GrannyB & MVP!

My parents and brother have been here visiting this past week and Margaux has been LOVING it!!!  She has such fun with all of them, but she especially enjoys her Grandma...she tends to cry when my mom leaves the room a lot of the time.  Again, I sure wish we lived a bit closer to our families!

New Old Car

Back in December we bought a used Volvo V70.  Patrick had been driving his work vehicle, but it's quite large and also a temptation for thieves to break in and see what they can help themselves to.  So for now, this car works very well as a secondary vehicle for us...it's known for safety and the ability to go and go and go like the Energizer Bunny!  A coworker of mine still drives hers from like, 1987!  Patrick thinks it drives nice but still says his next vehicle purchase will be a truck.  So he can "haul stuff".  *eye roll*  ;)

Toddler's Playhouse

Up early and looking sharp for her first day of play group!

The tent filled with plastic balls was a big hit!

Yes, that is my Blackberry in her hand, but she wasn't texting and driving at the same time!

(There were other kids there, I swear!  I just didn't want to post pictures of them online without permission.)

Our little gal loves babies and kids but doesn't get much opportunity to play in groups since we don't live near family or friends with kids her age.  I did some online research and found a nice play group in Lakeview near where I work called Toddler's Playhouse.  Today was her first day and although she was a bit timid, she seemed to really like it.  I think she will have lots of fun and it will also be really good for her.  She is currently enrolled in a 16-week session and will be attending every Monday morning.  The program runs Monday thru Thursday and you can choose your combination of days.  The lady who runs it, Sheila, seems very nice.  The other parents/nannies/grandparents that were in attendance also seemed pleasant.  Thumbs up!

Saint Valentine's Day

The balloon portion of her Valentine's gift...she loves them!

Walking into White Fence Farm restaurant.

She rode this horsey over and over again and was delighted every time!

Already a fan of junky little treasures!

Playing in front of the silly mirror.

We like Valentine's Day...two years ago today is when little Margaux was created at FCI!  (Fertility Centers of Illinois)  We got up this morning and gave Margaux her gifts and then headed out to White Fence Farm in the suburbs.  Friends told us about this down home, kitschy restaurant out in the 'burbs and I thought it was something my parents and brother, who are here visiting, would enjoy.  It didn't disappoint!  Total country cooking.  It also features a small antique museum, little rides for kids and a petting zoo that was too surrounded by snow to bother with.  The sun was shining again today...hope you all had a Happy Valentine's Day!

I Love Winter

I do!  I love it!  I am not one who moans and groans her way through the winter season.  I was born and raised here in the Midwest and choose to live here now, so I've never seen the point in complaining about the inevitable, you know?  Winter offers some really great things:  sports/recreation activities, the opportunity to enjoy cozy nights by the fireplace, hot chocolate, cute winter clothes and the chance to be excited for spring!  I need my seasons.  I am looking forward to getting little MVP on skis in the near future!  We got some snow here in Chicago last week, though not the extent of the 'Snowmageddon' or 'Snowpocalypse' that hit the east!  It's pretty crazy that 49 of the 50 states reported snow fall these past few days.  We've been enjoying the olympics so far, rather wishing we were in Vancouver to enjoy it live!