Garden Tour

Chris' parents were in town visiting this weekend so we took them to the Chicago Botanic Garden.  We haven't been there in probably close to seven years (the first summer we lived here?), and that is so unfortunate because it is a beautiful area and not nearly as long a drive for us as it is to the Morton Arboretum.  It was a beautiful day!

 

 

 

Favorite time of year: Fall

I love the fall.  I love the cool, crisp air.  The leaves crunching beneath your feet.  The smells of pumpkin and spice.  Putting soup back on the menu.  Boots and sweaters and jeans.  So as soon as September hit I decorated for fall.  And then I decorated a bit more this weekend, and lit a fire. 

Funny story about this dresser, Chris claims I "stole" it from our neighbors (who moved to Arizona).  However, it was placed on the curb the night before trash day so I hold my position that it was fair to take (because if I didn't someone else would have).  I have wanted something for this wall to hold extra china and serving pieces, and this was in great shape. 

James also started soccer this weekend.  He wasn't as enthusiastic about being there this week as I would have hoped, but he acted the same way with t-ball the first week and did fine in the end.  I'm hoping next week goes much smoother!

I'm taking the baby bump to Brussels this week.  I'm hoping for an empty seat next to me and sleep on the plane (with the assistance of some Tylenol PM).  In place of beer I'll be consuming chocolate, hopefully the baby is on board with that.   

A trip to the zoo

On Saturday Chris picked our fun activity, a trip to the Milwaukee Zoo.

We saw the seal show

James chased the peacocks

He wanted me to take a picture of the polar bear to show Honey (that's for you, mom)

He actually wanted me to take his picture!

We got super close to an elephant

And I got the best picture of the day on the train ride, right after he told me not to take his picture.

If he doesn't want me to take his picture, he shouldn't look so cute. 

Labor Day Weekend

Chris took the "Labor" part a little too seriously. 

3.5 full days of work took us from this:

To this:

Next spring we'll hopefully have a full yard of grass and we'll focus on the backyard landscaping (and hopefully get that deck painted). 

My labor was spent indoors cleaning the house.  I'm calling the cleaners first thing Tuesday morning, because I am so over cleaning house and will happily pay someone else to do it.  After a complete breakdown this afternoon Chris has agreed that we'll be doing something fun next weekend.  Good thing because the only pictures I have from the last month+ are of the deer in our backyard! 

Hope your Labor Day was a little less labor and a lot more fun : )

Weekend Recap / Sick Day

Chris' parents visited this weekend.

James sounded like he was coming down with something on Thursday night.  By the time I got home on Friday he was 100% sick with a fever and runny nose.  We canceled our plans for Saturday.

Instead we went out to breakfast, and on our way back to the car James fell head-first up a flight of concrete stairs, unable to brace himself because his hands were in his pockets.  Add a busted lip, bloody nose and scraped nose and forehead to the list of weekend ailments. 

It is still really cold here in Chicago.  

Sick kid + Cold weather = We watched a lot of basketball this weekend.  The Jayhawks lost.  I'm boycotting basketball for the rest of the year. 


It is now Monday night and James still has a fever (sick day number two tomorrow).  Chris is out of town.  Parenthood rocks. 

poor sick boy

Weekend Recap

We're in the process of getting quotes to update James' (and guest) bathroom.  The only difference between then and now is that the towel rod has been replaced by some 3M stick-on hooks and the door knob has been swapped out.  It is seriously GROSS and I'm looking forward to having it done next month (we've had enough of renovations, so this one is getting outsourced).

 We went to see Rango.  I think it was a little mature for James, and not all that entertaining for adults (coming from the one who cried at the end of Toy Story 3).  Plus there were a couple of curse words thrown in at the end, which did not make me very happy. 

We watched KU run all over Texas.  I love March Madness. 

We watched Animal Kingdom.  It was weird and fairly disturbing.  I don't remember what prompted me to put it in the Netflix cue, but it was not a good pick.    

Our Christmas lights finally came down.  They haven't been on for two months, it has just been too dang cold and snowy to get them down.  Warmer (which is totally relative when it has been at or below freezing for months on end) weather also meant that James took his bike out for a ride.  Until he became frozen.  He told me he only fell down two times.  Apparently he doesn't have the steering thing down yet.  We also took Sydney out for a walk for the first time this year.  James couldn't figure out where we were going and hasn't quite grasped the concept of "around the block". 

Daylight savings time meant me totally not being aware that my alarm had gone off this morning and Chris waking me up at 6:15. 

Happy Monday!