Chicago When It Sizzles!

Road Trip Blog!

2009-09-21T17:39:00.002-05:00

Hi everybody! My new blog is up and running. Stop by and check out what we have been doing this summer. We have been busy!

http://redefinecloudnine.blogspot.com/

Road Trip Highlights
Originally uploaded by redefinecloud9

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T19:22:00.003-06:00

The title of this blog is "Chicago When It Sizzles". We certainly made sure our year lived up to the name. It has been an interesting time for us. We had so much fun exploring Chicago and living it up in the city. I didn't love our apartment... but the neighborhood, friends we met and the experiences we had were amazing. The kids were pretty healthy and in high spirits. (And what kid wouldn't be with all the adventures we had together?)

My stress level was pretty high this year. Between the Sandy house disaster and then the house closing issues here, I almost checked myself into an asylum. When I get stressed out, Max and Maddie always tease me and start chanting, "Recalculating, recalculating, imploding, imploding..." in a robot voice. I am hoping to kick myself back into working order in '09.

So here we are. The end of the year. The end of 2008 also brings an end to this blog. (It's sort of bugging me to type a blog named Chicago When It Sizzles, when we no longer live in Chicago. Someone suggested that I change the title to The Chicago Suburbs When They Sizzle...but I decided that it was time to move on.) I am setting up shop elsewhere. In mac world to be exact. Please visit my 2008 album there to get caught up on what we have been doing for the first half of the school year. (Each album will have text and descriptions like my blog posts here have. It was just faster to get caught up in album mode.) Here is the link: http://web.me.com/aprilandtodd/Site/My_Albums_2008/My_Albums_2008.html

Click on the earliest dated album and then continue on through.

You can reach our new website and blog from the top of that screen, or by using this link: http://web.me.com/aprilandtodd/Site/Welcome.html

If any of you have me on a blog list, make sure to change it over to this link:
http://web.me.com/aprilandtodd/Site/Blog/Blog.html

So please join us on our new family web site!

Happy New Year!

Our Home

2008-08-30T22:47:00.000-05:00

Everyone has been curious about the house we are trying buy. Here it is! Yes, the closing date has fallen through again, and again, and again. When you try to buy a foreclosure, it takes a long time and is never certain until the papers are signed.

Les Madeleines

2008-08-20T16:20:00.000-05:00

8/20/08

While visiting Utah, we went to Les Madeleines for lunch. I had heard a lot of good things about the pastry chef here. I had also been wanting to take Madeline here because she shares the name.

I ordered the Genoa sandwich and the Limeade. Mmmmm. The french pastry selection was nice too. It's my new favorite place, even though I don't live nearby.

We stopped at Rockpick Legend Rock Shop so that my tired Maddie could check out the place. She found a few cool rocks to take home.

Dave's Down to Earth Rock Shop

2008-08-20T14:57:00.000-05:00

8/20/08

Maddie is my scientific smarty and lover of all things nature. She really loves rock shops. In Evanston we found Dave's Down to Earth Rock Shop. It is a great little place with a nice selection of rocks, fossils, minerals and all manner of cool things. There is also a small rock museum downstairs. There is a Math Start book about this shop. While we were there, Dave signed the book for Madeline.

McDowell Forest Preserve

2008-08-15T15:16:00.000-05:00

8/15/08

We have driven past the entrance to the McDowell Forest Preserve every day since we moved into the vacation home in Naperville. Today, on a whim, we decided to pull in and check it out. The kids were excited to take a nature hike with me.

Max was singing this song to the ducks:

Five little ducks went out to play,

Over the hills and far away.

Mama Duck said, "Quack! Quack! Quack!

Four little duckies came running back.

It was a nice, peaceful summer day.

School Clothes for the Kids

2008-08-09T15:47:00.006-05:00

School Clothes
Originally uploaded by redefinecloud9

A new school year quickly approaches, and I am having fun picking school clothes for Maddie and Max. No uniform this year! Yay!

Fire Zone

2008-08-08T14:16:00.000-05:00

8/8/08

What a cool date!

We visited the Fire Zone in Glenview today. I especially wanted to bring Max here because he looooves firefighters. He had a blast dressing up and learning how to be a fireman.

Maddie had a great time too. She was really brave and volunteered to help save Timmy, the pretend boy in the smoky room.

The Zoo and a Nap

2008-08-07T08:11:00.000-05:00

8/7/08

Today we went to Brookfield Zoo. Here are the kids chatting with a zoo helper.

Isn't he sweet... when he's asleep?

Venetian Carousel at Fox Valley Mall

2008-08-04T20:42:00.000-05:00

8/4/08

We have ridden a lot of different carousels this summer. Today we went to the Fox Valley Mall in Aurora to ride the beautiful Venetian carousel. It's double decker! With Mermaid Horses! And spinning cars! Need I say more?

Kaleidoscope Family Day at the Art Institute

2008-08-02T19:59:00.000-05:00

8/2/08

We took a trip into the city today. It was the kids and my first ride on the Metra. Maddie and Max were impressed with the double decker train. When we got into town, we took a water taxi down the river. That was pretty fun. We ended up at the Art Institute of Chicago for the Kaleidoscope Family Fun Day. We met the Claus Family there for a day of artsy crafty fun.

Some people were snapping pictures of Max wearing the coattails because he was hamming it up conducting and bowing to everyone. It was pretty funny.

Naperville Riverwalk

2008-08-01T16:32:00.000-05:00

8/1/08

We had an amazing day on the Riverwalk today. We started out at the Carrillon tower. We took the stairs all the way to the top and were able to see the bells up close. The observation area offers a great view of the area.

Next we walked over to Centennial Beach where they offer a sand beach, swimming and fun water play features.

We ended the day at the Paddle Boats. The kids enjoyed the boat and the scenery while I paddled them all around the lake.

Museum of Contemporary Art

2008-07-31T15:58:00.000-05:00

7/31/08

Today we met Maddie's BFF Brendan and family for a trip to the Museum of Contemporary Art.

1. Maddie and Max on the front steps of the MCA. 2. Maddie and Brendan looking around. 3. Brendan, Max, Maddie pouting and Aiden with a Jeff Koons blue heart hanging in the background. 4. Maddie and Max with an Alexander Calder mobile.

So, taking the kids to a contemporary art museum was probably not the best idea ever. The collection was too provocative for our little group. We ended up wandering down Michigan Avenue to play at the Lego store afterwards. All in all, it was a fun adventure down town.

Exploring Elmhurst

2008-07-30T14:50:00.000-05:00

On 7/30/08, we spent the day exploring Elmhurst. Our first stop was the historic York Theatre where they have a Wednesday Morning Movies Series for kids. We saw the Pirate's Who Don't Do Anything.

Elmhurst has a very quaint downtown area with a lot of cute shops.

Our next stop was the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art. The Lizzadro Museum displays gemstone treasures created by ancient craftsmen as well as by contemporary artists. The building itself was designed to resemble a jewel box in a park setting.

I thought my mom would like to see these bowls.

The museum features many dioramas, each one a small scene populated by gemstone creatures native to that environment. This polar bear diorama was Max's favorite.

Maddie was in heaven here. She loved the famous Castle Lizzadro.

Of course no visit to a museum is complete without a stop at the gift shop!

Since the museum is located in Wilder Park, the kids were able to play and swing outside for a while after we finished inside.

We ended the day at Jim's Hamburger Heaven. This local favorite is only open for a few months out of the year. They are famous for their made-in-the-barrel root beer, and their signature burgers which are strangely similar to the McDonalds Big Mac. We like their angelic hamburger mascot.

Pirate's Cove

2008-07-29T14:31:00.000-05:00

Pirate's Cove

7/29/2008

We went to Pirate's Cove today. The kids had fun playing on all the rides. The Pirate's Plunge slide was a favorite. The Paddle Boats were a fun way to cool off. The show was really lame, but the kids didn't mind.

Jumps and Jiggles

2008-07-29T13:46:00.000-05:00

7/29/2008

Jumps and Jiggles is a little play place in the Elk Grove Park District. It is best for younger children, but Maddie still had fun there. The best thing about this place is the unlimited rides on the historic carousel. The carousel is 28-feet high and features 18 hand painted, jumping horses and an Oita Chariot. The kids loved the design of the horses, and it was a fun way to kill time before Pirate's Cove (located right next door) opened.

Picnic on the Riverwalk

2008-07-23T12:43:00.000-05:00

7/23/2008

The kids and I had a great day on the Naperville Riverwalk. The local library hosts "Picnic on the Riverwalk" which involves some singing, dancing, a puppet show and some stories. We brought a blanket and a little picnic and had a lot of fun on this very hot day.

Max was sooo hot that he just couldn't keep his shirt on.

He kept asking me if he looked cool and I kept saying,

"No! Put your shirt on!"

He finally agreed to keep his shirt on when I bought them candy fans at Naper Nuts and Sweets. The fans were worn out by the end of the day, but they were well worth it!

Magic Show and Morton Arboretum

2008-07-22T12:02:00.000-05:00

On 7/22 we went to a Magic Show at the Lisle Park District. Afterwards, the kids had fun playing in the Children's Garden at the Morton Arboretum.

Wheaton Ward Picnic

2008-07-19T11:55:00.000-05:00

We met the ward at the Forest Preserve for a church picnic on 7/19/2008. It was a pretty, drizzly day. We met some nice families and the kids had fun playing with new friends.

Kohl Children's Museum with Rylie

2008-07-16T10:11:00.000-05:00

7/16/2008

Today we met Maddie's friend Rylie at the Kohl Children's Museum. They had a lot of fun playing around.

Making Wind Kites

2008-07-15T09:49:00.000-05:00

7/15/2008

The kids had fun making wind kites at the Dupage Children's Museum.

Phillips Park Zoo (Friday Part 3)

2008-07-14T17:43:00.018-05:00

7/11/08

To cap off our day, we went over to Phillips Park Zoo. It is only about a mile from SciTech and the Aurora Fire Museum. They have great animals, by Max's standards. (They have a Puma and a Bald Eagle. Max's favorite animal is a Puma and his new nickname is Eagle Eye.) My favorite was the Otter. Maddie liked the Reptile House with the alligators, crocodiles, big snakes and turtles.

The park here is really nice. The kids call it the Spiderman park because of all the rope webs.

This ends our triple event day. If you are wondering if we are exhausted, the answer is yes. Completely.

Aurora Regional Fire Museum (Friday Part 2)

2008-07-14T16:20:00.009-05:00

7/11/08

Max is obsessed with fire fighting. When I heard about Aurora Regional Fire Museum, I knew he would get a kick out of it. It is really close to Scitech, so we just walked over from there.

We wished sure wished Grandpa were here with us. This museum is in an old firehouse. You can even see where the horse were stalled back when they pulled the steam fire engine. It is all arranged by time period, so there are many different types of fire trucks to see.

Scitech Hands On Museum (Friday Part 1)

2008-07-14T15:53:00.015-05:00

7/11/08

Today we went out to Aurora to the SciTech Hands On Museum. Maddie is my little scientist, so she was thrilled with all the different activities.

The Outdoor Science Park was fun. Here you can see Maddie riding a bike on a tight rope, Max on the Magic Swing, and both kids on the Fulcrum Bench.

Sadly, the kids were eaten by a dinosaur.

Dave's Traveling World of Reptiles at Totally Tuesday

2008-07-14T15:37:00.005-05:00

7/10/08

I love Lisle Park District. We went to their Totally Tuesday event today, which was Dave's Traveling world of Reptiles. This guy pulled out a 14 foot albino Burmese Python! It was rad! The kids loved the show. Dave was funny and interacted with the audience nicely. It was a really fun afternoon.

Swim Lessons

2008-07-14T15:21:00.002-05:00

7/8 and 7/10

First week of swim lessons at the YMCA. The kids are doing great. They are in the same pool but separate classes, so I get to watch them both splash around.

Blackberry Farm

2008-07-14T08:42:00.000-05:00

On July 14th, I took the kids to Blackberry Farm in Aurora. This farm site from the 1800's has a One Room Schoolhouse, Pioneer Cabin, Farm Museum, Discovery Barn, the Wagner House, Blacksmith Shop, Weaver’s Cabin and an Early Streets Museum. It is a nice place to explore. They have a lot of other fun activities also.

Maxwell and Madeline rode the ponies,

the train,

the wagon,

and the pedal tractors.

Here is Max singing to the Donkey.

"Sweetly sings the donkey, at the break of day. If you do not feed him, this is what he'll say.

Hee haw. Hee haw. Hee haw, hee haw, hee haw."

Their visit was memorialized by the famous artist Grant Wood in his painting American Gothic. You can see it on display at the Art Institute of Chicago. How he painted them way back in 1930 is beyond me. He was a visionary...

Fourth of July in Carver

2008-07-14T08:04:00.016-05:00

We spent the Fourth of July in Carver, MN.

The morning was spent at a Ward Breakfast in the park.

Afterwards, we went out to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. It was really nice. The kids loved the Maze Garden.

Sparklers with the Cousins

Max got a spark on his foot, so he wasn't too happy with the sparkler.

First Lost Tooth

2008-07-13T23:50:00.009-05:00

Madeline lost her first tooth today! She was so excited. She came running to me, "I lost my tooth! I lost my tooth! I've been hoping for it to come out!" She has been waiting all year for this moment. She was really envious of all her friends who had lost teeth before her.

We arrived in Minnesota today to visit Brent, Rebecca, Ethan and Ellen for the Fourth of July holiday. She was hanging out with cousin Ellen watching a movie. She said she just wiggled it and it came right out. Ellen was really sweet and made sure that Maddie wrote the tooth fairy a letter to put under her pillow.

The Tooth Fairy did come, and she left Maddie some coins, a poem, a coloring page and some glittery markers.

Dear Madeline,

When I heard you lost a tooth
do you know what I did?
I made a map to visit you
'cause you're a special kid!

First I found out where you were
and I checked my fairy map.
Then I flew to your bedside
where I saw you brand new "gap."

Of course, I took your worn-out tooth
just like I've always done.
But I've left you something nice instead
to help you have some fun!

Love,

The Tooth Fairy

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

2008-07-13T23:44:00.003-05:00

7/2/08

I know, not a great picture. It was the best I could do though. We had a lot of fun at the Tom Petty concert with our friends Rob and Marty. Steve Winwood opened the night.

It was really nice to get out without the kids for once!

Taste of Chicago, Ella Jenkins and the American Girl Theatre

2008-07-13T23:07:00.021-05:00

7/1/08

After just moving out to our Naperville vacation home the night before, I drove the kids back into the city for the Taste of Chicago. We go every year, and this day was packed full of children's activities. There was a great craft tent set up. Max got his face painting straight away. (Maddie is not a fan of that, so she declined.) Maddie decorated a bag and Max decorated a hat. Then we sat down to enjoy the Ella Jenkins concert. Ella is a Chicago legend. She has been making folk and sing-along music since the 50's. She has a great spirit of kindness about her. Max and Maddie both got asked to come up on stage and help her play some music. It was a great experience.

The kids begged to go on the Carousel and into the Bounce Around. They loved it. Max was very happy that Todd met us there. He always says, "Dad, You're my bestest buddy!"

Maddie loved dressing up like her Bitty Baby to see the Bitty Baby Matinee and the American Girl Ambassadors. American Girl Place is actually shutting down their theatre in September, so this was a great opportunity to see them perform.

Zoo Chat at Brookfield

2008-07-13T21:22:00.010-05:00

6/29/08

Hamill Family Play Zoo always has cute critters out for the kids to get a closer look at.

Maddie was asked to swallow that watermelon whole, just like a snake would.

For some reason, she couldn't do it.

Building a shelter outside. The kids had fun driving in the stakes.

Pump It Up

2008-07-13T20:56:00.010-05:00

6/25/08

What do you do on a rainy summer day?

Jump in puddles and Pump It Up!

What fun!

Museum of Science and Industry and Maddie's Glass Show

2008-07-13T10:52:00.023-05:00

6/20/08

Today we went out to the

The museum had mobile experiment stations throughout the day. This guy helped the kids make slime! It was pretty fun.

In the Crown Space Center the kids were able to drive a Mars Rover.

Because it was a free day, I decided to splurge and get tickets for two special exhibits. Max had been wanting to take U-505 German Submarine tour, so we did that first.

The Glass Experience started out with some beautiful lamps hanging over the exhibits, leading into (my favorite part) Dale Chihuly's Macchia Forest. Max found his favorite piece and asked me to take a picture of him with it. When I looked at the description, it was called Dinosaur. No wonder Max loved it! I think the artist would be pleased to know that his concept definitely shines through! The coolest part of the exhibit was the viewing area for live glass blowing presentations. It was really interesting to see the whole process of heating, pigmenting and blowing glass into a vase. After the show, Maddie asked one of the artists about a spaceship she saw in the display. He told her that a kid designed it and they made it for him. He then told her that she could try to design something too. There was a "You Design It We Build It" show coming up in just 20 minutes. The kids ran over to the design tent and started drawing up a storm. Maddie drew a fabulous and colorful picture of Saturn. Max drew a yellow pineapple planet. We dropped the pictures into a big bin, and then went to sit down for show.

When they started the show, I thought there was no way they had picked Maddie's drawing. We never saw them go to the back to get the drawings and assumed they had already picked one from a previous pile. But then they announced they were making Saturn that Madeline designed! Maddie was so excited, but shy at the same time. She drew her knees up to her chin, almost hiding her big smile! Throughout the whole show, they asked Maddie for her opinions on how she wanted the piece to turn out. She was able to pick the colors and size and what type of bowl it would be. To think out of the thousands of peole at the museum that day, Maddie's drawing was picked. It was a great experience. When she found out that she was going to be able to take her Saturn home to keep, she immediately started thinking of the perfect place for it! Max didn't pay attention to the show at all. When he realized they had made Maddie's drawing he said, "Really? They did? When are they going to make mine?" He was quite grumbly when I told him they only pick one.

Maddie's Glass Experience

1. Maddie's Glass Show, 2. Starting Out, 3. Blue Pigment, 4. Blowing the Glass, 5. Twirling, 6. Making the Rings, 7. Blowing Out Bottom, 8. Starting to Look Like Saturn, 9. Switching Sides, 10. Adding Red to the Edge, 11. Maddie with her Drawing and her Bowl, 12. Saturn Bowl, 13. The Famous Picture

Play Lab Study at the Field Museum

2008-07-13T08:50:00.013-05:00

On 6/19/08, the kids were able to participate in the Field Museum's Play Lab Study. Todd was nice enough to meet us there in the morning because we needed a parent for each kid. The kids just had to play in the Play Lab's Pueblo area and then go through the Native American exhibit and meeting house upstairs, while being followed around by a researcher. The next day we have an activity at home to complete, and then two weeks later another set of activities. Then you mail everything back to the study folks. In exchange: free parking, free passes to the museum and free membership to the Harris Loan Center in the Field Museum.

After we were done with the study, we were able to sneak into the Underground Adventure (right) and Mythic Creatures exhibit (below).

I couldn't resist the Unicorn vs. Narwhal toy for the kids. They have magical battle horns that you can switch out. Ummm...Cool!

Ribbit!

We went over to the Shedd Aquarium afterwards because it was a free day. Free days aren't actually the best idea here. Too crowded for one thing, and not really free for another. They still make you pay an arm and also your best leg for the Oceanarium area. We just stuck to the free stuff since we had a full day already.

Here is an experience box we checked out from the Harris Loan Center. It was all about insects. It was really neat to be able to take these things home and study them up close. There were books, videos, and tapes included also. They have so many neat things to check out, even real dinosaur bones!

Butterflies at Brookfield

2008-07-12T16:35:00.018-05:00

6/17/08

We went to see the Butterflies at Brookfield Zoo today.

Moldarama Madness!

Okapi!

Chagall For Children at the Kohl Children's Museum

2008-07-12T16:03:00.009-05:00

6/16/08

We went to the Kohl Children's Museum today to see their special exhibit, Chagall for Children.

It is a multi-sensory, hands-on exploration of Marc Chagall's art.

There are 15 different stations, each focusing on a different painting with a different activity. It was a very fun and interesting exhibit all the way through. The kids want to come back and enjoy this again before it leaves the museum.

Madeline's favorite piece was "Paris Through the Window".

Chagall would have approved of her dress, don't you think?

Andersonville Midsommerfest and Scribblemonster

2008-07-12T14:23:00.011-05:00

6/14/08

Andersonville Midsommerfest

Max really enjoyed the performance of Where the Wild Things Are.

Madeline was tired, but excited to see the Scribblemonster concert.

Scribblemonster! We really like their music. Maddie's favorite song: Beautiful Day. Max's favorite song: A Monster Goes Rrraargh.

Max had been feeling lousy all day, but the minute the music started, he got up and went crazy with the dancing. It was so funny.

Beautiful Day

A Monster Goes Rrraargh!

Oz Park

2008-07-12T13:24:00.015-05:00

6/13/08

After we left the CHM, we spotted the Tin Man statue and realized we were at Oz Park. We stopped in to enjoy the Emerald City Gardens and enjoy the rest of the afternoon.

Dorothy and Toto

Follow the Yellow Brick Road!

Fun park. My only question is...

Where is the Cowardly Lion?

Chicago History Museum

2008-07-12T11:52:00.015-05:00

6/13/08

I took the kids to the Chicago History Museum today. We have never been there before, mainly because I thought it would be boring. But it was really cool. The best area for kids is the Sensing Chicago exhibit.

Who wouldn't want a picture of their kids as a Chicago-style hot dog?

On the ceiling above the bun is a mirror so that the kids can see what they look like as a hot dog. It says, "Mmmmm. You look delicious!"

Maddie riding a high-wheeled bike, the kids jumping around in the sound area, and the scent of Chicago history. Not all of them were sweet!

Here are the kids squinting in the sun.

Other fun things were the train and old fashioned el cars to climb on, an interesting exhibit on the great Chicago fire and, out back, a melted remnant of storefront burnt in said fire.

Indian Boundary Park and Zoo

2008-07-12T10:47:00.030-05:00

6/12/08

Indian Boundary Park

Zoo and Field House

When I heard that this park had a little zoo, I just had to take the kids over. We spent our extremely hot afternoon exploring. The Tudor-style Field House is a beautiful little building with interesting Native American themed ornamentation. There is also a duck-filled lagoon and a small public zoo with goats, sheep, and various birds. The kids had playing fun in the park and checking out the animals. When the heat got to them, we were saved by the Paleta Man selling push-ups and rocket pops.

Maddie's Last Day of School

2008-07-11T21:19:00.008-05:00

6/11/08

Maddie's last day of school.

BFF Brendan

Maddie with her teacher Ms. Beltran

Her cute class.

Maddie was telling me about some of the games she and her friends made up at recess. In her words:

"One game is Horse Spy. You have to pretend you have a horse you have to think up a name for you and your horse. (Maddie's name was Violet and her horse was Rose.) Then you have to pretend to pack up your things and go on fun adventures around the playground.

Another game is Shoe Fly. You have to unbuckle your shoe and then dance and run and if your shoes fall off you're out and once you put them back on you're in again. You can also kick your legs out to see how far you can get your shoe to fly. Mrs. Beltran doesn't like it when we play Shoe Fly."

MmmmmmMolly's

2008-07-11T21:04:00.010-05:00

After Maddie's graduation program, we went to a cupcake shop I had heard good things about. Molly's Cupcakes.

Best cupcakes in town, I say.

Yes, those are swings up at the counter. The kids were charmed. They also had fun board games to play at the other tables and a Sprinkle Station! Cute!

Max only eats frosting.

Maddie's Bachelor of Rhymes

2008-07-10T22:47:00.012-05:00

6/9/08

Maddie's Kindergarten Graduation Program theme was Mother Goose's Bachelor of Rhymes. It was so cute hearing her singing the nursery rhymes in anticipation of the show.

She was the sheep in Little Boy Blue. Here she is after finishing the show and accepting her diploma. She had the biggest smile on her face!

When I asked if she was going to wag her sheep tail during the program, she said, "I wouldn't want any of my friends to think I was shaking my booty at them!"

Maddie's Kindergarten class is a fun group of kids. She made so many great friends this year. Maddie is such a sweet and open-hearted girl. I love how she considers everyone a friend and overlooks grouchy behavior in others really easily. In the end, she even got the infamous playground bully to join one of her clubs!

The Butterfly that Thought Maddie's Shirt was a Flower Field

2008-07-10T22:16:00.011-05:00

6/7/08

After our day out at the Planetarium, we stopped by McDonald's for lunch. As we walked in, Max noticed a butterfly in the doorway. He ran over to it and stuck out his finger yelling, "I want to hold it!"
He did it just right, without touching its wings. It hopped right onto his finger and stayed a while. Max was so excited.

After a while, the butterfly flew over onto Maddie. It crawled up her arm to her back and tickled her a bit. Then it flew right onto the front of her shirt. It wasn't moving after that. We went outside to set it free, but it wouldn't budge from her fluttery flowered shirt. Maddie said, "I think it thinks my shirt is a real flower!" Maddie's gentle approach was not motivating the butterfly to fly away home. Maddie very excitedly told me she had an idea. "I am going to take the butterfly over to a real flower. The it will crawl on that and it will be safe!" She ran over to a flower pot, lifted the part of her shirt with the butterfly near to a bloom, and the butterfly crawled right up onto it. She was thrilled that her idea worked.

Fly Me To The Moon

2008-07-10T21:40:00.011-05:00

On 6/7/08, we went to the Adler Planetarium to see the new movie "Fly Me To The Moon". It is a 3-D animated show about three flies that sneak onto the first Apollo moon landing. It was very cute and enjoyable.

They give everyone magnifying glasses for an activity after the show.

Throughout the Shoot for the Moon exhibit, there are tiny pictures of the fly characters along with hidden messages. The kids find them and read them with their magnifying glasses. It is a fun way to experience the exhibit. The kids were thrilled with the movie, and loved the extension of it into the rest of their visit.

A real meteorite? Cool! Let's snuggle it.

I love the picturesque skyline outside the museum campus.

Max was having fun running around outside.

Tag! You're it!

Max's Last Day of School

2008-07-10T21:13:00.010-05:00

6/6/08

Max's last day of school. He carried out a little plant that he grew from a seed. He was so proud of it. We hung out afterwards so that Max could take pictures with his preschool buddies.

Robert, in the blue shirt, is Max's favorite kid. He is a year older, but they are still good friends. His mom told us that he makes up stories about Max during soccer practice.

The curly-haired blonde girl is Katie. Max talks about her a lot.

Max had a great year with lots of fun field trips and a very cute class. He really hit his stride about mid-year. I think the speech therapy really helped him to be able to communicate with his peers and build stronger friendships. He is still a big teaser, but he is good-natured about it. That is why all the kids love him!

To celebrate Max's newly found freedom, we went to Max's on Western for their famous "Ghetto Fries". Fries smothered with Merkts's cheese sauce, bbq sauce, gravy, and hot peppers. Yes, it tastes just like you think it would.

David Roger's Big Bugs! at the Morton Arboretum

2008-06-01T21:26:00.138-05:00

On 5/31/08 we celebrated the last day of May by going to the Morton Arboretum. I was excited about all of the programs for kids I saw on their website. An etymologist was outside with specimen displays. They had fun crafts set up throughout the Children's Garden. Also, they have a great sculpture exhibit through July called David Roger's Big Bugs! These twelve larger than life bugs are laid out in a path around Meadow Lake. The kids become Bug Detectives with their official bug detective guides that includes a special badge on the back.

Maddie liked the Tropic Millipede.

Children's Garden

Crafts at the Good Bad and BUG-ly program. The kids made fireflies and a clip-on spider.

Big Bugs!

The kids enjoyed their walk around Meadow Lake.

The kids enjoyed the sound of the bullfrogs and watching the damselflies zipping around them like helicopters. It was a beautiful day and a lovely place. We'll definitely be back.

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

2008-05-31T19:58:00.024-05:00

5/26/08

We spent the rest of our Memorial Day at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. The kids were happy to be out and about, enjoying the great weather.

Here is Max, I mean Baby Puma.

We did all the programs they were offering today at the museum. I didn't get a picture of the Toad Feeding, but it was funny. The kids are really into frogs and toads now, so Max was asking all kinds of questions and really excited to see them eat the crickets and meal worms. That is, until the guy dropped the food jar on the ground. The crickets were hopping around everywhere! Max was hopping around too, trying to get away from them!

Maddie drew a picture of it. Didn't she capture this guy perfectly?

Critter Connections are fun because they bring out an animal that the kids can see up close and personal. They can ask any questions that they have about the animal and even touch them. Here is Maddie with the turtle. We also attended a session with a snake.

Always our favorite area, the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven had First Flight Butterfly Release. They bring in a cage full of just-emerged butterflies who are ready to test their wings for the first time. Then they release them and chat with the kids about the different types of butterflies and their characteristics. Maddie was totally in her element. Her hand was shooting up with every question and she was really proud of herself for answering so many correctly. The best part for her was when the lady showed her a Glass Wing butterfly. This is her favorite butterfly from her Zoobooks magazine.

Alfred Caldwell Lily Pools

2008-05-31T19:23:00.019-05:00

The Alfred Caldwell Lily Pools are considered one of the most important historical landscapes in Chicago. Originally built in 1889, it was redesigned in the 1930's by Alfred Caldwell in the Prairie Style, inspired by Frank Lloyd wright. So why have we never been here before?

Memorial Day 5/26/08

It is such a beautiful and tranquil place. A real oasis in the middle of the city. I have seriously walked past this place a million times and never noticed it. I finally caught sight of it as Max and I were walking to meet Maddie on her field trip the other day. I remembered that my friend Alison had mentioned this as a favorite place of hers, and now I know why! I brought the kids back here today and they had a blast hiking around the paths and playing in the waterfalls.

You can see a little bit of the Prairie Style architecture here in the background.

The Grove Nature Center in Glenview

2008-05-31T17:24:00.030-05:00

5/23/08

Max had a field trip to the The Grove Interpretive Center in Glenview today. His buddy was Joshua.

You can see them doing their "I'm a Nut" dance in line.

On a nature walk...

Max showing off the stick tight vine, looking for a muskrat in the pond, peering into a racoon bedroom, and checking out a snake hole.

Here are the kids singing to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat.

Know, Know, Know your Oak.

Watch to see them grow.

Red Oak

White Oak

Pin Oak

Burr Oak

Acorns all below.

Max got to touch a snake and a turtle from the big open turtle pool inside.

Polliwog tank in the greenhouse. Max wants one for a pet.

Max and Joshua asleep on the school bus.

the crew at the zoo

2008-05-31T16:58:00.025-05:00

5/19/08

Maddie's class had a field trip to the Lincoln Park Zoo. Max and I met her there and had a lot of fun with her silly friends.

They spotted a woman who was playing the guitar and singing. They ran over to her and she gave them all little instruents to play along with her.

Afterwards, she gave them all sticky bugs.

Here they are with sticky bug mustaches!

Polar Bear, Emma, Maddie, Natalia, Max and Alison.

Max, Emma and Maddie.

Malott Japanese Garden Children's Festival

2008-05-31T16:08:00.032-05:00

5/17/08

We enjoyed the lovely Spring weather today at the Chicago Botanic Gardens. The air was warm and breezy and scented with lilac.

What a cute family I have!

The crabapple trees were in full bloom throughout the gardens. I love seeing flowering trees in the spring time. It reminds me of the Japanese Flowering Cherry trees on Matheson back home in Healdsburg.

Max had quite a fan club with some Japanese tourists at this point.

The Malott Japanese Garden Children's Festival was going on. In Japan, May 5th is Happiness of Children Day. There were a ton of fun crafts and activities for the kids. They made Kabuto: origami samurai helmets, Koinobori: carp kites, and kimono paper dolls. Then they heard the storyteller, Anne Shimojima, tell traditional Japanese tales such as The Man With the Bump, Why Jellyfish Have No Bones, etc.

Brookfield Zoo and the non-existent Sharks

2008-05-30T19:30:00.014-05:00

5/10/08

Today was a beautiful Spring day. We went to Brookfield Zoo to enjoy the morning. The first thing we decided to do was the Sharks at Stingray Bay. It a big open pool where you can touch stingrays and sharks, and feed them too.

Here is a friendly stingray, but we didn't see any sharks, unless you count all the shark toys in the gift shop on the way out!

Todd and Max.

Strolling through the Children's Zoo.

Did you know that they offer Polar Bear rides at this zoo?

Max's Choice

2008-05-30T13:15:00.020-05:00

5/9/08

Apparently I have been working way too hard to entertain the kids this year.

Max had the day off from school, so I told him he could choose anything he wanted to do. What did he come up with? McDonald's Play Place.

He was very excited about the Speed Racer car he found in his Happy Meal.

After all the McDonalds awesomeness, we stopped of at Dorby Magoo & Co., a little toy store on Lincoln Ave.

We drive past it every time we go to Children's Hospital. We've never been in though, because it is closed on Tuesdays which is our regular clinic day.

>>>Here is Max saying, "Yes!" when he realized that we were at the toy store AND it was open.

He got to pick out a fist full of 10 cent glow-in-the-dark animals to take home. His day was made. Forget you Chicago culture! All it takes to please Max is McDonald's and a glow-in-the-dark elephant.

Finally, he wanted to go home and make, "paper guys". This consisted of taking a huge pile of paper, and then crumpling them all up. Wasteful? Maybe. But it is Max's choice today!

To quote Max, "It's really amazing to make Paper Guys! Paper guys are paper things made with paper. There's good guys and bad guys. So the good guys have to kill the bad guys. And so they both each shoot at the same time and the good guys run away from the fire. My favorite are the bad guys."

What a day!

Benny the Bear and the CLASSIEST tea party ever!

2008-05-30T12:54:00.004-05:00

5/8/08

Meet Benny the Bear. Maddie got to bring him home from Kindergarten for the day and then write about their fun in a journal.

When she brought Benny back to class she said, "Before I start to read the journal, I have to tell you that you are going to laugh because this stuff is funny!"

She told me that the class did think it was funny, especially the part about the tea party picnic dinner. What I thought was funnier was what we ate at this glamorous event. Fluffer-Nutter sandwiches, miniature Chiquita bananas, pretzel sticks, Cheetos and grapes.

Mmmm! Classy!

Oh give me a hooooome... where the

2008-05-14T11:19:00.003-05:00

Here is the house we are trying to buy. Still waiting on the final word...

Cute, right?

Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month

2008-05-04T09:00:00.009-05:00

May is now officially National

Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month.

www.cff.org

Senate Declares May National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month

April 29, 2008

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation praised the U.S. Senate for officially recognizing May as National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month and encouraging public awareness and understanding of CF.

Introduced by Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), the legislation calls attention to cystic fibrosis, a fatal, genetic disease, and supports research to find a cure.

"We are thrilled to have the Senate's support for our mission to find a cure for cystic fibrosis. We are making dramatic progress in the development of new therapies for the disease and in extending life expectancy," said Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Foundation.

The end of April...

2008-04-30T08:30:00.000-05:00

Max has been singing this song to us all month. It is so cute! I just had to post it since this is the last day of April. Where did the month go?

Little Projects

2008-04-22T13:07:00.005-05:00

4/22/08

Todd helped Max make a Three Little Pigs house for his preschool project.

Max chose to do a brick house, because "the wolf can't blow that one down".

Maddie has been working on a Calico Critters contest. Here she is with her collection.

How could anyone resist such sweet little furry animals to play with? And their teensy, eensy, peensy little accessories are so fun.

I like to get Maddie the ones from England and Japan too. They are the same toy, but under the name Sylvanian Families.

Museum of Ancient Life, Thanksgiving Point Utah

2008-04-19T12:07:00.002-05:00

On 4/19/08 Todd took us all to the Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point. The kids call it the Dinosaur Museum. It is a fun place.

Here is Maddie sitting on a dinosaur toe.

Here is Max getting chased by something vicious.

Max, Todd and Madeline with their 3-D glasses on. We saw Dinosaurs Alive! on the mammoth screen. It was pretty interesting, and the kids enjoyed it.

The kids always enjoy the gift shop. They must get that from me! We found real dinosaur egg shell pieces, amethyst crystals, and copal (semi-fossilized tree resin that is not yet Amber.) There is a little bug trapped inside the copal which Maddie thought was neat.

Zoo Junction

2008-03-23T14:50:00.001-05:00

3/23/08 After church today, Max was quietly working on what he is calling "Zoo Junction." He told me that it is a place where "there are no cages. If you don't know that, you'll be eaten." He said the blue part on the end is the bathtub. The holes in the big red part are where the elephants get drinks of water with their trunk. He was so proud and excited about his creation. I love his happy imagination.

3/24/08 Todd rarely allows toys to stay out like this, but I think he was impressed with Max's little story. So, here is Max the next day. After school he came home and immediately set to work on the bigger, badder Zoo Junction. He's looking proud, don't you think?

Coloring Easter Eggs

2008-03-23T14:07:00.005-05:00

3/22/08

Maddie and Max chose the Dudley Tie-Dye Glitter Egg Dying Kit.

First you drip different colors of dye onto the egg,

Then you put it in a plastic bag and rub the colors around until they cover the egg and blend.

Then you prop them onto an egg holder and dump glitter onto them before they dry.

I always like seeing the kids with their dye stained fingers after coloring Easter eggs. Maddie's were pretty colorful. Max's were surprisingly clean!

All done!

Maddie in her Easter jammies and bunny slippers. She matches her Bitty Baby.

Sprinkling out carrots for the Easter Bunny.

They wanted to make sure the Easter Bunny knew where to find them!

Easter Morning

2008-03-23T14:07:00.004-05:00

3/23/08

Very early this morning, the eagerly anticipated basket and egg hunt was afoot.

Maddie was the first to find her basket.

Max found his basket and quickly dug through it looking for animals. The easter bunny didn't disappoint.

The kids found the first Easter egg at the same time.

The kids kept telling me to have a Happy Easter Day!

Maddie helped me bake a Carrot Cake before church.

Mmmm! Our favorite Easter dessert!

Into their Easter outfits.

Getting ready to leave for church.

You'd better have a Happy Easter!

St. Patrick's Day Performances

2008-03-22T23:01:00.025-05:00

Maddie had two performances on March 17th, St. Patrick's Day. This is just before we left the house.

Here she is resting before the first show at Robert Morris College in the Loop.

Here she is clapping the time for the other dancers.

Here is Maddie's first performance!

In the beginning she is in second row, to the left of the center lead girl. Then the front row goes to the back and you can see her better.

Dress rehearsal on the stage, right before the second show at Mount Carmel Academy here in Lakeview.

Maddie in the middle, Rylie to the left, Lucy to the right.

Here is Maddie's second performance!

She is in the front row, to the left of the center lead girl.

Going home!

Maddie was so glad that she was able to perform. After the last show, she ran over to me and was jumping up and down, "I want to do that again! That was so fun!" She was not tired after the long day. She watched the rest of the girls from the back of the room and tried to dance along with them. I think this week with the performance troupe has really motivated her to keep at it and look forward to more shows.

The fancy solo dresses that some of the older girls had on were very intriguing to her. Now she has a goal to work towards in dance. Only the best of the best are allowed to have a solo dress.

Downtown St. Patrick's Day Parade

2008-03-22T22:34:00.010-05:00

3/15/08

Maddie was in the Downtown St. Pats Parade with her Trinity Irish Dance Perform- ance Team.

She was on the float right next to her friend Rylie. They were so cute waving their flags at the crowd.

Here is Maddie in full Trinity uniform, curly wig and all. I was a little freaked out when we first put the wig on her, but I got used to it by the end of the day. Because it was cold, she had on black leggings. Usually they wear just white socks and ghillies.

Todd, Max and I walked in the parade with the other Trinity parents. Max was very good, but his usual silly self. Poor Todd had to carry/wrestle that crazy boy on his shoulders most of the way.

We saw the Chicago River dyed bright green on our way to Red Fish for BLFGT sandwiches. (Bacon, Lettuce, and Fried Green Tomato...Mmmmm.)

Astrovernnight at the Adler

2008-03-22T09:09:00.024-05:00

On March 14th

(Pi Day)

I took Maddie

Astrovernight at the Adler Planetarium. We got there at 6:30 p.m. As soon as she jumped out of the car, she slung her sleeping bag on her back and then spotted the moon up in the sky. She was pointing up at it excitedly and said, "I hope I can see the moon through a telescope tonight!"

We were able to see the moon, Mars and even Saturn that night. It was exciting to see the rings! You should have heard Maddie exclaim when she was shown Mars in the sky. "You mean that star right there is really Mars? Right by the Moon? And I can see it with my NAKED EYE? Can I see through the telescope?" When we saw Saturn, she was looking through the telescope and describing to me the shape she was seeing. The guy helping her with the telescope said, "I think we have another Einstein on our hands!"

Making star finders.

The phases of the moon presentation was very cool. Maddie wants to do this again at home. First you take a styrofoam ball and put it on a popsicle stick. You stand in a dark room with a light bulb on in front of you, and then you move your arm into various position so that the shadows mimic the phases of the moon. Fun stuff!

Making pocket sundials.

Setting up our bunk for the night.

Maddie had fun setting up her sleeping bag and really liked the special things I brought for her. The book "Voyage to the Bunny Planet" by Rosemary Wells was a big hit. The scratch art space book was fun for her too. I also brought a roll of quarters so that she could squash as many pennies as she wanted while we were there.

We were able to sleep wherever we wanted in the Planetarium. Maddie chose to sleep right under the giant Saturn, since we had seen it through the telescope for the first time that night.

Maddie was so happy all evening. She kept saying, "I'm SO glad we're doing this Mom." and, "I'm having so much fun!" She definitely had stars (and planets) in her eyes all night and a big sparkling smile on her face too. After the star show and snack time, she finally crawled into her sleeping bag and turned off her lantern. She fell asleep almost immediately, but not before she threw her arm around my neck and whispered, "Mommy, I have to tell you something... I love you."

Clifford at Kohl

2008-03-21T20:18:00.015-05:00

On March 3rd, we went to the Kohl Children's Museum to meet Clifford the Big Red Dog. Clifford tried to give Max five as he left, but of course Max had to run away. So Clifford chased him out the door! Max got a kick out of that reaction.

In the art room making clay frogs and centipedes...

Pumping it up...

Maddie aiming the water gun at bell targets.

Bike Tricks

2008-03-21T19:49:00.015-05:00

These photos were taken on March 2nd, but this is an every day occurrence in our little apartment. The kids clear a track through the place and then rip roar around as fast as possible, doing tricks and laughing their heads off. I love seeing their faces like this, all giggly and silly.

CRASH!!!

Stitches!

2008-02-23T10:50:00.002-06:00

On February 23rd, Max fell on the corner of the bedside table and busted his lip open. We took him to the ER, and he got a few stitches. He was such a good boy, the nurses were fawning over him and the doc thought he was super tough. He didn't even flich when they sewed him up.

Maddie brought him home some little stuffed animals to make him feel better.

The next day getting ready for church. Notice the pockets stuffed with animals and the puppy band-aid he was so proud of.

Maddie's Friends

2008-02-23T10:40:00.001-06:00

Madeline has had a lot of birthday parties to go to this month. She has been having so much fun with her friends. Two of the parties were at Waveland Bowl.

2/9/08 This was at the party for Lucy and Sally Walsh. (They are the two with the hot pink personalized bowling shirts.) You can see Maddie in the light green shirt with her bright smile clutching her goodie bag. Maddie is a big fan of the goody bag.

2/22/08 Here is the party for Maddie's friend Makayla. You can see Maddie winning the record for the slowest bowler of all time. (She won that prize at Lucy's party also.)

This ball actually went so slowly down the lane that it stopped, then slowly made it's way back towards her, then came to a complete stand still. It was dutifully retrieved by some brave soul, so she was able to unleash her power again. I think the ball made it down the lane eventually. This girl loves to bowl!

When Max and I came to pick up Maddie, the kids were all doing some sort of crazy line dance. Max joined right in and busted a few moves.

2/23/08 This is the party for her friend Xiomara. It was at Sweet and Sassy. They were picked up in a hot pink Limo that really impressed Maddie because it was decorated with stars inside and had "lots of tv's and a garbage can."

At the party they had their hair and glitter makeup done. They dressed up as princesses, walked down the runway and learned to curtsy at the end. They danced around for a while and then had cake and presents in the party room. Maddie had so much fun here. She was all sparkly for the rest of the weekend. She couldn't stop reapplying her silvery glittery lip gloss!

Diego Live!

2008-02-22T10:17:00.004-06:00

On February 22nd, we went to see Go Diego Go Live! The Great Jaguar Rescue at the Sears Center Arena.

The kids were given Baby Jaguar masks so they could help save the day during the play.

Diego and Alysia.

The Rescue Pack was their favorite character.

Max would not let the popcorn out of his grip.

Heading home.

Class Trip to the Field Museum

2008-02-19T18:39:00.009-06:00

On February 19th Max had a class trip to the Field Museum. He was so cute with all his classmates, acting like T-Rex's. They learned about dinosaurs.

To answer a question,

the kids were asked to raise a claw. Max's claw was always in the air. He loves to contribute!

Max got a Plasto-Mold Dinosaur before we left. He was dino-roaring all the way home.

DuPage Children's Museum

2008-02-18T08:55:00.003-06:00

On President's Day, February 18th, we decided to drive out to the DuPage Children's Museum in Naperville.

The kids had fun posing in the shadow room.

Maddie was very involved in

making gigantic bubbles.

What I enjoyed most about this museum was that it was overflowing with mini experiences and then also had a huge large construction area.

Max's favorite part of the place was the air zone. You put goggles on and play around in this chamber that blows air and spins your pinwheels and blows your hair and cheeks all around.

More of Max's Birthday

2008-02-16T17:16:00.006-06:00

Maddie and Max are anxiously awaiting the arrival of friends for Max's birthday party on February 16th.
Max is unaware that Samantha's Amazing Animals is bringing 10 different live animals to the house to surprise him!

All the kids were so excited and curious when the cages were brought in.

The handler gave Max a safari hat and told him he would be the helper at the party. Here she is showing him the cute little Hedgehog.

One of our favorite animals, the Fennec Fox.

Here is the 8-Banded Armadillo.

The (sort of) skateboarding Ferret.

.........................King of the Wild Things!.........................

Cute little Chinchilla.

I can't remember what kind of bird this was, but the kids got to hypnotize it.

This chocolate colored Raccoon was cute. Max was excited to feed it some Fruit Loops.

Yes, I hired a celebrity for the party. This Coatamundi is famous. He has been on Pet Stars.

Max's favorite, Kiki the Kinkajou, also known as a Honey Bear. He got to feed it and he was very proud of himself. Until it licked him. Then it was all over!

Max's party was a success. His friends stayed to play a little and eat lunch after the show.

Making a wish on the lion cupcakes!

..........................Portrait of a Grateful Boy...............................

Max decided that because he was able to celebrate his birthday on Saturday too, that it must mean that he is another year older. He now thinks he is 5. He tells everyone, and says he can go to Kindergarten next year now. Hmmm....

Max's 4th Birthday!!!!

2008-02-13T15:28:00.000-06:00

Max woke up a 4 year old today, February 13th. He got to open his presents before he left for preschool.

He is so excited to be 4!

Donald Duck movie from Grandma.

Playing with his new safari set after school.

Max chose The Rainforest Cafe for his birthday dinner. I knew he would appreciate the decor there.

A crazy balloon animal guy made Max a giraffe and Maddie a monkey.

The volcano lava cake was exciting for Max when it was delivered to the table, but he still didn't eat any of it!

Oak Lawn Children's Museum

2008-02-02T14:14:00.000-06:00

On February 2nd, Todd talked us into driving around Oak Lawn to see if we would like to buy a house there. We stopped off at the teeniest tiniest Children's Museum after driving through the neighborhood. While it may be small, the kids had a lot of fun.

They made paper kites, and then the volunteers hung up the kites on this contraption that then flies the kite around the room. The lights were shaped like clouds, which we thought was really cute.

Max loved the water table. Here he is gathering up all the sharks.

The giant Legos and Lincoln Logs were a huge hit also.

Todd has always considered himself a very involved dad.

We loved the little bridge that overlooks the semi-frozen river with ducks swimming around in it. If you look closely, you'll see Max giving me a wink.

Rocket Day!

2008-02-01T14:03:00.000-06:00

Madeline had been dreaming of and planning a Rocket Day for weeks. On February 1st, she finally had her Rocket Playdate with her friends Emma and Brendan. Max was included of course. This picture shows the kids with the space shuttle cake they made. If you look closely you can see that there are astronauts inside. Our other activities included: Balloon rockets, Touch-a-bubbles, making a Rocket Fort out of blankets and chairs, Bionic Eye microscope, etc. They had a lot of fun!

Museum of Science and Industry

2008-01-21T09:21:00.000-06:00

The kids had fun on 1/21 at the Museum of Science and Industry.

We went specifically for the Henry Crown Space Center that was supposed to be finished. Everything was done except for the shuttle experience.

The tractor is always fun for them.

Martin Luther King Jr

2008-01-21T08:46:00.001-06:00

Madeline and I enjoyed listening to this speech today. The kids are also enjoying a day off from school today.

Gingerbread Houses

2008-01-21T08:21:00.003-06:00

The kids all made gingerbread houses before bed.

Maddie and Max would not let me throw theirs away. Grandma had to keep them until after we went home to Chicago.

Christmas Day

2008-01-21T08:21:00.001-06:00

On Christmas Morning, the kids were waiting at the top of the stairs for everyone to get up. They were excited to see if Santa had come!

Sitting with Grandpa.

Max found his stocking overflowing with animal things!

Madeline's stocking was full of spacey sciency stuff.

The kids enjoyed the christmas crackers. They all wore their crowns while they sipped sparkling apple cider.

Of course, Max didn't eat. He quickly disappeared

from the table and we found him passed out underneath a rocking chair!

Christmas in Healdsburg

2008-01-21T08:18:00.001-06:00

12/23/2007 We were excited to go to

Healdsburg, CA to visit my parents for Christmas. The weather was beautiful and warm, at least compared to Chicago! Here is Maddie snoozing with her cousins the night we arrived.

On December 24th, the kids found baskets and decided to go apple picking in my parent's miniature orchard.

Here are Maddie and Max trooping across the bridge...

Here are all the girls

gathered together...

Grandpa and Grandma even helped Maddie make the apples into apple juice!

Here is Max making pie crust.

That night, Christmas Eve, the kids made beignets for Santa Claus before bed.

They had fun rolling and cutting them out while Grandpa fried them up.

The Christmas Card That Should Have Been

2007-12-19T22:09:00.000-06:00

I did send out Christmas cards this year. This is the one that I designed, but then couldn't use because I am a lousy photographer! I overexposed the first picture and it didn't print well enough. I still think it is cute though!

Zoo Lights at Lincoln Park Zoo

2007-12-19T21:31:00.000-06:00

On 12/14/07 I took the kids to the Lincoln Park Zoo for the Zoo Lights celebration.

The kids shared hot chocolate while watching the Christmas trees with lights that "danced" to the music.

We visited the Gorilla house and they were all sleeping. In the Lion House, the big cats were prowling around. They had crafts set up there for the kids.
The animal shapes were fun to come across. The lions were our favorite.

We liked watching the Ice Sculpting. This guy was talking to Max a little bit because Max ran up to the fence and shouted a big hello at him.

Santa's House at Daley Center

2007-12-19T20:46:00.000-06:00

On Saturday 12/8/07 we decided to head over to the Daley Center to see Santa Claus. It has been a tradition of ours to visit him there, walk through the Christkindlmart and take pictures by the light displays and the City Tree. It has changed a little since we have been here last. The tree decorations and colors are new this year. Santa's House has been remodeled also. (I was a little disappointed that instead of the lights display, there is a display about a penguin visiting different Chicago attractions. Kind of cute, but not what I wanted to see!) The Christkindlmart was as bustling as I remembered it. But our final stop at Santa's Workshop was the best EVER! Santa was very sweet to the kids. After freezing in line for quite a while, Maddie ran in, dove into his lap and just snuggled down deep into his cozy red suit and long white beard. Max jumped onto his lap also and Santa began to ask the kids what they wanted for Christmas. Maddie told him that she wanted a telescope. He looked a little taken aback by the tiny girl wishing for a telescope. His eyes got really wide and his voice very theatrical. He said, "Well this may be possible Madeline. But you must do one thing for me if you get this telescope. You must study very hard and learn all about the stars up in the sky, so that you will know what you are looking at when you use it." Maddie very seriously promised to do this and then he turned to Max. Max told him that he wanted a Playmobil Adventure Animal Tree house. Santa replied, "I can do this, but you must also do one thing for me. You must go to bed on time every night without fussing, so that you can earn this wonderful toy." Max happily agreed and then the kids jumped off Santa's lap...or at least they tried to. Max made it off okay, but not Madeline. I heard a squeal from Madeline and an theatrical "Ouch!" From Santa. I looked over and saw that Madeline's barrette was stuck in his beard! He quickly reassured Madeline, "Did that tug your hair like it tugged my beard?", all while holding on to that beard for dear life. I dislodged the offending barrette and all was well. He gave the kids reindeer Pez dispensers and announced to the elves that he needed a two minute break. He scurried out the backdoor, presumably to make sure he was presentable for the children who were visiting next. All in all, it was the cutest and funniest Santa visit ever. The kids loved meeting Santa. They are at that whimsical age where the shyness or fear of St. Nick is gone and they are ready to believe in the magic of the season. And this Santa really charmed them. After we left Santa's workshop, we hurried home for Hot Chocolate because it was too cold to do anything else! I guess the State street windows will have to wait!

Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier

2007-12-19T20:15:00.004-06:00

12/7/07 I took the kids to Navy Pier today for Winter Wonderfest. It was the first day, and we got there just as the doors opened. There were so many things to do, from bounce-arounds, slides, roller coasters and rides, carousel, Ferris wheel, shows and exhibits... (They even had an ice skating rink, but I was not about to brave that alone with two small kids!) We played all day! Here are some of the Christmas Fairies that we met.

The kids had fun meeting with the elves at the Elf Squad E-Wish Center.

They got to email their Christmas lists to Santa. Max told Santa he would be leaving corn dogs out for him.

Dancing on the snowflake lights.

...The biggest rocking horse ever.

I enjoyed the Santas Around The World Exhibit. They had a displays that showed the Santa traditions from different countries. This one was Perre Noel from France.