Let's All Go Deer Hunting!

I guess I started suspecting that Brandon was using deer hunting to get away from us so I suggested that we all go down to the farm and "help" him get a deer! We were not his good luck charm but we had fun. We were worried that Auggie's scent might disturb the fragile scent field of the hunting area (I am totally making up this terminology) so I carried her from the car into the grain bin. And after those walls started to close in on us we called Grandma and asked if we could come throw rocks in the creek -she of course said yes! 

This may look like comfortable arrangements but let me clarify that you are looking at two twin beds pushed together and I am sleeping in the middle - AKA the crack. 

The narrow foot bridge that to my surprise I actually told the kids they could use. I am really loosening the reins! 

Auggie could run out here all day!

Of course we had to make play-doh pies and then ask Grandma to judge them. She always comes up with clever compliments for both of them!

This & That

What is cuter than these Rudolph sheets with a little boy tucked in with his Santa?!

An unusual warm winter day! (Elizabeth asked no less than 3 times if there was going to be an tornado :(

I've decided I should buy the foam craft that I enjoy because I am the one that ends up putting them together!

Lighting of the Mag Mile & Art Institute

We headed up to the Windy City for a something new we had never done before...the Lighting of Mag Mile. They have a parade down Michigan Avenue to light up all of the store fronts and the official Christmas Tree. Needless to say it was cold, I mean really cold. We carved out our space at 2:00 and the parade started at 5:30 and we were at the end of it. We had to work hard to keep our space and when I say work hard, I mean I thought I was going to have to throw down and a police officer was almost involved. I believe my line was "You don't show up at 5:15 and get front row seats to the show!" It may not have been a shining example of how to be a gracious human, but I blame the cold and parts of my body being frozen. We had a thermos of hot chocolate and it was so windy that when we poured it the wind blew it out of the cup. Now at this point I would love to be able to say it was all worth it and it was a great time. It was a great time because we were together as a family, but the better seat was probably at home in front of a TV (with the fireplace on!) It was very much a TV production and we had groups rushed by us to make it to the red carpet in time before they returned from commercial. In particular the Garrett's Popcorn people were told to run to the carpet, there for no time to toss us a bag of popcorn! It was really cool to see the inflatable, Macy Day Parade style floats. Apparently they are harder to control then what it looks and the wind proved to be troublesome which really just equalled extra entertainment for us. Let's just say we saw people taken down trying to hold onto a rope!

This is just a classic sidewalk pose that we like to capture when we are in Millennium Park

On the way to the Art Institute of Chicago

Aunt Sandy teaching the art of the perfect apple pie and it was delicious!

It's December, it's Chicago, it's cold!

Pretty sure I was just trying to capture this pot arrangement and EB thought she needed to pose!

Sunday morning Aunt Sandy asks what we want to do and I had seen that the Rodin exhibit was at the art museum. I saw Rodin's work on a field trip in Geneva and I thought it would just be a really good cultural experience. To my surprise no one balked so off we went. Now I did have an extensive conversation about the nudity that we would see. I tried to explain that the human body is a work of art and that some artists may express it in different, vivid, unexpected ways. "So when you see boobs and other privates, giggle once, get it out of your system and then let's move on." The Art Institute did not disappoint, there was plenty of nudity and opportunities to point and laugh but the kids handled it in stride. 

I was very impressed with the Art Institute and can hardly wait to go back - maybe as a girls trip though. I think the boys may have checked that box!

We always love our time in the city! 

A Visit to GA

 I took the kids to GA so we could really give that new baby and his big sister some cuddles! As you can see from the pictures, Megan is a moving target and would rather be moving than cuddling! But the kids loved chasing her and playing with her. Andrew is just the sweetest and would let any of us hold him and feed him. When he decided to fill a diaper at the same time Grant was feeding him, well let's just say Grant was just appalled that such a tiny body could make such noises! It was a little chilly but we still went for golf car rides and trips to the park. Uncle David even taught the kids how to play poker and what it means to have your kneecaps busted. He taught them that if you cheat you will loose your knee caps. Valuable lessons from Uncle David. Thank you bro, from the bottom of my heart. (What is that say about paybacks?!)

Watch out for your knee caps!

I mean is this just not precious?!

Christmas Walk Prep

I was approached this year and asked if we could consider having our home on the Historical Society's Christmas Walk. Before we bought our home it was scheduled to be on the walk, but was cancelled due to the tornado, so I felt kind of obligated to say yes and I like to decorate for Christmas so I said "yes." So the day after Halloween the Christmas Walk preparations began...

New tree, yes it is crocked, yes we got it straightened out!

Such a good husband!

More to come!!

Halloween 2017

This year we had a baseball player and a queen. We already had a Molina shirt, but he wanted to be Tony Pham. And when Ima said she could make a Queen Elizabeth skirt suit, Elizabeth was already picking out her accessories. Yes that is a Queen Elizabeth Queen and a Corgi dog that she was given when we were in London last summer. I happened to have the purse and my mom found the shoes at a second hand store for $3! We also discovered that Grandma Briggs shoes are too small for EB, however they actually did fit Grant! 

We participated in the Boo Bash at the high school. A nice indoor, warm trick or treating experience! My mom and I tried to take them to Farm Park for the Witches Walk the weekend before but it was so crowded that we told them if they wanted to pass on this we would go home and have ice cream sundaes. They were sold. 

Halloween Parade at school. I am trying hard not to think about this being Elizabeth's last Central Halloween Parade :(

We visited Aunt Martha and Uncle George right after school and they had a whole Halloween spread for us! Complete with ice cream and orange soda! We went over and saw Grandma and Grandpa Schoch too but I guess we were in such a hurry that I forgot to take a picture!

Last stop was pizza at a friend's house before heading out to Trick or Treat the 'hood. As you can see from the extra layers, it was a little chilly.

Daddy had to head to Chicago for a meeting the next day so I took our sugar monsters home and put them to bed!