When we found out that one of our favourite bands, She & Him, were playing a free show, we knew we had to go. We certainly didn't expect the enormous turnout, but it was a really fun way to spend the evening!
Monday, June 28, 2010
She & Him
One of the things I love most about living in Chicago is the fact that they do a tremendous job of providing free entertainment options year round. Millennium Park has become a fantastic urban oasis with live music, gardens, interactive fountains and lots of green space. It's especially convenient that Jon's office is right across the street, so the kids and I love to take the train downtown and have him meet up with us after work.
When we found out that one of our favourite bands, She & Him, were playing a free show, we knew we had to go. We certainly didn't expect the enormous turnout, but it was a really fun way to spend the evening!
When we found out that one of our favourite bands, She & Him, were playing a free show, we knew we had to go. We certainly didn't expect the enormous turnout, but it was a really fun way to spend the evening!
Sefara 2010
This year's Sefara was an eventful weekend filled with fun and great friends. We were among those who had the farthest to travel, so we hit the road early and ended up being the first ones there. Once we set up camp, we decided to take the littles for their very first mini golfing experience while we waited for the others to begin arriving.
E&I both loved mini golfing. Although there were quite a few 6's, they also each managed to get a hole in one!
When we got back to the campsite, the others had begun arriving. We spent the first evening hanging out, playing, and drinking cocktails courtesy of the newbie campers who somehow found space amongst all the camping gear for their shaker!
Jump roping was a huge hit amongst the gaggle of girls. I learned so many new songs, and I think all the grown-ups got a workout turning that rope! I was so impressed by how beautifully all the kids got along.
The next morning we were up really early, so we went on a hike. We were joined by a wide awake Wendim because his entire family was still sleeping. Along the way, we found a feather, saw lots of birds, and met a few deer (which Izzie deemed "Kangaroos!" and then proceeded to try to entice them to come play with her.)
The lake at the campsite where we were staying was full of algae and definitely not the sort of place we wanted to swim, so we decided to head to nearby Devil's Lake to use their gorgeous beach. We had a fantastic time swimming, building sand castles, and enjoying the perfect weather!
By the time we got back to the campsite, several other families had arrived. Sadly, people seemed to divide into two separate camps, so there were a bunch of people we really didn't have a chance to visit with. Our party was cut short by thunderstorms, and we spent a wet and wild night listening to the rain and hoping it wouldn't come into our tent!
The next morning we went out for a "lumberjack breakfast" at Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty and had some of the most delicious donuts I've ever tasted!
Since the weather forecast predicted more overnight thunderstorms, we made the tough decision to pack up camp and head home after another day of swimming at Devil's Lake. We were sad to leave, but it was definitely the best choice, as we would have been stuck packing up in the rain the next morning.
Despite the fact that we requested the s'more contest be moved to a time when we could participate, the others decided to wait and have it without us. I'm sure it was because they knew we would win, and they wanted to eliminate the fiercest competition.
On our way home that afternoon, our GPS told us to get on a ferry. After a moment of incredulousness, we got in line and waited for the boat. Elijah freaked out because he thought we were going to drive our car into the lake, but as soon as he saw the ferry, he brightened up considerably:
All in all it was a fun weekend.
The gears are already in motion for a camping trip / homesteading adventure in Colorado next summer. If you'd like to join us, leave me a comment and I'll be sure to add you to the list!
E&I both loved mini golfing. Although there were quite a few 6's, they also each managed to get a hole in one!
When we got back to the campsite, the others had begun arriving. We spent the first evening hanging out, playing, and drinking cocktails courtesy of the newbie campers who somehow found space amongst all the camping gear for their shaker!
Jump roping was a huge hit amongst the gaggle of girls. I learned so many new songs, and I think all the grown-ups got a workout turning that rope! I was so impressed by how beautifully all the kids got along.
The next morning we were up really early, so we went on a hike. We were joined by a wide awake Wendim because his entire family was still sleeping. Along the way, we found a feather, saw lots of birds, and met a few deer (which Izzie deemed "Kangaroos!" and then proceeded to try to entice them to come play with her.)
The lake at the campsite where we were staying was full of algae and definitely not the sort of place we wanted to swim, so we decided to head to nearby Devil's Lake to use their gorgeous beach. We had a fantastic time swimming, building sand castles, and enjoying the perfect weather!
By the time we got back to the campsite, several other families had arrived. Sadly, people seemed to divide into two separate camps, so there were a bunch of people we really didn't have a chance to visit with. Our party was cut short by thunderstorms, and we spent a wet and wild night listening to the rain and hoping it wouldn't come into our tent!
The next morning we went out for a "lumberjack breakfast" at Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty and had some of the most delicious donuts I've ever tasted!
Since the weather forecast predicted more overnight thunderstorms, we made the tough decision to pack up camp and head home after another day of swimming at Devil's Lake. We were sad to leave, but it was definitely the best choice, as we would have been stuck packing up in the rain the next morning.
Despite the fact that we requested the s'more contest be moved to a time when we could participate, the others decided to wait and have it without us. I'm sure it was because they knew we would win, and they wanted to eliminate the fiercest competition.
On our way home that afternoon, our GPS told us to get on a ferry. After a moment of incredulousness, we got in line and waited for the boat. Elijah freaked out because he thought we were going to drive our car into the lake, but as soon as he saw the ferry, he brightened up considerably:
All in all it was a fun weekend.
The gears are already in motion for a camping trip / homesteading adventure in Colorado next summer. If you'd like to join us, leave me a comment and I'll be sure to add you to the list!
Friday, June 18, 2010
Tales from the E.R.
Thus far, our summer has entailed a whole lot of doctors. Last week, Elijah and Isabel were playing in the basement when I heard a thud accompanied by wailing. At first, all I got was that Elijah was walking, fell down and hurt his arm. This story morphed multiple times until the kids finally agreed on a version that involved Elijah reaching up to get the "syrup" down from his play kitchen, and falling backwards onto his elbow.
I took one look at the way he was holding his arm, and immediately suspected nursemaid's elbow. He's had it twice before (once in each arm), and he adopts a very specific posture when it happens. Of course, it happened after our pediatrician's office was already closed, so we had to go to the ER.
Once there, Jon told the doctor that we were pretty sure it was nursemaid's elbow. The doctor replied that it definitely was not nursemaid's elbow, that he had already attempted the reduction and nothing happened. He then took Elijah to get a bunch of x-rays to see if anything was broken. The x-rays all showed up clean, and the doctor appeared baffled, while Elijah was still in extreme pain. Ultimately the ER doctor decided to put him in a splint and a sling and send him home, telling us to follow up with the pediatrician the following week.
Elijah was in horrible pain all night, and I had to run to the pharmacy at 3am to get him some medicine so that he could fall asleep. It was a miserable night for all of us, and as soon as we woke up, we were on our way to the pediatrician's office. Bu this time, his poor hand was completely swollen, and he was still in a lot of pain.
They didn't want to unwrap his arm, so they sent us to a bone and joint specialist. Once there, he unwrapped E's arm, took another x-ray (which was also clean) and determined the injury to be nursemaid's elbow. He reduced it, put E in a temporary cast to stabilize the joint so it wouldn't slip out again, and sent us on our merry way.
Elijah's totally fine now. And I am never ever ever going to the Emergency Room again. Ugh!
I took one look at the way he was holding his arm, and immediately suspected nursemaid's elbow. He's had it twice before (once in each arm), and he adopts a very specific posture when it happens. Of course, it happened after our pediatrician's office was already closed, so we had to go to the ER.
Once there, Jon told the doctor that we were pretty sure it was nursemaid's elbow. The doctor replied that it definitely was not nursemaid's elbow, that he had already attempted the reduction and nothing happened. He then took Elijah to get a bunch of x-rays to see if anything was broken. The x-rays all showed up clean, and the doctor appeared baffled, while Elijah was still in extreme pain. Ultimately the ER doctor decided to put him in a splint and a sling and send him home, telling us to follow up with the pediatrician the following week.
Elijah was in horrible pain all night, and I had to run to the pharmacy at 3am to get him some medicine so that he could fall asleep. It was a miserable night for all of us, and as soon as we woke up, we were on our way to the pediatrician's office. Bu this time, his poor hand was completely swollen, and he was still in a lot of pain.
They didn't want to unwrap his arm, so they sent us to a bone and joint specialist. Once there, he unwrapped E's arm, took another x-ray (which was also clean) and determined the injury to be nursemaid's elbow. He reduced it, put E in a temporary cast to stabilize the joint so it wouldn't slip out again, and sent us on our merry way.
Elijah's totally fine now. And I am never ever ever going to the Emergency Room again. Ugh!
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