Summer 2011 Writing Journal Jun 12th - Jun 19th

Jun 12th - Shedd Aquarium

Jun 12th was a free Shedd Aquarium Day which is otherwise almost like $25 or so per person. After having grown up and stayed in Delhi, we obviously don't mind the crowds that brings. In fact there are times when I crave them. Honestly! So thats where we were on the day. A pretty good day. The high points were the simple fact that we went there with the kids' latest best friend Soham, just being with whom brings them utter delight.

Playing in the make believe submarine and peeking through periscopes and manning the numerous controls.

And pretending to be penguins after watching their first 4D show on Happy Feet. It was a gleeful experience for Jiya as expected with the snow and bubbles falling on her and thankfully not as scary as I had expected it to be for Vansh. We managed to catch the Dora and Diego 4D show as well and that was more lively for the kids and more visual and experiential too. The kids actually bent forwards to pick up the bananas and remotes floating around.

Jun 17th - Chicago Botanic Garden

I love Arboretums and Botanic Gardens for the stretch after stretch after stretch of greenery they offer. Its a feast to the senses in such beautiful ways. The high points of this trip were an event Model Railroad Garden which is on right now. One can walk through the outdoor exhibition and pass by familiar miniature American landmarks. All while mini trains criss cross across on tracks past the landmarks. There are mini waterfalls, bridges, old country homes, mini landscapes. We had not seen something like

this before so it was thrilling and beautiful. The kids absolutely loved the mini trains of so many varieties going over bridges, through tunnels, the faithful geyser at Yellow Stone, the volcano at Mt Helens.

And the ultimate icing on the cake was just when we were heading out, Vansh eyed the long tram which tours around the Botanic Garden with such longing that the elderly gentleman who was driving it back to the parking lot asked him to hop on for a ride. And then let him sit on his own driver's seat and pretend to drive it. He was d.e.l.i.g.h.t.e.d. and told the driver that he wanted to be him when he grows up :)

Jun 18th - Dot and Ziggy

Vansh and Jiya watched their first play ever at Victoria Biograph Theater in downtown Chicago. Titled Dot and Ziggy, it was about a ladybug and a skunk who are friends but naturally very different form each other. Initially they fight a lot with each other but eventually learn to share encouraged by a spider to do that every time they fight. Though intended for kids upto 4 years of age, even Vansh enjoyed it a lot. Both the characters were really sweet, sang and danced and ran around the room where the kids and parents were sitting on different colored carpets. In between, the kids were also asked to dance to some songs and interact. I don't have pictures from the show because photography was not allowed but there's a really cute video available online. And another good thing was that I won the tickets in a giveaway which were otherwise $18 each :)

Foster Ave Beach

After the play, we headed to a beach at Lake Michigan just a few miles away and were joined by friends. Needless to say, a lot of fun was had.

Jun 20th - Library

Our local library, by itself, is a wonderful place. I was a huge huge fan of the local library when we were in Minnesota. This one tops that too. Starting from 2 weeks back, there is a Summer Reading program on where the kids get a reading log when they register and as they read and move along, they keep getting little prizes for motivation. The kids after having reached the 16th book level got a toy each. Vansh picked up a small T-Rex and Jiya picked up a wrist band. There's also a new craft each week. Last week, it was a Father's day card they had to color and decorate. This week they made an ice-cream magnet. Also they have a new game of the week every week where the kids have to go around the library and look for clues and then put their entries in for a lucky draw. We have not been lucky so far :)

Vansh likes to play a map game on the computer where he clicks on countries he is familiar with and read about them.

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