Chi-town

I mentioned the other day that we will be taking vacation next month. We originally booked New York, but post-poned that until April. I was able to get the same price on flights during a much warmer month, it was an easy decision. That freed us up in February, we've been looking to get back to Chicago. February '09 was the last time we visited (we went back a couple weeks apart, due to death and illness). We haven't had a planned trip since 2007. It's time! We've been watching fares since last year. Damn, flights between here and there got expensive. I found a deal that worked for us, if you can call $247 a deal. It's just the lowest price I've seen for as long as I can remember. We never used to pay more than $200, and it makes no sense that it is cheaper for us to fly to New York than it is to Chicago. It is what it is. It will be worth it, though. We'll get to see family and eat old favorites, but I'm most looking forward to seeing my favorite boy. He called me the other day with a very important message. Ready for this? "I NEED suckers," he says. Then, Amy told me about this exchange while we chatted the other day. They were at my dad's watching Fraggle Rock. I gave my dad the entire series on dvd as a Christmas gift.

"Where did you get this, Grandpa Gary?"

"Aunt Kellee gave it to me for Christmas."

"You know her??"

"Yes, she's my daughter."

"No! My mommy is."

"Well, your mommy and Aunt Kellee are both my daughters."

"Oh", he says. He thinks for a moment then adds, "But she's in Las Vegas."

"Yes, she is. She mailed it to me."

"Oh!"

I miss that boy.

When he heard we were coming he was so concerned over sleeping arrangements. He asked me to bring my own pillow because "he doesn't have enough." He's not sure where uncle Frank will sleep, "he won't fit in my toddler bed." I assured him there was no need to worry Frank would be staying at his mom's house. Amy says he's anticipating our visit. He knows we come after Valentine's Day. So, he continuously asks "Is it Valentine's, yet?" The worst will be the time after the holiday and the time we actually arrive. I'm pretty certain he will drive Amy mad.

So, we traded one cold destination for another. We'll be traveling late February so I'm hopeful it'll warm up by then.