Summer Camp 2011

Cassidy and Gavin are going to summer camp together 2 mornings a week. It's held at the small pre-school where Cassidy went when she was 2, "Wee Care", and we just love it there. They have 2 little classrooms (Cassidy is in the "Bears" room and Gavin is a "Bunny") and a big fenced in playground with playhouses, sandboxes, and a big grassy area where they set up a sprinkler on hot days. This is Gavin's first time away from Mommy, so he's struggling a little with that, but he's also learning that "mommy always comes back", an important lesson in the life of a toddler! He's got his big sister there at drop-off, his good friend Henry in his class, and some very kind teachers that hold his hand and keep him on their laps when he gets weepy. I know with time he'll grow to love it. Cassidy is beyond any separation anxiety at this point and also remembers this school from her time there before, so she is having a blast. It's the first time in 4 years that I've had weekday hours to myself, without children - I'm getting a lot done and trying to use the time to re-energize myself so I'm ready for playtime when they come home. So far so good!

Bowling!!!

We decided to take the kids bowling for the first time. What a hit! We walked into Wilmette's small family-friendly bowling alley on a Sunday afternoon, having never been in before - and the kids were in awe of the dark lanes and black-lighting that made the whites of their clothes, shoes and teeth shine brighter than they'd ever seen. Then the glitter ball started to turn, and they were sold. Bowling was fantastic. We got our special shoes on and set up the gutter bumpers and ball "slide" that allowed the kids to get plenty of pins down with each attempt. They loved everything - from the special air dryer at the end of the lane for your hands to the magic ball return that somehow delivered your ball back to you in seconds flat. We will be repeat customers!

Fun Times with Grandparents!

We have gotten to spend a lot of quality time with all 4 grandparents this spring! We've had trips to their homes, and they've made trips to ours - we love our time with them! Here are some highlights...

Reading with Grandpa Reder during one of his mid-week overnights.

Gardening with Grandma Reder at their house in Rockford.

Playing trains with Grandpa Reder in their basement - a favorite pastime.

Planting this year's fairy garden with Grammy Brown.

The finished product - Cassidy adores it!

Hanging out with Grandpa Brown by the backyard sandbox.

Enjoying a special day with Grammy Brown at Cassidy's school, where she read a book to the class and prepared a gardening lesson. So exciting!

The Great Outdoors

This spring has brought more rain and less sun than we're used to in Chicago, but we're playing outside every chance we get. The kids have had lunchtime picnics, done lots of gardening, and even helped Erik mow the lawn. Here are some photos of our fun times outside this spring!

Easter 2011

The kids woke up bright and early on Easter Sunday! They ran into our room shrieking with excitement and started pulling our arms to get us out of bed and go check out the family room to see if the Easter bunny had come while they were sleeping. They were beyond thrilled to find that he had, in fact, been there! They each found a basket filled with goodies, and that tricky Easter bunny had hidden plastic eggs filled with jelly beans all around the house. Once they were all sugared-up, we got dressed in our Easter clothes and drove to Grammy and Grandpa's house to spend the day. We started with a wonderful church service and then found that the Easter bunny had visited Grammy and Grandpa's house, too! They found special treats hidden all over the house. Such fun! We had a delicious dinner, joined by that time by Aunt Mel, Uncle Aaron and Cooper. We were grateful to spend such a special day with family.

Preparing for the Easter Bunny

In the days leading up to Easter, the kids had a lot of fun preparing for the Easter bunny's visit. We decorated eggs, had an Easter egg hunt at church, and even got to hug the Easter bunny in person after the hunt. We made a special cake in the shape of the Easter bunny to bring to Grammy and Grandpa Brown's house on Easter Sunday. The kids loved decorating the cake with candies - most of the candies went directly into their mouths rather than on the cake. By the time Easter Sunday rolled around, they were ready!

Brown County 2011

Last month, we took our annual trip to Brown County, IN to catch up with our best friends from college! We got together with Jamie, Meg and Tara along with their husbands and kids to enjoy 4 days in a beautiful cabin in the woods. We took turns making big meals for the group and at night once the 8 kids were fast asleep we broke open the wine and whipped up some desserts to enjoy while we lounged on the couches or out in the hot tubs on the deck. It's so fun to see all the kids playing together and it's wonderful to get to catch up with everyone in person. I just love my girlfriends and get so excited each year when this trip rolls around!