We're in Chicago!!!

We decided to make last minute plans to go to Chicago! We had no idea how Kenzie would do with traveling so far and literally not much to do... but she was such a trooper! I was amazed. She slept quite a bit, but she also kept herself entertained. We stopped probably 4 times along the way so she could use the restrooms and stretch her legs... and it wouldn't seem so long a trip. Poor thing slept while we went through Chicago, so she didn't get to see the big skyscrapers as we went past.

We originally booked a room at a Days Inn in Niles, IL. It is located at 6450 Touhey Ave... and if someone took a bomb and wiped this motel off the face of the earth, that would be fine with me. We checked in and when we got in the room, none of the lights, nor the TV, nor the clock worked in the front part of the room. The water was lukewarm coming out of the faucets.

I don't need fancy to be happy... just want the water to be hot, the air conditioning (or heat) to work, and to have lights and TV. That's all. It could be the Bates motel for all I care - just give me what you say you're going to give me.

They told us that a water pipe was busted, and the water had been shut off to the whole building. (Why in the H$!! did they put us in a room where the water had been shut off and only just now turned back on... and yet the water still wasn't hot?)

They moved us to another room - about 1/2 the size, and it didn't have the amenities that I had origially paid for. I don't need to tell you... we left.

Oh, and they advertised a "Free Continental Breakfast". It was a small box of cereal and some milk. WHAT A JOKE!!!!!

Just down the street, there was a Holiday Inn. This was almost twice the price for the room per night, but at least everything worked, and it is certainly a lot nicer than the last place. The only downside is that the room entrances are all located on the inside of the hotel, and our room is RIGHT OUTSIDE AN INDOOR SWIMMING POOL THAT STAYS OPEN UNTIL 11 PM! AAAAAAAUUUUUURRRRRRGGGGHHHH! And believe me, they used it until 11 pm.

Kenzie's comment - at 10 pm - was, "Mommy, why is there so much noise outside?!?"

I hope to be able to post pics of our trip later... But so far, it has been fairly good... considering.