Combo Breaker

Markel Family Combo Breaker 2024 Getaway—-Day Six

After we got the coffee started on Sunday morning (I seriously think we made between 400 and 500 cups a day!), and put out another two cases of water, we went to church at the congregation of my childhood. It was Trinity Sunday, but I was very relieved that we didn’t say the Athanasian Creed, because my feet hurt!

On the way back to Combo Breaker, we stopped by the Umbrella Sky Project in Elmhurst. I’ve wanted to see a display like this for a long time, but it was a bit too literal, as it was pouring rain while we were there! It was still really cool, though!

We made it back to the staff lounge in time to help with lunch (and make more coffee!).

We were done in the staff lounge in time to see the end of the Tekken Top Eight, and after that, we all stuck around for the staff raffle, which was quite entertaining.

We hadn’t all been in the same place at the event until that point, so we finally got our annual family photo…next year, I’m hoping we all get flannels, because I think that would make the picture even more amazing!

It was a great weekend!

Up next…the trip home, with many stops along the way!

Markel Family Combo Breaker 2024 Getaway—-Day Five

Day five of our trip was another busy one, and another one with an early start, as Chickadee and I are were back in the staff lounge helping out (with the rest of the family scattered across the event doing their own jobs again). We didn’t have much time for actually seeing the event, but we did check in at the venue.

And we took a walk through Artist Alley, where I found a cute Yoshi bracelet to add to my stack:

Dinner was a Chicago speciality…mostaccioli!

Late in the day, we finally stepped outside for some fresh air, which was very welcome after a long day in an very enclosed space!

And before bed, we checked in on the venue one last time:

Up next…the last day of the event already?!?

Markel Family Combo Breaker 2024 Getaway—-Day Four

On the fourth day of our trip, the real excitement began, because that was the first day of Combo Breaker!

Chickadee and I spent most of the day in the staff lounge, helping set out food and water and make coffee…lots and lots of coffee. I started the first pots at about 6:15 a.m., and we kept making it all day long!

One of the advantages of being up early to make coffee…we got to take a look at the venue before everything got started:

I continue to be impressed with how well the event treats the volunteers…in addition to three meals a day and plenty of water, there were also lots of snacks to keep everyone going.

We did step away very briefly so Chickadee could take a look at the arcade room, where she tried her hand at Ms. Pac-Man…she’s certainly better at it than I am!

Up next…the second day of the event!

Chickadee Thursday

Chickadee had a great time at Combo Breaker!

We had a fun time checking out the Umbrella Sky Project in Elmhurst…in the rain. Let me tell you, the umbrellas in the project definitely did not keep us dry!

On Monday, we visited the Chicago History Museum for the first time…Chickadee really liked how interactive it was!

Markel Family Combo Breaker 2024 Getaway—-Day Three

Before we got to work at Combo Breaker on the third day of our trip, Bunny and I went to Westfield Old Orchard shopping center in Skokie to see the Downton Abbey Exhibition, where we got to see props, full sets, and costumes. It was absolutely amazing…details to follow!

When we were done, we stopped to pick up boba before heading back to the hotel.

And then we got to work. Bunny helped Ladybug, Turkey, and Moose with registration, and Chickadee and I helped with the food in the staff lounge.

The two of us did have time for a walk around the hotel and a visit to the hotel lounge we had access to for the first few days of our trip before bedtime.

Up next…the start of Combo Breaker 2024!

Markel Family Combo Breaker 2024 Getaway—-Day One

Yesterday we got home from our annual trip north for Combo Breaker…I can’t believe it went by so quickly!

We left a week ago, eager to arrive at our destination…but first we had to travel through a dust storm. I’ve never seen anything like it. Visibility was worse than any other weather event I’ve driven through, and you could hear the dust hitting the car…it sounded like ice!

We stopped at Wally’s on the other side of the storm…less dust, but still tons of wind!

We finally made it to the hotel, where we had a lovely suite:

And we even had time for a swim before bed!

Up next…a day in downtown Chicago!

Mani Monday

It’s both Pentecost Week and Combo Breaker week! I decided to go for an all-red mani with Holo Taco’s “Crimson Void,” “Sacrificial Lacquer,” “Red Licorice,” “Favourite Sister,” and back to “Crimson Void” (with a splash of “Red Flake Taco” on top).

Markel Family Combo Breaker 2023 Getaway–Day Four

We did venture out from the hotel on Sunday of Combo Breaker, including a stop at “The Jewels.”

We also returned to the church of my childhood for the first time in several years:

We didn’t have a chance to go to the original Rainbow Cone location on the South Side like we used to, but we did visit one of their newer locations in Lombard…I love how the place looks!

The rest of the day was spent back at the event.

King of Fighters was another game that drew my attention this time…the commentators and crowd made it impossible not to want to watch!

We even found time with everyone’s work schedules to take our traditional family picture:

Tekken 7 is a game I always look forward to watching:

We found time for an evening walk outside:

I didn’t stay up as late as some, but I made sure to see a bit of the final top eight, Guilty Gear-Strive-.

After that, I headed back to the room Chickadee and I were sharing (that was a whole saga) for one last night at the hotel.

Markel Family Combo Breaker 2023 Getaway–Day Three

On the Saturday of Combo Breaker, we spent most of the day at the event (Turkey and Ladybug worked almost the entire time we were there!):

The arcade machine room is always a popular destination (even I played a few games):

We watched the Them’s Fightin’ Herds top eight, which was a ton of fun!

I really love finding interesting games to watch…even though I don’t know anything about fighting games, I find the energy of the crowd to be quite contagious!

Markel Family Combo Breaker 2023 Getaway–Day One

It’s already been two weeks since Bunny, Moose, Chickadee and I drove up to Schaumburg to join Ryan, Turkey, and Ladybug for Combo Breaker 2023!

It’s become a tradition to stop at Wally’s on the way up…it’s no Buc-ee’s, but it’s still quite a spectacle!

We made pretty good time (Moose took the initiative to rearrange his few remaining finals so we could leave earlier in the day), and were happy to see the Renaissance for the second year in a row:

Chickadee and I took a swim that night, and Moose helped out with some of the registration stuff, but mostly we just had a nice, chill evening following our drive.