into the car, my mom was screaming "Faster kids, run faster!" This is why I love my mom.
THE END
I could never get them to all look at the camera at the same time.
Cooling off at the waterfall.
We are really going to miss these little blonde smileys when they move in less than 2 months!!
Cash and his trademark grin. I dunno about this kid.
This was just before we lost 2/3rds of them to heat exhaustion.
Little hatchlings
After packing the kids to the parking lot (there were a few hills she had to tackle with 4 kids riding in the wagon), Grandma demanded that the kids get out and push her to the car. While all of the other Grandmas are carefully buckling their brood into the car, my mom was screaming "Faster kids, run faster!" This is why I love my mom.
THE END
