Spring...

is here! Sporadic raining aside, this weekend was perfect. Relaxing, yet jammed packed with painting nursery furniture, lots of yard work (how is that possible with such a small lawn?), chatting with neighbors, playing with friends, watching movies, doing the Hot Dog dance.....

And to cap things off --a delicious slice of homemade banana cream pie. Ooooo, yeah. Thanks Ang!!!!

Baby Training

Meet Baby (or Dolly, depending on the mood M is in). M rarely leaves the house without Baby by her side. We've lost her twice. She's even had "surgery" to fix a busted leg at Geppetto's toy store. So....we are on baby #3 but well worth it given the happiness that she gives M.

Here's Mommy's little helper in training.... Yes, the baby is swaddled in restaurant napkin.

Daddy's Little Girl

Today was a M and daddy day. It was rainy and cold so the two of them camped out in the basement and played with legos all day long. Check out their castle creation!!

Then, M went to her first water polo meet at a local area high school. She came home amped up with excitement telling me all about the swimmers. Especially, #22 who apparently was amazing and already has a full ride to UCLA.

M being silly......

Mommy had the night off.....nice:-))

Ohhhh Sooooo Good

First ice cream cone of the season from the Hole in the Wall. Many more to come :-))

Chris and I consider ourselves foodies to a certain degree in that we enjoy food (don't follow the eat to live way of life), thrive on new culinary experiences, love to cook and create, etc. And, we hope to pass that love of food on to M. But we are definitely laid back foodies; we don't get into the whole pretentious scene that often (not always) comes with fine dining. Some of our most memorable culinary experiences have been holes in the wall, restaurants in the back of grocery stores, sidewalk cafes, Italian bars, bistros.


We added to our list of restaurants tried last night...Naha on Clark Street. I would consider this a formal restaurant although others have described it as informal. I can't give it an A+ but not to the fault of the restaurant. The atmosphere was modern and contemporary, wait staff friendly and knowledgeable and the food was great. It was just a little too "fancy" for Chris and I. Just not our cup of tea. That said, I'm very pleased that we tried the place.







Normally I take shots of the food but this time I found interest in a couple random items---a really cool knife and the after dinner "mints"---Naha's version of peeps and chocolate disk with fruit and nuts (can't remember the name).

Choo Choo

We had another doctors visit downtown this afternoon. It was such a beautiful day (60s/70s) we decided to take the train into town. M has been asking for a train ride all winter. We are wimps so with the winter so we promised her once it got warm.....Fun day.

Easter Weekend

This year, we spent our Easter weekend in Wisconsin with our good friends (the Pfours) and their two boys. We had an absolute blast. On Friday night we enjoyed a fish fry at one of the local joints. I’ve had the pleasure of eating at a lot of fish fries over my years and this fish fry was the BEST (seriously). I wanted to lick my plate. On Saturday, Chris and Brian went for a long bike ride (shocking, I know!) while Ang and I took it easy at the house and played with the kids at a nearby playground. Later that day Ang’s mom took the kids to an Easter Egg hunt and then brought the kids back for more egg hunting at the house----these were the practice rounds for THE hunt on Easter Sunday. Then the guys made pizza for dinner…yummy. On Sunday, we joined Ang’s family at her sister’s house for Easter dinner where the kids had even more egg hunts and the bigger kids took to the hoops and enjoyed a little ping pong action. Oh, and speaking of hoops. I have to comment on Ang’s mom. She is so much fun to hang out with and talk to….just great. To say she is full of energy doesn’t do this lady justice. She is hands on with the kids. The lady never sits. And on Sunday, she was woopin’ up on the younger folk in a game of basketball. That’s what I want to be like when I grow up :-))

Thanks pfours for inviting us to join your family fun and for the memories!

Art Project

A couple of weeks ago, M woke up wanting to draw an art project for her dance instructor. Earlier that week she was learning about flowers at school and was beginning to see spring flowers blooming outside. This is what she drew......



I realize that I am a little bias however I think this picture is amazing for a 3 year old. I totally wanted to keep this one for memory sake but I had to let her take it to the instructor. At least I got a photo!

Pizza with friends

"BLT" pizza, White pizza with ricotta cheese and mushroom with Freddy's sorbetti and banana nut muffins.

Egg Hunt

Each year the Oak Park park district hosts an Easter egg hunt for the kids. This is our first year. It's held in a huge room (the ice rink) and we are lined up on either side waiting for the count down. 5--4--3--2--1 GO and the kids took off. M had her eye on a monkey which she made a line to after the count down. There was also a bunny which M was NOT too sure about. She refused to give him five....can't blame her. She had a great time and I was very proud of her by not 'pigging out" with the goodies. After about half a basket full she announced that she has enough candy and started to play! Fun.

Look at me, look at me......