Friday, December 4, 2015

My Latest Obsessions



LOVE these 3 (photo credit - Alma Veliky Photography)

Happy Friday! I cannot believe it is already December. Tis the season! We have a pretty low key weekend ahead = hooray! Tonight the girls have their piano recital and this weekend we are going to finish up decorating the house for Christmas. 

Cheers to a fabulous weekend! 
XO - D2


Some of my latest faves:

Friday, October 23, 2015

My Latest Obsessions


Hanging out w/ the goat at Kinnikinnick Farm in Caledonia, IL



Making pizzas = yummy!
CMC hanging w/ the chickens!


Getting ready for chores w/ Farmer Dave

Pistol Pete whipping up some yummy pancakes!

A little apple picking at Edwards Orchard

A dad + his oldest daughter

LOVE honey crisp apples! 




Happy Friday!  I cannot believe that we're more than halfway through October. How did this happen?! And I heard on the radio that there are 60 something days until Christmas = yikes! We're in Halloween mode around here. George is going to be Darth Vader (however, we seem to have lost the mask already). That is what happens when you buy a costume at the end of August! And MMC wants to be cheese (yes, stinky cheese!). And CMC is still undecided! Here is a halloween post from 2 years ago - they are getting so BIG! 

This weekend we have a few family parties to attend and hopefully CMC will finalize her halloween costume. And we'll be on a hunt for the Darth Vader mask. G$ casually mentioned he also would like to be a robot - love this classic homemade robot costume

The pics above are from our trip to Kinnikinnick Farm a few weekends ago. We had a blast! We love heading up to the farm - always a great time and the kids look forward to it every year. Here are some posts from years past at the farm (2012 visit, 2013 visit, and last year's visit). 

Have a great weekend! XO - D2


Some of my latest faves: 


Friday, October 2, 2015

My Latest Obsessions



1st stop on our roadtrip to Montana = Sioux Falls, SD

Drove through Sturgis (happened to be the 75th Anniversary of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally)


Getting ready to hit up Wall Drug

G$'s 1st pair of cowboy boots (now a tradition = the girls bought their
1st pair of cowgirls boots at the same place = Wall Drug!)

Chilling at Proud Cut Saloon in Cody, WY (waiting to hit the Rodeo!)

Dinner in Cody, WY. First time for everyone = Rocky Mountain Oysters! 

Rodeo in Cody, WY

Waiting patiently for Old Faithful

Our final destination for several nights = Ennis, MT

CMC sending up a note on her kite

View from the front porch of the cabin


Beautiful view from JuJu and Grandpa T's cabin in Ennis, MT

A little fishing in Ennis, MT

G$ posing w/ Grandpa T = G's 1st catch = a gorgeous rainbow trout

G$'s 1st catch EVER (and last catch of the afternoon) =
24 1/2 inch Rainbow Trout

Devil's Tower in WY (think it's time to watch Close Encounters of the Third Kind again!)

Norris Hot Springs (great little spot between Ennis and Bozeman, MT)

Awesome salad from Norris Hot Springs

A boy and his daddy hanging out on the Madison River

Something about that big sky...good for the soul

Goodbye Cabin...until next time


Happy Friday! It's been awhile since my last post (wow, since the middle of July!). Summer has officially come to an end and fall is definitely here. School has started and all 3 of the kiddos are settling in nicely at 3 different schools. We're all in our groove. Our roadtrip out to Montana in the middle of August was the perfect way to be together as a family before the hustle and bustle of another school year. The 5 of us rarely have opportunities to hang out together minus the usual distractions so it was really great to unwind and decompress in such a beautiful part of the country. And huge bonus = we also got to catch up w/ my mom JuJu and Grandpa T once we reached our final destination of Ennis, MT. We're already talking about another trip out there next summer!

We're heading out later today to Kinnikinnick Farm which is one of our favorite places to go as a family with friends. We fell in love with the Farm a few years ago and have been going back for a weekend in the summer/early fall ever since. Check out our first visit there. This will be our first time there when there is a chill in the air = bringing lots of layers! I've been dreaming of the pizzas on the outdoor wood burning oven. Can't wait!

And then Sunday after we return I get to see my youngest sister and JuJu who are in town. And JuJu will be here all next week = HOORAY!

XO - D2

Some of my latest faves:

Friday, July 17, 2015

My Latest Obsessions



Father's Day = a much deserved "Dunk" donut

G$

Grater's Ice Cream + Old Friends = the Best
(and now a stand alone store in Northbrook = more roadtrips)

Way to go, Blackhawks!!!!!!

A little Young Member Show action (and rain = of course)

Sunset at Twin Lakes = gorgeous!

A friend sent me this pic that she captured of C + G = so cute! 

Sisters - MMC + CMC 

Beck + MMC's musical, Tut Tut via Actors Garden!

Go RFTC Sharks!
                                         
Big George + Little George


Free Slurpie Day = always a hit (7-11, baby)!


The "CUP"

CMC's last meal w/ the crew before heading off to sleep away camp

GMC + MMC = Drive In Movie time!
     

Happy Friday! Wowser - I can't believe we are almost halfway done w/ summer. How is that even possible?! Summertime thus far in a smattering of pics above!

MMC keeps saying, "wait, this is so weird w/ just two kids at home" as CMC left for sleep away camp yesterday for 2 weeks. We're pumped to hear about CMC's experience at camp = we'll hear from her via snail mail (maybe!) and when she gets back. While no communication is tough (and so not the world we live in these days) I totally agree w/ the philosophy of "letting them go" per se - to do their own thing, gain a new level of independence w/ some distance from the home front = great article on why Kids Need to Be Away from Home! I appreciate and respect anything written/said by Dr. Michael Thompson (first heard about him when I worked at an all girls day/boarding school - The Madeira School - in Northern VA back in my early days after college!).

Speaking of camp, we checked out Simms Taback's (LOVE him!) book entitled, Postcards from Camp, from the library. The correspondence between the dad/son is absolutely hilarious and so cute. My dad (Big G!) was just here for a visit and he was telling us about his great experience at sleep away camp. I'll have to ask my Aunts more about it because I vaguely recall us as a family pulling over to check out the campgrounds on one of our summer visits out east.

We're off to cheer on MMC and the RFTC "Sharks" tomorrow morning at Swim Conference! Go SHARKS!

Cheers to a fantastic weekend!

XO - D2

Some of my latest faves...

Friday, May 22, 2015

My Latest Obsessions



Hanging out w/ dear friends at the fabulous Eden East in Austin, TX

Our menu from Eden East = OMG, Amazing!
Fave = the soft deep fried egg! 

Iconic 'I love you so much' mural next to Jo's Coffee in the
South Congress neighborhood of Austin =
had to take the pic! 

My latest favorite = Topo Chico (mineral water sold all over Austin, but PFC found some in Chi-town)

Hanging w/ my favorite peeps on Mother's Day

CMC's last lndian Princess Campout = IP Graduation Ceremony

G$ heading to one of his T-Ball games


Happy Friday! I haven't posted in several weeks = the joys of what I'm referring to as May Madness! PFC and I were away in Austin the first weekend in May visiting some dear friends of ours. We had a wonderful time. I hadn't been to Austin in about 10ish years (and wow, the city has changed so much = check out the skyline alone!). We then had a jam packed Mother's Day weekend and this past weekend the girls were w/ PFC at their Indian Princess camp out. Indian Princess is one of their all time favorite activities = love that!

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday weekend! I'm excited that I get to catch up briefly w/ my youngest sister who will be in town = fun! I'm always revisiting memories from my solo trip out to see her two years ago around this time = must do again! And I'm looking forward to catching our local Memorial Day parade (w/ my middle sister and her crew) and the BBQs, parties and gatherings that ensue.

Cheers to a wonderful long weekend! Happy Memorial Day! XO - d2

Some of my latest faves: