Five on Friday - The Real MVPs of Our Chicago Trip

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Happy Friday, y’all!  What a week!  Considering it was only four days, it sure felt long!  We packed a lot in this week after the kids got back from fall break and I’m looking forward to tomorrow because we may not even leave the house aside from getting Jacob to and from a Halloween party that he’s attending Saturday night. 

We had the BEST trip to Chicago – in my top five (maybe three?!) of my favorite trips we’ve ever taken as a family – and today I thought I’d share some of the items that we brought along that made our trip easier/better.

 

O N E – These Shoes

I packed these shoes with the intention that I’d wear them on the flight there and on the flight back, but I had no intention of wearing them around the city because I wasn’t sure that they’d be comfortable enough for all of the walking we had to do.  Well, y’all, we arrived at our hotel so early the first day that we weren’t able to check in to our room, so I didn’t bother to change my shoes.  I knew it was risky as I’d never worn these for walking long distances, but I’m happy to report that these are truly the most comfortable shoes! 

I ended up walking almost 12,000 steps in them that first day, and my feet didn’t hurt one bit.  The second day, I wore boots because it was so cold, but then the third day, I ended up wearing these again until midday, and the only reason I changed was to put on sandals so my feet would be cooler since it was so hot out.  That third day, I walked around 12,000 more steps in them, and my feet felt great afterward.

The shoes are super stylish – they’re reminiscent of the Golden Goose shoes – and they just slip on and off… you don’t have to tie them which makes them great for the airport since all adults have to remove their shoes for security.  They’re very comfortable, they don’t rub blisters on my heels, and they look good with pretty much everything.  The quality is top notch, and they come in many colors and designs.  If you’re looking for comfortable, stylish walking shoes, these are perfection.  

I do wear mine with socks… these no-show socks are comfortable, affordable, and they don't slip off of your heels.

 

T W O – Spanx Faux Leather Leggings

I’d love to know how many times I’ve mentioned these on the blog because I’m sure it’s a LOT.  My love for these Spanx faux leather leggings runs deep.  They’re comfortable, they’re well-made, you can dress them up or down, they smooth out all of the right spots on your tummy and legs, and they make you look so put together even for a flight.  I own two pairs, and they are my go-to bottoms to wear on flights.  I wore them on day one of our trip when we flew in, and I dressed them up slightly with a cute tunic, a jean jacket, and the shoes above, and I was comfy all day.  I then wore them again on day four of our trip with an oversized sweatshirt and I was super comfy on the flight home, but I still looked put together.  They are pricey, but they have been an excellent investment piece for me since I wear them so often.  I’m going on year four with my first pair, and they still look brand new!

 

T H R E E – Tiny, Portable Sound Machine

Between constant honking and sirens, big cities are notoriously loud day and night.  The city noises coupled with surrounding noises from other hotel rooms can make for a disrupted sleep routine when traveling… I know I always have trouble sleeping when we’re away from home.  Last year, when I traveled to New York City with my Momma, my Aunt Joy, and my cousin Shelby, my Aunt Joy brought along a sound machine, and it did so well blocking out surrounding noises that I slept like a baby on that trip.

Therefore, I decided to buy my own sound machine prior to this trip, and it was wonderful!  This Dreamegg white noise machine is so tiny it fits in the palm of my hand, and therefore, it took up hardly any space in my carryon.  It has 21 different sounds including various classic white noise sounds, nature sounds, and baby lullabies.  It has numerous volume levels and customized timers so you can have it automatically shut off after a specific amount of time. 

It has a built-in battery so it’s cordless, and the battery life is ultra long.  We charged it fully before we left, and we were able to run it nonstop all three nights we were in Chicago without having to charge it again (so a total of about 24 hours and it was still going strong).  It also comes with a lanyard and a loop so you can hang it in various places.

I slept like a baby all three nights that we used this thing, and it was just wonderful.  The first night, the kids were having trouble falling asleep in their room because of the street/hotel noise, so we put it in their room, waited for them to fall asleep (which happened quickly once they had the white noise from this machine) and then we moved it back into our room.

I cannot rave about this thing enough!

 

F O U R – Belt Bag

This belt bag continues to be the gift that keeps on giving.  I’ve raved about this bag here on the blog for years, and it’s still my #1 travel companion.  It’s small and light and you can wear it various ways around your body for ultimate comfort (as a cross body, on one shoulder, around your waist), yet it holds a TON.  I was able to fit all of my essentials in the bag including:

ID

Credit cards

Cash

Phone

Charging bank & cord

Pill pack

Gum

Hand sanitizer

Hand wipes

Lipstick

Chapstick

Powder compact

Sunglasses

Flossers

Tissues

A tiny Wet Brush

It’s comfortable for all day wear and it comes in a gazillion colors (seriously, SO MANY COLORS) so it’s perfect for long days of walking.  I wear it as a crossbody to keep it close to my chest so I don’t have to worry about pickpockets or theft, and it gives me peace of mind to have it in front of me and so close.  It's JUST like the Lululemon belt bag, but for a fraction of the cost.

 

F I V E – Amazon Basics Luggage

We bought the kids some nicer luggage for this trip.  Prior to this, they were both still using their tiny character suitcases that we bought for them when they were itty bitty, so they were both thrilled to have real luggage this time.  These Amazon Basics suitcases have all of the same bells and whistles as any other nice piece of luggage, but they’re much more affordable.  They both have 360-degree spinner wheels, and the kids were thrilled to be able to walk their suitcases next to them through the airport.  They are both TSA approved carryon sized, and they fit perfectly in the overhead bins.  We bought Jacob the navy blue one and Olivia the pink one and they were great purchases that both of them will use for years to come!

 

Friday Funnies

On the Blog This Week

 A Year of Gratitude – September 2024 Snapshot

Our Week – The One with All the Packing, a Golden Girls Night, and Fall Break in Chicago

Our Chicago Trip by the Numbers

What I Wore – September 2024

Happy Friday, y’all!

*Linking up with A Little Bit of Everything for Friday Favorites.