We three Creaches decided that staying home for too much of Sophia's break would be too uninteresting for us, so we decided to visit a new city and see some old friends.
We have some very good friends who moved to Indianapolis in 2012, and we had yet to visit them in their new home. We did not expect to enjoy Indianapolis itself quite as much as we did.
We stayed in the downtown Omni hotel, which is in a very cool area. Lots of interesting architecture and walkable restaurants. Exactly what I love. The Omni and several other hotels are all connected by a skywalk, similar to the one in Kansas City, with a great mall in the middle.
In said mall, there are the usual stores, cineplex, food court and such. There is also a huuuuge arcade. This arcade is the nemesis of parents of small children. Why? Because most of the walls are covered in prize-hoarding crane machines like this one.
Sophia had been looking through the whole mall for a stuffed animal that was wearing an Indianapolis-themed shirt. I really am not making that up. Imagine the mixed feelings Erick and I entertained when we spotted, at last, this machine full of bears wearing an "I" on their shirts...
Before we let her spend any of her (and our) money on this effort, I showed her the chair that she would sit in when she tried it three times without success. It would be her chair of sadness and disappointment. She understands, having tried unsuccessfully at these machines many times before, that her odds are very slim.
But she's an optimist.
She tried it once. With no success. She asked Erick to take over. Palms sweaty, the pressure building, he dropped a bear on the first try.
Last try they had. Sophia got behind me so she couldn't see. Erick and I were silent as the crane swung gently and carried the blue bear (Sophia's favorite color) ever nearer the drop point.
Then we hooted. And so did she...
That may have been a highlight of the trip, but we were also very impressed with the memorials that Indianapolis has downtown to their veterans. Sophia could not understand why we'd fight with Mexico, but she did like the memorial. And we were cold.
Somehow we were too busy with our friends to capture any pictures of them or us with them. Their kids are adorable. Their house is wonderful and spacious. We had lots of fun. But you'll have to take my word for it.
Here's proof, however, of the fun we had just the three of us.
We have some very good friends who moved to Indianapolis in 2012, and we had yet to visit them in their new home. We did not expect to enjoy Indianapolis itself quite as much as we did.
We stayed in the downtown Omni hotel, which is in a very cool area. Lots of interesting architecture and walkable restaurants. Exactly what I love. The Omni and several other hotels are all connected by a skywalk, similar to the one in Kansas City, with a great mall in the middle.
In said mall, there are the usual stores, cineplex, food court and such. There is also a huuuuge arcade. This arcade is the nemesis of parents of small children. Why? Because most of the walls are covered in prize-hoarding crane machines like this one.
Sophia had been looking through the whole mall for a stuffed animal that was wearing an Indianapolis-themed shirt. I really am not making that up. Imagine the mixed feelings Erick and I entertained when we spotted, at last, this machine full of bears wearing an "I" on their shirts...
Before we let her spend any of her (and our) money on this effort, I showed her the chair that she would sit in when she tried it three times without success. It would be her chair of sadness and disappointment. She understands, having tried unsuccessfully at these machines many times before, that her odds are very slim.
But she's an optimist.
She tried it once. With no success. She asked Erick to take over. Palms sweaty, the pressure building, he dropped a bear on the first try.
Last try they had. Sophia got behind me so she couldn't see. Erick and I were silent as the crane swung gently and carried the blue bear (Sophia's favorite color) ever nearer the drop point.
Then we hooted. And so did she...
That may have been a highlight of the trip, but we were also very impressed with the memorials that Indianapolis has downtown to their veterans. Sophia could not understand why we'd fight with Mexico, but she did like the memorial. And we were cold.
Somehow we were too busy with our friends to capture any pictures of them or us with them. Their kids are adorable. Their house is wonderful and spacious. We had lots of fun. But you'll have to take my word for it.
Here's proof, however, of the fun we had just the three of us.
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