Christmas Fun Times

This year we decided to stick around here for Christmas. It was quite wonderful. Just mostly relaxed in our own home. The kiddos LOVED opening presents. Suprisingly, lily seemed especailly excited each time she got to open something. And without suprise, Isaac and lily were both always interested in playing with the same toy at the same time. Still trying to figure out how to manage that one. Overall we had a wonderful time!

Isaac got a bat and ball and Tee for christmas and has spent MANY hours in the basement with his daddy swinging away!!

We also got a Wii for Christmas. It hasn't done a lot for my parenting skills, but it sure has been fun. Between me, Lauren, and RJ (mostly Lauren) we almost beat Supre Mario Bros. Lily likes to watch.

We all went down town a couple days after Christmas. Isaac had fun riding on uncle RJ's shoulders.

Lily is pretty miserable stuck in that stroller with so many layers on that she could barely move.

Lily and her Anya.

Bear thuroughly enjoyed his christmas gift this year!!

Santa & Mrs. Clause

Last monday, our last YL of the year, we brough Isaac and Lily dressed as Santa and Mrs. Clause. It was so precious. Here is one picture of them dressed up.

First Sledding Outing

Yesterday, after much anticipation (both mine and the kids) we went sledding!! It actually ended up being a bit anticlimatic. Right before we left Isaac tripped over his boots and got a fat lip and wasn't in the mood for sledding anymore. Lily was kind of "take it or leave it". I had a great time. There is a hill we can walk to from our new house which was quite fun. We pulled the kiddos over there on the sled. Hopefully...more vide to follow.

Isaacisms part II

(lily is wearing a make-shift bib/plastic shipping bag)


So, while we were on the way home from Ohio after Thanksgiving, I compiled another list of things that Isaac had recently said (most of them were in the car on the trip) that I thought were either really funny or just really sweet. Several times a day he says just the funniest things. This morning there was snow on the ground and he goes to touch it and says, "it's freezing inside the snow" and right after that he looks around and says "mommy, where did the grass go?".

Here's my list:

1. One morning while we are sitting eating breakfast Isaac looks at lily and says, "Whatcha thinkin bout Eee Eee Belle." (Eee Eee Belle - is Isaac's attempt at Lily Belle).

2. While we were driving in the car I told Isaac that I really needed to go to the bathroom and he looks around and says, "but mommy....there's no bathroom in the car."

3. At my mom's house she has this little elf/gnome christmas man set up for decoration. One night when Isaac was eating some fruit snacks I suggested that he share some with this little man. Isaac said, "he doesn't yike dem mommy, he only yikes dinner." I asked how he knew and he said, "because his mouth is too small." Then he looks over at me and says, "Mommy, why is dat guy wearing his jammys?"

4. In the car I start hearing him praying for everyone he can think of, and after he list's about 10 people he just says..."that's enough...amen."

5. I usually have a box of Altoids in the car. Surprisingly Isaac loves them. The other day from his carseat he yells to me, "Mommy can I have an alphatoid?" and I say no, and then he says, "Mommy....I NEED an outfittoid."

Isaacisms

Favorite Isaac Moments of Late (I recognize that these things are only really entertaining and amusing to me, Dan, and maybe our parents):

1. In the mall the other day him and Lily were at the top of a “scary slide” and Isaac looks over at lily before she was about to go down for her first time and says, “It’s scary Babe, It’s scary.”

2. He woke up from his nap yesterday and Lily and I were on a walk so he looks over at Dan and says, “Where’s Meghan?” When I get home, the first thing he says is, “Can I have a cookie Meghan?”

3. Last time my mom was in town she brought Isaac a Mr. Potato Head. He continually refers to him as “tato man”. This morning, first thing, he is eating breakfast and points over to the shelf and says in a very relieved tone, “OH, there’s my tato man.”

4. Just about every day when I try to put his clothes on he screams, “GAME BALL SHIRT….GAME BALL SHIRT”, then if I pull one out that isn’t the official Bears Matt Forte jersey he yells, “NOOOOOOO…Matt Torte one!”

5. The other day I put on Isaac’s Chicago Blackhawks jersey on him for the first time. Right on the front there is a picture of an Indian chief. He looks down at his shirt and points to the chief and says, “how bout this guy??”


I’m sure there are so many more, but that is all that I can think of off the top of my head at the moment. I need to get better about recording these as they happen.

apple picking

We have had a VERY COLD and DREARY October here in Chicago. We did manage to get out to the apple orchard. It was FREEZING!!! We went the same time last year and I was VERY pregnant with lily and it was probably 30-40 degrees warmer.

HAPPY HALOWEEEEEEN!!!!!!!!!

Old Summer Favs

Below are some pictures from this summer that I just never got around to posting and I thought were so cute!!

Saying Goodbye

I recently had to say good bye to my first house. The house was filled with memories and warmth. There are so many times when I would just stop and look around and just soak in the beauty of our old little house. I already miss 417 S. Summit St. On our last morning there, just a few hours before the house officially no longer belonged to us, I snapped a few pictures of some of my favorite places around the house.

Isaac watching football

BEACH TODAY

About a month ago, my friend nicole and I decided to throw caution to the wind (not worry about things like naps, screaming babies, etc.) and head into the city with our kids and spend a day at the beach. It ended up being wonderful!! Well, today was the beach part II. Above are a few pics from our adventure. It was kind of cold, hence then jeans. :) Isaac's favorite part of the beach was chasing what he called ducks...most people refer to them as sea gulls, but whatever.

Total Blog Loser

So, I'm a total blog loser. This is the longest I have gone without a post since Isaac was BORN!! Even sitting here typing right now, I feel totally defeated in some strange way. I honestly don't know where the whole last month has gone. Let's see what I can remember...

1. we put our house for sale,
2. we kept our house REALLY REALLY clean for a week,
3. I drove to cincinnati and dropped off isaac, picked up my sister.
4. Lauren, Lily, and I headed to Young Life camp, Windy Gap.
5. Three days later Windy Gap kind of kicked us out of our room (due to the swine flu) and we were one our way back to Cincinnati. (lots and lots of crying in the car...mostly by Lily)
6. Found out that our house sold and we had to move out by Sept. 10th.
7. Got REALLY sad about selling our house.
8. Came home.
9. Spent two weeks FRANTICALLY searching for a new house.
10. Put offers on 6 different houses, and either didn't come to terms, got outbid, came to terms and then failed inspection, and then FINALLY (as of today) got everything settled to buy a new house that we actually feel very very excited about. Closing day - Sept. 30th
11. Took Isaac and Lily to the beach downtown with my friend Nicole and her two little ones.
12. Enjoyed the sand, water, beautiful city and thought about living at the beach for the rest of the summer.
13. Did not enjoy finding my way out of the city - lots of construction, detours, etc., and it took 2 hours to get home in what should have taken 40 minutes.
14. Have thought a lot about packing and boxes and storage units and PODS and how much stuff we can cram in Dan's mom's garage, but haven't done one tangible thing about moving.
15. Found a friend from middle school on facebook, found out she lives in Chicago, got together, and found out she is moving to Boston in two weeks. hahahahaha
16. Have been on a mission to not by ANYTHING from the grocery store and just try to eat everything in our house before we move.
17. If you like canned or frozen food you are invited over my house for dinner or lunch anytime in the next 2.5 weeks....not kidding.
18. In the last 2 days I have eaten 3 lean pockets. They are yummy.
19. A few days ago Dan and I went into the city for our anniversary and spent the night at the W Hotel (sans kiddos). It was wonderful. No Pics.
20. Have not taken any pictures of anything.

OK - so, my life is pretty boring and busy and silly. Ok...maybe not boring. But definitely busy and silly!

Isaac's First Music Videos!

Recently I caught Isaac singing, and now he is singing ALL THE TIME!! I just love it! Here are some samplings...

OVER A MONTH

Well...It has officially been OVER A MONTH since I last blogged!! I guess things have been a little crazy. Two trips, lots of YL stuff, two busy little ones, and putting our house on the market will really do it to you!! We have been having a super fun summer. Lots of walks to the park = sanity and time for mommy to breathe without someone needing something. A few visits to the local pool, which Isaac calls the "cool". And many hours spent playing in the back yard. It is WONDERFUL to be able to be outside so much. As crazy is this time is, there isn't a day that goes by without a feeling of deep gratitude for these two little people. They do a great job of driving me CRAZY...but they also do a great job of making me laugh. Here's a recap of some things we have done over the past month.

Cincinnati Visit: At the end of June I spent a week in Cincinnati with the kids. Dan joined us for half the time. It was a wonderful visit. We did lots of fun things: picnics at the playground with Anya (what Isaac calls my mom), lots of walks, visits with friends, story time, baby pool, runs with my sister, and more. We finished up the week with my dad's wedding. Quite an event.

Hair Cut: This whole hair cut business is starting to get really tricky. I had to give Isaac about 10 packs of fruit snacks for him to sit still, his hair is REDICULOUSLY thick I feel like I am hacking away at a wild bush, and really I have no idea what I am doing. All that considered, it went pretty well. I miss the long curls, but I know they'll be back before I know it. :)

4th of July: This year we had a GREAT 4th of July. We went to the Wheaton parade with some friends and Isaac LOVED it!! Then we had 2 other couples and thier kids over that evening for a BBQ. It was pretty insane. 6 kids 3 years old and younger. Let's just say it was an adventure.

Michigan Beach Vacation: We have some friends that own a house up in Michigan on the BEACH!! They let us use it for a week. It was wonderful. We relaxed and didn't leave the house at all. Just spent most our time on the beach with the kiddos. It was a GIFT!!!

HOUSE FOR SALE: Here's the link to our house. Pass it on to anyone that might be interested.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/417-S-Summit-Street_Wheaton_IL_60187_1111077880