Saturday Snapshots - Chicago, Miller Park, and MMI Tease

It is unusually chilly here today, so a perfect day to catch up on the blogging.

And what better way to jump back in than with Miss Nelson and her Saturday Snapshots Linky.

 

Last Sunday I was able to cross off a visit to Miller Park from my summer bucket list.

Our Brewers have not been doing very well this year but they did eek out a win while I was in attendance - the win came after 13 innings of a 0-0 score (yawn).

Here's a pic of my friend and I having lunch at the TGIF's that overlooks the field.

It looks like we are the only fans in the stadium.  :)

Don't even get me started on the Ryan Braun situation.

 

On Monday I met some college friends in Chicago - I love the Windy City!

I would have loved to go to the SDE Conference but my district pays for few (if any) conferences.

 

Anyway, we took the train into the city and stayed at the Sofitel.

I got us rooms there on Priceline, and they were beautiful!

We took a water taxi to Navy Pier and the Willis Tower. 

 

We had dinner at the Weber Grill place, and lunch the next day at the outside cafe near Millenium Park.  My niece is interning in the city so she met us for lunch.

Fun at the Bean!

 

The next day we traveled to a friend's lakeside home, and spent the day boating and lounging.

I. Just. Love. Summer.

 

Here's what I'm working on for my Monday Made-It(MMI):

I found this at Kirkland's on clearance - it is for devices like iPads.

I thought it would be perfect for my students to use when working on the two minis I wrote grants for.

My plan is to make it match my chevron theme somehow.

Stay tuned......

 



I'm a Winner, and Chicago Teacher Tips

Thanks to my wonderful Canadian blogger friend Keri at Teach~Play~Smile for the awesome prize in her giveaway!  I won a Belkin Rockstar Multi Headphone Splitter!  I can't wait to put it to good use in my classroom.  I have followed Keri's blog for months because she teaches second and third graders, and I taught a 2/3 split last year.  Hope you'll check out her blog and become a follower.

There are some great teacher deals in Chicago if you're planning a trip to the Windy City.  I have taken many trips there because my brother works downtown, and have discovered some awesome perks for educators.  First, admission is free at the Adler Planetarium, Field Museum, and Art Institute with your school ID.  Also, the Shedd Aquarium offers free admission for teachers from IL, WI, MN, and IN by first registering for a pass online. Teachers from other states can get $3 off by showing their school IDs.

If you're looking for a hotel suggestion I highly recommend The Fairmont  - it is centrally located between Millenium Park and Michigan Avenue.  The rooms are big when compared to others in Chicago, and you can find good deals on their website.  I do not get any freebies for sharing this advice, just wanted to share what I've discovered.  Also, for discounts on attractions and restaurants check out his website for some deals - Explore Chicago - just put in discounts on the search link and you will be directed to discount codes on many of the best attractions.

This past weekend our family had its annual meet-up at the Taste of Chicago and, in spite of the heat, enjoyed a great day. 

My niece and I

We saw yummy hunkster Dierks Bentley!