Tractor Ride and Bubbles

One of the new phrases that Willow quickly picked up while we were with her grandparents in Momence was, "Want to take a ride?" It didn't matter if it was a tractor, a four-wheeler, the gator, rhino, or some little tikes toy, Willow was ALWAYS up for a ride. Here are some pictures of Willow's first tractor ride. It was after we got back from the zoo, so she had quite an eventful day full of 'firsts'!

Willow was so excited to be in the tractor cab! Apparently, it is air conditioned and  music was playing on the radio so she was dancing away. 

Beautiful sky

pretty house 

Trying to see if the dogs are outside 

Another first, was playing with bubbles. She was really intrigued by them, and eventually figured out that she could pop them.

Love this girl! 

So this blog has been pretty saturated with Willow pictures lately. I need to find a little balance again, but I literally have so many pictures of her from our time in America and I wanted to record them on here too.

Now, we're back in China with my brother and sister too! We've been doing things around the city for the past week, as we get over jet lag together. I'll have pictures and stories to post about their visit soon!

Lincoln Park Zoo

Finally posting some pictures from our trip to the Zoo. I really wanted Willow to go to a zoo while we were in America, especially since the option in Shenyang isn't exactly a humane place. It was a lot of fun spend a little more time in the city and visit a place where I used to go very often with the little girl that I once watched in the Gold Coast area. 

Adam, Willow, Grandma Johnson, Great Grandma Koedyker, Aunt Erica, Aunt Hannah, Hannah's friends--Michelle and her son Logan--and myself all made it out to the Lincoln Park Zoo together. It was a hot day, but not too bad considering how hot it had been the previous few days. 

After we arrived, we stopped at the restrooms. Willow at a banana, and then checked out her new friend, Logan.

Then we started to walk around.

Saw some ginormous cats.

Checked out the toys in a gift shop.

Saw naked mole rats and otters

And a sea lion too!

Stopped for lunch, to eat in the shade. Willow, wearing some of her birthday presents. Cute outfit is from her Aunt Erica, and the new crocs Grandma Johnson bought for her.

Adam, Hannah, and Willow waiting for their food.

Lincoln Park Zoo had a lot of big top tents set up in the open areas. Maybe because of the sweltering heat wave that Chicago has been experiencing, because I never remember them setting up tents there before. Or maybe there had been some sort of event going on.

I ate...a corndog! Add this to the list of things I wont normally eat...all because I live in China where corn dogs do not exist.

W is for Willow!

See Adam and Willow in the distance? 

Waiting for the gorillas to come out

I love you, Chicago.