Apple Picking!

A great way to spend a weekend, and not to mention free entertainment for a 2 year old! Here's a few pictures of my family at a u-pick orchard outside of Chicago. We've already made applesauce and apple pie is next.

Lake Shore Limited

Due to the Blizzard of the Century (strange to think that there have only been 11 years in this century) I was facing down the possibility of being stranded in New York City. Ordinarily this would sound enticing but I needed to get home to my family in Chicago. All Chicago airports were shut down so I decided to check out old fashioned rail travel.

So I embarked on an epic Amtrak train ride on the Lake Shore Limited Line. What was supposed to be roughly a 18 hour trip turned into 23 hours. But I have to say this is the way to go if you have the time; no lines, no body scanners, and a dining car to boot. All in all it was pretty relaxing and a good way to see the country. Upstate New York was the highlight of the trip, only wished I could have seen more of it before it grew dark. The snow made the trip all the more peaceful, looking out the window to see a farmhouse in a field covered by snow is soothing to the soul. There really is nothing like it.

Blizzard 2011

I just arrived back in Chicago from an epic train trip via Amtrak from NYC to Chicago. I was greeted with piles and piles of snow, altogether it's over 2 feet!! I have to admit the snow is amazing and quite a sight to see. My husband took some pictures, to give a good idea of how much snow we have just take a look at my son Jack surrounded by a tunnel of snow!