Train-cation...

About 2.5 months ago (that's how far behind I am on my blog!) we took a mini family vacation before Baby's arrival. We wanted to treat Braylon to a real train ride. So we decided to ride the South Shore Train from South Bend Airport to Chicago on a Saturday morning. Spend the night @ a hotel. And come back Sunday evening. Here's a recap of our "Train-cation:"

1st pic: We left @ 8am on a Sat. morning & swung by McD's Drive thru for breakfast.
2nd & 3rd pic: At South Bend Airport
5th pic: We got the family seating where our seats face each other. I asked the friendly lady sitting across from us if she would take our family picture
6th pic: We didn't get a window seat so this is Braylon looking behind his seat out a window.
7th pic: Braylon is calling Grandma Troyer to let her know he's on a real train!
8th pic: We're playing w/his Uno Thomas game
9th pic: Braylon is holding our train tickets
10th pic - Braylon is working on his Maze Book
11th & 12th pic - Braylon is working on an activity book
13th - Braylon did his 1st color by # picture!
14th - My 2 handsome boys!

We got off at Millenium Station, the last station on the line! Braylon did awesome on the 2.5-3 hr. ride! He totally impressed us. Didn't complain or whine once.

1st pic: We walked from Millenium Station to Navy Pier...it was quite the walk but we made it!
2nd pic: Arrived at Navy Pier
3rd, 4th, & 5th pic: 1st thing we saw was the building for the Children's Museum so we decided to check that out...little did we know it was like walking into a mall...& the Children's Museum is just a part of it...so as we're looking for the Children's Museum, we see this train ride. Of course Braylon has to ride it! He was so cute being the driver!
6th pic: We walked all the way to the end of the pier.
7th, 8th, & 9th pic: Then walked back it til we found the big ole Ferris Wheel to ride!
10th pic: Braylon & Ben have their hands up in the air becuz we are @ the top peak of the Ferris Wheel ride!
11th, 12th, & 13th pic: We ate lunch @ Bubba Gump Shrimp (from the movie "Forrest Gump").
14th pic: We decided to try public transportation (a.k.a. a bus) for the 1st time to our hotel. It was crazy to figure out but once we did, then it was pretty simple. This is Braylon sitting in the bus.

Thanx to our church friend Mark, he gave his information on how to get a great deal @ a 4 Star Hotel! For $89 a night we got to stay @ the Palmer House Hotel!

1st pic: We are in the elevator.
2nd pic: About to enter our room!
3rd pic: Checking out our room!
4th pic: Braylon taking his nap.
5th pic: Ben (and I) playing Monopoly Deal while Braylon is napping.
6th pic: Ben helping Braylon reach to wash his hands.
7th pic: Us eating on the Executive Level!!! We read in their information book that on the Executive Level is hors doeuvres from 5-7pm & all day long they have snacks. So we walked around trying to find this place & asked a hotel worker & he asked if we had a key, which we replied "our room key." He said he'd give us a key but ended up taking us thru his own private elevator & took us straight to the Executive Level. So we ate & it was enough food to be our supper! Later we realized we probably weren't suppose to be there but once we were there they never questioned us!
8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, & 12th pic: Us swimming in the pool. Braylon loved it!
13th pic: I suggested that we try the Executive Level again & get a bed time snack. So we tried the special elevators that take you there but had no success. And then...some people came out the elevators so we just hopped on as they hopped off. And zoom we were there again...enjoying a snack of brownies & a cracker mix. This time I tried their cucumber flavored water & loved it!
14th pic: Braylon helping Daddy fill our ice bucket.

Stay tuned for our 2nd & Final Day of our Vacation! It might take me another 2.5 months to post it! Yikes!