Happy Birthday!

 Happy 60th Birthday Dad! Miss you and love you!

With Chicago in his hands!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from Chicago! I spent my Thursday morning watching the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade and relaxed on this much needed holiday. I was hoping for some snow flurries, but I guess I'll have to wait until Pierre comes back to share that experience with. This year, I am so thankful for my family that loves me and supports me, friends (old and new) that are constantly there for me, and a special thanks to Pierre for loving me for who I am. I hope everyone has an amazing Thanksgiving and is excited for this upcoming holiday season! Now, let's enjoy some photos from the parade!

It's like I was at the Macy's Parade!

The view of the Chicago Theater and Macy's.

Ronald McDonald at the parade!

Leading the parade.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Garfield the Pilgrim.

I guess they didn't get the memo that it felt like 30˚ out.

Mike, this one is for you.

One of the many marching bands.

This is obviously very Thanksgiving of them.

The marching band from the Hard Rock.

Bullwinkle.

Scooby Dooby Doo!

Curious George.

How adorable!

Equestrian cheerleaders?

Madeline!

There were various ethnic groups throughout the parade.

Please note the sleeping kid.

And the bear's tail.

Vaulting on a horse, of course!

The rest of the McDonald's crew!

Fred Flinstone!

The White Sox mascot, Southpaw.

Chicago's parks float.

Another marching band.

Budweiser and a Bailey dog.

Jack Sparrow made an appearance. By the way, there wasn't a POTC float.

Colombian dancing group.

Yogi seemed a bit tipsy.

A Chicago ballet troupe.

Chicago Police.

Now it's time for Christmas!

Cupcake Time!

My love (or obsession) for cupcakes is pretty obvious and I will continue my quest to try all the cupcakes of Chicago! Flirty Cupcakes, a traveling cupcake van, happened to be stopped in front of my apartment building and I obviously couldn't resist! While my not my favorite thus far, it was a convenient afternoon snack.

The Flirty Cupcakes van.

A S'more for Pierre and a red velvet for myself.

For Halloween and in lieu of trick-or-treating, we set out to try a new cupcake shop. Sugar Bliss featured a chocolate cupcake with peanut butter and smashed up candy bars and Pierre stuck with a classic vanilla and chocolate. Yum!

Sugar Bliss (115 N. Wabash)

Bringing Sunshine to the Windy City: Day 4

It's now Day 4, a beautiful Monday morning! We've got our hot drinks to keep us warm and it was time to go to the Museum Campus. Museum Campus is a 57-acre lakefront park that is home to, you guessed it, museums! The Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Adler Planetarium are all surrounded by this green space. We set out to the Shedd Aquarium because we got lucky enough to be there on a museum free day! Most museums have free days throughout the week (with more free days in the winter, of course) so it's a great way for residents and visitors to take advantage of what Chicago has to offer. Check out the free days for 2010 here! Off we go!

My parents and Aon Center in the distance.

My parents and Soldier Field (Chicago Bears).

Welcome to the Museum Campus!

My parents and Downtown Chicago.

My parents and downtown. Check out Willis Tower (Sears Tower)!

My dad just casually holding the Willis Tower.

Me and Downtown Chicago.

My father and his love for anything water-related.

Finally, the Willis Tower and Aon Center in one shot.

Let's check out what underwater creatures the Shedd Aquarium has to offer! I apologize in advance in any blurry photos, it's so hard to take decent photos at aquariums sometimes!

My parents in front of the Shedd Aquarium!

An appropriate first visit, a gator!

The skin is here... but where's the snake?

There it is!

Fruits, that's more up their alley.

Flotsam peeking out and Jetsam in the background.

Flotsam and Jetsam of The Little Mermaid.

Map Turtles? That's my kind of turtles!

A fish with quite a fashionable fin.

Off to the dolphin tank!

Finally, a dolphin comes close to the tank wall!

Come back!

Off to the penguin exhibit!

Pierre was there in spirit!

I wonder if one of them is Pierre the Penguin.

They are too adorable!

Now it's time for the Beluga Whale tank!

So cute!

Steph and Mike, move to Chicago, I found jobs for you guys!

After a fun and educational visit to Shedd Aquarium, we decided to continue our walk throughout Museum Campus and stop by the Field Museum of Natural History before we headed home.

I think I found a prime snow rolling location.

My parents in front of the Field Museum. 

At the Field Museum.

My parents in front of the Field Museum.

Us in front of the Field Museum.

After our visit to Museum Campus, it was time to go home and get ready for our last dinner in Chicago! I wish my parents didn't have to go back to Florida, but alas, they had to. Thank you so much for an amazing four days, Mom and Dad! We miss you and cannot wait until we see each other again and especially the next time you and the rest of the family comes to Chicago!

Good night, Chicago!