Family Vacation

Well it was time for our annual Dieme Family Vacation!!!! (It really should be a Hollywood movie)  Oh the experiences we have had on vacations from always getting lost and stuck in a bad neighborhood to buying a microwave because our hotel didn't have one.  This is my favorite time of the year.  This year we decided to spend a few days in Chicago.  All my son wanted to do was go to the United Center to see the statue of Michael Jordan but we had a few surprises for him.

I have this terrible habit of completely cleaning the house before we leave town.  I don't mean just dusting and sweeping I mean cleaning out the refrigerator, wiping windows, and mopping the floor.  It drives my husband crazy but I can't stand coming home after a trip and finding the house a mess.  I also handle all the packing for the family.  Now that my son is older he wants to have his own luggage.  I found the cutest suitcase at this local store called Monogramming By Sheri. 

I have found the best way to organize my son's clothes.  I plan his clothes (including pajamas) for the week and I place the items in a gallon Ziplock bag.  It takes up less space in the suitcase and everything is in one spot.  I just take out a Ziplock bag for the day and my son knows what his outfit and pajamas are for the day. I am not searching through his suitcase trying to find socks and matching shorts.  When he takes his clothes off they just go back in the Ziplock bag and we get out the next bag for the day.

After packing and cleaning we made it to Chicago.  We took our son to the United Center so he could get his picture taken in front of the Michael Jordan statue but we also surprised him with a visit to the Lincoln Park Zoo.  It is a free zoo!!!  You just pay for parking.  We didn't see everything at the zoo but we were there for 3 hours.  I would recommend this zoo to anyone. The biggest surprise we had for him was a visit to Legoland.  He had no idea we were going.  We went about 2 hours before the place closed so we didn't have to be the bad parents who made him leave (all of us have had that experience with the crying child leaving the building).  He came home with a couple of Lego sets and I was able to sneak a special birthday present in the car.

This was definitely a trip he will never forget!!!