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Seasons of Love

2011-12-31T11:31:00.001-06:00

I hope that 2012 will be filled with 525,600 minutes of love for all of you out there in Blogland!

ZooLights 2011

2011-12-27T19:17:00.001-06:00

I was happy to share this Chicago tradition with my sister and brother-in-law, but WOW was it crowded! I have only gone one other year, on New Year's eve, and it was much quieter at that time.

From Our House To Yours...

2011-12-27T18:46:00.000-06:00

A Blessed Christmas

2011-12-27T18:39:00.000-06:00

A few last words to Santa.

The Walnut Room, Macy's on State Street.

Baking for Santa in one of her summer hats that she pulled out!

Santa loves Margaux!

Presents for Jasper too, of course!

Toddler Pocahontas...so adorable!

Socker Bopper with Aunt Susie!

Our Christmas Eve was on the 23rd this year, and our Christmas Day was on the 24th, due to the fact that I had to work on the 25th. Santa can be very accommodating about coming early if you just ask him nicely. Sue & Dennis were able to come down again this year, and my nephew Drew came over for the weekend. We had a nice, relaxing time and Margaux had tons of fun being the center of attention with all of her new toys! We had a yummy meal and I enjoyed staying in my p.j.s all day and watching Christmas shows by the fireplace. I need to keep Christmas in my heart all year long!

Clear-ly Prater Christmas

2011-12-27T13:26:00.003-06:00

The Prater (Clear) ladies: Aunt Kimmy, Margaux, Grandma P., Anna and Abby

She even played Santa for a little while!

While in Mason for the funeral, we went ahead and did a little Christmas with Patrick's parents, his sister and family and his brother Jim + family. We have a difficult time getting the Prater family all together for the holidays, but hopefully one of these years we can pull it off again. We loved seeing everyone and Margaux relishes all of the attention she gets from Abby and Anna!

Up North Christmas

2011-12-27T13:12:00.000-06:00

Joy. Pure joy.

Making snow angels is instinctual in children. She flopped right down and got to work without us even showing her what to do!

So glad there was a little bit of snow for her to play in.

G&G Byard with the youngest grandchildren and all of the great-grandchildren, minus Dominik, who had already gone home. They have eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren...so far.

Once again, my job dictated my holiday whereabouts. I worked on Christmas day. The good thing is that I know my holiday schedule for the year and my family always plans accordingly, which is mighty generous! We went up north the weekend before Christmas to celebrate. It was too quick of a trip, but it was wonderful to see everyone. Margaux always has a blast with her cousins! Thanks to everyone for the beautiful gifts. We hope to make it up there again soon!

Farewell

2011-12-27T12:40:00.002-06:00

Great Grandma Preisinger and Margaux, January 2009

Patrick's grandma passed away the week preceding Christmas this year. (Joanne's mom.) Elizabeth was 95 years old. She was a beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother and great-grandmother. Additionally, she was a U.S. Army veteran, a nurse and someone with an eye for beauty and the drive to make things happen. There was an Honor Guard send off at her funeral, which was nice. She was Patrick's last living grandparent and she was a really neat lady. She will be missed.

So Long, Miss Marlene!

2011-12-13T22:25:00.001-06:00

Margaux was new to the Kindermusik program at Bucktown Music this fall and she loves it so much in large part due to her teacher, Marlene. She is a very nice girl with a lot of patience with the kids and a sweet singing voice. Today was the last day of class until after the new year, and when class resumes we will have Jessica (owner) as a teacher and I know she is wonderful as well! We will see you in upper levels, Miss Marlene! Thank you!

Santa Trolley Express

2011-12-12T19:18:00.000-06:00

I guess The Little People freaked her out a little bit.

They meet again!

This past weekend while I was working, Patrick and Margaux went to the Santa Trolley Express event in Oak Park. The kids made magic reindeer food, boarded the trolley to have snacks/see Santa & Mrs. Claus/The Little People and then returned to the starting to point to play and receive a little gift bag. Very cute event! The holiday season is so much more special for us now that we have a little one!

I'm 4-0 And I Don't Care!

2011-12-09T14:30:00.000-06:00

There is apparently some confusion as to whether Andy Rooney actually wrote this, or if he featured it from another author. I don't care, I just think it's brilliant!

Andy Rooney says:
As I grow in age, I value women who are over forty most of all. Here are just a few reasons why: A woman over forty will never wake you in the middle of the night to ask, “What are you thinking?” She doesn’t care what you think.
If a woman over forty doesn’t want to watch the game, she doesn’t sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do. And, it’s usually something more interesting.
A woman over forty knows herself well enough to be assured in who she is, what she is, what she wants and from whom. Few women past the age of forty give a hoot what you might think about her or what she’s doing.
Women over forty are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won’t hesitate to shoot you, if they think they can get away with it.
Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it’s like to be unappreciated.
A woman over forty has the self-assurance to introduce you to her women friends. A younger woman with a man will often ignore even her best friend because she doesn’t trust the guy with other women. Women over forty couldn’t care less if you’re attracted to her friends because she knows her friends won’t betray her.
Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over forty. They always know.
A woman over forty looks good wearing bright red lipstick. This is not true of younger women. Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over forty is far sexier than her younger counterpart.
Older women are forthright and honest. They’ll tell you right off if you are a jerk, if you are acting like one! You don’t ever have to wonder where you stand with her.
Yes, we praise women over forty for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, it’s not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed hot woman of forty-plus, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some twenty-two-year-old waitress.
Ladies, I apologize.
For all those men who say, “Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free,” here’s an update for you. Now 80 percent of women are against marriage, why? Because women realize it’s not worth buying an entire pig, just to get a little sausage.
First published September 2007

Via http://www.divinecaroline.com/22323/34969-andy-rooney-forty#ixzz1g4Ty1kCU

Junior Tumble Bees Finale Recital

2011-12-08T22:27:00.001-06:00

Here she comes, out of the gate!

The magic parachute!

Miss Shaunda & GoGo

Today was the tumbling and ballet recital/finale party and it was adorable. Miss Shaunda does a nice job with the little girls. Margaux is looking forward to taking a dance class after the new year. We are looking at a combo ballet/tap/tumbling class. It's great to see little ones moving their bodies AND having a blast!

Dank Artistry

2011-12-06T17:14:00.001-06:00

Sarah's

Heather's

Joanne's

I finally ordered one for myself!

I love silver jewelry and I love shopping on Etsy. I am so thrilled to have found Dan Kemp's shop, Dank Artistry, where I purchased the above spoon bracelets + a few more not pictured that I will be giving as Christmas gifts. I love spoon jewelry and Dan's work is beautiful and of high quality. Each piece is listed with the name of the antique spoon company/design with a little bit of a background story, which is neat. He is also quirky and super friendly in his customer service communication. Turn around time is fast, fast, fast!!! Check him out on Etsy.com!

"Gnome" For The Holidays

2011-12-06T15:52:00.000-06:00

I saw this little guy while out shopping today, and I decided he needed to come home with me!

A Most Festive Weekend

2011-12-04T21:35:00.000-06:00

They meet again! Lunch With Santa at Cheney Mansion in Oak Park, IL.

Checking out the holiday windows at Macy's on State Street.

Glass ornaments at Christkindle Market in Daley Plaza.

We are having a lot of fun with the Advent Calendar activity!

'Tis The Season

2011-12-04T20:49:00.000-06:00

The gingerbread choo-choo train that she made with Daddy while Momma was at work.

I was unable to find the perfect Advent calendar, so I got together with my friend Bex and we crafted this kind that you string up on the fireplace. Love it! Hers turned out really cute as well.

This is before I hung our stockings by the chimney with care. They are up now, tucked behind the envelopes. A totally cutesy theme...MVP loves it!

Each year Margaux gets a personalized ornament, starting with the one that Bex & Heather got for her when she was born. This year she perused Etsy with me and chose her own! :)

The Official 2011 Santa Shot

2011-12-04T20:25:00.000-06:00

What's Christmas time without the traditional mall Santa picture? The first year that we took her was just after she turned one. We went to Macy's and she sat on Santa's lap and reached up to touch his beard in wonderment as the camera captured the moment. Last year and this year she has the exact same deadpan expression, which I find pretty hilarious. She was all excited about going to see Santa and we talked about her sitting on his lap for a picture, but when we got within 50 feet she stopped in her tracks and covered her face with both hands. She never cried and she went through with it, but she didn't have it in her to crack a smile....until the picture was done and I was paying for it, then she was deep in conversation with Santa and smiling about it. A little tip? While it is tempting to put your daughter in a traditional red holiday dress, it doesn't pop as well when photographed with Santa, dark colors are your best bet! ;)

Giving Thanks...Lots and Lots of Thanks

2011-12-04T20:06:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

GoGo at the Christmas tree farm!

Helping Daddy hold it up for Momma to inspect!

Our wreath that I designed...love it!

She helped decorate the tree and then it was time to learn about the nativity.

I had Thanksgiving off this year, so that in itself made it a happy one! I was actually off Tuesday-Friday and Patrick's parents came to spend the holiday with us. I tell you what, that Joanne can cook! She did most of our Thanksgiving dinner and it was tasty and I was thankful! Margaux loved having her PaPa and Grandma here to visit. We did not do the Black Friday thing, but instead drove out to Richardson's Farm in Spring Grove, IL to cut our Christmas tree. We opted for a Canaan Fir again this year...love them! Our country, and the whole world really, is kind of a mess right now. So many people are struggling in different ways for different reasons. I know I get depressed about this or that, but life is not perfect and I am immensely greatful for Margaux and Patrick and Jasper and our entire family + friends. I am thankful for our health and employment and all of the extras that we are able to do and have. I am a work in progress, but I am doing my best to radiate positivity.

Three Year Pictures

2011-12-04T19:06:00.000-06:00

I got a new camera back in September, a Canon Rebel T2i, and I love it! Do I know it the way that I should yet? No, but I will, I really will. Anyway, I was excited to shoot Margaux's three year pictures myself and I got a ton of shots with a lot of really cute keepers. The above are just a little handful of raw samples. I was very happy with Nations Photo Lab editing and printing services.

My Newest Pretty

2011-12-04T15:50:00.000-06:00

I never thought I would be such a gadget lover! My Android phone is my lifeline. I have been enjoying a love affair with my Kindle for the past year and a half. My newest pretty arrived on my doorstep and into my hot hands in mid-November...the Kindle Fire! It's a great little tablet that packs a lot of punch for only $199! I dig it and Margaux enjoys the learning games that I have downloaded for her. Thumbs up! Great Christmas gift idea for anyone who is wondering!

Trick or "Treack"

2011-12-04T15:39:00.000-06:00

Halloween was so fun with our girl this year! She has been into pirates for awhile now and so I ordered her a costume online awhile back. It was cute in the pictures but horribly cheap looking in reality and so Aunt Susie and I went shopping for the materials and she made Margaux's costume. It turned out fabulous! Margaux had a blast going up to the doors and yelling "Trick or treack!" and she hung in there for over two hours. She says that next year she wants to be a ghost or a witch, it will be interesting to see what her opinion is by then. She is such a funny, creative, smart, stubborn kid...never a dull moment around here!

Days of Autumn

2011-12-04T15:36:00.002-06:00

GoGo + Jasper = Best Friends

(She loves and takes great care of her "Gasger"!)

Willy Wonka Birthday Party

2011-12-04T14:39:00.005-06:00

The Golden Ticket invitation!

This year's location was the most adorable cottage in Elk Rapids, MI. Grandma Byard made the giant lollipops for the front yard!

Willy Wonka goodies!

Party favors for the kiddies!

Fizzy Lifting Drinks for the burping contest!

There were refreshments for kids...

...and for adults as well!

Theme-ing the food!

The dream cake! Made by the talented Ann Barraclough of Lake Ann, MI. Her award-winning business is called Aunt B's Cakes & Desserts. It was chocolate cake with a chocolate Bavarian cream filling and peanut butter frosting under the prettiness. It was DIVINE!!!

You can't have a Wonka party without a chocolate fountain!

Maggie R. signing The Birthday Contract.

Matthew G. tasting the lickable wallpaper...the kids loved it! Jolly Ranchers did the trick. "The snozzberries taste like snozzberries!"

The bounce castle was the major hit of the entire day!

Attacking Uncle Mike, who was brave enough to enter!

Grandma Byard made the Oompa Loompa cut out, and I thought this shot of Miss Genevieve was especially cute!

Singing Happy Birthday to MVP.

Cousin Anna helping her open gifts.

Margaux turned 3!!! Insert here all of the usual "time flies by so quickly" phrases. We decided to have her birthday party in the Traverse City area again so that all of her little cousins and many friends could more easily attend. I found the most adorable red cottage in Elk Rapids, MI and it was the perfect location for a party! One of MVP's favorite movies is Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory...the old Gene Wilder version. So this was the theme and I put a lot of thought and effort into it, as I do for all of my parties, but especially her birthday parties. Why? First of all, it's what I love to do...I enjoy planning and being creative and I believe in going all out to make things nice. I cannot deny that my heart breaks a little when I see people put zero effort into their hodge-podge parties! You don't have to spend a lot of money, just put some TLC into it! Secondly, I didn't have birthday parties like this when I was little. I don't mean that in a "poor me" kind of way, I had great parents and a blessed childhood, but they just weren't into all of this birthday stuff beyond cake & icecream with immediate family. I admit it, the magic of these birthday parties that I create for my daughter also spills over a bit for me! Lastly, because we live in Chicago and pretty much our entire family live in Michigan, Margaux misses out on the family birthday parties and get togethers. Her birthday party is a chance to have all the kids together, playing and laughing and getting reacquainted. It's for all of them. The best perk of this year's big day was the SUNSHINE!!! We are notorious for having it rain REALLY HARD when we host a party...our wedding, her baptism, her first two birthday parties and my 40th birthday party. I laugh about it, but I am always crying inside just a little! Happy third year, dear Margaux, God bless you and keep you...we love you more than words can ever express!!!

Grand Rapids Getaway

2011-12-04T11:22:00.001-06:00

Bex & Heather

I did it! I finally spent a night away from my MVP voluntarily. The one other time that I was apart from her was when I had my gallbladder removed last summer. I know, eye roll. I never imagined myself as the mom who would suffer from separation anxiety, well whaddaya know? ;) At some point the term "girl's weekend" started to annoy/creep me out. I don't know why, I'm weird. So anyway, me and two of my best friends who are also girls, decided that we would meet up for a night in Grand Rapids, MI just to relax and hang out. We stayed in a beautiful hotel on the river right downtown and the Art Prize event also happened to be going on that weekend. We saw a little bit of high quality art and a whole lot of mediocre/bad "art"! I made the girls pose for me and my new camera while we sipped vino and then went out for a nice tappas dinner. We had planned to get our party on, but someone forgot to send us the memo that it was hooker night at all the downtown bars! We didn't find a bar with our niche of people. Oh well, still fun!

Goebbert's Farm

2011-12-04T10:32:00.000-06:00

I love autumn and everything that goes with it...the beautiful flaming leaves, the crisp air, the clothes, turning off the a.c. and of course...visiting the pumpkin patch! We usually go to County Line Orchard in Indiana, but this year we decided to give Goebbert's a try. Margaux had a blast seeing the large variety of animals, going for a camel and pony ride and jumping on the huge inflatable bouncer. I grew up a country girl and everyone knows how much I love urban living, but I appreciate how quickly we can arrive to a rural setting from Chicago. I am thankful that there are so many fun activities and opportunities for Margaux right at our fingertips. Variety is the spice of life!

Shut Up And Run

2011-12-04T00:23:00.000-06:00

Back when I was really into running and training for marathons, I couldn't get Patrick to join me for anything. So what does he go and do in September? Run 50 miles in The North Face Endurance Challenge in Wisconsin! It's a crazy race and Margaux and I were very proud of him. Margaux loves staying in 'tel rooms and requests it all the time. I want to fall in love with running again myself. We'll see.

Kindermusik & Tumble Bees

2011-12-02T21:30:00.001-06:00

Heading out to Disney On Ice.

This fall we enrolled Margaux in two activities. She is in the Kindermusik program at the award-winning Bucktown Music and she absolutely LOVES it! She looks forward to going every Tuesday morning and she likes her teacher, Marlene. She is also in the Junior Tumble Bee class with Miss Shawnda through the Park District of Forest Park. The photos above are from her very first day in September. It is so cute to watch her concentrating and trying her very best to get all the moves right. (When she is not distracted & wild, that is! God bless these teachers.) The tumbling class goes through early December and then we will either enroll again or have her try beginner's ballet.

Summer 2011 Redux

2011-12-01T23:22:00.000-06:00

Cousins: Griffin, Margaux & Genevieve.

GoGo & Aunt Ruthie. Sam & Tracy + fam and Aunt Ruthie came to visit in June!

Sleeping Bear Dunes scenic drive.

Tubing on the Platte River...so fun! Love our new tubes!

North Bar/Lake Michigan...favorite beach!

Had a blast camping with the Clears at Platte River Campground!

G&G Byard's barn.

Mackinaw Bridge

Heading to Fiona's grad party!

Garden girl!

Grass girl!

Polo match in Bliss, MI.

Pool girl...our membership at the pool in Forest Park was money well spent! We were there constantly!

Mother's Day & Turning 40

2011-12-01T23:00:00.000-06:00

My Mother's Day bouquet and sidewalk chalk art from Margaux.

A delicious Mother's Day brunch!

My Phat cruiser birthday gift from Patrick.

Patrick put together a last-minute surprise 40th birthday party for me. I had always told him that I didn't want a party, so it was a risky move on his part! It was very nice, just a small bunch since it fell on Memorial Day weekend. My parents and my sister Sue and brother-in-law Dennis made it from Michigan. I completely dropped the ball on picture-taking! :(

Shamrocks To Easter Bunny 2011

2011-12-01T22:25:00.001-06:00

The St. Patrick's Day Parade downtown Chicago. It used to be so much better before they changed the route!

Vintage bobblehead couple purchased for my parents by my older siblings when they were little.

An old tricycle on my parent's property.

Margaux and her PaPa Byard.

Bunny Rock 5k.

She took her hunting seriously.

All dressed up and ready for church!

The Easter Bunny was very good to her!

January-March 2011

2011-12-01T17:27:00.001-06:00

Cousin Jake's 18th birthday party.

The Blizzard of 2011...I had no idea how much headache it would cause when our hospital was BOMBARDED by blizzard babies 9 months later!!!

Loving her vanity that she got for Valentine's Day!

Eating peanuts and watching movies on the plane ride to Florida!

Welcome to Sanibel Island!

Patrick had a birthday while we were on vacation.

We were fortunate to see a ton of dolphins on this excursion!

Last December!

2011-12-01T17:02:00.001-06:00

Happy girl in holiday dress #1.

Holiday dress #2!

Her first haircut!

The cousins on the Byard side (minus Griffin/Genevieve/Dominik) going for a sleigh ride, compliment of Aunt Ruthie!

A view of the December moon from my parent's front yard in northern Michigan.

The kitchen was her "big" Christmas gift and she absolutely loves it!

A whole year since I have posted properly and now I feel overwhelmed! December was full of holiday festivities and we went up to my parent's to celebrate Christmas a week early, as we will this year. My sister Sue and brother-in-law Dennis came down and spent Christmas with us, as they plan to this year as well!

Long Time, No Blog!

2011-07-27T15:57:00.000-05:00

Not a peep for 7 months! I have had a series of computer issues and then I was working with a MAC and I just didn't take it to it like I'd hoped...I'm a PC girl! So, new laptop, lots of pictures to post and probably a new blog site at WordPress. If you are interested, contact me and I will give you the new info! Hope you're enjoying a fantastic summer!

Santa, Santa, Santa...and Santa!

2010-12-11T21:31:00.000-06:00

She was pretty stoked about her new snow shovel!

All dressed up for Breakfast With Santa at Brookfield Zoo.

The best Santa was at the HIP! (Harlem & Irving Plaza) No smiles for the camera.

"Pretty, pretty."

The wonder of snow!

Making her first gingerbread house.

Busy little hands!

Santa at our local Park District location.

Best pals!

It's been a fun holiday season so far that has included visiting FOUR Santas! Overkill? Sure! Margaux is just so much fun this year that we kept doing the Santa events with her...fun for us too! We look forward to spending time with family and friends in the weeks ahead, as well as taking the time to remember what this holiday is REALLY about. Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year!

The Snowy Day

2010-12-04T13:35:00.001-06:00

"One winter morning ~~Peter~~ Margaux woke up and looked out the window. Snow had fallen during the night. It covered everything as far as he she could see."

-The Snowy Day, Ezra Jack Keats

Forest Park Holiday Walk

2010-12-04T11:00:00.000-06:00

Our little animal lover meeting Prancer! She and DaDa enjoyed the holiday walk on Madison in Forest Park. Fun for kids and fun for the adults to browse the cute shops.

Meeting Santa for the first time this season...planning to hang out with him again a few times in the weeks ahead! Patrick overheard this "Santa" complaining after he put Margaux down that it wasn't good for his back. Nice. She weighs a whopping 29 pounds!

GoGo loving on her Christmas tree!

Holiday Prep

2010-12-02T01:15:00.000-06:00

Margaux and Daddy spent Thanksgiving with dear friends. I worked.

Heading out in the bitter cold to cut down a Christmas tree!

Jasper & MVP checking out the animals at the tree farm.

Patrick prepares to conquer the tree.

Margaux demonstrating how Daddy had to crawl under the tree.

This is my kind of hunting...no bundle of deer carcass!

The finished product! Went kind of girlie-fun theme this year for MVP!

The Greatest Show On Earth

2010-12-02T00:39:00.000-06:00

All dressed up and excited for the circus!

Ryan and Margaux

A few weeks ago we went to Ringling Bros & Barnum & Bailey's Greatest Show On Earth at United Center. We met up with my friend Melissa, her mom and her kids. I have never been a fan of the circus because I struggle with the ethical issue of the animals that they use. However, I went to the circus when I was little and it just seems like a rite of passage in childhood. I was pleasantly surprised by the high quality of this production and how 'Cirque Du Soleil' it was. The elephants seemed happy and healthy enough (?) but I wanted to cry when the tigers came out. There were so many of them and their part in the show was so minimal. The cages...*sob* Anyway, MVP thoroughly enjoyed herself and paid attention the entire time!

"Treat!"

2010-11-02T00:37:00.000-05:00

She kissed the pumpkins because, well, she is very much into kissing lately!

Making friends with Rudy.

We ran into a little Brobee and we made them pose together!

She had fun passing out candy with Auntie Lara for awhile!

Last stop of the evening: The Nunez Family...she adores them!

Jess & MVP

Margaux said "Treat!" instead of "Trick or treat!". Halloween was fun for her this year. She was very excited about the pumpkin carving despite the fact that she REFUSED to get her hands soiled with the pumpkin guts! Her Foofa costume made her very happy and she got into the spirit of trick-or-treating a bit more this year. We probably only went to about 10 houses since she was a bit timid, but she enjoyed herself and so did we. When we stopped by Lara & Tony's house she had a blast answering the door and helping Lara hand out the candy. Maybe she'll be the girl who likes to dress up to be the candy giver rather than the candy receiver!

The Dancing Horses Theatre

2010-11-02T00:09:00.001-05:00

This past Friday we checked out The Dancing Horses Theatre in Delavan, WI. Delavan is just past Lake Geneva, such a pretty little area! The theatre property is pretty amazing as it also includes vast acreage for a wide assortment of animals. We first took in the 75 minute show that kicks off with the owner, Dana Montana, giving a little speech about how her love of horses began. She's an interesting lady...ex Playboy Bunny, horse lover, owner of The Sugar Shack and a club in Chicago! The show is kind of Vegas-y, with pretty girls in glitzy costumes and beautiful horses trained to perform neat tricks to music. This was followed by a bird show in another building and then a back stage tour of the horse stables and a demonstration of the training techniques. Margaux LOVED the petting zoo! It is by far the best we have ever visited. The animals are so well cared for and you are free to roam about without the staff lurking around nervously watching your every move like so many others that we have visited. We are thrilled at how much Margaux loves animals...she was all about those little goats! They even offer camel rides, but MVP was WAY too tired to do that on this visit! I have to add that as per usual, MVP cozied up to another older lady who was nice to her. This woman was sitting next to us during the show and the next thing we know, Margaux is snuggled into her lap and calling her "Grandma"! Cute.

Happy 2nd Birthday!

2010-10-27T02:00:00.001-05:00

She's two already. She wakes up every day this different little person who knows more and says more and it never ceases to amaze me. We decided to have her birthday party in northern MI again so that she could be with family and a lot of friends. Her birthday was Sunday the 23rd, but we had her party on Saturday at Cobblestone Ranch in Kingsley, MI. Such a darling place for a birthday party and to just drop by and visit for pony rides! The owners, Pat & Pat are great, and even though it rained (of course) it was a really fun day. Each child was able to get their pony ride if they wanted to and then we had a little western-themed lunch followed by presents and cake. We stayed at Cambria Suites in Traverse City that night, along with some of my family. Margaux swam with Sophie and she got to play with Cousin Alivia that evening. The Prater bunch came by for drinks in the hotel lounge. It was a great weekend and we thank everyone who was there! ( I posted more pictures on my Facebook profile.)
***My sister Ruth asked me how I came up with the cowgirl/western theme party and I told her the truth: it all started with the little red cowgirl boots! I ordered them for her this past spring and they were too large. They sat in her closet and one day I looked at them and was inspired to find her a matching cowgirl ensemble...and then the party was born! I was surfing the internet for venues in the Traverse City area and happened upon Cobblestone Ranch which at the time, had JUST opened! Perfect.***

2 Year Check-Up

2010-10-20T00:37:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Margaux's 2 year checkup with DrG and it was a great visit! She now weighs 29.2 lbs and measures 35.5 inches tall and she is right on target for all of her developmental milestones. She was super chatty and friendly with the office girls but very serious and watchful of DrG. She got the nasal mist flu vaccine and also one shot in her leg and she didn't cry at all! (Though she did point out her "boo-boo" for the rest of the day!) After her appointment we headed out to County Line Orchard in IN to spend the afternoon with our friends, the Brazier family....she always has such fun with Ryan & Addy!

Big Girl Bed

2010-10-17T22:06:00.000-05:00

Grandpa & Grandma Prater brought Margaux's big girl bed this weekend and it's all set up and looking pretty! I was so happy to find this beautiful trundle bed on Craig's List in Chelsea, MI. The branch above the bed was made by Daddy right before she was born, and the stuffed owl was made for her by Aunt Susie. Sweet dreams, little MVP!

Fun Fall Weekend

2010-10-10T17:30:00.000-05:00

Doing the Benihana thing! Yum.

Another oldest cousin/youngest cousin pic!

MVP with Cousin Sam and Aunt Ruth

Tappin' a beat on the rock.

MVP & Aunt Susie

What a wonderful fall weekend...the weather was crazy warm and sunny and we had family here to visit! My sister Ruth came down with my nephew Sam and my sister Sue and brother-in-law Dennis are here as well. It was also nice to see my nephew Drew who lives right here in Chicago. We love it when family comes to visit!

There's A Party In My City!

2010-10-10T17:12:00.000-05:00

Margaux and I went to the Yo Gabba Gabba live show again this weekend. We went last December and I figured she would get even more enjoyment out of it now that she's older. She was kind of scared when it started because it was loud. She was VERY serious about it again...not many smiles, but she did clap and dance and watch intently. We had aisle seats and she was able to touch Foofa and Muno!

Girl With Red Balloon

2010-10-10T16:58:00.000-05:00

Jennifer's Baby Shower

2010-10-05T18:17:00.000-05:00

The day after the anniversary celebration, my sister Ruth hosted a nice little baby shower for my nephew Clint's wife, Jennifer. They will be making me a Great Aunt for the 6th time at the end of this month when little Dominik Charles arrives! I can't wait to meet him during the upcoming holidays!
The last picture is Margaux & Grandma staying up VERY late and playing with stickers. "Papa" was also a big hit with Margaux on this trip again. :)

Diamond Anniversary

2010-10-05T18:02:00.001-05:00

Married on September 23, 1950

My parents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this year! Our entire immediate family gathered for a celebratory dinner at Dam Site Inn last weekend and it was a wonderful evening. Sixty years together is a true accomplishment, especially in this day and age. There was a nice piece about them in the Petoskey News Review and they even received some nice cards from strangers. Cheers to you, Mom & Dad...we love you! xoxo

Camping At Starved Rock

2010-10-05T17:54:00.000-05:00

Long time no blog! We've been busy-ish. These are a few of the pictures from our camping trip to Starved Rock in Utica, IL. We went the second weekend of September and we had a great time! I am still amazed that somewhere so beautiful exists in flatland Illinois AND it's only about an 80 minute drive from Chicago. The State Park was really nice and Starved Rock Lodge is adorable...we hope to go back and stay there sometime. There is a lot of history to Starved Rock and even a 1960 murder saga...you should Google it and/or read the book The Starved Rock Murders by Steve Stout. We did a ton of hiking, hitting most of the canyons that we wanted to see and Margaux enjoyed her first camping experience. Fall must be absolutely gorgeous in this area and the spring is when you can see the waterfalls flowing. Good times!

Silvia Gets Married

2010-08-30T02:17:00.000-05:00

My Silvia.

Her son Ricky walking her down the aisle.

Pablo & Silvia cutting the cake.

Linda Bluetooth

Peggy Bluetooth

Gloria, Tanesha, Rebecca W. & Maria going for the bouquet.

My dear friend Silvia got married to her Pablo this weekend. She had to change venues at the last minute, but she rolled with it and looked gorgeous...Pablo is a lucky man! Congrats to the both of them and to their children. There were close to 30 IMMC ladies representing...Silvia is popular!

I set out on a narrow way many years ago

Hoping I would find true love along the broken road

But I got lost a time or two

Wiped my brow and kept pushing through

I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you

Every long lost dream led me to where you are

Others who broke my heart they were like Northern stars

Pointing me on my way into your loving arms

This much I know is true

That God blessed the broken road

That led me straight to you

I think about the years I spent just passing through

I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you

But you just smile and take my hand

You've been there you understand

It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true

Feeling Blessed

2010-08-27T00:54:00.001-05:00

I have the best family in the world and I love them to pieces. My parents, my brothers & sisters, they are just really good people...no drama, no fuss, just loyal people who always have your back. I am so thankful that our car-deer accident wasn't worse and I am appreciative that my health issue was not serious. It was actually a good thing that my surgery happened at home in northern MI because everyone was so helpful with Margaux and she felt safe and loved and secure while she was parted from me. Patrick and I have become very independent people since living so far from any family, so we didn't know what to make of all the help and the presence of everyone at the hospital all day long! It was nice. I appreciate the visits, the care of MVP, the phone calls, the surprise in the mail and the help back here in Chicago this past week. We love & miss you all...see you in September!

(My nephews & nieces are awesome too...fyi! And a special shout-out to Jenn & E who were texting me on the scene of the accident offering transportation & shelter and online help! Thanks to Lara & Trish for making sure I didn't need anything once I got home! <3)

Best.Weekend.Ever

2010-08-19T23:56:00.000-05:00

And by "Best.Weekend.Ever" I mean not really at all! It was pretty much the exact opposite of the best weekend ever. I have posted some nice pictures that highlight the fun moments, so it clearly was not a total loss, but wow! Here is how it goes:

Friday: We were both off work that day and had high hopes of getting out of town early and arriving in northern MI at a decent time so that we might still enjoy the beautiful day! Didn't happen. Never does. We are chronically behind in all things task-related and we were doing laundry and packing and taking care of various errands all day and never got on the road until 3:30 pm. I was kind of a Bitter Betty on the drive up north, thinking about how I should've been at Sturgeon Bay!

Saturday: Part of the reason we went home this weekend was to attend the 19th Annual Odawa Homecoming Pow Wow. Our first one. It's half of my heritage and sadly, I miss out on all of the activities living so far away. It was neat, but sickly hot & humid. Like, even if you found shade and sat still you were still sweating profusely! I also didn't connect with a lot of people that I thought I would. (Though it was nice to see Tracy & kids and Ruth!) We didn't stay all that long. :(

Sunday: Patrick's triathlon in Petoskey. Me, MVP, my mom and my sister Sue went to cheer him on. We saw him swim and head to the bike transition. We went to the car to feed MVP breakfast while waiting to watch his big finish. My mom and sister kept saying that he should be coming along soon, but I was looking at a clock with central time and dilly-dallying and when we were headed over to the finish line, Patrick was walking toward us with a bewildered/irritated expression on his face! WE MISSED THE FINISH and it was my fault!!! I felt terrible. Like, sickly terrible. He did great! That afternoon we made plans to go to the beach with Joe, Sara & Alivia. We drive over to Sturgeon Bay, only to stay for 5 minutes due to the sand pelting us like little needles from the wind! Ouch. Bummer! So we ended up spending the rest of the afternoon at the water park in Mackinaw City...fun stuff. We had a nice little dinner when we got back home and within minutes I felt a gallbladder attack coming on. It was horrible! I tried to pretend it wasn't so bad and even joined everyone for a little fire and s'mores but it got to the point that I couldn't sit still from the pain. I kept waiting for it to stop, but after 5 hours I surrendered and headed to the ER in Petoskey! Had a abdominal ultrasound, and sure enough, major gallstones and inflammation and my labs were abnormal. Admitted to hospital for a laparoscopic cholesystectomy the next day. (All the while I am worried my HMO is going to give me trouble for being out of network!)

Monday: My pain is minimal to non-existent after the pain meds in the ER and only one hit of the morphine PCA that morning. I keep waiting to be called for surgery. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Mondays are busy and I was an add-on and emergencies keep bumping me. I know how these things go, so I can't be mad. My mouth was dry as hell by the time I went into the OR at 9:00 pm, but hey, what can you do? The doctors and nurses and techs and well, everyone at this hospital are awesome! Very nice and attentive. I was completely freaked out about the general anesthesia, but they pushed the Versed as they were rolling me into the room and I don't remember ANYTHING until I was moving on to my bed back in my room and dry heaving into a bucket and rambling nonsense to my nurse! Good times.

Tuesday: My incredible surgeon, Dr. Michael Johnson came to see me in the morning and informed me that my gallbladder was very inflamed and that he was surprised I had no symptoms prior to June. Good riddance, stupid gallbladder! Dr. Johnson is a neat guy, very personable and rumored to be a crazy-hard worker in that OR! (He performed the surgery on my niece a few years ago that saved her life!) I slurp down some broth and a strawberry shake and hit the road. Rest all day and night at my parent's. God bless my mom for thinking I could eat a big ol' pork chop dinner that night!

Wednesday: Sore, of course, duh. Nauseous. Ugh. Going home to Chicago with my sister Sue to help me out for a little while and a puke bucket between my legs provided by my mom. Thank God for my lovely coworker who called in some Zofran for me and made the drive bearable! Just past Grand Rapids into the home stretch of the drive and cruising at about 70 miles per hour and BAM a loud, violent crushing and skidding! Patrick was able to guide the van to a safe stop at the side of the road and get out to find the front driver side of the van decimated and covered in deer poop! The deer came out of what seemed like nowhere and plowed into the van and basically exploded. Gross and ohmygod, can this REALLY be happening to me (us)?!? None of us were hurt, thankfully. We call the police and try to figure out what mile marker we are at. I call AAA. The report is made. A towing company out of Holland arrives and we are told that they can hoist the van up on the flatbed with us in it and drive us all the way back to Chicago! I was skeptical and questioned the sheriff about it and he reassured me it was fine. So up and off we go, laughing hysterically! And ouch, what a bumpy ride! It was like going by horse & buggy. My post-op stomach felt awesome. We get almost to the Indiana border and the driver pulls over in New Buffalo, MI. His dispatcher on duty that night is having a freak-out and saying it's illegal and she's going to call the Dept. of Transportation, blah, blah, blah. Poor guy, he was really nice too! So at this point I start crying. I called State Farm to find out my options and we decide that Patrick will go with the driver and our van and Jasper to Chicago, and MVP, Sue and I will stay in a hotel for the night. (Note to self: never get in an accident far from home with a lot of people and pets and stuff in your car! It's not convenient.) Patrick drove back and got us this morning and I spent the day getting our rental car, sending the van to the collision shop and talking with the State Farm claims center.

Please, please, please let my luck turn around now, I'm getting too tired to keep smiling to mask the aggravation!!!

Honor Flight Chicago

2010-08-05T01:31:00.000-05:00

MVP was looking and feeling festive!

There was a band that played the oldies but goodies.

MVP knows how to work the crowd & make friends!

Soldiers young...

And soldiers old...the first veteran to walk through the crowd!

One of the many great welcome home signs.

Honor Flight Chicago is an organization that brings World War II veterans to Washington D.C., at no cost to them, for a day of honor. These men and women have waited for 65 years to be honored and thanked in this manner for their service and sacrifice. The current average age of the WWII veteran is 87 years old. Time is running out. Please check out the website at http://www.honorflightchicago.org/ and consider donating and/or volunteering.

For each flight there is a big welcome home celebration at the Midway Airport baggage claim. I have wanted to attend one ever since I found out about the organization and so MVP and I went tonight. What an amazing thing it was to see so many people out to cheer on these veterans as they made their way through the airport! It was a fabulous, patriotic energy from people young and old. Tonight's 90 veterans were supposed to arrive at 7 pm, but they were delayed until 8:45 due to bad weather between D.C. and Chicago. The looks on their faces and the tears in their eyes as they walked through the cheering crowd was something I will never forget.

We were there for a long time and MVP was a gem! She made friends with everyone she met and people were taking pictures of her in her little flag dress. Several Navy recruits who were marching by even paused to talk to her! I am a proud mama. My goal is that she grows up to be a thoughtful, active, appreciative citizen.

Who's That Girl

2010-08-01T22:19:00.001-05:00

Hooray for Target and their new line of vintage rock/pop t-shirts for toddlers! Fun stuff.

When you see her, say a prayer and kiss your heart goodbye

She's trouble, in a word get closer to the fire

Run faster, her laughter burns you up inside

You're spinning round and round

You can't get up, you try but you can't

Quien es esa niña, who's that girl

Señorita mas fina, who's that girl

Quien es esa niña, who's that girl

Señorita mas fina, who's that girl

There was something in the air that night...

2010-07-31T13:37:00.002-05:00

Arrival: ABBA cover band from Sweden.

Bex was in charge of the edibles and most importantly, the presentation!

Friends from work: Glenda, who is camera shy and Lori, who is not!

Bex was feeling her cuteness last night and rocking the self portraits.

Margaux waiting to get into her Burley for a bike ride.

My friend Bex and I headed up to Ravinia last night to see the ABBA cover band from Sweden called Arrival. The weather was looking precarious but it only sprinkled a bit during the song "Waterloo"! The place was sold out and as per usual, it was a super fun night of dancing and laughter and wine. I always sit and marvel at how happy everyone is when they are out picnicking and enjoying music on a summer night under the open sky. Life should be a big huge Ravinia! (Except the part where flaky parents bring their kids along and let them run wild and ram into our table and spill wine all over us. I hate stains and I hate to see good wine go to waste!) We met up with a couple of my friends from work, Glenda and Lori, and we also visited with another coworker during intermission, Beata. Beata's brother and sister-in-law are visiting from Poland and it was very nice to meet them.

Amazingly, I didn't feel too bad this morning and Patrick, Margaux and myself rode our bikes to the grand opening of our new neighborhood playground at Rutherford Sayre Park. It's so cute! There is a brand new playground/water play area and little meditation garden that is sponsored by the Chicago Botanical Garden Society. There were snacks and refreshments and choo choo train rides. Sadly, I forgot to bring my camera! (Because we document our entire lives these days, huh?) The park is very close to our house and I am looking forward to spending a lot of time there with my little girlie.

Shrek The Musical

2010-07-26T11:14:00.000-05:00

Shrek The Musical is in Chicago for 8 weeks and we had the pleasure of seeing it last night, it's opening night! Patrick has been shooting it during the preview period and thought that Margaux and I would enjoy it. It's a risky thing taking a 21-month old to anything requiring over 2 hours of sitting! She did pretty well by making it through the first half. She was getting antsy and chatty and so Patrick took her walking downtown while I stayed for the rest of the show. (He'd seen it in it's entirety more than once!) I absolutely loved it!!! The second half after intermission was my favorite with the best song and dance numbers. Go see it if you get the chance!

In other news, Margaux got two beta fish this weekend while out and about with her daddy. She is very intrigued by fish and we had been talking about an aquarium, but we are starting small first! The fish don't have names because when I tried names on them Margaux looked at me and then them, in confusion. They are just "Fishhh".

Last but not least, our little girl started walking in late June. We had been a bit concerned about her delay with this, but she apparently just likes to work on her own time! Our pediatrician doesn't get concerned until after 17 months and when he assessed her and found that she was developmentally perfect in every other way, he gave us a referral to see a pediatric neurologist just for peace of mind. We never got an appointment, long story. So anyway, she is still very cautious and hesitant but we are confident that she will be running around and carefree about it in no time!

It's been a nice summer for us so far, hope it has been for you too!

Fourth Fun

2010-07-06T23:35:00.001-05:00

So I was originally supposed to work on the 4th of July this year because it was my scheduled holiday, but a very nice coworker agreed to take my shift for me. We decided to head up to Traverse City, MI and visit Patrick's sister and her family. We didn't get a very early start on Saturday and so we missed one of the gorgeous sunny days, but we awoke to perfect weather on Sunday morning and decided to head out to the Sleeping Bear Dunes. I have not been there since I was a toddler and I have no idea why...it's absolutely gorgeous! I could live on the top of those dunes and just stare out at the beauty for the rest of my life. The legend of the Dunes is bittersweet and we bought the award winning book about it for Margaux when she's a little older. Afterward we took a little drive through Glen Arbor where there was a 4th of July parade and then made our way to North Bar Lake back in Empire. Patrick and I both agree that it's the greatest freshwater beach we have ever seen! A beautiful Lake Michigan beach seeps through some dunes creating an inlet into a small, very blue lake surrounded by sand dunes and woods. We soaked up the sun and then headed back to Traverse City to watch the fireworks from Kim & Mike's boat that was anchored in the bay amongst all of the Cherry Festival action. Yesterday we all decided to go canoeing on the Platte River. We have heard and read a lot of good things about this river and it's all true...very pretty and crystal clear. We enjoyed walking past the final stop where the river empties into Lake Michigan. The water was very warm until you crossed the invisible line into the lake where it became quite chilly! We swam around and I found a little Petoskey stone for Anna to polish and add to her rock collection. We ended the long holiday weekend with a yummy dinner (Mike is a grill genius!) and watching Hot Tub Time Machine. We were sad to head back home today and we are looking forward to our next trip up north.

Treasures In The Attic

2010-06-25T03:14:00.002-05:00

I absolutely loved The Littles series when I was little myself! Reading has always been a passion for me and it was fun to find a large box of favorites that I had saved.

See, I really did love these books, as evidenced by my handwritten fourth grade statement above! I liked to slather "Becky Byard" all over everything not knowing that I would one day embrace my proper name.

My super sized Barbie who I thought was so pretty and played with constantly!

A large floor puzzle that I loved and have now given to MVP.

My Trapper Keeper...if you were a young girl in the 70's/80's your life was not complete without pictures of cute kittens and puppies!

Fuzzy Pumper!!! (Sorry the pic is sideways, it's late and I'm too tired to fix it.)

<3 Shaun Cassidy <3

My crumpled up Brownie beanie! It was part of the reason that I quit, I thought it was an embarrassing fashion statement and I had no desire to sell those cookies! I used to wad the beanie up in a ball and stuff it in the back of my desk at school.

I kept John Stamos's addy handy...and Ricky Schroeder's and Menudo's and...

I wish I would have played with this more and developed a talent for sewing, I'd be making some phat cash on Etsy right now!

I think these belonged to my older siblings, but I remember playing with them.

I loved all of the Tiger Beat type of mags!

I found a whole plethora of MJ stuff...books, cards, stickers, clothing...

Okay, so I actually found a bunch of my childhood stuff in the basement of my parent's house, not the attic, but after sorting through it all we put the stuff for keeps up in the attic. It was a total walk down Memory Lane, let me tell you! I remember doing a major sweep of my bedroom at the end of my 7th grade year, getting rid of all the "childish" things and bagging them up for the basement. That was 26 years ago. Such a cliche, but seriously, WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?!?

Home Sweet Home

2010-06-25T02:32:00.001-05:00

I like that these pictures seem timeless. I plan to try some of them in sepia.

The little white dress is from Auntie Heather and the antique chair is my dad's. The pictures were taken on my parent's property.

Sturgeon Bay...the backdrop of my childhood.

MVP having a little beach picnic.

Zonked out after a short ride with Uncle Charlie!

Cousins: Alivia, Emma, MVP, Griffin & Daniel. (Genevieve was also nearby!)

A play day in Mackinaw City, MI.

MVP on the farm!

Handsome boy LOVES going up north!

MVP thinks the ride home was more fun with Aunt Sue along!

We went up north to see my family this week and it reminded me how much I wish we could get up there more often! The wicked long drive seems to become more and more monotonous as the years go by. Unfortunately, Patrick had too much work lined up this week to join us, so it was just me, MVP and Jasper. Margaux is a good little traveller and so the worst part of the drive was avoiding a collision with deer! I SO do no miss that part of northern living, nor do I miss the swarms of mosquitos! However, there are a lot of things that I do miss...family, friends, beautiful beaches, the fresh air and being serenaded to sleep at night by crickets and frogs. Oh, and the vast velvet black sky lit up by millions of stars at night! We met up with my friend Tiffany and her two youngest children at Sturgeon Bay and had a nice little visit. We learned right away that MVP has a sand phobia when it got on her hands and she started to scream bloody murder! She wouldn't even walk on it. Thankfully, she loves being in the water and she was okay with hanging out on the beach blanket under the umbrella. We enjoyed a little shopping and lunch day with my mom and my sister Sue...Margaux loves seeing her aunts and uncles who are so nice to her and play with her whenever they see her...Uncle Charlie took her for a ride on his four wheeler, Aunt Ruth & Uncle Doug played with her and we stopped to visit Aunt Laura at her work. It was also nice meeting up with my nieces and their kids (my great-nieces/nephews) for a play day in Mackinaw City. We came back home tonite with an extra passenger, my sister Sue knew we were without anyone to watch Margaux on Saturday while we are working and so she is here until Tuesday! We are beyond appreciative of this! Patrick missed his girl terribly and I know she missed her Daddy right back...looking forward to Traverse City again next weekend!

New York, New York

2010-06-14T21:51:00.001-05:00

Kim & Abby

Abby & Mike

All dressed and ready to party!

Opening gifts the next day.

Anna & MVP making sweet music!

This past weekend was our niece Abby's high school graduation party. She graduated from St. Francis High School in Traverse City, MI. Her party was NYC themed because she is attending St. Francis College in Brooklyn Heights, NY this fall. She received an athletic scholarship for volleyball. We are all excited for her and hope that she loves it! And on the off chance that she doesn't, at least she went for it and tried it out! ("Live in New York once, but leave before it makes you hard." -Baz Luhrmann) Kim & Mike hosted a wonderful party and even had pastrami from Carnegie Deli in NYC. It was a great weekend and we hope to make it up there again this summer!

Little Junebug

2010-06-01T17:52:00.002-05:00

She LOVES her bottle, zero interest in sippy cups!

A nice nap under the big blue sky.

MVP's new pool!

My beloved Kindle.

June 1st already...Happy Birthday to you, Tera, if you're reading!!! This past weekend was my birthday and I had opted not to take the day off. BIG mistake! My work girls were super sweet to me with treats and prezzies and lunch, but working on the weekend AND having it be your birthday is rather depressing! I was looking forward to yesterday, Memorial Day, hoping to go to Arlington Park (horse races) or Morton's Arboretum...but it rained for most of the day. We had purchased one of the Intex Easy Set pools for MVP and so Patrick was able to get it set up despite the weather. It's really nice and perfect for our needs! We splashed around in it a bit today, but the water still needs to warm up a bit more. We love going to the beach since Chicago offers quite a nice stretch of it, but sometimes it's a whole lot of work to get down there: packing up everything a toddler needs, dealing with traffic and finding parking. (It's not like back home where you just hop in the car and you're at Sturgeon Bay within 5 minutes!) We are hoping for a really nice summer of gorgeous weather, hopefully nice and warm but not dreadfully scorching, and enjoying some nice visits home to Michigan!

Summer Is Here

2010-05-23T21:10:00.000-05:00

Well, it sure FEELS like summer, even if it it isn't official on the calendar until June! A whole weekend of sunshine and high temps and the ac running means summer to me. It was also great to have a visit from our good friends, the Ranger family! It was a kid-friendly weekend spent at Brookfield Zoo and Wonder Works children's museum mingled with nice conversation amongst the adults. (Bex, you're a sport for hanging with the kiddies all weekend!) Margaux had such fun with Maggie & Max, they are great kids to be around...Maggie so sweet and smart and Max so funny and cuddly. Hope to see you guys in June!

Make-Up Mother's Day

2010-05-14T22:36:00.000-05:00

So I was sick on Mother's Day this year and spent most of the day sleeping rather than doing anything fun. Sickness has been in our house 5x in 6 months, quite a string of bum luck...here's hoping for a healthy summer! Today was a beautiful, sunny Friday and so we went to the Garfield Park Conservatory here in Chicago and had a really nice time. It's one of those places right nearby that we have never visited. Quite a gem of a place if you have appreciation for horticulture! Right now they are transitioning from spring to summer presentations and we look forward to visiting again soon! Admission is free and they just suggest donations. Bring your camera!

Things I Love

2010-04-26T15:38:00.003-05:00

Dream Spun Kids:

http://www.dreamspunshop.com/

www.etsy.com/shop/dreamspunkids

Chic Baby Rose:

http://www.chicbabyrose.com/

http://www.chicbabyrose.etsy.com/

Dress ReHERsal:

www.etsy.com/shop/DressReHERSal

Roundabout:

www.etsy.com/shop/roundabout

(I have been eyeing this necklace with matching earrings for myself!)

Hazel Brown Designs:

http://www.hazelbrowndesigns.com/

www.etsy.com/shop/hazelbrown

Anyone who really knows me, knows how much I love shopping on Etsy! It's amazing the beautiful things that you can find from so many incredibly talented people and I thought I would share five of my top faves with all of you. Go ahead and take a look and you will see why I love them....ADORABLE stuff!!! Keep your eyes peeled for some of the ensembles on little miss MVP! Hazel Brown also sometimes offers some grown-up merchandise...purses, accessories...I plan to set up a block of dates to host an online trunk show party...you shop for gorgeous things and I earn points toward discounts for myself! Win/win! ;)

Buggy!

2010-04-19T11:48:00.000-05:00

Pimpin' her new ride!

Everything is more fun when shared with a pal!

The box is an added treat, of course!

It has been kind of a rough weekend for our little gal...sick AGAIN. Friday I noticed her nose was running a little but and then after her nap she continued to vomit 6x and run a lowgrade fever. Since it was her third illness in three months we were a bit worried, so she went to see DrG on Saturday. Thankfully, it was just a viral thing again...bum luck this season! During her assessment with DrG I faced the fact that we have been allowing her WAY too much milk...a risk for anemia and also the reason behind her poor eating habits. We have cut back to 20 ounces per day and she now drinks water and eats like a champ! Hooray! She still has a head cold, hope it clears up quickly! Yesterday she and her daddy went to ToysRUs to buy her a buggy since she loves the ones at play group so much. She got the pink Step 2 Whisper Ride and she has so much fun riding in it, honking the horn, putting her bottle in the holder and stowing away her "treasures" under the hood!

Playing Tourist Right Here At Home

2010-04-12T11:13:00.001-05:00

Hands down, one of the best panhandler signs ever! He was nice with a good attitude. He was trying to raise money to get to Alaska.

Margaux & Cousin Griffin

From the John Hancock Observatory

I hope she's never afraid of heights.

Sam & Griffin "washing windows".

MVP & Mama

Daddy & MVP...sporting her new hat.

Griffin enjoying The Bean!

Tracy, Genevieve (sleeping), Sam & Griffin

Running by the fountains that were off due to chilly temps!

The picture that embodies what childhood is all about...grass stains, endless blue skies and nothing but fun thoughts & dreams!

Sleepy Girl

She loves horsies! However, these poor horses do not belong in the polluted city streets amongst the traffic and volatile summertime temps! Out to pasture!!!

Little Ladies: Genevieve & Margaux

My nephew Sam and his family came to visit over their spring break. They managed to pack a lot of activities into 4 days...we joined them on their downtown outing on Sunday. We enjoyed seeing them! Come back soon! :)

Special Gift

2010-04-06T10:51:00.000-05:00

Margaux received this beautiful chair from her Grandma Prater this weekend. Joanne knows a lady who is known for her artistry for such things...it's so cute and looks great in MVP's bedroom! What makes it extra special is that the chair was originally Abby's and then Anna's. Thank you Grandma!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-05T08:13:00.000-05:00

What a nice Easter we had! We woke up and let Margaux have her Easter basket from us right away. She loved her goodies and especially the teepee! Patrick's parents were here and we attended a very nice mass at St. Giles. We came home and Joanne worked on a delicious spread of food and Kim + family arrived on their way home from Florida. It was a very nice day and evening spent with family. Margaux LOVES having company and she loves her family so very much! Later this week we look forward to my nephew Sam and his family coming to spend a long weekend; lots of activities lined up for the kiddies!

Sunny Days Are Here Again!

2010-03-17T16:31:00.000-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day! And what a beautiful day it is! We made our first visit to the park for this year and it's still winter...for 4 more days anyway. I hear there may be snow over the weekend and the vindictive side of me doesn't mind one bit! (Makes being stuck inside the hospital working all weekend a little bit easier to handle.) ;-)~

Easter Bunny 2010

2010-03-15T17:03:00.000-05:00

I took Margaux to see the Easter Bunny at Woodfield Shopping Center today and found that it was the same bunny and same background as last year. Kind of thought they might change it up a bit, but I decided it's kind of neat for coninuity's sake to see the major changes in her since last year. No crying or anything, but like my friend Lara said, Margaux appears totally unimpressed! Later this week she is going to get all dolled up in her Easter dress and have her picture taken with a real live bunny rabbit...stay tuned!

St. Paddy's Party For Wee Ones!

2010-03-15T16:51:00.000-05:00

Daddy & Margaux headed in to the St. Patrick's Day Party at Toddler's Play House. The weather was fitting, it felt like we were in Ireland!

Craft time! Making a pot of gold.

This is Ms. Sheila. She runs the play group. Very nice lady!

Sunday's swim class...week #3! As you can see, the class falls right at nap time!

Kick!

Oscar Fash

2010-03-08T12:50:00.000-06:00

So okay, once again I was not all that jazzed about the Oscars because I was an epic failure at seeing ANY of the nominated films! I will be watching them very soon thanks to Netflix. However, I have always enjoyed the fashion aspect of these awards shows...the above are my top three favorite. I think Sandra looked simply elegant and glamorous without seeming as though she had to try very hard. I liked that she skipped the updo and I think the dark red lipstick made her features pop. I also loved Demi's dress...she wore it beautifully and the color was perfect for her skin tone. The wraps and flounciness of the dress were amazing! Now I know that SJP made a lot of the Worst Dressed lists, but I honestly liked it. She's tiny, so it looked great on her...it was unique and I liked the Grecian flavor to the ensemble. I will add that when she came out as a presenter that there were wrinkles in the dress that didn't look nice and when her hair was backlit it was very frizzy on the top part that was pulled back that should have been sleek, imo. I never really have much of an opinion on the fellas...slight variations on the same tux = whoopee.

And what's a blog post without some gratuitous pictures of my Margaux???

Pretty in pink. The headband lasted for about 30 seconds!

She's not happy until her room is destroyed...mission accomplished!

Meeting Little Mr. Henquinet

2010-03-01T23:56:00.000-06:00

Patrick & Tyler

Our friends, Jen and Craig, recently had their first baby...a sweet little guy named Tyler William whom we had yet to meet until today! They found a hybrid SUV that they wanted to purchase here in Chicago and so they drove down from Madison for the day and we were happy to be able to spend the late afternoon/early evening with them. Tyler is a sweetheart, Jen looks amazing already and Craig is a proud daddy! :)

Swimming and ear muffs and Wii, oh my!

2010-03-01T23:46:00.001-06:00

Lookin' darn-tootin' cute!

Daddy & MVP at her first Aqua Babies swim class!

Kick! Kick!

Learning to hold on to the edge by herself.

She did a good job! Mommy looks forward to doing some lessons with her as well.

A nice class, but most of the babies found the water to be too cold and the poor little things were shivering and turning blue!

Her new Peltor Kids Ear Muffs...all ready for summer games and concerts!

Yes, we finally joined the land of the living and purchased a Wii! Neither of us are "gamers", but who doesn't enjoy a little Wii action from time to time?

GrannyB & MVP!

2010-02-19T18:03:00.000-06:00

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

2010-02-19T17:58:00.001-06:00

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

2010-02-15T15:17:00.003-06:00

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

2010-02-14T21:18:00.000-06:00

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

2010-02-14T20:55:00.001-06:00

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!

P's Knees

2010-01-17T13:38:00.002-06:00

Pre-Op

Post-Op

Bare Butt

Happy Splasher

Patrick had knee surgery last Friday; in simple terms he had a large cyst removed from his left knee and had some cartilage cleaned up. The recovery has been amazing and he is up and about and driving already. He will start PT once a week for four weeks and he is going back to work tomorrow...office duty for awhile. BIG THANKS to his mom for coming to stay with us this past week and helping out with Margaux and household stuff! It was nice having her here and Margaux misses her Grammy already!

Margaux is becoming quite the little lady...chattering all the time, taking care of her baby dolls, mimicking everything, showing off, loving her books, becoming more coordinated and eating better. She still only walks along the furniture, but she should be trying the real very soon!

Happy New Year! Happy New Decade!

2010-01-01T11:12:00.006-06:00

We decided to spend New Year's Eve this year as a family and so Patrick and Margaux picked me up from work and we headed to the Lincoln Park Zoo's Zoolights. It was really very pretty, but it was f-f-f-freezing last night and so we didn't stay long! We checked out the lights, visited the penquin house, watched some ice sculptors at work and then let Margaux pick something from the souvenir shop...it was of course, another stuffed monkey! As we were driving though the city on the way home we caught the end of the early fireworks at Navy Pier and had fun seeing all of the NYE celebrants out and about. The city was so alive! It prompted us to reminisce and laugh about some of our old NYE escapades...Jodi wearing a toilet seat around her neck on the CTA penny ride, partying with Tera and James at Emmet's Pub and having James cut my boot off me when the zipper "got stuck" (i.e., I was too tipsy to work the zipper!), Sarah and the Mason/Ferris boys coming down and paying strangers we met at a gas station to drive us home due to lack of cabs...always crazy fun and sub-zero temps!!! Good times. So anyway, we went home and enjoyed a yummy fondue dinner and wine and we watched the ball drop in Time Square; I loved that when I was little! Today is cold again, but oh so sunny and beautiful. Looking forward to Patrick's black-eyed peas and 'kraut! Wishing all of you a blessed, happy, healthy, prosperous 2010!!!

Missing Buddy

2009-12-30T12:19:00.001-06:00

I have been reviewing my 2009...the highs and lows...and what I miss the most is our Buddy. He passed in May. We have truly felt his absence during this holiday season. God bless him.

TOP 10 THINGS I LOVED ABOUT BUDDY:

1. How he fell completely and madly in love with Patrick the very first night we found him!

2. His sweetness. He had the cutest, most pure little soul.

3. His feistiness. He would scrunch up his face and show his teeth when reprimanded! (Harmless!)

4. His licks. There were millions and it could get annoying, but what I wouldn't give for just one more!

5. His prance in his younger years...so happy & peppy! He also had speed & agility.

6. He was snuggly. He used to sleep between us with his head on our pillows!

7. How he liked to ride shotgun with Patrick in the van. He sat right up proud & proper.

8. How much he loved his "babies". Our other dogs have been destroyers, but Buddy usually kept his nice.

9. His bark. It was different. Our nephew Nick used to be able to mimic him.

10. His tall, soft ears. They felt like silk.

Da Bears

2009-12-29T06:11:00.001-06:00

Patrick R. & Patrick P.

I actually cringe when people say "Da Bears" but I had nothing else! My Patrick was invited to the Bears vs. Vikings game last night by his friend Patrick from work. I have only met Patrick a few times, but I love him because he's all heart! Cold night for a game but it was a good one and they had a great time! Bears 36, Vikings 30.

Little Blue Sled

2009-12-27T23:33:00.001-06:00

Daddy couldn't find her mittens! Brr!

While I was at work today Margaux & Daddy went out and bought her first sled. We don't have access to any hills right around our house, but she had a great time being pulled around by Daddy and chased by Jasper! We are hoping to take her to do some downhill sledding soon.

Christmas Eve At Home

2009-12-24T23:36:00.002-06:00

Her big gift.

Christmas tutu and leggings courtesy of Auntie Tera!

Jasper receiving his gifts...he was excited!

Sesame Street microwave!

Plex guitar!

My Wellies from Patrick.

It has been a quiet Christmas Eve spent here at home. Patrick had to work today and Margaux and I ran some last minute errands...in the rain...such strange weather for Christmas Eve! Since I am working tomorrow we decided to go ahead and open all of our gifts tonite. It was fun! Margaux loved her vintage police car and immediately started to steer it. I want to find her a little police cap to wear. Patrick and I also exchanged gifts of course and I think we both did a great job shopping this year and even managed to surprise one another with some of the items. I wish I weren't sick and that I didn't have to work tomorrow and all weekend and that we could be with our families, BUT I do feel very thankful for all of the blessings in my life. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Early Christmas Up North

2009-12-24T23:16:00.000-06:00

Rocking horse made by Uncle Doug Hunt

Beautiful detail and craftmanship!

The newest great grandchild...Genevieve Pearl.

Grampie & MVP

It is my turn to work the Christmas holiday this year and so we made the trip to northern Michigan last weekend to celebrate with my family. The weather was great, which made the drive a breeze this year compared to last year when it took us over 13 hours to get there! Though our time was short, it was so wonderful to see everyone and our celebration was fun and hectic as usual, which is why I didn't have very many good pictures to post. We received a lot of great gifts but I wanted to be sure to post pictures of the rocking horse that my brother-in-law Doug made for Margaux. It's absolutely gorgeous! It won't be long and she will be climbing up on it herself to rock!

Christmas Eve

2009-12-24T09:58:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Jesus and welcome Santa Claus!

More holiday blogging to follow...

Snowy Day

2009-12-09T15:12:00.000-06:00

Pointing at the snowflakes...

Sweet girl.

Innocence.

It was snowing a bit today and it was the first time that Margaux really noticed it happening. She has really grown in leaps and bounds this past month or so, not only in size, but in her verbal and social skills. She is truly a happy, funny little girl. The countdown to Christmas is on!

Breakfast With Santa

2009-12-06T13:04:00.001-06:00

Meeting Santa, Part II

I see London, I see France...

Playing in the big bowl of ornaments.

The Christmas tree in The Walnut Room

Today was Breakfast With Santa at Macy's and it was a nice event. Aunt Sue and Uncle Dennis came with us and Santa came in and walked around and greeted us at our table. Again, she did not cry when she met "HoHo", but she was very serious...almost suspicious! Tonite we are finally going to decorate our tree that we have had in the stand for a week...

Yo Gabba Gabba! Live!

2009-12-05T19:20:00.002-06:00

MVP & Dada waiting for the show to begin.

Melissa with Ryan & Addy.

Addy, Ryan & MVP...the best pic I could capture of them all together!

Brobee floating away with the balloons!

Margaux has loved the children's show Yo Gabba Gabba since she was just 4 months old and so when I heard about the live tour we got tickets immediately. My friend Melissa came along as well because her kids are into it too. It was our first time at one of these hyped up children's events but I have to say, it was a really great time! That Gabba Gang really knows how to put on a good show! Margaux was mesmerized the entire time and she was amazed when one of the characters, Toodee, came walking down the aisle right next to her! 'Twas a really fun afternoon!

Meeting Santa, Part I

2009-12-01T18:39:00.002-06:00

I decided to take Margaux down to the Santaland at Macy's on State Street in hopes of some nice holiday card photo opportunities. I thought Santaland would have a lot of nice scenes and backgrounds that you could pose by, but it really didn't. It was a little maze that was decorated nicely, but pretty much served as a place to line up to meet Santa. No big deal, it was a nice afternoon and it was fun watching her reaction to the jolly ol' fella...slightly panicked at first and then just very serious and inquisitive! We will be seeing Santa again this weekend when we go back for Breakfast With Santa. We'll see if she remembers him!

Giving Thanks

2009-11-30T09:40:00.002-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! (Uncle Dennis dress.)

Getting our Christmas tree.

Debut of the 2009 Christmas dress!

Prater granddaughters.

Prater grandchildren. (Minus Nick who was at his football playoffs.)

Greetings! We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! This year we went to spend the holiday with Patrick's family in Mason, MI. That mother-in-law of mine is quite the cook...yum! I did a little bit of Christmas shopping but not on Black Friday, too nutty for me! I enjoyed a nice lunch with my friend Sarah and her daughter Sophie at Los Tres Amigos. Patrick, MVP and I returned to Tannenbaum Farms to get our Christmas tree and wreaths and found the reindeer to be crabby this year and he had VERY long antlers! Kim & family came down on Friday and MVP had such a great time with all of her cousins and we went to the Mason holiday parade and tree lighting...quaint & cute! Joanne then had us play a silly and fun little game that she called How Well Do You Know Kim with trivia that she pulled from Kim's 1987 senior year memory book. It turns out our Kimmy was obsessed with Top Gun and dreamed of owning a Camaro Z28 with t-tops in electric blue! BAD.ASS. Hee! (I can't heckle too much...my dreams were similar, but in red!) We had to head back to Chicago early Saturday morning because it was my weekend to work. Our nephew Nick had his football playoff on Saturday at Ford Field in Detroit and they won! Traverse City St. Francis Gladiators are the Class D State Champs!!! We are so happy for Nick and we wish we could have attended the game. 2009 has been a rough year for so many and although life can be sad and stressful at times, we have many blessings to be thankful for: Margaux, each other, Jasper, our families, our friends, our health, our jobs and the list goes on and on. We must not let the unpleasant things in life rob us of our joy. God bless you all!

The Growing Backlash Against Overparenting

2009-11-23T14:50:00.002-06:00

A wonderful, relevant article:

The Growing Backlash Against Overparenting

New Moon

2009-11-22T13:04:00.002-06:00

Saw it. Loved it.
(But still wonders how one could fully appreciate without reading the books first!)

The Drama We Find Is Often The Drama We Create

2009-11-22T09:50:00.004-06:00

"The more conscious I become of my own internal state, including my emotions, thoughts, and motivations, the more I’m beginning to realize how much internal DRAMA I’ve been living with pretty much my entire life. Most of us have these little internal ‘drama makers’ that constantly turn reality into some kind of perpetual soap opera. Drama is essentially conflict… It can be experienced with other people or it can be a battle that ensues within your own self… The source of drama is internal resistance to the present moment, to ‘what IS’… And most drama is completely unnecessary.
Now, this drama is not always blatantly obvious… It can be incredibly subtle. Anytime you’re not experiencing internal peace inside yourself, there is drama. And it can be manifested as pity, shame, anxiety, unease, a deep sense of lack, insecurity, taking things personally, dwelling on the past, anticipating the imaginary future, gossiping, stress, or really any other kind of fear based thoughts or emotions.
Drama is the result of internal division, and it creates suffering. But we don’t have to keep living with drama any longer. If you stop resisting what is and just accept life as it comes, that’s really the end of all the drama. A Course in Miracles states, ‘No one who is at One with himself can even conceive of conflict’.
You do have a choice… You can choose drama or you can choose peace. And no one else can make that choice but you. The way I see it, it’s our responsibility to choose internal peace… It’s the responsibility that we have to the whole of humanity, the good of all. Because inner peace is what CREATES global peace…"

WELL SAID KATIE FREILING!!! THANK YOU.
THE END.

One Year Checkup

2009-11-09T13:49:00.000-06:00

MVP & DrG.

Margaux had her one year checkup with the amazing DrG today. She now weighs 24 lbs. 2 oz. (75th %) and measures 30 3/4" long (95th %). She got three shots and a TB test and one of the shots really hurt her and made her cry, poor lil' thing! We can switch her to whole milk and try to get her going on a sippy cup, which she has firmly rejected each time we have attempted it...she loves her "ba-ba"! We also need to work really hard with getting her to eat solid foods. She has been gagging/spitting it up since summer no matter what we give her. Wish us luck on that! All in all, a healthy & thriving little girl. I cannot elaborate enough on how much we adore DrG, he is truly the BEST pediatrician ever!!!

Wright On!

2009-11-08T11:42:00.001-06:00

Sarah, Sophie & Chris

Sarah & Sophie in the pouch at Brookfield Zoo.

Daddy & Margaux checking out the beautiful giraffes.

The girlies!

The Wright Family came to visit this weekend! They are dear friends of ours...old friends...Patrick & Chris have been friends since junior high and Sarah and I met in college in 1992. The weather was so warm and wonderful all weekend long, making it perfect for being outside at Brookfield Zoo all day. Sophie and Margaux were quite companionable despite the age difference. A good time + good friends = good for the soul!

We're Back

2009-11-08T11:09:00.000-06:00

No privacy setting on the blog anymore, too many of you were having problems viewing it...sorry about that! However, if you stalk by, please leave a comment...makes me feel like I am not sharing in vain! ;-)