After hitting the courts bright and early on the Fourth, we left Rockford and headed towards Chicago. We made a quick stop at the first McDonald’s somewhere in between. Apparently this is the museum, although it was closed. But the kids were still pretty awed. 

How much more American does it get than eating hot dogs at a baseball park on the Fourth? And how much does it warm the hearts of a few Cardinals fans to see the Cubs lose by double digits in person? It more than made up for our horrible seats. We literally sat in the top row of the stadium. But it was fun.

So the initial plan was to go see the fireworks at Navy Pier that night. But after a long day in the sun, we were beat. So we picked up dinner and watched the fireworks out our hotel window. That first night, we weren’t facing Navy Pier, but it was okay because we were still on the 32nd floor. We could see fireworks over the entire horizon. Dozens of displays were going off. So we didn’t miss a thing. But the next morning, I asked for a room across the hall. And this was the view from our new room.

I don’t think we closed the curtains the entire time we were there. And check out what happened on our last day when a brief rain shower blew in.

Each day we were in town, the kids played tennis at Millenium Park. It was so freaky to watch them play with those enormous buildings rising above them.  

One day I took the camera and wandered around the park while the boys practiced. This walkway took me across Lake Shore Drive and landed me in front of this amphitheater where a symphony was rehearsing. You could hear the music from the courts, but we figured it was coming from a loudspeaker somewhere. Not the case. It was something much more special. 

Just beyond the amphitheater is the bean and the wall that rains faces. This park is truly an oasis.