Holiday Family Fun

One of the highlights of my New Year weekend was a visit from my family on my dad's side who live in the Kansas, City, Mo. area. They come up here about twice a year to visit and check out the sights, especially Chicago.

And there were a total of 19 of them- three car loads full all making the trip to celebrate the New Year with my immediate family- husbands, wives, babies, children... A visit to Chicago, of course, was on their agenda, and it was up to me and my sister to lead the way.

So let me form a picture for you. A total of 23 members of my family are going to visit the city, and it involves public transportation- bus AND train- and beautiful Navy Pier on a holiday weekend meaning LOTS of people seeking something to do indoors on a brutal day.

Fortunately, the first train out was mostly empty, since we were only its second stop. My goal is to be the last on and off to make sure no one gets left behind. No problem.

The fun starts when the train passengers exit at Union Station- with seemingly THOUSANDS of others. I knew this was going to be fun! I'm the last one off and take a quick count of everyone.

Lucky again- we're at the first stop for the bus that will be taking us to NP. And wouldn't you know it? We FILL the thing up! Nice.

Exit the bus and walk into Navy Pier, and it is super busy in there. We decide that instead of walking 23 people around together, we split up and meet later. Works like a charm, and I count heads again. It's a miracle we haven't lost anyone yet.

On the way back, we're the first to get on the bus back to Union Station, and we're an hour early, so we wait around.

Getting ON the train back home was a complete nightmare. There were SOOO many people that I completely lost everyone. Again, it's a miracle that everyone ended up in the same train car. No one seems concerned that anyone is missing- Which I take it to mean a good thing.

The whole experience could of turned out to be a nightmare, but luck went our way and we got home safe to enjoy the New Year the next day.

Thank goodness!