Thinking Out Loud Thursday - Happy Anniversary Edition

Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday!  Vanessa from X-tremely V and I are so happy you popped in today to see what we're thinking out loud about.

Today is a special day for me -- it's my wedding anniversary!  Eric and I got married in 2001 with Ian by our side.  The last fifteen years have been quite the ride.  We've had our share of highs and lows and are still working to keep our relationship fresh and fun.  With that in mind, this past weekend we took a little anniversary getaway to Chicago so today I'm going to give you a rundown of our 48-hour trip.

Our mode of transportation to Chicago was via Amtrak train.  The train was pulling out of the station at 5:30 pm and thanks to me running a little late, we were literally RUNNING to the station.  We were the dead last people loading the train and while I was sweating bullets (different sweat from the sweat that was pouring off me from my 1/2 mile sprint), Eric was calm and collected.  Thank goodness the tables weren't turned and he was the one running late because, honestly, I know I would not have handled the situation in the same manner that he did.  Love you Eric!  How he was able to not be furious with me I do not know.  Must be love.

After we settled into our seats (and I called Ian to see if he would go move our car because I had to leave it on the side of the road so we could run to the train station), we were able to start relaxing.  The sunset as we headed north was fantastic!  By taking the train, we were both able to gaze out the window and enjoy it.

Even though the train left St. Louis right on time, we had a bit of a delay on the way to the Windy City causing us to be late getting to our destination and we arrived after midnight.  We had once again used Priceline's Name Your Own Price to help lock down a hotel.  Our bid of $115 was accepted at the 4-star Hotel Allegro.  This Kimpton brand location had cool art deco decor and offered a free one-hour wine service in the afternoon.  The not so great part was our room and bathroom were tiny.  I mean, like the bathroom was so tiny that Eric and I couldn't both stand in it at the same time.  If you ever stay at this hotel and are put in a queen room, ask - no BEG - to be put in another size room.  Weighing in on the positive side, the location was good and the staff was very courteous.

Saturday morning we slept in a bit.  When we got up, we headed over to the Field Museum to check out the Terracotta Warrior exhibit.  The museum was not too crowded and we were able to easily see all the exhibits up close and personal.  We had purchased our tickets ahead of time in case the line was long to get in.  Side note - we ate breakfast at the museum and the food was delicious.  Also, the prices were extremely reasonable.  It's not everyday you get to eat breakfast while looking at a giant dinosaur skeleton.

The China's First Emperor and His Terracotta Warriors exhibit will be at Field until January 8, 2017.  If you're interested, plan your trip now!  We chose the All Access tickets and a 3D movie was included in the price.  Loved seeing this exhibit!

When we came out of the museum, we noticed a double decker bus passing by.  As many times as we had visited Chicago, we had never taken a whirl on the Chicago Trolley and Double Decker Co.'s vehicles.  It felt like the time had arrived for us to give it a try.  Great decision!  The $30 ticket lets you hop on and off the bus or trolley for a 24-hour period.  We enjoyed listening to each of the tour guides entertain us as they spoke about various spots along the route.

Saturday evening we had a date on the Shoreline Sighting architecture fireworks tour.  Our guide was great and the 90 minutes flew by.  The fireworks were amazing to see from the boat on the lake.  If you're headed to Chicago, we would highly recommend adding this tour to your itinerary.

On the way back to the hotel, we popped in Molly's Cupcake's store to check out this Food Network's Cupcake Wars Season Finale winner.  Yum!  Adorable store!

On Sunday we headed back to a double decker bus stop and rode until the Navy Pier stop.  What a fun place!

We accidentally wondered into a display of Tiffany stained glass.  If you go to Navy Pier, seek it out.  So beautiful!

No trip to Chicago is complete for us until we purchase our Garrett's Popcorn (also known as Chicago Crack)!  Please tell me you've heard of this stuff.  So, so good.  I shipped a gallon to Ian and Kayla for rescuing our car and parking it someplace where it wouldn't get towed.  Small price to pay for them saving our bottoms.

We hung around Navy Pier relishing the perfect sunny day, seeing the boats come and go on the lake and people watching until it was time to head to the train station for our return trip to St. Louis.  This time we arrived early and didn't have to do any sprinting to catch the train.

Overall, this was a great anniversary getaway.  I'm so glad that Eric didn't let my tardiness on Friday ruin the trip.  I really need to remember this fact the next time I get mad at him!

Now it's your turn -- what are you thinking out loud about today?  Love to hear from you -- link up below and tell us.

Enjoy more Thoughts for Thursday at:

Home of Malones

East Coast Chic

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

The Deliberate Mom

This is How We Roll

Embark on the Journey

Party at My Place
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