Eva's World: Our Summer Vacations 2010--Part 1 The Midwest

We spent 10 days in the IL/WI/IN area. It was really exciting getting to see Chicago and Milwaukee again. We were the uber Chicago tourists for a couple of days there--Field Museum, taking a water taxi to Navy Pier and then walking over to the Air and Boat Show, eating dinner at Gino's East all in one day. Luke claimed he didn't like Sue the T-rex at the Field Museum but a few days later was roaring like one with a new friend. He also said he didn't like the Air and Boat Show. I somehow find that hard to believe being that it was the Blue Angels...

my future paleontologist and dino-phile...

Views of my kind of town...

Blue Angels at the Chicago Air and Boat Show

At Gino's East

Vivi was unimpressed, though..

Another day we headed to the Shedd Aquarium where you just can't go wrong as far as the kids are concerned. We watched a feeding in the main tank, the new Fantaseas show, and Luke got to spend a few minutes as a penguin!

We also checked out the Philippine reef exhibit at the Shedd which was nice to show Luke. He doesn't remember our trip to the Philippines back in 2008 but telling him a little bit about the underwater treasures of the mother country, as well as having a permanent exhibit to return to, made me feel reassured that there is something of his Filipino heritage he can tap into.

We also visited the Marquette campus and walked around a bit. Luke was unimpressed and more focused on trying to find a place to play ball with Jon. I however became very nostalgic and was attempting to explain to Luke why Marquette was important to me because of who I met here. I don't think it fazed him at all. The decision to come to Marquette was a very pivotal one for me. If I didn't go to MU I might never have found out about Holy Family Services, I might never have decided to go to Panama City with my girlfriends that fateful week when I met Jon, and I could very well be going through life without my best friend and Parkinsonian-gait partner, Tara. So it holds a dear spot in my heart.

While I didn't run into anyone I knew on the MU campus, I was able to catch up with Julie, my college roomie, as well as my best friend Tara and our friend Roger from the College of Nursing. Tara currently lives in ME and was on her way to MN. So for our paths to intersect back in IL is quite ironic.

And speaking of nostalgia, any trip to the midwest really ends up being a reunion of sorts with close friends and family. There were some pleasant surprises this trip around. When we went to visit the kids' godparents, Jun and Eileen Paredes, and their family, we also caught up with my Ninang Nina Recker (Eileen's sister) and her daughter, Julia Recker. The Reckers have been living the Navy life around the world with my Ninong Steve and were visiting from Japan this time around. Of course, as you can see from the pics, things get a little crazy when Kuya Jun is hanging around the kids.

And of course, the main purpose for any IL visit is for the kids to see Lolo and Lola...

In Indiana, we visited with our Samala/Castillo/Ola cousins and ate at BUB's home of the Big Ugly Burger Challenge where Man vs. Food taped.

Jon and Tito Doc went out to play golf (I think that was the highlight of his weekend) while I took the kids to the Indianapolis Children's Museum with the Castillos. (I think we got a little too carried away in the Barbie and Rock 'n' Roll exhibits...)

Family photos...