Trip downtown

The kids are off of school all week this week, so I decided to use yesterday as the day to get their passports.  The weather was good, so we took the L to get downtown which was much easier (and cheaper) than parking, and felt like an adventure to them as we hardly ever do it.

Our consulate is in the Hancock building which the kids got excited about, to get to go a building they've walked by many times but never been inside.  They got kind of antsy during our meeting at the consulate but I told them if they behaved I'd show them something special in the basement. That helped get them settled down for a little bit.

Finally we were done with the paperwork and headed downstairs. They have an elaborate and FREE train setup in the lower level. It really was quite impressive and the kids loved it.  We probably spent 20 minutes there looking at all the details.

We went to M Burger in Water Tower for lunch. It's a Lettuce Entertain You place, but fast food style. We got basic plain cheeseburgers (because that's what we wanted, you can make them more interesting) and fries. They were pretty decent for the price and speed. It's not Blackies, but definitely a step up from the usual chains which I avoid at all costs.

Since we were in Water Tower we stopped at the Lego store and American Girl. Little Reader spent a lot of time studying the different dolls to figure out which one she wants. She's leaning towards 57, but wants to go on line to see of they have something better. I could tell Little Hugger was starting to get interested in them too but luckily as soon as Little Reader pointed out that they were for 8 year old + she stopped and focused on their little pets. Thank God. Bad enough that I'll have to get one, I did not want to get two. The worst part is that this $105 doll is dressed but it's a pretty lame outfit, basically forcing you to buy an outfit as well (another $30). I tried to impress all this upon her today, that if Santa is so generous as to bring her one, she's may have to purchase future outfits accessories using her own money. Once she saw the grand piano for the doll and saw that it cost $150 she understood ;)

I still needed to get the title transferred to the car we refinanced, so we hopped on the bus and headed down to the Loop to the Thompson Building. I let them play at the Dubuffet for a little bit hoping to get the wiggles out before dealing with the DMV.

They thought the building was really cool but got bored pretty fast at the DMV. Luckily we got through there relatively quickly.

Kids wanted another snack before getting back on the train to head home. We picked up some drinks, cheeses rocks and grapes at Walgreens and sat in a little courtyard between some of the buildings. Quick stop at the Renaissance hotel to use the washroom before getting back in the Red Line home.

All in all a good day. I got the things done that I needed to do and the kids had fun. On the way home I noticed a FB comment from a friend about a gingerbread display at the Marriott on Michigan Avenue. Oh well, we'll have to save that for next time.