Feelin' Green

When we found out that Dave had scheduled a business trip to Chicago over the girls' Spring Break, we jumped at the chance to tag along. 

Coincidentally, we found out we would be staying in the city over St. Patrick's Day. St Patty's Day in Chicago is quite the celebration!

For years, Chicago has been dying the river green in downtown Chicago. This picture doesn't do it justice -- it was a bright, florescent green color. Isn't it so ... well ... green?

We decided to brave the crowds in an attempt to see the annual parade -- the masses were even greater than we anticipated -- and we saw some pretty interesting people. Daddy even tried to fit in with his unique display of green. A few people heckled him about the shirt, which he explained that St. Nick is actually Irish.

Here is a sampling of St. Patty's day in Chicago: green hair...

 green lei and sun glasses...

 green ninja turtles...

  green cars...

and masses of green people reflected in the famous Millennium Park jelly bean.

The weather couldn't have been more gorgeous!!

As this year's St. Patrick's day fell on Saturday, and the day had temps in the 80s, the crowds were even larger than normal, estimated to be about 350,000 people. We had to forget about trying to catch a glimpse of the St. Patty's parade as there was no way we were getting through this crowd with a stroller and four little ones.

 But we were just fine people watching, being together, and enjoying the sunshine.

I think the kids' favorite part of the day was the chant they learned from some drunk college kids: "I say 'Saint.' You say 'Patty.' Saint. Patty. Saint. Patty." The kids continue to chant it months later! This might go into the books alongside a similar family joke of "Disney World! Disney World! Boo ... Orange World. Boo ... Orange World!" Do all kids like to chant things repeatedly, or do just ours?

It was definitely a good experience and probably not one we will ever seek out to repeat. But it certainly was memorable and interesting nonetheless.