Hooky!

With the coming of August, I realized that I probably needed to take some time off to hang out with the kids on a weekday before school starts on the 18th (!!).  So I got a day off work and took the boys downtown to see the Field Museum of Natural History.  They had never been there, and I haven't been there for probably thirty years (because I last went there when I was Jason's age...not!).  Thursday was a good day to go apparently, as when we arrived there was NO ONE in sight of the entrance.  I find this very strange to occur in Chicago.

There was a neat exhibit called Biomechanics which showed a lot of different animals and the various mechanisms inside them that make them survive in their environment.  At this demonstration on body heat, thermal imaging cameras showed us where we are hot and cold.  Note, Jack just cannot resist giving his brother the bunny ears!  I find this hysterical.

Eww.  The Underground Adventure exhibit is a new permanent exhibit and it was VERY cool.  We walked through tunnels that simulated being underground.  Jason thought this insect thing was "cute":

The boys on the second floor, looking down at Sue the T-Rex, the trademark of the museum:

Jack checks out one of the many dinosaurs:

Part of our adventure was just in taking the train and buses around town.  I guess since I've been taking the train every day for the past nearly 13 years, I forget how cool it is for a kid.  They especially liked sitting in the back of the bus, where all the road bumps are amplified.  Exciting!

Well, playing hooky was fun and taking the kids downtown by myself was pretty cool!  This was the first time the three of us were on our own in the City and I can say that I am making great strides over my phobia of losing them in public.  I even forgot to tuck my business card in their pockets.  And, note that neither of them is wearing neon clothing!  Of course, every time they walked out of my line of sight in the museum I was on them like white on rice, but hey, this was historic.  For me.  Love these guys!