A Cold Weekend in Chicago

The girls' Christmas trip came in January this year--less time to wait, but much colder weather. Hello, Chicago!


Daisy brings her little world with her. That's Big Ducky in her hand; he's her constant companion. He got to do a lot of sightseeing.


Yes, we went to the American Girl store again. Grandpa's Christmas cash was burning a hole in someone's little purse. The big eyes! The adding and subtracting! She bought a kitten she calls Parnell (the tag says Praline, who has time to read carefully?). And a stuffed monk seal. And two fancy outfits for her Elizabeth doll. And then her money was used up and she was very happy.


Free weekdays at the Art Institute! Major hit in the basement--the tiny fully-furnished rooms decorated in various periods.


And then: the opera house! Tickets to The Mikado. Clara and Bella know all the words. And Clara knows absolutely everything else about it. "Well, the Annotated Gilbert and Sullivan says . . . ."

We ate in the bistro right there in the building. You have to have a ticket to the performance to even get in the restaurant. So many fur coats in one little space!


Daisy had a new dress in honor of the occasion. Made from the same heavy cream silk as Bella's opera dress. They got so many compliments in their sister outfits--I imagine Bella's white gloves were somewhat responsible. Personally I liked Clara in her dark dress and red vintage gloves. She can so do elegant!


Then the Aquarium, then the fabric store, then the German sausage store, then fancy cakes from the cafe . . . .


And then home, where we had snow!