First Few Weeks in Chicago

I had every intent to be a good little blogger and document all our fun happenings right after they occurred, but I've just been enjoying myself so much I haven't had time to slow down and record it all! 

So here is a run down of our first 2+ weeks in Chicago. 

Matt leaves the house at about 7:30 each weekday morning and gets home about 6:00. He takes the train downtown to the Deloitte office. His commute is about 35 minutes, but we are really only about 10 miles from downtown. He has loved his internship so far and is hoping to get a full time offer at the end of the summer. (As a proud, confident wife I think he has it in the bag.) 

So while Matt is away, Blake and I fill our days with naps, eating (for both mom and Blake), exercise, more naps, and usually a fun afternoon outing with our neighbor Jessie and her daughter Clara. 

Our favorite exercise activities right now are jogging to a nearby park or Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred off You Tube. However, Chicago has really good food. So... I don't think my exercise is really paying off.  

Some of the fun outings we have been on are to the farmers market, the beach, venturing downtown for a picnic in the park and shopping, trips to target, and going to lunch at fun cafes (with amazing food!). We sure love spending time with Jessie and Clara. 

Blake and I also attend a weekly Gymboree sing and play class on Mondays. It is level 1 (0-6 months) so Blake is one of the oldest. Blake surprised me and is so social! He loves looking at the other babies! This week he showed off a bit and grabbed the ball in front of him that was being used for visual tracking. It was a proud mommy moment.

And then comes the weekend! We love our weekends here because we get baby for two whole days straight. 

Our first weekend here we explored Navy Pier and enjoyed the Farris wheel. We then went downtown for famous Giordanos Deep Dish Pizza. I now crave it on a daily basis. We finished off that evening with some window shopping. How can we not when Michigan Ave is just right there?? We are spoiled. 

Then on Saturday we attended a Cubs game. A row of terribly drunken adults in front of us was slightly, okay hugely, obnoxious. But we had a great time! 

This last weekend we met Matt downtown after work on Friday for some more exploring of Michigan Ave. We got Matt a Father's Day present at the Nike store and I picked up a few bargains at J Crew. 

On Saturday we drove out to Naperville, a western suburb we are considering living in when we move out here more permanently. The drive felt terribly long but it was great to see actual houses with yards!!

That evening we sacrificed Blake's sleeping schedule and drove 30 min north to Ravinia to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Concert. We enjoyed sitting with some friends from the ward. It was absolutely one of my favorite things we have done here. There was just a peaceful, calm the whole time that isn't always felt in the busy city. And of course, the choir was amazing. I don't think Blake minded staying up a little late on this special evening. 

And our Sundays are spend much like they are at home. Church and family time. We have been spoiled by our new friends here and we enjoyed Sunday dinner with Jessie, Dustin, and Clara one week and with Sydney and Spencer another week. 

Just this morning Matt and I commented on how we can't believe how fast the summer is going! We are so blessed to be surrounded by such great people in a city that has so much to offer.