Sunday, November 17, 2019

Labor Day Weekend, Amy's Birthday, Travel Sans Kids and Halloween

We found a fun diversion on Labor Day Weekend by going to explore the Sand Dunes in Indiana on the other side of Lake Michigan, just about an hour away.  

Luke, Amy and Oliver.

Gloria.

Luke, Oliver and Chad.





Back home, we've found fun going up to neighboring Lindberg Park and trying to learn a little tennis together.  

Great prairie gardens in Lindberg to enjoy while biking!

We celebrated Amy's birthday.


We welcomed friends from Loyola's Center for Community and Global Health that Amy directs for our annual event welcoming visiting students from Ghana. 

A lovely group and a lovely day for a gathering on our back deck.  

The boys had a busy soccer season -- playing on a full size field now too!


Amy and I managed a get away (thanks, Deb, for watching the kids!) to Portland, Maine, where I had a work conference.  We made a nice long weekend out of it and ate amazing food.  


We enjoyed a great bike ride tour of area lighthouses.  


We ate a lot of amazing fresh lobster.


What a great getaway!  

I had a one-off opportunity to go to Seoul, Korea for a week as party of a study delegation with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.  Sad not to get to go with the whole family on this trip, but it was a great opportunity and great chance to make new friends and learn about a whole different area of the world.  Great food, a cooking class, live entertainment, great conversations and discussions.  A few photos are below.  








We had a nice visit from our friend Joan, giving us a good chance to see our friend Paul at the same time.

We went to see the Chicago Red Stars, the Chicago professional women's soccer team plan in the semi-finals for the championship, and they won!  A fund eve

More fun with fall soccer.  

Gloria had a fun winning season -- and was our top scorer on our team!


Halloween was a lot of fun, but winter struck early this year.  No problem for our kids -- they thought it was even more fun.  

The boys (Oliver as Einstein and Luke as a skeleton) with some of their friends.  

Gloria as Megan Rapinoe, the soccer star.

Great loot!

We checked out the Art Institute's new exhibit on Andy Warhol.  



Chad and Luke.  What amazing art!


Back to School and Gloria's 7th Birthday Party

Catching up on a busy fall!  

Start of School at the end of August

Oliver (10, 5th grade)

Luke (10, 5th grade)

Gloria (6 and about to turn 7, 2nd grade)

Luke, Gloria and Oliver.

Luke, Gloria and Oliver.

Matching dresses?!  Fun!

All lined up for Day One.  Last year of Elementary School for the boys.  

For the first time since Kindergarten, Luke and Oliver are in the same classroom, which we think they are enjoying.

Oliver.

Gloria.


Fun visit from Grandma Blair!  Ice cream trip!

Great to have a special fan at our soccer games!  Luke above.

Amy and Oliver.

Gloria.  

Gloria turned 7!

We had a fun backyard birthday party with some of Gloria's friends.  It included a cupcake piƱata.

Fun friends.



One fun present was a fund polaroid camera.  

Luke and Gloria.

Gloria and Amy.  Happy birthday, Star Girl!