Surprise!!

We pulled it off!  Brian was truly surprised when we walked in to Don Juan's Mexican Restaurant for his birthday dinner to find his parents and his brother Paul waiting for him.  Surprise!  And then Dave and LaDonna and Cian and Niamh joined us - it was quite the party!  We enjoyed yummy food and many laughs. (See photo below - hee hee!)

Enjoying a messy birthday treat

The fun continued into Saturday.  We ventured downtown and enjoyed a bird's eye view of Chicago from the John Hancock Observatory.

Paul, Oliver and Brian

The boys "skated in the sky" on the synthetic ice rink set up in the Hancock for the winter months. How often can you ice skate 94 stories above the city?

Skating in the Hancock

Phew!

Oliver couldn't get enough of the window washing exhibit.  Any time a mop or scrub brush is involved, he is so there.  He was very serious about choosing the right brush and then away he went.

Serious window washer at work

Anything else need cleaning?

All of that cleaning got Ollie hungry, so we took a well-deserved gelato break. Yum!

This gelato is delicious!

Our visitors headed home today, but not before we got in some fun Wii time this morning. We had a really fun weekend, and we are so glad that Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Paul could join us for our celebration.  Happy 30th Birthday, Brian!

Paul, Grandpa, Ollie, and the birthday boy