Liesel's 14-Year Trip

Hi everyone! This is Liesel.

When we were little, my parents decided that they were going to take each of us on 3 trips. One trip with our mom to Utah, one trip with our dad to Palmyra, and then our senior trip with both of them.

Here is my trip to Palmyra (and upstate New York in general) with my dad.

While driving around we found a random state park that we decided to explore. there were a lot of little waterfalls and cool cliffs everywhere and I really glad we decided to take a look.

Throughout the trip, I wore outfits from my closet that gave me fall vibes so on this day I wore a white shirt and my brown shrug along with jeans. You can't see it super well in this photo but the staircase in the cave is pretty cool!

We also went to visit Niagara Falls and we went on the "Maid of the Mist" boat tour, where we proceeded to get drenched in water. Here are some photos I took while we were there before I had to put the phone away so that it didn't get soaked.

 

And a picture of the falls afterwards once we were off the boat.

Here is a picture some nice ladies took of us in the Sacred Grove

And a picture of us near the temple.

This is a picture of us when we went to the E.B. Grandin Building and tried to find my Aunt Whitney's testimony from when she served there, we weren't able to find it but we had a good time anyways.

These two pictures are from a restaurant where we ordered buffalo wings. They were spicier than I expected but sooo good!

There were a lot of adventures on this trip that couldn't be shown through the photos on this blog post such as the many songs and playlists we played, the gas station snacks, the many sisters and strangers we bonded with while we were there, all the places we ate, and finally the orange, red, brown, and yellow leaves everywhere. I had a great time and I really enjoyed the trip and the memories that I made! I can't wait to make more on my senior trip in 4 years.

Sincerely, Liesel

Brookfield Zoo

It has been brought to my attention that this blog is perhaps misleading. My posts give a very narrow view of our family life that might lead one to believe we are perpetually well dressed, adventurous and happy. Let me debunk that myth right here and now. I am still very much in the throws of figuring out the whole SAHM thing. Do I make mistakes? Absofrigginlutely! All the time. I yell at my girls, neglect the dishes, fight with Brent and forget to floss. But I'm doing my best. In highlighting the shiny, happy moments, I hope that I too can look back and the dark will fade away into the light. It's a survival tactic for an overly self-critical, perfectionistic individual such as myself. If I think about all the ways I'm failing at my one and only job (ie CEO of this household) I just want curl into a ball and cry. But for the record, it is not all sunshine and lollipops around here. To wit, the Brookfield Zoo.

Liesel was requested to participate in another study at the University of Chicago. This one focused on how little kids learn math skills. They really try to make it a positive experience so everything is introduced as a game. The researcher told me that in the middle of the study Liesel grabbed all the toys and said, "Now I'LL show you a game!" Well, it's another $10 for her savings account at least. I forgot our GPS in Utah so I thought I'd just print off directions. Well our printer wasn't working so I was in downtown Chicago traffic trying to read them off of my blackberry. Needless to say I got lost. Really lost. On the wrong side of town in an alley way lost. Big man trying to wave me into a creepy chain-linked parking lot lost. Never going out without the GPS again lost.

The place was a ghost town. Liesel just looks bright and cheery because the heat hadn't set in.

After our time at the University of Chicago I wanted to do something fun. We've done the beach a few times and the nearest museum a few times. I've really been wanting to check out the Brookfield Zoo. Apparently they have a huge Halloween dealio where kids can come in their costumes and get candy. I was hoping to check the place out beforehand to see if it would be worth it to drag crowd-and-traffic-hating Dad along. Since we were headed downtown anyway, this seemed the opportune time.

Now the effect of the weather is starting to show. Still smiling for the camera though... what a trooper! I tried to get Ireland in the picture but she ran away from the giant gorilla. Weird

After paying $9 for parking I got to pay another $23 for general admission... no added attractions. Luckily I packed lunch for the girls. Unfortunately in the rush to get out the door I forgot to pack any diapers. Not a one! Oh, and it was 96 degrees outside. With humidity. The zoo was practically deserted so it was nice to not have lines but we were melting. Many of the exhibits had signs for stroller parking. I got to lug little Ireland with her bright, red cheeks in my flaming arms and sweaty pits. It was miserable. We saw about two animals before I wanted to leave. Oh, and WHAT was I thinking? The girls were terrified of Reagan's Boston terriers... why would they want to see wild animals that in any other setting could kill them? Seriously stupid.



Giraffes. Whatever. Even in the shade we were schvitzing and it smelled like poop (the humidity enhanced the scent). The giraffe chewing on the tree stared Liesel down after this pic. Psycho!

 We only stayed for about an hour and half. I spent the ride home being grateful for air-conditioning and feeling guilty for spending so much money. This little adventure was definitely a total fail. Maybe we'll try again in a few years. I'm still interested in the Lincoln Park Zoo which is free, but I'll wait until things cool down. I'm zoo-ed out for the time being.

Da Beach!

Yet another beautiful day on Lake Michigan. The weather was absolutely perfect! Look at those shades of blue... gorgeous!!!



O Captain! My captain!



Snuggling in a towel after a dip in the lake.

Splash Park

Typically when I take the girls anywhere public it's a lot of work. One or both of them need heavy supervision to ensure their safety. I'm usually running, hefting, buckling, unbuckling, baby wiping, holding hands, etc. This week I found one blessed exception to this routine: the splash park. The water immediately drains so there's no drowning threat. They're not even remotely exciting for bigger kids so there's no accidental collision threat. There aren't any structures to climb on so there isn't a falling-and-breaking-a-wrist threat. For the first time as a mother I sat back with my friends and chatted while watching the girls.

A bucket was the only accessory!

It was the most relaxing afternoon I've had in a while. Thanks splash pad!

Lake Michigan

We moved to Chicago in the dead of winter. As the temperatures have crept up, I've been getting more and more antsy for a trip to the beach. Apparently in 1836 the lakefront was declared public ground "to remain forever open, clear and free" so there's a beautiful string of beaches bordered by grassy picnic areas. On our way out the door I was carrying Ireland, a mini cooler, and the beach bag. Liesel was drinking the sippy cup I'd just given her when out of nowhere she said, "I can't carry you Mom; I'm holding this *points to sippy cup*." LOL!
I thought Liesel might be old enough to remember all our forays to the north shore in Boston last summer. In the past few days she's chatted endlessly about how we "need" to go to the beach. Once we arrived and the sand kicked up over her flip flops, she stopped and informed me, "It's dirty!" Oi, I must be passing on my OCD to my children. It took a lot of convincing for her to be okay with it. Ireland didn't like the sand either. Here she's dug out her sandals which she wanted me to put on her so she could wander off the towel.
Neither girl had any interest in the water which was surprisingly warm! Lake Michigan is so huge it looks like an ocean but without the tide effect. I'll miss the salty smell of the Atlantic but I like that they have lifeguards. I'm guessing it will take a few trips to the beach before Liesel is comfortable with the water again. She had a blast playing with the sand though! See how long and lean her limbs are getting? Her baby fat is disappearing at break neck speed. She has the cutest little calves.

Our day started and ended exactly the same way: with a bath. I slathered the girls repeatedly with SPF until they looked like geishas. We were all completely covered in sand in spite of my best attempts to clean it off. Ireland was asleep less than a minute into the drive home and Liesel slept hard last night. For that matter, so did I!

For this trip we tried Foster Beach but there are a few others I want to check out before settling on a favorite. Liesel's already telling me we "need" to go back to the beach!

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Brent called me this morning to ask if I could meet him for the Cubs-Giants game at 1:30pm. There's really only one answer to a question like that: Cubbie-Diem. Losely translated it means "figure out a way to get yourself to the game!" A friend agreed to watch Liesel so I packed up Ireland and headed to Wrigley Field. It couldn't have been a more beautiful day for a baseball game. By the time I got there with Ireland our seats were covered in shade. The tickets were free (and 8 rows above the Cubs dugout!), parking was a mere $4.50 (and only 5 blocks away!), so all we paid for was a bit of ballpark food. Some highlights:

Maybe this will be their year?

Ireland charmed everyone around us with this smile. I love it when she smiles so big her little nose wrinkles up and I hope she never loses that quirk. The burly guy in front of us couldn't get enough of her. I almost felt bad about how much of the game he missed by chatting to her.

Because it was Ireland's first Wrigley game, she got a sticker and a certificate with a picture of the park. They got her first name right for the sticker, but the certificate is for an Ireland Wuelfler.

I really love the scoreboard. It looks vintage but is actually electronic. I could easily imagine Robert Redford knocking a ball right into that clock!

Brent noted Wrigley is a "cozy" ballpark. The surrounding buildings have additional seating on their rooftops. I looked up one of the websites and some of these places are really nice with multiple lounges that can be booked for large parties. Near the end of the game a swarm of seagulls came in and parked themselves around the outfield. Apparently that's a regular occurrence, they seem to know when the game is winding down and they position themselves for dinner.

I can't wait to take Liesel to her first Wrigley game!

Shedd Aquarium

A friend of mine told me Shedd Aquarium was having free admission this week and I was immediately determined to take the girls. When I was in college I was able to go with my family and I have many happy memories from that trip. It's a very impressive Aquarium but the cost is steep. Even with the free admission, the attractions still cost money. However, there's really no point in going to Shedd if you don't take advantage of the aquatic show, shark reef and 4-D movie. Nonetheless, I'm happy to check this one off my list and in doing so give my wallet a little relief. Some highlights:

We got in line early for the dolphin show and one of the workers warned us it's called the "aquatic show" and there is no guarantee we'd get the dolphins. Turned out we got the beluga whales. It was okay, but not as thrilling as the dolphins. As the show started, they lowered the shades and had this projected onto the screen. It's really cool.

Before the show we could stand at the rail and watch the beluga whales swim around. Ireland was fascinated with them and it was so cute to see her point her chubby little finger at the water. With the shades up, the view went all the way across Lake Michigan making the water look seamless. It was gorgeous!

More of the beluga whales from the floor below. Both girls really enjoyed watching them swim.

Believe it or not, I had a profound parenting moment during the show. The announcer talked about how the trainers use nothing but positive reinforcement with the animals. After every trick there was a fish or a massage or playful splash of water for the beluga whales. It led me to think about how I'm doing with raising my two girls. I try to use positive reinforcement, I really do. Every time I post a video of the girls I'm a little embarrassed at how enthusiastic I sound for the tiniest accomplishment. All my "GOOD JOB SWEETIE!!!" comments sound so corny on camera but I can't help myself. I really am so very proud of my girls.

However, I have my days. You know, the days when I'm ready to scream and I feel like Joan Crawford makes a better mother than I do. Do the trainers ever get to have a day like that? Do they ever send Flipper to time out? Does Flipper ever crap in the tank when he knows he's supposed to use a bucket? Isn't there some trainer out there up to their elbows in beluga whale crap thinking it's just a little too much to handle? Aren't there days when Flipper manhandles her little sister for the umpteenth time and a trainer has to pull her off and scold her? Is it possible to use nothing but 100% POSITIVE reinforcement? Isn't the negative occasionally necessary?

I guess we'll have to make another trip to Shedd to find out for sure :)


I was beyond thrilled to find the bookstore just outside the jellyfish exhibit carried this book. I've been jonesing for it ever since I saw it on Design Mom. Liesel loves it too. The big lettering and bold graphics are just fabulous.

Legoland Discovery Center Chicago

Admittedly I don't know much about Legoland places so I didn't know what to expect when I took the girls. I should have known when my credit card was declined that I needed to just walk away. Instead I stubbornly called the customer service line and found it was declined because the tickets were being billed out of the UK. Makes sense since Lego's originate from Europe. The first display of downtown Chicago was kind of cool. Not exactly interactive, but the girls didn't seem to mind just looking.

Water Tower Place among other Chicago buildings.

Then we did the jungle room which again wasn't all that interactive. We tried the "ride" which was more like being driven by an 80-year old in a Pinto. It was as if someone went back to Europe and tried to tell someone about Disney's "It's a Small World" ride and left out 2/3 of the details and the rest was pretty much lost in translation. The 3-D movie was enough to give Liesel a thrill but I was starting to drool from boredom.

Indiana Jones

It only got worse. Apparently Lego's' main fan base is boisterous, energetic, little boys. I don't think they mean to be rude, but they definitely aren't looking for their delicate, female counterparts. The play land was a madhouse. Liesel wanted me to hold her hand for just about everything and Ireland wanted to take off on her own and explore. Keeping them both in line was exhausting. There were pits of big Lego's for the little kids to play with and a girl was dipping her bare feet in them.

Liesel in the lion's mouth.

The only fun part of the day was when I accidentally walked into the men's room and greatly surprised a man using the urinal. I think he peed on himself which made my embarrassment totally worth it. Other than that, I think they should rename this place Lame-O-Land! Not worth the time or the money.

Museum of Science and Industry

The fine folks at the University of Chicago Psychology Department called asking for the girls to participate in various studies. Since we were in the neighborhood, we tied in a visit to the Museum of Science and Industry which is right down the street. The guidebooks I read hailed it as the best museum in Chicago. Now having been there, I heartily agree! Some highlights:

The Idea Factory was most suited for the girl's ages and they had an absolute ball! We could have spent the entire time there. There's a "Water Spectacle" that covers the length of the room with a water mill, waterfalls, long rivers and floating balls and squares. At the very end there's a tube where kids can put in the balls and watch them get sucked up and zoomed back to the mill. Very cool. Everything was hands on and interactive which was perfect. The river of water was just at Ireland's height and she loved fishing objects out of it.


I'm determined to go back and do the U-505 (a captured German submarine) exhibit on my own. I was dying to read all the plaques and only got to stop briefly to see the authentic Nazi flag they found on board. There was a line to the simulator where you learn to dive and resurface a submarine. I had no idea it was compressed air that makes them rise. You can go in the submarine itself on a separate tour but of course strollers are not allowed and it's not encouraged for young children. Liesel was tugging on my hand and I think the little time we were there stretched both girl's patience but it was so cool, I couldn't help it! The story of how they got the submarine into the museum looked just as fascinating as how it was originally captured. Now I want to rent U-571 and Hunt for Red October.

Astronaut Liesel

Ireland made a little friend at the Baby Chick Hatchery. She looked at the chick for a moment and then started squealing. Two newbies sharing their wonder at this crazy, exciting world.









Musical lights. Liesel got a lot of compliments on her outfit.

Science Storms was another exhibit where we could have spent our entire time. There was a huge vortex simulating a tornado. On a ginormous tilted plate they had sands illustrating the effects of an avalanche. That sounds lame but I promise, it was fascinating to watch. There was a wheel where you could increase or decrease the speed of the plate. Of course there was a pendulum... it seems like those are required at any science museum.
We all enjoyed Fast Forward: Inventing the Future.To get in, you had to pass through a curtain of dry ice mist. They had a coffee table that created different kinds of music depending on what object you put on it. We saw a Lady GaGa-esque dress made with lights that was actually really beautiful. My poor photography doesn't do it justice. The time was running out on our parking so we had to leave a bit abruptly and didn't get to see everything- even after 3 hours! We are definitely, definitely coming back!

The Chicago Down and Dirty Mud Run

Yesterday I ran my very first 5K. Not just any 5K, but a mud run. And not just a mud run, but a mud run with military-style obstacle courses thrown in. Did I mention it was at night? I trained for months. When I began, I could barely run for an entire song on my iPod much less 3.1 miles. I remember the day I actually ran a whole mile, without stopping. I called my little sister Whitney (who happens to love running) and she said, "If you can run 1 mile, you can run 2." Irritated as I was at the time, she was right. I worked my way up to 2, then 2.5. I ran my first 3.1 miles on April 18... the same day as the Boston Marathon. It's the farthest I've ever run in my life.

Every runner I know chastized me for sticking to a treadmill for my training because it's so boring. For an out of shape asthmatic, it gave me the chance to build my confidence and focus on my form. A couple of days before the mud run I came down with a horrible cold. I tried to ease up on my training and get myself well again but to no avail. I went into the mud run sick as a dog. Even so I felt confident in my running abilities, and according to the website map, there were only 3 obstacle courses. I decided to just enjoy the experience.

So clean, so innocent! So unaware of the pain that awaits her...

The mud run had wave starts and I was of course in the last wave. I noticed the people in previous waves were super slim and in head-to-toe professional gear. They had deep sea diving watches and a calm confidence. There wasn't a lot of socializing going on between them although there was a lot of jostling for the front of the line. As the time ran down for them they did some last-minute stretches. The people in my wave were a little different. They were dressed a little more, let's just say festive. There was a lot more juiciness in terms of physique. Everyone commented on how our headlamps were attracting bugs. Some people even started square dancing to "Cotton Eye Joe" which was playing over the main stage speakers. Then it was our turn.

Even with my cold, I hit a pace that felt really good and stuck with it. I easily passed a number of people. A couple of athletic looking guys stopped and walked after only 0.5 miles! So I was feeling good. Then came the first obstacle course. I watched the group of people in front of me start moving funny and couldn't figure out why until I hit the mud. My feet slid in odd directions and I had to slow down or risk breaking an ankle. The Marines were manning each obstacle and they were yelling really mean things like, "No walking! RUN!" and "Move! Move! Move!!!" The first obstacle was a ladder-like structure made of planks. No big deal, right? Try doing one that's now been covered in mud from all the previous runners.

Afterwards. Don't I look a little crazy? You can see Liesel in the right corner staring at me.

I stupidly stupidly stupidly thought the obstacles would be a chance for me to catch my breath from running. After this first one, it was clear my already low energy level would be depleted by the end of it all. So I went from the ladder, to under the net (nota bene: army crawling is no joke, I just about died), to the chest high wall we had to jump over, to the tubes we crawled through to the first mud pit. Oh the mud pit. It was a series of trenches with flags running over the top. The Marines barked at us to get on our bellies and stay under the flags. It actually felt rather cool and refreshing and I thought I did fairly well at it until I tried to get out. All that mud clung to my clothes and I was suddenly 20 lbs heavier with the weight concentrated around my feet. After that there was a net climb and then the final obstacles at the very end of the race.

Hosing off. Mom asked if the water was warm or cold and I honestly told her I couldn't tell. My whole body was numb.

At the end of the race we were met with a mud pool and then a rope climb. Oh not any rope climb! It was basically a billboard set at a 45 degree angle with ropes dangling from the top. Again Marines barked at me to get flat on my belly and pull myself up by my arms alone. As if that isn't challenging enough for those of us shaped like a T-Rex (huge bootie, tiny arms), they decided to cover it with soap and vegetable oil. When I finally got to the top, I was shaking from the exertion and exhaustion. It was just one more mud pit and then the blessed finish line.

Liesel gave me the same funny look she did after I had Ireland and she came to see me in the hospital. She knew something important had happened, but something was clearly off. "You're dirty Mom." was all she had to say to me when I crossed the finish line. She's still talking about it! I have to say seeing my little family cheer me on during that last set of obstacles was a beautiful thing. Mom and Dad drove up for the occasion which means more to me than I can possibly express. As I climbed out of the mud pit Mom yelled, "You're there! You can see the finish line!" I looked up and indeed, it was just about 25 feet away.

I can't believe I did it. Had I known how many obstacles there were and how sick I would be, I never would have signed up for it. My legs reveal new bruises by the hour and they're basically a patchwork of scrapes. I got a dog tag, t-shirt and 'do rag type thing. That dog tag is definitely becoming a Christmas ornament. Even though orange isn't my color, I'm going to wear that t-shirt with pride. As for the 'do rag, I'm giving that to Brent (secretly I think he really wanted it anyway). I just still can't believe I did it! I didn't finish first, but I didn't finish last and most importantly, I finished.

I now have infinite respect for our men in uniform. And for Ireland who army crawled for so long. On that last stretch, I thought of my Grandpa Nielsen storming the beach at Iwo Jima. Even with an exhausted body, mind and soul, that was enough to get my muddy feet moving and finish as strong as I could. I hope I can do it again next year!

Ann Sather

This restaurant is suggested in just about every Chicago book I come across. Most importantly, it was in Chicago With Kids and Chicago Free and Dirt Cheap. Since we were headed downtown for Liesel's haircut, we decided to tie in a budget-conscious lunch.

Ann Sather is a Swedish restaurant famous for their cinnamon buns. As promised, it was very kid-friendly. Any noise or mess the girls made was lost in the hustle and bustle. I've never been big on cinnamon buns, but when they come appropriately sized, warm, with sticky sweet icing who can refuse? We were delighted to find it may be the only thing on earth Ireland is NOT interested in eating!
Although breakfast is served all day, I had to try the Swedish meatballs. It was a good choice (and yes, much better than IKEA). The plate was steaming and somehow stayed that way down to my last bite. The girls were more than happy with their scrambled eggs and chocolate milk. There didn't seem to be a kid's menu but our affable waiter didn't even flinch when I asked him to split an order into two plates.

There are 4 locations and we went to the Wrigleyville one. I loved this sign over the door. In case you can't read it from the photo it says, "May the road to Wrigley rise to meet you. May the sun always shine on your back. May the wind blow out to greet you and may the Cubs find the winning track." Love it!

Next time we go, Brent is planning to get the waffles with lingonberries and I want to try the crab cake Benedict. Since the girls get up at the crack of dawn and they open at 7AM that may be sooner rather than later! As we were leaving a sweet old lady told me how beautiful the girls were. She said she had two little girls once, but they grew up and went away. Liesel and Ireland gave her a smile and a wave on our way out the door.