We're back!  We had a great trip to Chicago this weekend.  I can never manage to do everything that I would like to when I am there and this trip was no exception.  Friday we went to American Girl and then spent some time with my sister-in-law Georgia and my nephew Ian.  Saturday, we took the girls to the Shedd Aquarium.  I hadn't been there since high school and it has changed a lot.  There is a great oceanarium with dolphins, beluga whales and penguins in addition to the wonderful assortment of fresh and salt water fish that I remember.  The Wild Reef exhibit is very cool, too.  Here we saw sharks and sting rays and many different types of coral.

The trip was really all about the dolls, though.  They went everywhere with us.  American Girl Place is quite amazing - lots of age appropriate fun!  I took plenty of photos - here are a few...

Jane's Elizabeth and Kate's Bitty Twin "Lucy" had their hair styled in the salon.  There were multiple styles to choose from and both dolls left with matching ribbons tied in their hair.  The mini salon chairs and purple capes were cute - the attention to detail is just amazing.

After choosing a new outfit for the dolls, we lunched at the cafe.  It is really cute - wide black and white horizontal stripes line the room with lots of hot pink daisy and button accents.  Very Dorothy Draper, I'd say.  The dolls each had their own little chair and miniature tea cup.  The food was good, but the dessert was great.  Look at how cute it is!  Chocolate mousse with cookie crumbs in a small green flower pot with a sugar cookie and petit four on the side.  Yummy!

Here is my favorite picture....the four little ladies toting their purchases on the way back to the car.  They had a lot of fun, but, man oh man, they were exhausted!

I am wiped out, too.  I have a lot to do before I turn around and leave town again on Friday and I am trying to figure out how I will squeeze it all in.  Laundry, groceries, Halloween decorations, costumes and more painting.  And sleep.  Definitely sleep.

Drawing with sidewalk chalk is one of the girls' favorite pass times.  I love it, too.  The large scale of the drawings and their fuzzy features make me smile.  I like the black background of the asphalt and the pale colors of the chalk.  I discover more mermaids, monsters, and made-up creatures on the driveway than I do on paper.  Yesterday there was even a picture of the house on hill road.  There are more masterpieces to create before the rain comes.  Enjoy your Saturday.

It seems like a lot of the posts on this "craft" blog have been about my kids.  I guess I am just focused on getting everyone back to school that I haven't been crafting a lot this week.  Someone is having a birthday next week so I promise that there will be a good post with lots of handmade goodies then.  In the meantime, take a look at my first grader. She's so cute!  (Yes, I know I am biased).  Jane was up early and ready to go - she practically jumped out of the car.  I was sure that she would have a good day and I was right.  There was a moment when I had my doubts, though...she came running out of school crying.  Honestly, my heart was about to break!  When I asked what was wrong, she said, "I got lost."  Huh?  No worries - she just got in the wrong carpool line at the end of the day and it all got figured out before I even saw her.  Once she calmed down (a very short minute later), she told me, "It was a lot of fun, I had P.E. and music and I drew a monster."  She then zipped open her lunch box and devoured the leftovers.  A pretty good day, indeed.

Last night, we went to Jane's new school to meet her teacher and have some ice cream.  Jane seemed a little intimidated by the amount of kids, but was happy to meet a few girls who will be in her class.  She liked her teacher (phew!) and even wanted to go say goodbye to her after all the orange sherbet was gone.

I think we have all of our ducks in a row for the first day on Wednesday.  The uniform jumpers are altered, the mary janes and knee socks bought, the supplies labeled and the backpack and lunch box are waiting to be filled.  Jane seems a little anxious and honestly, so am I.  Tomorrow we have the chance to take her supplies to her classroom and find her desk.  Kindergarten was a half day program at her preschool and none of her friends are going to the new school so this is a big transition for her.  I know that she is going to do great at this new place, but I will miss her smiling face.

Jane has also been moving right along on her embroidery.  Look at how far she has gotten!  I think she will finish up in the next couple of days.  It's going to be a cute pillow!

Mmmmm ... last night was the ice cream social for Kate's preschool, Highland Pres.  School doesn't start until September 5th, but she cannot wait.  She is constantly asking how many days until school starts.  I'm hoping that this will make the wait seem a little shorter and a little sweeter.