Touring it up!

First things first, Rachel and I decided two days ago that we would get on the train and head up to the city to pretend to be tourists for a day. (Now that we live in the city, we feel like we can "pretend" to be tourists.) Above is a picture of the skyline I took from the North side of Navy Pier. To date, this is the second best view of the city I've seen. The other is just North of the 37th street beach. I'll take a picture of that one when my rear end is healed, and we go for another kamakazi bike ride.

Also, an old friend named Joel Daniel Harris emailed me to say that he was in town for the day. He was on a random road trip sort of across Michigan and stopped in Chicago with his friend Lindsay. It was great to see the both of them, and to get to know Lindsay a little, since we never really sat down and had coffee or anything at Malone. Turns out, she's a pretty cool person, and Joel as always, was fun to hang around. I really really enjoy that guy, and it was wonderful to see him. Joel, if you're reading this right now, I mean it. Every bit of it. You're a good guy. Please look up the lyrics to the Golden Girls Theme Song and pretend like it's me singing. (Except "the biggest gift" part, I wouldn't buy a big gift, because we're on a budget, and big gifts are expensive. The biggest gift would probably be from one of your rich friends.)

Here we are eating free M&M Ice Cream pops we got from a vendor on the street.

Then, are you ready for this? Rachel, Norah and I went to the Lego store on Michigan Avenue because an old friend Tommy Gallagher told me that there was a life sized Darth Vader there made of Legos. The store isn't that big, but I was smiling like a dog with a skunk in his mouth when we walked in. (Ok. That's not a great simile, but I was smiling a lot.)

Here are a few pictures we took:

Duh duh duh duh da duh duh da duh.
(It sounds better when John Williams says it.)

Beep whir whizzle blip!
Again. Some things just don't translate well to the written word.

SERIOUSLY?! A SIX FOOT MAN MADE OF LEGOS! I wish I was a kid again. I would totally take him apart and build a giant blue wall. (Funny story: When this picture was taken, I sat like that on the bench for a good thirty seconds while Rach set up the camera. Meanwhile, several, and I mean SEVERAL, people walked by laughing out loud at me. I was in my prime.)

Shortly after this photo was taken, Norah jumped up and tried to beat up the Lego girl so she could make the Lego boy her boyfriend.

When we got home from our tourist trip, I read a blog by a friend of Babs and Carrie's. The guy and I have very different opinions about politics, and after the discussion I am having a lot of thoughts about politics, disagreements, the Christian church, Pacifism, and the extent to which my Christianity should affect my life in the blogosphere. But none of you are here for those thoughts... I'll post on it anyway later.

In other news, my mom, dad, brother and sister-in-law are all coming to visit this weekend. I am totally excited. Every day this past two weeks, I've awoken Norah with the countdown. I wake Norah up saying "Only three more days until Grandma and Grandpa get here!" I'm really not trying to tell her anything, I'm just excited. We'll post pictures after the visit.

Also, I want you to hear two things. (I couldn't figure out how to post just sound clips, so below you'll find two movie clips that should play the sounds I'm talking about.) The first is the current bane of my existence. The second, is just awesome.

Sound the First: Norah's Friggin' Puppy. A.K.A. - The Bane of my Current Existence.



Sound the Second: Rach Sings Norah a Lullaby, Friggin' Awesome.

Next time Gadget.