Cabela's Trip

We were so excited when Cabela's put in a store just an hour south of us in Illinois. Theo took us there last weekend to pick up some goods for the turkey hunt this coming weekend. Cabela's stores are designed geniously, set up to entertain the outdoorsperson, and their family. There are elaborately staged scenes composed of taxidermy in natural habitats, a giant aquarium filled with fish, a candy store, a home decor department full of camoflauge patterned everything from shower curtains to baby crib bumpers-no kidding, a shooting game for the kids, toys, clothes for the whole family including fido, boats-big ones, guns, a bazillion fishing poles, etc.

First stop, candy shop for a sampling of fresh fudge: Ben got a chocolate moose lolipop, and we shared some fresh roasted pecans.

Ben takes in the scenery.

An elk.

Hunter acting wild.

You know seeing a life-sized moose this close just doesn't get old to me. I LOVE this animal and hope Theo and I are able to have one of our own over our mantle someday. Either that, or some roaming on our property in the woods.

Looking towards the front of the store from upstairs:

View of the back of the store from the front upstairs.

Upstairs animal scenes.

The boys were handed free tokens to the kids shooting gallery when we walked in the door. I was off with Ben when Hunter and dad shot, but I did get to see Ben take a shot.

After we finished at Cabela's we could not pass up a chance to eat Claim Jumper. They have CJ all over California, and when Theo and I were engaged/dating we went there A LOT to have drinks before class or just unwind. Seems like ages ago we were able to just do whatever we wanted. They just opened a few restaurants in the Chicago area in the last 2 years, and we were so thrilled to find one on our path.

This restaurant is trademarked for its foot high chocolate cake (7 layers or more?) and the huge serving sizes of western united states style food. Theo ordered and finished a "Widow Maker" burger. Wishful thinking, I guess. He was sick afterward, but kept it down. He could even fit the whole thing in his mouth effortlessly, but it didn't kill him.

I had a nice chicken salad and bowl of cheese soup. The salads at CJ are always so fresh and loaded with goodness. I LOVE them. Oh, and the restaurant did the most INCREDIBLE thing. When we sat down they brought the boys each a distraction plate with cheese, a roll of deli turkey, applesauce, and mandarin oranges! No flailing kids who don't understand why we have to wait at restaurants. Genious. The kids meal itself was massive, and contained a whole apple Hunter gobbled up as he pronounced "apple" proudly.

A great day, completely.