Well, we Clauses went to Chicago last weekend and had a wonderful time. As usual, I am very sad to come home to Kansas City. While I think Kansas City is just fine, I love me some Chicago. Everywhere is really walking-friendly and an avid car-hater like myself can't get enough of the El train. (Although I understand the frustration it must create when it doesn't run as scheduled. See: all of last week.)

I doubt the city would seem nearly as great to me if Sarah didn't live there, but she does. And even if she didn't, I just love the city. San Diego likes to think of itself as a small-town big-city, but really, it's a city. So is Kansas City, I suppose, but everything is so spread out and it has a ton of the crappy aspects of cities with only a few of the great parts.

Either way, I have now resolved to move to Chicago tomorrow. Too bad my husband, lease, and bank account are not on board. I just finished telling you guys that all I want to do is stay home with Alliclaus and now I want to move to a city where that is even less financially feasible?

Oh well. We'll have to see where this next year takes us. I registered for Spring classes yesterday, so if I can get some major minor financial situations taken care of, I will officially end my season as graduate school dropout and will instead be graduate school mom whose shirt and hair are never clean at the same time.

Anyway, here's some snaps from last weekend.

With Auntie Lauren, who used to live here in KC and go to church with us. She is a champion baby holder.

Andiclaus, Joshiclaus and Alliclaus. I made that hat for Andiclaus.

She seemed a little unsure of who Joshiclaus was. She was definitely more comfortable with him than she generally is with other people.

Alliclaus on the El. Cagey made that hat. She's so cool.

Jamba Juice alone is reason enough for me to move to Chicago. Mmmm...smoothies.

Sarah and I spent much of the weekend looking at pictures of ourselves from high school thinking about how absurd it was that we thought we were fat back then. Clearly, that won't be happening with this picture.

Two songs come immediately to mind when I see this picture:
"Love and marriage, love and marriage, go together like a horse and carriage" - 'cause it's the Married with Children Fountain - get it?
Also, "Three coins in a fountain" - the third floor of Midway Airport is the Buckingham Fountain floor. They play that song on a damn loop. Are there no other songs with the word fountain in them?

P.S. Damn, guys. You like to read. Some of you have even come back for a second round of recommendations. I'm getting excited about the list. I can't wait to get started.