Hodge Family Visits!

Last week we met my sister, Karly and her family in St. Louis, Missouri. They needed a break from driving and we have wanted to go explore St. Louis since it's only 2.5 hours away from us!

The town is pretty cute, I would have to say it's not as clean and nice as Chicago but it was still fun to see.

 

 

I was so excited to have Karly come and visit, sisters are the best! Here we are in St. Louis...

 

The zoo in St. Louis is free, except parking so we thought it'd be fun to check it out. It was so incredibly humid, it's hard to explain in words. It felt like we were walking in wet air, I felt and looked disgusting so we didn't take a whole ton of pictures. The zoo was really nice and had a big variety of animals.
There was a building that had butterflies flying around, here is Benton and Reid...

 

Cute Hodge family in the "rainforest"

 

The next day we all drove to Springfield to check out our state capital. We first stopped at Lincoln's tomb. Last time Benton and I went was in the middle of winter and it was freezing, it was the exact opposite weather, dying hot heat.

 

Hodge family in front of Lincoln's Memorial...

 

We also walked in Lincoln's home, it was fun to walk around in his home and see what it looked like when him and his family lived there...

 

 

Cambree and I outside his house...

 

We couldn't leave Springfield without eating their famous Horseshoes for lunch. We all got the Buffalo Chicken Horseshoe which is Texas toast, buffalo chicken, french fries covered with nacho cheese with ranch, so yummy!

 

Nick had a business meeting in Chicago so we took advantage and stayed overnight in the city. Benton had to work so he stayed home :( Our first stop was the Museum of Science and Industry, it's my favorite museum so I was excited to go back!

Cambree looking at the baby chicks...

 

The museum has the actual U-505 submarine which is the only German submarine in the United States.

 

Cambree getting shocked...

 

Jack and Reid as railroad workers...

 

Having fun with floating these balls in the air...

 

 

Jack copying this sailors face, I think it looks exactly the same, don't you think?

 

Talking a walk in the older version of Chicago...

 

Love these guys!

 

One of my favorite things about Chicago is how clean it is. Pretty much wherever you look there are people cleaning the streets. Downtown Chicago is full of pretty flowers all along the streets.

 

Dinner of course at Giordano's...

 

We walked around the city after we ate.
Karly and I next to the river...

 

The Hodge Family...

 

On July 15, 2011 the Marilyn Monroe Statue was unveiled in downtown Chicago, here are Jack and Reid standing next to her...

 

Since we had walked so much, why not stop by the Bean?

 

I love how pretty the city is at night...

 

The next morning we walked to Navy Pier. Everywhere you look is just gorgeous!
Karly and I at Navy Pier...

 

Me and my cute baby...

 

Afterwards we went shopping at ate lunch at the Grand Lux Cafe, such amazing food!
Reid and I playing around while waiting for our food to come...

 

This is what we've been waiting for, my chicken sandwich was delicious!

 

One morning we took the kids to Tipton Park which has a splash pad, they all had such a good time...

 

Big walker...

 

We ate dinner at our one of our favorite restaurants here in Bloomington, The Thai House. It's so nice that our husbands are such good friends, I think they talk on the phone more than Karly and I do.

 

We also went to McLean's County Fair! I've never heard Cambree so excited in my life. She laughed and screamed of joy the whole time. She loved all of the lights and stuffed animals. I wish we could have captured her reaction better.

 

The guys talking...

 

We had such a great time with this family. We love and will miss you guys, thanks for visiting!