Ski Emmerson Birthday 2017

The weather has not really accommodated consistent skiing but Emmerson was game to go for it even after a week or so of above freezing temps. I told her it might be mushy but she was game to go. So for her birthday, I and she took a day off of school and headed off to Cascade Mt. - one that we had not been to before - for a "spring" skiing day. It was super windy that day and getting there was a bit of a challenge. A semi truck got blown over on Interstate 90 which resulted in quite a delay but Cascade offers an 8 hour flex ticket so whenever you get there, you have 8 hours of skiing guaranteed. There were very few people there and the snow was ok for most of the day until it got slushy frozen in the late afternoon. I skied for a bit and then got kind of bored so switched to snowboard. Unfortunately, my phone died so no ski pics ...  but some from the trip there. 

Emmerson is a huge breakfast fan so we stopped at a Denny's on the way.

And as any good truck stop breakfast place, there are some interesting items for sale.

Pancake taco .... 

Emmerson's Birthday 2017

12 years old sleepover til 2 in the a.m. - the last time i yelled downstairs to whatever .....

Old Chicago Livin Large

Dad Collin was the head of the board of the Illinois Parks and for the week long conference in Chicago, he was perked with the VIP suite - including a preordered menu of drinks and food to stock the bar and fridge. We went down for a weekend of living large. It was also the protest of anti Trump folk and was about 70 degrees so I got in a good run thru the park in old Meigs field airport, up the lakefront to the Trump Tower where the protest had hunkered down after their march.

Neko livin large....

Livin large selfie in the suite.

Livin large over the view of Grant Park and the lakefront.

Emmerson livin large

The perspective of the view can be gained by the aquarium off to the right and the planetarium just beyond it - if one is familiar with this part of Chicago ... 

I took a whirlwind of photos when we first got there so I could then put away my phone and live large.

And of course the girls immediately got into the perks as they have gotten accustomed to doing due to all the places we stayed in Asia. 

View of the march/protest. 

Yes, Ada, you do know how to live large.

The hotel was the Hilton (I think) on Michigan Ave - one of the iconic landmark hotels on Michigan - and this is the ballroom/presentation room where Ken gave his address to the parks' folk.

Emmerson taking the podium.

Looking like quite the dandy.

Old Chicago Summer in Winter 2017

Alicia got a great deal on a flight to Manila - about 450 round trip so she was gone for about 5 days. On the weekend, we went to Chinatown and then the next day to the Latino grocery store over on North Avenue. At sometime during this time or perhaps a week or so later, we went down to Vietnam Town to Sun Wah's - one of my favorite restaurants. The Vietnam town trip might have included the chocolate street steam - all blurs together after at time which is why these mega posts are a bit frustrating. 

Also, it was spring like weather for about a week - in the 60's and sunny. Pleasant but weird. 

We let the kittens outside when the girls and their friends are out to watch over them. The warm weather brought the neighborhood ragamuffins out in force. 

Po stalking a leaf.

Attacking the leaf.

Neko stalking the heavy duty extension "snake".

Girls back from the Mexican market with their chicharons, sopas and churros. 

February .... 

Good times at Sun Wah's - Broadway Ave near the Argyle Red Line stop. Roast pork and not duck, baby bok choi, and some fried rice.

 Waiting for the Red Line back to downtown Chicago.

Old Chicago Chinatown 2017