Have A Little Faith in We

This week my parents, sister and sweet niece Millie are visiting the Midwest. Milwaukee for some time with my Aunt and her family and then Chicago to see my brother Grant and his fiancé, Kelly. We are very jealous that we weren’t able to join and have not agreed on the dates for our next visit- so instead I thought it was a good time to wrap up our last visit.

This trip was this last September and although only a few days, we jammed them full and had a blast. Truth be told, Danny and I dream about moving to the Windy City. Virginia and the DC area will always be home (even if we do move), but the pace, the people, the cost of living, the fact that random hockey rinks pop up throughout the city and surrounding neighborhoods in the winter … it just feels like a match for us. This season of life we are staying put, but luckily with my brother calling Chicago home and having extended family there- we get to visit and enjoy the best parts of the city. To see how we spent the first part of our trip you can see more on post 1, post 2 and post 3 or for a live version be sure to check out my highlights on Instagram. And today is part 4!

This Sunday was family day! My mon’s sister Sharon and her family live in Milwaukee. You may remember they were a stop on our Summer 2017 road trip.  Grant and Kelly hosted a BBQ at their new place that has a great backyard spot and we feasted on bratwurst, hot dogs, and lots of tasty sides.

We enjoyed dining alfresco… until the storms arrived and we had to move it indoors. No big deal – we just broke out the games and kept the party going!

Growing up we used to pile into the family car and make the trek to Milwaukee to stay for a week or even up to three. We brought bikes and the family dog and enjoyed the long summer days and cool summer nights. So coming to the Midwest for family fun just feels right!

The next day we got up and decided to enjoy a slower morning. Coffee, packing up and planning our last few hours before an evening flight. The Heppes are big Chinese food fans. So Grant and I opted for lunch at a Chinese place in a different part of the city that we had not been this trip – Hyde Park. It was such a pretty area with the most gorgeous architecture around University of Chicago.

We eventually made our way back to Grant and Kelly’s neighborhood and enjoyed s few stop offs as photo ops at their local parks.  Just soaking up the very end of the trip ….

And then it was time to load the car and head to the airport….. luckily not without one last stop for speciality Chicago hot dog…..

Then it was homeward bound. We had a great trip visiting one of our favorite spots, catching up with friends and family … but maybe best of all was enjoying time on my brother’s new world. Growing up in a big family it often felt like we were always on top of each other and would never have any space of our own. Yet suddenly we all have our own lives and it can feel strange that we don’t know what life is like for each of us. So when I get a chance to be part of their world, it really is special.

Grant and Kelly, we had an awesome visit! And you already know we will be back… and we are even more thrilled that it won’t just be for one visit – but a wedding too! This is going to be a fantastic year and we are so excited for you guys!

Thank you so much for reading and remember to make it a great day!

Jackie