This morning my mom and Asa went on a bike ride. They used an app to rent the bikes and did a lakeshore ride going to Navy Pier and eventually meeting the rest of us at Shedd Aquarium.

The rest of us made lunches, packed up the wagon, and hopped on the bus. We were due to get to the aquarium right on time when the bus broke down one stop after we got on.

Then all the occupants of that bus had to pile on the next bus on that route which meant a VERY full bus.

Asa and Grandma also were left out in the cold waiting for us to get there. All was well when we arrived though.

We had a lot of fun at the aquarium. I especially liked the dolphin show.

The beluga whales were fun to watch too!

We ended the visit with Dippin Dots ice cream (a favorite of the kids) and sharks.

Then it was time to take the bus back to the hotel. It was a smooth ride this time! Most of our group stayed back at the hotel to rest but Cal, Esme, my mom and I went to the Christkindl Market. We stopped to admire the peacock doors at the Palmer House on the way out.

The girls went for another swim and soon it was time to go to dinner. We ate at Ed Debevic’s. We laughed a lot at dinner! Our waiter was hilarious and he even suggested it had to be somebody’s birthday, so we decided it was Giorgio’s birthday and he got a free “World’s Smallest Sundae” and blew out a candle.

We walked back to the hotel and by the time we got there it was after 9pm. As we left the restaurant, Giorgio said it was his best fake birthday ever.

Total distance walked: 5.5 miles