What's up, friends? Today, we're checking out the midestern state of Illinois. Nicknamed The Land of Lincoln, the Prairie State, and the Inland Empire State, Illinois became America's 21st state when it joined the Union in December 1818. My husband and I have wanted to visit Illinois, especially Chicago, for several years, so I'm excited to learn more about this state. Let's look into our fact dump this week: -Capital City: Springfield -Area: 57,914 square miles (America's 25