Wednesday: Science & Industry Museum's Trip & Extra Activities

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Today we went to the the Science & Industry Museum in Downtown Chicago. It was a great experience.
First we went in a flight simulator of Halloween that it really sucked because it wasn't fast, scary and it also didn't had so much turns. So when I went out, I saw that the simulator next to the one which we just came out was a real flight simulator of battle plane and I didn't hesitated in going in. It was great, I passed almost 2 out of the 3 minutes that the ride longed upside down and spinning up and down jaja, this really compensated the 5 extra dollars I had to pay to go in. Then, I walked all the Museum seeing what's it about and there I realized that the Museum's in USA are so much better that in Argentina because, for example they had a machine that made Tornados, another one which made waves and Tsunamis and explained the difference between a rocky beach coast or a plain one. Then the had a very cool machine that threw tennis balls from one side of the Museum to the other and you had to calculate speed and angle to make it get the ball in a net at the farthest side.
All in all, the Museum was very cool and I had a great time with my friends. But the day didn't end there.
We got to school around 1:30 and when I was about to leave Mauricio and Pat (Mauricio's Host) invited me to play soccer, and you know me so you can guess the answer. The football match was great, I met some really funny guys, such as another Pat (not the previously mentioned jaja) and Tim. I was the scorer of the match so everyone thought I was really good playing soccer (what crazy thoughts people have, don't you think??? jaja). After that we played "Arco a Arco" (I don't remember how it is called in English), in which I played with Pat and Mauricio with his host, the first Pat. It was a really good match and I had laughed a lot during this time so it was a very good call to go to play soccer.
When I got home Valen Chiesa and Sofia told me that Claudette Reyes (Sofia's host) was having a reunion for all the Argentinian's and their hosts so I changed my clothes and went there. There I met all the hosts beacuse I knew some but not everyone. At the end of the night, (that wasn't to late like 10:30) I was friend of everyone in the house and got the nickname of "Francissscouuuuu" (you should see the video it is posted in my Facebook wall about Elf the movie, there's were I got the a.k.a from).
To sum up, it was a great day in which I had a lot of fun.  

Our Experience at Eggs to Chicks Exhibit and Elmo visits Kohl Children's Museum

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While this was two weekends back but a short trip sandwiched between some illnesses of self and the kids  kept me away from the blog for a while.

We went to experience the Eggs to Chicks exhibit at the Kohl Children's Museum. It was a very sweet and at the same time educating experience for kids as well as for us adults alike. The exhibit featured a special child-height egg incubator, hatchery unit and a pen for newborn chicks. The journey of a chick right from day 1 of incubation to hatching adorned the wall as placards demonstrating the changes seen with every passing day. And the most fascinating was all to watch the eggs as the first cracks appeared and it moved and the kids could take a peek to see a tiny furry creature trying to make its way out. Each day 4 eggs are marked with a date and placed in the large incubator to begin their 21 day journey to develop into a chick. This means there's an extremely strong likelihood of one hatching right when you are there at the museum. One hatched in the very first hour of when we reached and another one was cracking and moving when we were moving out after spending about 3 hours in the museum. Here are a few pictures 







The exhibit runs  MARCH 19 - MAY 13 at the Kohl Children's Museum. Do take your kids there to enjoy the fascinating process of birth of a chicken as also to enjoy the rest of the very fun museum.

Also if you can make it tomorrow, Tuesday, April 10th 2012, you get to meet Sesame Street's Elmo. The three-and-a-half year old red-faced monster will hang out with some of his biggest fans at Kohl in advance of his appearance on-stage at the Akoo Theatre in May. Families are invited to participate in a photo opportunity with Elmo; space is limited and tickets to the photo opportunity will be distributed on a first-come, first served basis.

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This weekend April 28 - 29: All ages Matty K's grand opening

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Matty K’s Hardware is thrilled to celebrate their official Grand Opening weekend with activities for all ages April 28 – 29, 2012, beginning at 8 a.m. both days. The store’s garden market will also open at 8 a.m. on April 28, just in time for spring planting! Matty K’s Hardware, located at 4874 N. Lincoln Ave, is Lincoln Square’s new neighborhood hardware store that features personalized project-planning services for home, business and theatrical projects. Early Bird Sales will be held both Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., with free treats and coffee, provided by Café Selmarie, on hand for shoppers. The grills will be fired up at 11 a.m. each day, with meat provided by Gene’s Sausage Shop, to provide shoppers with free lunch (while supplies last). On Saturday afternoon the entire family will be able to enjoy cotton candy, popcorn, face painting, games and entertainment and activities from Lillstreet Art Center (beginning at 1 p.m.) and the Old Town School of Folk Music (beginning at 2 p.m.) while they check out all that Matty K’s has to offer.


A family-owned and operated business, Matty K’s is dedicated to serving all members of the Chicago community. Monthly workshops are offered to all ages free of charge with seasonal projects including making a chalkboard wall calendar, bike tuning, seed planting and more. A dedicated kids’ area in the store makes it easy for parents to shop or spend time working with experts in the design center, who are available to help with home projects, painting and more.    

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Chagall for Children at the Kohl Children's Museum

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Kohl Children’s Museum is bringing back one of the most popular exhibits in its history when “Chagall For Children,” a multi-sensory, hands-on exploration of one of the best-known and best-loved artists of the 20th century, Marc Chagall, returns June  18 – September 2.

“Chagall for Children,” is a world-class exhibit that showcases 14 multi-sensory exploration stations, each incorporating a high-quality reproduction of one of Marc Chagall’s works.  Developed by Kohl Children’s Museum, the exhibit features interactive components that offer hands-on activities and an audio description of each work specifically geared to children.  Following its debut at Kohl in 1996, the exhibit has been on continuous tour, visiting children’s museums throughout North America.
“’Chagall for Children’ is one of the best-loved exhibits in our history, and we are tremendously proud of it,” said Kohl Children’s Museum President and CEO Sheridan Turner.  “Chagall’s bold use of color and fantastical imagination make his works particularly compelling to children, providing an introduction to specific art principals including color, light, texture and composition. It is an exhibit that children and adults enjoy equally.”

The exhibit is designed to engage children in the exploration of both art and the artist through interactive, multi-sensory components. The stations include:

• America Windows: Guests explore the effect of light upon stained glass by adjusting the light levels behind the work and creating their own version of Chagall’s “America Windows” by rearranging puzzle-like pieces of the work.
• At the Circus: Utilizing role-play – a key component in the creative development of young children – children see themselves as part of a Chagall painting via a video camera and monitor. They don silk-screened capes to become part of the painting as they pose and play on a circus stage.
• The Birthday: Comparing art forms, visitors examine a reproduction of this oil painting and compare it to the tactile experience of touching the bas relief. Guests can also create a “rubbing” from a steel engraving of the bas relief.
• The Blue House: Studying form and structure, kids and parents can create their own three-dimensional house using blue Lincoln Logs™ against the backdrop of this painting.
• The Concert: Museum attendees select musical instruments represented in this painting and blend sounds the way Chagall artistically blended colors.
• Flowers: Guests create their own flower arrangements inspired by this colorful work and experiment with floral scents.
• The Flying Sleigh: In a digital activity, visitors explore the art of narrative form by manipulating main figures and details of this Chagall piece to tell a different story.
• Green Violinist: This station has two interactive activities; one encourages attendees to listen and choose music they feel best describes the piece; while an innovative computer program focuses on the impact of color as participants capture and alter the color of their face on a computer screen.
• I and the Village: Children learn about the concept of symmetry and explore the different ways people view the world by rotating this painting.
• Job Tapestry: Tapestry provided Chagall with yet another form of artistic expression. Guests cooperatively create their own tapestry by weaving a variety of materials.
• The Juggler: Children explore the role of detail in this work by using a touch screen to animate elements of the painting.
• Paris Through the Window: By experimenting with composition using magnetized pieces, visitors create their own picture of Paris.
• The Poultry Yard: In a creative approach to form and structure, children experiment with brightly-colored, three-dimensional, soft sculptural animals to create fantasy creatures and scenes.
• The Rooster: A rich tactile experience occurs when guests touch and rearrange the beautiful feathers in the tail of a soft sculpture copy of Chagall’s rooster.
Many stations are accompanied with audio descriptions, highlighting information about the artwork upon which the interactive is based.
An extensive selection of books about Marc Chagall is provided to encourage further exploration and to stimulate literacy learning.

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A round up of a couple of great events and activities

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...going on in Chicagoland currently!


Holiday Magic Comes to Life November 23 - December 31 as Passengers Explore The Christkindlmaket, Zoo Lights,  The Magnificent Mile, and More

Chicago Trolley Co. celebrates the holiday season with their enchanting “Holiday Lights Tour,” bringing the magic of the city to life as passengers experience the thrilling lights and sights of Chicago. Running Friday - Sunday evenings Nov. 23 – Dec. 23, and daily Dec. 26 – 31, Chicago’s version of a caroling sleigh ride whisks passengers through the festive lights and holiday spectacles of wintertime in Chicago, including views of the Magnificent Mile, State Street & Macy’s Holiday Windows, the John Hancock Plaza tree, Navy Pier’s Winter Wonderfest; and stops at two of Chicago’s favorite holiday sights—the Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza and Lincoln Park’s Zoo Lights. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available online at www.chicagotrolley.com. Tickets are on sale now.

We took the tour last year and it was so wonderful. For a review and pictures, read my blog post here.


SKATING IN THE PARK HAS OFFICIALLY OPENED NOV. 23 

Free Skating continues through Feb. 24, 2013

Rosemont, IL – MB Financial Park at Rosemont is once again hosting Skating in the Park beginning Friday, Nov. 23. The lawn has been turned into an NHL-sized outdoor skating rink for the winter months and visitors can skate under the lights for a magical experience during the holiday season.

With festive music, refreshments, convenient on-site skate rental for $8, free parking (with validation) and more, this ice rink, presented by the Village of Rosemont, offers fun for the entire family.

Skating in the Park at Rosemont Hours
Monday-Thursday: 4- 9 p.m.
Friday: 4-10 p.m.
Sat: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Sun: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

December 21- January 6: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Extended hours when students are out for winter break.

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Devil's Lake 10/18/08

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10/18/08

Wisconsin has some beautiful parks and Devil's Lake is no exception. On a crisp fall day Joe friend Chris Setter, his wife Drea, Joe and I headed out to do some hiking and bouldering. The intense fall colors are not well represented in these pictures, but they were peak...














In order to get to the top we decided to climb up the rocks instead of take the trail...why take the easy way?!?




Come on slow pokes...JUST KIDDING! I seemed to somehow find the path of least resistance...

Van's Triple Crown of Surfing 2008

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11/08 - 12/08





I was so excited to get the email asking if I wanted to come back to Hawaii and work again at the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing...this time as the Assistant Media Director!






First, let me show you the house I stayed in...

















The outdoor Rock Shower...ahhh...













The view from my bedroom...there were even horses that would be out sometimes. The house wasn't right on the beach, but I could hear the waves crashing at night!







The contest this year was Epic and Kelly Slate won Pipe!




















Uhm...I gave Kelly that water he's drinking (right)...all in a day's work!!!










And Kelly was presented with a custom board from Gerry Lopez (legendary surfer and one of the nicest, most humble and sincere guys you will ever have the pleasure of meeting!)









Parko won the whole Van's Triple Crown of Surfing (that's my booty in the tan pants speaking to the New York Times reporter)












And behind all of those cameras is me holding Slater's surfboard so it doesn't get trampled in the media mayhem!
















During the contest, my partner in crime, Solange and I kept the media up to date on the stats at all 3 events...we held down the media trailer, weeded out the impostors, rid the area of sand, and kept up the Aloha spirit!






In addition to working there were off days and nights to enjoy beach time and beautiful scenery


















Festivities to be attended...like Lane Beachley's retirement party































Or Donovan Frankenreiter playing at the Annual Lifeguard Fundraiser held this year at Haleiwa Eats (instead of the traditional Waimea Falls)


















Or nights with friends at Turtle Bay or out in Haleiwa Town






















Or hangin' my favorite little man...
Favorite Quotes
-It's Snowing in Haleiwa Town (while throwing ice from the cooler up into the air!)

-Careful o u going to have to go to the hustable (hospital) (yelled out the window to the girls standing up in the back of the truck driving in front of us)

-Daddy, go crazy, go crazy Daddy (to Liam when listening to music in the truck)






Or the Van's Triple Crown of Surfing Wrap/Christmas Party






Here with Executive Director Randy Rarick and Nicole










Check out our Security Guys - I wouldn't want to mess with them...even though my muscles are almost as big!







And here with Silly...Check out check out his beard...














allegedly he had it half shaved for the entire 6 weeks and no one ever noticed! I am not sure if he was pullin' my leg or not...

All in all, another GREAT year at the Triple Crown and wonderful memories made in Hawaii!!!

San Diego & St. Patty's 2009

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3/17/09

So, Amazing Race wasn't the only fun in San Diego...it was also St. Patty's Day!





After a bit of a fiasco we all met up
(me, Robe, Robbie, Jen, Anna, & Brady)








Robe and Brady donned their kilts and we met up with Russ who played the bagpipes!























Jen wore a silly St. Patty's Day mug that her friend, the other Robbie, brought!












We went to a pub where most drank Guinness, but I stuck to water...and shared!








And the next day Robe took me on a tour of North County where we stopped to confirm his accomodation reservation for the Half Ironman he was doing in a couple of weeks, had breakfast at this cute little restaurant, and checked out the waves at Swami's

Steph & Isaac's Wedding 4/09

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Stephie, my "B," got married to an amazing guy named Isaac...and I was honored to be a part of their blessed wedding!!!
























I think it truly was a Godsend that I was asked to stand up...standing at the alter, supporting their union was an honor and reminded me what true love is all about!









The ceremony was so vibrant with love, for each other and for God.









I don't think either of them ever stopped smiling the whole day and into the night :)











Stephie even sang with the worship team during the ceremony!







The photographer was amazing and came up with some really creative shots to capture the essence of a Wisconsin wedding!


















He made some of the boring wedding party shots much more fun...





























I even got to sit in and help out making sure the lighting was right for some of the more serious bride and groom shots...












The reception was a blast and there were some crazy candid shots of everyone breaking it down!












I got some hops (above) and this guy, Knowlton, (right) had some ball room moves...although I think I would have ruined our scores from the So You Think You Can Dance judges as my foot was flexed and not pointed!


My partner for the Grand March was different than the one I walked down the aisle with as he had to leave early to get back up north at a reasonable hour...


















The photographer told us ladies to give him some sass...I think we succeeded (right)




But I think my favorite shot of Stephie and I...made into a poster thanks to John...is the one below...




I don't know what he is talking about in the caption...I don't need dance lessons!!!