Hat’s off ….

After 21 hours in the Jeep, we finally made it to Minnesota!  (Yah!)

Kay’s graduation was yesterday and they graduated more than 400 students in about an hour (amazing right – to those of you who were in the EHS graduating class of 1991 – some 900 students and a several hour ceremony!)

Here’s some pictures of the graduate …

 

 

Kay and Kory … goofs!

 

PROUD DADDY!

It’s OFFICIAL!  

Kay and Kory

Let's hear it for the Dodgers!

Well, Zach has officially completed his first "season" of baseball. The first few games were kind of iffy, if you recall, but he has really gotten into it towards the end. Well, by into it, I mean he's having fun - he still plays with the sand, follows the butterflies, looks at airplanes .... very easily distracted.

He got his big trophy today, and he ate cupcakes with his teammates, where he proceeded to put his whole face in green icing ... to make all the kids laugh. It was so funny seeing him be so social. Him and his friends were making up words in the dugout today - and they were cracking themselves up.

Anyway, just thought I'd let you all know my little guy is growing up. :(

On another note, we're getting ready for a 21 hour drive to Minneapolis tomorrow. (Yes, 21 hours and yes, we are crazy.) Kayla is graduating high school, and it's so expensive to fly 5 people. So please pray that we don't go insane after being in the car for 42 hours. We do get to make a couple of stops along the way - back home for a day on the way to Minneapolis and then to visit my mom, sister and brother in Wisconsin on the way back. So that helps to break up the trip. I've got plenty of batteries for the Vsmile, travel sized doodle-pros, TV's, notebooks & crayons, "magic" markers, sticker books. Hopefully ..... that is all we need. I was talking to Zach today about the "bacation" (vacation) and about how long we were going to be in the car and he said holy crud. I said don't say that. He said is holy crap better? I said no don't say that, try holy cow. The things kids say!

Well good night everyone and I'll post upon our return!

Love,
xoxoxo

Take me out to the ball game … take me out to the crowd …

Well Zach has officially embraced T-ball.   No crying, fussing and he actually has FUN.  Of course, there is plenty of time where he’s picking grass, chasing butterflies, kicking up the sand … but he’s doing so much better – he might even do it again in the fall.  He’s got one more game left next week, then he’s finished the season. 

Here’s some pictures I thought you’d enjoy. (Click slideshow when you open the window – I just downloaded all from my camera tonight).

 

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Fun in the sun …

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Chilling off … Pablo style!

Pre-school graduation

First let me tell you - I'm going to spare you the pictures and the embarrassing video that I know my neighbor took.

But Zachy 'graduated' pre-school this week. He's officially going to be a Kindergarten student in a few short months! I swear to you all it seems like he was just smaller than Sam's hand .... and now he's a big boy in baseball and going to KINDERGARTEN.

I say that I'm going to spare you the pics because all of them have Zach covering his eyes. He has the WORST stage fright. I mean, his teachers say that he sings in class, plays, etc. - but get him in front of 200 parents and WHOA ... it's too overwhelming for him. He also doesn't like when you cheer for him at T-ball....when I'm there I have to hold back not to cheer him on but he just doesn't like the "attention" or the spotlight on him. He's pretty strange (: that way.

Anyway, just thought I'd tell you Zach officially graduated pre-school and his teacher says he's definitely ready for Kindergarten (sniff sniff). Can anyone tell me where the time went?

Hope everyone is well ...... we are good, just enjoying the 3 day weekend. The kids are already in bed asleep (it's 8:00) ... amazing what a day at the pool will do to a kid. They were seriously falling asleep in their pasta tonight (funny!)

Love,
xoxoxo

My flowers are dead ...

But life goes on ....

Look what "killed" my flowers in the hanging basket in the front of our house. They just hatched yesterday, they're the babies of a teeny, tiny purple finch. So just FYI, it wasn't me who killed the plant. I've got to name these two little birds...they're so tiny.







Love,
xoxoxo

And …. Wrigley!

Hollie and I went down to Wrigley on Sunday (after being up until almost 4:00 in the morning talking!!!) and had a blast going from bar-to-bar having drinks and watching the Cubs (lose) and the Hawks (lose)! Not a great sports day in Chicago.

Here’s a couple pictures from yesterday, and one or two from today with the girls in their CUBS t-shirts I brought them home. I have to say I felt like a TOURIST with my camera, taking pictures of things I’ve seen a million times…but have missed incredibly!

Sears tower from the car

These are the names of our invincible (THEY WONT DIE) Beta fish (Addison & Clark.)

At the Cubby Bear

Rut row, cubs are losing….

Round 2 …

Dinner at Francesca’s and then martini’s at Loris!

 

I’m “home” …

I’m “home” in Chicago visiting my girlfriends and yesterday we went to Emmett’s Pub in W. Dundee … and it was so great to see my friends.  Thank you Sam for making the trip possible, I appreciate it more than you can know!!     Here’s some of the pictures I took: 

 

And for those wondering.  WHAT IS PORTILLOS.  Here’s a picture of lunchtime near a Portillos.  They actually have police direct traffic EVERY DAY of the week to get in/out. 

 

My Mother's Day...

Let's see, it started off with me sleeping in. Like really sleeping in...Sam even came in to retrieve a little one from the room when he came in to wake me up. They were too excited to give me their "Mother's Day" card!!

A little while later, they all came in and jumped on the bed to give me their card. It was so cute - a picture of them on the front and when you open it, it was their voice saying "Happy Mother's Day ... we love you Mom!!!" So I came downstairs to wonderful pecan Belgian waffles (my FAVORITE) ... with blueberries, strawberries and hot syrup. I lounged around a little while we pondered what to do today - a breezy 75 degree sunny and perfect day - and we came up with the zoo.

The kids haven't been to the zoo since last year and now they really seem to "understand" going to the zoo means seeing cool animals and riding the train, etc. They had a BLAST! Each new animal brought ooohs and ahhhs ... and the Norfolk, VA zoo is the perfect size for small kids - we did not bring the wagon, they walked the whole park (could be why they were asleep tonight by 7:15 and I mean SLEEPING at 7:15).

Anyway, it was a great day!

On another note, Kayla and Ben continue to excel in their sports. Ben is playing for the CUBS in his baseball league (he's the pitcher) and Kayla just got first place overall at her latest competition for her solo, Seduces Me. Here's some pictures of her dance yesterday - her mom sent these to us..... and they're incredible.

Love,
xoxoxo