Christmas 2009

So this Christmas was by far the best of my adult life. I think Sam would agree the same for himself. The night before Christmas, the kids and I went to my Grandma Green's house for the Green family Christmas. As per usual, the treats were delicious as always and the kids all had a dizzyingly and deafeningly great time. Sam had to work on this night. When we got home, Patrick put out cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. I stayed up most of the night and cleaned the house and helped Santa get all of his gifts arranged. On this night, I could not get to sleep. I was so excited for the kids to get up in the morning. I woke up very early and was, for once, just waiting for Patrick to hurry up and wake up.

When Sam came home, I asked if he'd seen the cookie crumbs and carrot top that Santa and crew left. He thought it was odd that I'd cleaned the whole house, but left out one plate with crumbs, so he washed the plate and put it away! No worries, after a good laugh about it all, we found more crumbs and carrot tops for display in the morning.

So finally, Patrick got up and saw the bicycle Santa left him. He calls it his "Woody Bike" because it's got Toy Story characters on it. We've got video of it and I promise to post it soon. Eva and Patrick had a great time on this morning. Many folks came for breakfast for my mom's famous Christmas casserole. Let me not forget the perfectly timed snow that fell on Christmas morning. Everyone left and Sam went to bed for a few hours of hard earned sleep while the kids and I played the day away in our pj's. It was great to not worry about the huge mess the house had become since the aforementioned cleaning the night prior and just enjoy my kids without worrying about my email, cell phone, clients, laundry, or the clock, etc.

In the evening, we went to Tom and Gwen's to celebrate the holiday with that part of our family. Again, more very tasty food and much fun visiting with everyone. My children are so lucky to have so many that love them and got to open lots of great clothes and toys.

For the next two days, I stayed home and served as the resident toy and clothes manager. Our home has finally been released from the grips of Father Christmas. We've still got the tree and decorations up, but the toys have been handled. Finally.

In the end, while I've never worked so hard over a holiday, this was a magical Christmas for us. It was the first year Patrick really got excited and participated. Also, Eva got to dress up this year for many occasions and was just beautiful and so sweet. I am grateful for this time with my family.

Click Here for photos of Hooligans at Christmas.

Click Here for photos of the last several weeks pre-Christmas

Gratitude 2009

What I'm Thankful For This Year...



My husband, Sam; you're the best!

My beautiful, healthy, sweet babies, Eva and Patrick.

Libbigus and Mootigus, a.k.a. Libby and Moo



Activity POINTS

Hanging at Mom and Dad's house

Going for walks

Katie, you always fit right in with us!

A new iPhone

That although we said goodbye to my Grandpa Huber this year, I've still got 3 of 4 grandparents, and they're all healthy and happy.

A new bathroom

Baking pies with dad, it's "our thing"

My mom got to retire this year, 40 years of service. WAHOO!

Getting healthy with my fam

Patrick likes his new school

The village that helps take care of the Hooligans

Some great family weddings this year

News of babies on the way (not ours, reference weddings above)

Our first official family vacation to Chicago and Milwaukee this summer

Molly McButter Cheese Powder (only 5 calories a tsp.!)

Cold bottles of water

Carolyn, our WW Leader

A successful year in real estate

Most importantly, our family and friends. We love you all and feel very loved. You are treasures.

Eva and Green Beans

So yesterday Eva helped me snap green beans. By "help" I mean she removed already snapped beans, took a bite from the middle and released them back into the wild (the floor). However, since she was having such fun with the green beans, I snapped a few photos to share with you all.

Also, tonight we went to dinner at Los Tres Amigos. Every time the server would come to the table, Patrick said "glacias" (gracias). It was so darn cute! The servers were good sports and politely replied "de nada."

Patrick has been calling girls "gills" too. Yeesh, our babies are GREAT!

Miscellaneous Fall Photos

Check out these pics of the fam from this fall so far...

Click Here
-k8

Fall 2009 Photos

Katie got a new camera today and so we obliged her some practice time and she took some great photos of us. This afternoon was a little rocky at first, but we had some fun and it turned out very well. If you're interested in seeing Katie's work, visit her website: http://www.thankfulphotography.com/

Thanks Katie! We love you!

To see the best photos of us from today, click here.

Halloween 2009

This year was the BEST Halloween of my adult life! Although Patrick kept insisting that Sam and I needed our costumes on, we didn't dress up. Patrick was a green dragon/dinosaur (depending on when/where you ask him, the answer will change) and Eva was the most beautiful Snow White EVER.
Patrick trick or treated like a pro while Eva took a more passive approach and rode in the wagon like a proper princess. We visited Grandma Green's, Nana's, Emily's, Grandma Huber, Aunt Becky's, and Grandma Gigi. We also went to the parade and sat at the intersection where Officer Daddy was working. Both kids really enjoyed the parade, and of course, the candy. See the link below for more pics.

A Princess and a Dragon

Eva's 1st Birthday

Eva,
Your very first birthday was this week. I can't believe you've already been with us for a year! We had a super party for you at home. Lots of people that love you were there. We had great Italian food and an awesome cake. Daddy and I made the cake ourselves. There are some of the photos at the link below. We LOVE you!!!
Mama

Eva's First Birthday

Backyard Play, 9/15/09

On this evening, we were looking for some fun so we headed out to the backyard. This was Eva's first time on Patrick's roller coaster. The first few trips were very short and slow, with mom holding on tight. By the end, Sam was sending her down solo at full speed from the top. Yeesh, mommy was nervous!!

Patrick couldn't handle all of the attention being on Evie, so he did some tricks of his own on the roller coaster. See all the pics at the link below...

Click Here

Bennett Wedding 2009

On Saturday, September 26th, 2009 Alex Bennett and Megan Hinerman got married. For those of you that don't have a clue who either of those people are...Alex is Sam's cousin. We took the wee ones for a little road trip to Columbia, Missouri. Patrick had an adorable suit and tie and Evie had a pretty pink dress that made her look like a little cupcake.

The wedding was beautiful, well, what I could see/hear from the narthex of the church...a baby and preschooler aren't exactly the best wedding attendants. At the reception, Patrick and Sophia (Sam's cousin Jaime's daughter) had a blast! They were inseperable all night. They danced and ran around the dance floor. The servers just LOVED dodging them with trays full of food and drinks. At one point, I lost Patrick and Sophia. I scanned the room and saw the cake table. I quickly made it across the room and found them both under the cake table. OUT!!!! Luckily, the cake had already been cut, but it was a classic and scary moment. Awhile later, I caught them with their fingers in the sliced cake. They were visiting each piece, one finger-lick each.

All the kids had a great time and the adults enjoyed the evening as well. Evie and Patrick are party animals!

Below is a link with all the photos from the evening...

Click Here

Lake of the Ozarks 2009

Sam, Gwen and I took the little dude and dudette down to the Lake to visit with Papa and to have a little fun in the sun. We had a boat for an afternoon. Patrick and Eva both loved it. Patrick was fascinated to watch the boats go by and Eva wanted wind and more wind. We went shopping at the outlet mall and got lots of fall clothes for the little people. Sam got to teach Patrick the ways of skee ball and we also taught him the art of bumper cars. Fun Fun!

Hooligans at the Lake

Raging Rivers 2009

In August we also took Patrick and Eva to Raging Rivers. Sam, Gwen and I went to witness the 500+ trips of Patrick going down the water slides. Eva had a good time splashing around, but Patrick really enjoyed this day. Again, lovely weather...seriously. We took P down the big slides too...he LOVED it. Eva pooped out...you can see pics of the day at the link below.

Hooligans at the Water Park

Illinois State Fair 2009

In mid-August, we went to the State Fair with my mom and dad. We decided to leave Eva at daycare for the day-babies, heat, and farm animals just don't mix. Anyway, we took Patrick and had a blast. The weather was great. We visited the pigs, ate cheese curds, and rode the sky tram. Patrick loved all of it. We also visited the dairy building and saw the butter cow (and pastoral scene). Finally, we stopped by the Secretary of State tent. Patrick got his digital fingerprints recorded and we got our annual stash of State of Illinois Road Maps (even 1 in Large Print).

Below is a link with the pick pics from the day.

Hooligans go to the State Fair

Good News Hooligans Fans!

So I've been a TOTAL slacker for the last couple of months...life has gotten nuts with work and general summer fun. I'm working on a new photo site to show our summer fun. I'll be blogging for each trip. I know you're all on pins and needles waiting to see our trips to...Raging Rivers, Illinois State Fair, and Lake of the Ozarks.

I, Kate, do solemnly swear to be a better blogger.

To tide you over until I can catch up, following are a few pics from a few nights ago. We had been at my mom's all afternoon/evening. Both kids were plain tuckered out...and dirty! They fell asleep on the way home. Sam was working nights, so I got home with them and had to figure out who to carry in and who to leave locked in the car asleep. I tried to get Patrick up and walk, but he wasn't having it. He was so tired that when I got him to stand up on his bed to take his clothes off...as soon as I let go, he fell down, head hit the pillow and he was out. Eva was NOT interested in getting her jammies on either. She just curled up on the changing table.

Never a dull moment...our very own baby Jessica

So Friday night, most people do fun stuff like go out dinner, see a movie, go to a concert. Not us, Sam was coming home late from work and I was headed out the door to an appointment with clients. I had dinner in the oven and we were going to try to cross paths for a quick meal with the kids at home. It just wasn't meant to be.

I had been gone all day, and I had just gotten home with the kids. Eva was getting anxious, so I took her outside to swing in the backyard. While out there, Moo kept going under the deck and I kept yelling at him to get out. I thought I was hearing a high pitched sound but thought maybe it was the swing sqeaking. Then I realized that I hadn't seen Libby since I'd been home. You guessed it folks, Moo was going under the deck to visit the beagle that was stuck.

Sam arrived home a short time later, he changed clothes and started dismantling the deck. Libby had dug her way under to chase rabbits we think, and got herself stuck. In the middle of all this, I've got a multiple offer situation I'm dealing with on the phone, two very hungry, very crabby kids, and I made sure to take photos to share with all the Hooligan's fans out there. Katie came over to help with the kids so that I could negotiate and then get out the door to my appointment.

I was stressing out and was really just wanting to call the fire department to come and rescue my beagle. My police officer husband would have none of that. He didn't even want me to ask the neighbors for help. In the end, Libby was saved and was just fine. In fact, she ran out and immediately tried to get back under the deck to find those pesky rabbits.

For your viewing pleasure...

Aaargh at Applebee's

I so wish I had a photo of this event to share with you, but alas, we were laughing too hard to think to photograph the moment.
My mom, Sam, Patrick, Eva and I were at Applebee's for lunch yesterday. We were in the big corner booth. It was toward the end of the meal and Patrick was getting anxious...and loud. Mom was going to take him on some errands with her, so she asked for the "backup undies" that we keep in Eva's diaper bag. Well as I passed them over, Patrick got a hold of them. We let him have them and continued our conversation.
A few minutes later, Patrick got our attention. We looked up to see him standing in the booth with the underwear on his head. He put is foot on the table and yelled, "I'm da Pirate!" OMG.

"Viva La Block!" -Anna Z. and One Silly Daddy

Alright, so I've got to write a post on last night.  My birthday is coming up, so Katie got us tickets to New Kids on the Block at Riverport (or whatever silliness they call it-Verizon Wireless Ampitheater).  I need to give credit to Anna Z. for the “Viva La Block” phrase…I’m stealing it, but at least I’m giving you credit for it!  We had lawn seats and it was AWESOME!  The weather was perfect and the atmosphere was right.  Mostly mid to late twenty-somethings there to re-live their childhood.  Donnie, Danny, Joe, Jordan, and Jon did not disappoint. They are as good looking as ever as they have grown up/aged right along with us. H-O-T-T. The show sure isn’t aimed at 10-13 year olds anymore either. Whew! Talk about blushing and such. These guys brought it. Well, Donnie got a little weird a few times, but for the most part…we were all transported back to a time before college, jobs, weddings, husbands, kids, houses, responsibility, etc. and felt like silly screaming girls for a few hours. Yay for that.

While I was out…Sam was home in charge of the mini-Hooligans. After a catastrophic visit to Taco Bell, he ventured to the grocery store alone with the two of them. He was out to buy baby food as we were out of it. He came home a few gray hairs heavier, a few bags of groceries, but alas, no baby food. He kind of got distracted while there and just forgot the darn stuff! Anyway, he got home and got Eva to bed. Then he put Patrick in the bathtub. He gave him some toys to play with and the plastic cup we use to rinse his hair. Then he decided he should re-load the operating system on his computer. He was only downstairs for “2 minutes” and noticed it was raining…in the basement. Can you guess why? Yep, Patrick had used his little plastic cup to diligently empty the contents of the bathtub onto the bathroom floor, subsequently leaking into the basement. What can I say folks?

Sunday, June 28th-Tour (A Long Ride, Potty Breaks, and an Asterik)

This was our travel day to get home from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Alton, Illinois. Bleh! After the harried ride up, we were NOT looking forward to making the trip home. After the breakfast of champions: Dunkin Donuts and milk, we packed up for the last time and started home. We made a few unexpected and profoundly urgent potty breaks (for Patrick). Then we met Gwen in Bloomington for lunch. She was heading to Chicago for a conference. The Merry Band of Hooligans wrapped up tour and arrived home early this evening. The kids had dinner and went to bed. I think we seriously tested their limits with all that we did. They were really great tolerating all the activities and new environments we threw their way. I'm very proud of our family on this trip.
Thanks to everyone to kept us in your thoughts as we traveled. A special shout out to Gwen for feeding Libby and Moo daily and collecting mail and to Andy for mowing the yard and playing with my furry kids on Ladd Street each day. We appreciate you both holding down the fort.

Finally, I must put an asterik at the end of this trip...*we intentionally ate like kings because we're starting a diet tomorrow (Monday). I'm not kidding here, we planned it this way. This sort of caloric consumption is highly dangerous and should only be attempted by professionals... like us.

Saturday, June 27th-Tour (Summerfest: Canoli and Good Weather!)

The kids and Sam and I hung out at the hotel until late morning and then we headed over to Nora and Jim's house to pick them up. We all crammed into our vehicle along with the carseats, stroller, baby carrier and diaper bag and took off for Summerfest. This is a music festival along the lakeshore in Milwaukee, but let's be honest folks, we were there for one reason: the food. The six of us spent the day eating our way through the bands and doing fun stuff with los ninos. Eva even had her first taste of canoli! A very proud moment for me and Sam.

We got there early and got a super-duper parking spot. Woohoo! There's nothing worse than using up half your child's energy walking TO the intended event. Afterwards, we took a stroll around the pier. The weather was gorgeous...mid-seventies, partly sunny, and very breezy. Couldn't have asked for nicer weather!

We went into nap mode again in the afternoon. During this time, Sam got to log into WoW and I went and hung out at the hotel pool with a few magazines and my ipod. An hour of uninterrupted mommy time...hooray!

We woke up our youngsters and went back to Nora and Jim's for our final pizza endeavor of the trip. We hung out with their friend Brent and his son Holden. The boys played well together and we went to the park. Fun Fun.

Friday, June 26th-Tour (Swimming, Mexican Food, and Berry Cobbler)

On this day we slept in and went to the pool at the hotel mid-morning. Patrick had a great time jumping in the pool, climbing out and repeating. He was hilarious! Eva enjoyed the pool for about 15 minutes and then went poolside for the most adorable nap of the trip. Yep, that's her little foot sticking out of the towels. It was too breezy up there to leave here exposed. She snoozed happily for an hour. Below is a link to a video of Patrick live at the pool...totally unexpected outcome for me. It was so funny I couldn't get mad.

Patrick at the Pool

We met Nora and Jim for lunch at a restaurant called Botana's in Milwaukee. This was some first class Mexican food with a very understanding and generous wait staff. El Mezcal, eat your heart out. This place ROCKED. Some of the best guacamole I've ever had. Sam even enjoyed some. The servers were so sweet to my kids even with all of their shenanigans. After lunch Sam took the kids back to the hotel for a much needed nap.

Nora and I went and got pedicures and caught up. Yay for getting a chance to complete sentences without putting food in a mouth, picking up a dropped toy, scolding or begging a toddler, or wiping a face!

For dinner, we grilled brats at Nora and Jim's new house. It is a super cute home. Congrats Nora and Jim! We figured since we're in Wisconsin, we should sample some bratwurst. This ended up being a late night for the kids, but Jim made berry cobbler that we enjoyed with "homemade" ice cream. Yummmm.

Thursday, June 25th-Tour (Waiting, A Boat Ride, and a Nervous Docent)

Late in the day on Wednesday, we discovered that there was a free trolley from very near George's condo to Navy Pier. Even though 5 blocks doesn't seem like that far, with the heat, two little kids and the fact that they're city blocks, we decided to try it. We found the stop and waited...and waited. Patrick was excited and impatient. We played every waiting game you can think of while awaiting the much anticipated "blue bus." We had purchased tickets for an 11:30a boat tour, so we finally had to leave the stop. We took one 3 year old boy literally kicking and screaming the final 4 blocks to Navy Pier. He really wanted to ride that darn trolley. We snagged a lemon ice and dreamcicle float and headed for our dock.

We got on the boat and met our "docent" (pronounced by him with a French accent) named Kevin. This man was educated and entertaining, but took his job VERY seriously. Our kids and his architecture tour on the Chicago River did not turn out to be an ideal combination. Nevertheless, Sam and I enjoyed the ride, shady and breezy at times. Kevin however was terribly distracted by the kids getting too close to the rail. Sam had his back to the rail and was holding Eva as she stood on his lap. Seriously dude, we weren't letting our kids get close to the damn rail. At any rate, overall, we really enjoyed this hour-long tour of Chicago's historic architecture. I will suggest though that for little kids, the 30 minute skyline tour on the lake might be a better idea.

We headed back to the condo, loaded up the Highlander and headed for Milwaukee. Unfortunately, this trip took twice as long as it should have due to a fatal crash on the highway. We finally made it to town and headed to the Masterson's house for dinner. Sarah is Sam's cousin and their daughter Casey was excited to play with Patrick. They had a great time working on puzzles. We were pooped from the day, so we headed to the hotel near the airport. This endeavor proved to be hilarious as the GPS kept sending us in circles. We were too tired to get upset.

Wednesday, June 24th-Tour (Bus Driving and Deep Dish Pizza)

Today would be our first day as "tourists." We slept in a little and then George pointed us toward Navy Pier. We walked down and it was HOT by mid-morning. We decided to forego outdoor sightseeing and jumped right in at the Chicago Children's Museum. The kids both loved this place. Patrick got to play in the water with a raincoat, call 911, drive a bus, go grocery shopping and put mail in a mailbox. They had many exhibits for "non-walkers" (read: babies). Eva got to get out of the stroller and explore too!

After all this fun, we left the museum and went to a pirate show. Eva and Patrick both really enjoyed this. Eva was really digging the bright colors and music. She danced on our laps the whole show. We had McDonald's for lunch and then headed back to the condo. We didn't quite beat the rain, but it was a relief from the heat. The kids slept for 3 hours at naptime this afternoon.

After the kids finally woke up, we went to Gino's East for some authentic Chicago-style deep dish pizza. Sam was hesitant at first as he's not a fan of thick crust. Once we got the pizza, we were both in pizza heaven. YUMMMMM. We finished with pizza and headed back down to Navy Pier with Pam and George. Sam and the kids and I went up in the giant ferris wheel. It was scary for me because Patrick had no fear and kept leaning on the door and sticking his head through the bars. I tired to hold on to his shirt tail, but he wasn't having it. Sam kept Eva tucked safely in the baby carrier, but she loved looking at the lights and hearing the sounds from up there. We went back to Pam and George down on the boardwalk area and enjoyed some fireworks. At this point, it was about 10:15pm and the kids had been run ragged this day. It was a challenge to get them the 5 blocks home in the city traffic and crowds. We made it back and went up to the roof of their building to see the city at night time. It was beautiful. Patrick was exhausted, so he curled up on his blankie on the rooftop. This day: priceless.

Tuesday, June 23rd-Tour (Goodbye's and a Bunny)

So about 6 things happend today that I wanted to be sure to remember so that I could share them with Hooligans' fans. I have finally arrived at the end of this day and now that I'm sitting down to record these precious memories, they're gone. Let me scour my brain...

This morning Patrick slept in a little later than the rest of us. Around 8a I went in to do a gently wake him up. He really wasn't interested in getting up. I went and recruited Sophia for help. We went up and I laid down next to him. He opened his eyes and closed them. He opened them again and saw Sophia. He popped up, climbed over dear old mom, and lept at Sophia, wrapping his arms around her and they tumbled to the ground in a great big hug. I think I'm heartbroken.

After a few hours of chillin we packed up all our things and went to the mall in Aurora. We met Sophia and Jaime there and took the kids down to the food court. After lunch, they rode the carousel. We did some shopping and let the kids check out the fountain and some other fun stuff there. Finally, after a last minute, super-urgent stop at the Macy's restrooms, Patrick and Sophia had to say goodbye. They were both really sad to part.

From here we drove in the city. Leaving Aurora at 3p wasn't a great idea. By the time we made it near downtown, it was all out rush hour. We were headed to Sam's Uncle George's condo at Michigan and Illinois. Needless to say our marriage was tested in this endeavor. Luckily the kids were sleeping in the back in the car, so they didn't hear mommy and daddy saying bad words!

This night, George made dinner for us (very yummy) and then Pam and George took us on a walk to Millenium Park where we saw some great stuff-the fountains with faces, the bean, the bandstand, and a bunny rabbit (the highlight for Patrick). P was not so keen on getting in the fountain with everyone else because he was afraid of getting his shorts wet. In the end, we enticed him out, but then wanted to take off his shorts. So he rode around in his undies in the stoller for a while afterwards. Eva did venture to dip her toes in with Aunt Pam.

After hearing fire trucks earlier in the evening, Patrick was dead set on seeing a darn fire truck. Pam and George routed us on the way home to go by a fire station. We went to a Chicago Fire Department Station and they let P get in a fire truck and turned on the lights for him. They were very hospitable. Great ending to a great day.

Monday, June 22nd - Tour (Portillo's and Aurelio's)

We got up today and hung out with Jaime and Sophia, and Izzy too! Patrick and Sophia were like two peas in a pod. They ran around all morning playing inside and out. We grown ups stayed in mostly and played with Eva and Izzy (their new puppy). Jaime and I traded duties since I love puppies so much and she loves babies. For lunch we headed to Portillo's (Sam's fav) and we all enjoyed some chocolate cake.

After a quiet naptime, it was time to figure out dinner. Sam ordered (with much research and planning) Aurelio's pizza. Peggy and Katie came over to hang out. Rob got home from work just in time to enjoy the yummy goodness. We had a great visit with everyone. It was a great day to just hang with the family and kids and relax. And eat...did I mention we ate well this day?

Sunday, June 21st - Tour (The Best Laid Plans...)

We planned on leaving around 6:30pm as soon as Sam got home from work, but of course, these plans were not to be. He got stuck on a few reports at work and we didn't get to leave until about 8:45pm. We stopped at McDonald's and Arby's on the way through Bethalto to grab some dinner. We were sure that leaving so late, the kids would fall asleep. Nope. Eva is teething, so she was cranky and growled most of the way up. Patrick was wired and so excited to FINALLY be going to "Tago" (Chicago) that he jabbered all the way up. He did slow down for a bit to watch Aladdin on the portable DVD player. I swear he didn't blink for an hour!

After a run in with a crazy lady at a rest stop and one gas fill up later, we made it to Jaime and Rob's house in Oswego around 1:30am. We brought in the essentials and crashed. Holy Moley.

Hooligans On Tour!

Ladies and Gentlemen-

Me and my merry band of hooligans are going on tour. That's right, you heard it hear. Me and my crazy husband are going to take a 3 year old boy and a 8.5 month old baby girl for a VERY long car ride to Chicago...then we're headed to Milwaukee a few days later. I know, you're thinking, "What the hell are they thinking!?" Well, we're just nuts people.

We are going for a long overdue visit to lots of Sam's family that lives up north as well as my very dear friend Nora Elizabeth. They make the haul down this way often enough, so we're going to reciprocate. I'll be sure to blog about our trip while we're gone and post lots of pics.

As usual, we've been busy with work and the kids. Eva is getting her top teeth first...wierd child. Her bottom two are close behind. She is crawling up a storm and she now doesn't hold still-EVER. She's 8.5 months old and still weighs about 13.5 pounds. She's tiny, but she's mighty! Patrick is just growing up faster than we can believe. He's talking up a storm and says the funniest stuff I'll ever hear. I'm serious. If I could remember it all to write down, you'd pee your pants. Although I'm sure some of it is only funny in the moment and you'd all think I'm crazy for passing it along. Anyway, he's learning shapes, colors, numbers, letters, songs, and skills like jumping on one foot. This last one is really posing a challenge and he's working hard on it. He's also learning to use his new scooter...see below.




Now that's a close call!

Nuggets from Patrick

So I’ve got a few gems straight from the mouth of Patrick Joseph:

• “need a towel paper, Eva’s pitting out!” = "I need a paper towel, Eva’s spitting up.
• “sombrella” = umbrella
• “tuna” = cartoons (As in, “I wanna watch some tuna mommy!”)
• “I’m a bad guy jabberbox!” = WHAT?  I have no idea on this one.
• “What’s you’re doin?” = What’re you doing?
• “I can’t found it!” = I can’t find it!  (Who needs conjugation anyway?)

A Letter to Patrick: Your Third Birthday

Patrick,

I want to tell you about your 3rd birthday. We had your party at my mom's house this past Saturday. There were so many people that love you. The following people were there: mommy, daddy, maw maw, papa, nana, papa, grandma Colleen, grandpa Fordie, Gigi, Bunny, Keith, aunt Emmie, Steve, Andy, Katie, Becky, Pete, Amy, Jon, Aunt Susie, Megan, and Jackson...oh and Evie! We decorated with lots of balloons and Wonder Pets.

We had lots of good food: hot dogs and chicken breasts, cheesy potatoes with corn flakes, pasta salad, and a Wonder Pets cake that nana made. You got a LOT of gifts...too many to mention here. When we sang "Happy Birthday," you were so cute...you stood there and listened and smiled, even though you'd been singing it for weeks leading up to this day. After dinner, cake and homemade ice cream that maw maw made, you went outside and played in your bounce house. Later we went outside and Katie took pictures of the 4 of us.

You played and celebrated until you were just plain pooped. At the end of the night, Amy, Jon, daddy, you and I went out in the field and watched the lightening bugs come out. It was magical and so are you. I've loved all three years of you.

love,

mommy

Why? Why? Why?

I'd like to strangle the person that taught my son the word "why." You might say something like, I'm going to the store for a gallon of milk." He'll say, "why?" You say, because we're out of milk and we need more. He'll say, "why?" You say, because we like to drink milk. He'll say, "why?" You say, because it tastes good and it's good for your body. He'll say, "why?" You'll get into a scientific discussion with a 3 year old about how milk works in the body. He'll say, "why?" Inevitably you will either end up in a discussion where you are either scientifically or philosophically in over your head. For those that are thinking I should respond to these neverending inquiries by saying, "Because I said so," this doesn't work. It doesn't satisfy the boy and he will just say "why?".

The Women of Distinction Luncheon went swimmingly. Well, maybe not swimmingly, but it went well and now it's over. YAY. I think I've learned a lesson with that undertaking: I'm not at a place in my life where I can take on projects like that. When my kids are older, I'll venture back in to serious philanthropy. For now, we'll volunteer where we can; but Patrick and Eva won't be babies forever and we want to make the most of this time while we can.

Coming Soon...Patrick's 3rd Birthday

Larry the Jabberbox

So on May 27th, 2006 at 3:16pm I gave birth to a tiny baby boy. We named him Patrick Joseph Riney. Now I have an almost three year old boy named "Larry the Jabberbox." How, you ask, has this happend? I will share the story here and now. For a while now, my dad has been calling Patrick a jabberbox. Patrick usually responds, "I not a jabberbox!" This is because he doesn't know what a jabberbox is. The other day, I told him he was a "hilarious jabberbox." He says, "I Larry the Jabberbox." And with this, my sweet baby Patrick was gone.

A few other gems:
featsa=pizza
billy, billy big=really, really big

We've been busy with The Policeman's Ball. It was last Saturday night and it went swell. A great time was had by all. Patrick's 3rd birthday is next week. Women of Distinction is next Thursday. Lunch for 250+...no worries. Business is picking up too. Sam has been in lots of training and working lots of overtime. We've missed him and are happy he has a few days off this week!
Eva is chugging along and has a height/weight check tomorrow. We're hoping she's gained a little weight. I think that's all we've got for now.

A Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That

So I'm very guilty of being a lazy blogger lately. Things have gotten so nutty that I'm happy to get my teeth brushed everyday! Sam and I were busy this week with training; he in Fairview Heights and me in Collinsville. Emily and Steve are mid-move to their new house. Many a fun events are being planned...Policeman's Ball (5/16), Women of Distinction Luncheon (5/28), Patrick's Birthday Party, Mother's Day, and more. Sam and I did our first dual DUI talk on May 1st. We spoke at Alton High to the senior class about driving under the influence. I spoke at Ofallon on 4/30 to two driver's ed classes. 5/13 I'm going back to Madison County Court to speak to DUI offenders. After that, I think I need a break for a while. Reliving it takes a lot out of me.

Eva is still tiny. I have added avocado to her diet in hopes that the "good fat and protein" in them will stick to her bones. She is SO cute though. She's sitting up really well and even held herself standing for a few seconds the other night. To the right, Eva is enjoying a biter biscuit.

Believe it or not, Patrick will be 3 in a few weeks. It's shocking that he's turning into this little somewhat self sufficient human. He speaks in full sentences: "The giant pickle is coming to get us!" Not to disappoint, here are a few of his new words:

moatmeal=oatmeal

dokey dokey=okey dokey

lambeylance=ambulance

peececar=police car

waller=water

veeva=eva

A couple of funny stories too: I made chocolate chip cookies the other day. Toward the end, Patrick came in and wanted to help, so we washed hands and I gave him a bit of dough and asked him to roll it into a ball. I wasn't sure if he could do it, but he sure did roll it up into a perfectly round ball. I was so proud. Then he popped it into his mouth and ate it. He was then retired from cookie dough rolling for the day.

Later that same afternoon, Patrick offered a fitness class. A week ago Patrick did yoga with me in the family room...just a few stretches. At the time we did it, he happend to not have a shirt on, just pj pants. So on this particular afternoon, after the cooke dough incident, Patrick came and grabbed me by the hand and dragged my up to the front room. He had retrieved my yoga mat and spread it on the living room floor. He took off his shirt and jumped on the mat and said, "It's time to take our ogats mommy!" Ogats is Patrick for yoga. Too cute!

It's Raining a Toady

Ladies and Gentlemen...the wait is over. Following is the long awaited second edition of Patrick: A Translation.

toftof=washcloth
ogac=yoga
bafis=breakfast
told=cold
it's raining a toady=it's raining it's pouring
fark=fork
fork=fort
lami=salami
carnimal=carnival
horn dog=corn dog
capsi=pepsi
bryow=eyebrow

I share these not to have a laugh at my son, but so that years from now, I can remember all these unbelievably cute moments. I swear to God, he is the cutest boy ever!

The Storys of One Tough Balloon and an Electric Cart

So, I have to share a couple of cute things that happend today. Patrick had a carnival at school and came home with a balloon animal. A red dog. Well, before we even got out of the parking lot, it was undoggified. He had taken it apart. He took it to my mom's and Henry got a hold of it. We safely got it way from him and Patrick took it upstairs to the loft. Upon trying to leave at the end of the evening, Patrick suddenly remembered the balloon and I had to go back in the house and fetch it from the loft. Almost home...on Milton, Patrick lost the balloon out the window. We stopped at the house and picked up Sam. We went back and hunted down the darn balloon. He was so happy. We got home about one minute later. As Sam was getting Patrick out of the car, he took the balloon from Patrick and tried to recreate the animal part of the balloon animal. And can you guess what happens from here? POP goes the red balloon. I couldn't freakin believe it. The screams. Sam ended up tying it off and resurecting the balloon once again. Crisis resolved.

Second story: Sam responded to a call at St. Anthony's Hospital for a man that left the hospital on his electric cart and had a siezure at 20th and MLK. So Sam, the caring guy that he his, rode the guy's cart back up to the hospital rather than impounding and towing the cart. I know he just wanted the story...but anyway, just think about a uniformed police officer riding an electric cart down the road...tee hee.

That's all I've got folks.

Some Patrick Funnies and More

Argh...I've gotten so far behind in blogging. So I can't tell you what we've been up to because I literally can't really remember right now. But as promised, following are a few gems from dear Patrick:

bebras=zebras
laliloli=ravioli
nice ta eat ya=nice to see you
monters=monsters
viva=eva

Again, my mind is blank...I have about a hundred more, but can't remember them right now. I promise to start writing them down.

Patrick has been growing up so much lately! He is starting to act like a little boy. He runs around outside at my mom's house all by himself. He'll take off with Dolly (their dog) and be halfway across the property without thinking to look back at the house. He likes sticks and yelling and stuff. My baby is not a baby anymore... Patrick is also starting to help take care of Eva more too. He is finding pacifiers for her or singing to her. He is also including her in his night time hug list too. It's up to: Mom, Dad, Moo, Libby, and now sometimes Eva, also any visitors we might have at the time.

Eva is still TINY (11 lbs, 13oz), but is developing just fine. She is rolling all over the place and sitting up pretty well. She is loving her toys and just started biter biscuits and juice (cut with lots of water of course) this week. She is also starting fruits too. I (with my mom's help) am making all of her baby food thus far: carrots, squash, peas, green beans, and sweet potatoes. She has been a bit needy lately (as in somebody stand and hold me OR ELSE!), but we're getting by.

Sam has been busy with treasurer stuff with the PBPA (police union) and working A LOT. I'm working on the Women of Distinction Luncheon (co-chair) for the YWCA of Alton-May 28th at LCCC. This was a bigger job than I thought! I'm also helping Emily with the Policeman's Ball-May 16th at Holiday Inn. May is a SUPER busy month and I'm scared! Oh yeah, work is picking up too...YAY!

Alright, enough with the caps lock key. I'm sorry for abusing it in this post, but hey, I did end up remembering a little bit of our lives to write about!

The Evolution of a Nickname

So we named our daughter Eva Grace. You might wonder why I state such an obvious fact...The thing is, I almost never call her that. It started like this:
1. Eva
2. Eve
3. Evie
4. E.V.
5. E.V. McGhee
6. McGhee
7. Evita
8. Evita McGheeta
9. McGheeta

I inherited this habit from my father. He calls everything and everyone anything but their given name. A sampling: Tootie, L.G., Hurricane, etc. There are no exceptions from this...my husband, my son, dogs...no one is safe. Patricio, Furry Brown Dog, Hank Mooman; I could go on.
I just thought I would share my odd indulgence with you all.

Coming soon: Patrick-A Translation.

One Hooligan in the Rain and More

Where the heck have we been!? It has been 2 weeks since we Hooligans checked in with our blog fans. Life just seems to get so busy that keeping up with one's email inbox becomes a feat! Anyway...

Notice the super cute little guy in rain gear to the right here.......

The potty training is mostly done. Patrick is a pro. Potty training is like voting in Chicago, visit the potty early and often! We are bribing him with chocolate milk if he wakes up from a nap or in the morning with a dry pull-up. We're thinking about braving a night with undies only (no pull up).

My grandfather, Frank Huber, passed away last week. This was my dad's dad. Grandpa had been gone for quite a while mentally speaking and he has been failing health wise for a few years. It was sad to see my dad lose his father, but it was a relief to them it seemed.

Here is a pic of my dear husband...also known as "dad of the year." Last night we went for a walk, something he isn't really crazy about doing in the first place. We broke out the double stroller the other day, and Sam was willing to push it...all the way around the neighborhood. It's sort of like driving an ocean liner!

Sam has been busy getting the PBPA Treasuer position up to speed and I've been working on the YWCA Women of Distinction Luncheon. Emily and I have also been working on the PBPA Policeman's Ball. To say that May is going to be busy would be a heck of an understatment.

Eva and Patrick have been spending more time at home with me and Sam. Eva is no longer going to daycare and Patrick is going 3 days a week. The money just wasn't there. The plan is to keep this schedule until Patrick starts preschool in the fall and then little E can go to daycare 3 days a week. I won't lie, the days at home alone with the two of them are long and trying, but I'm learning to slow down and enjoy the tiny little things with them. Patrick is learning to buckle his car seatbelt. This takes time, but it was cool to watch him "learn." We have also been working in his tracing book and playing old school "Memory." Since the weather's been nice, we've also been playing outside in the backyard.

Eva is doing well: she's almost able to sit up on her own and she's rolling all over the place. She is more beautiful and sweet and smart everyday!

I'll try to be more diligent about posting...

Potty Training Progress

I haven't reported on Patrick's progress in the Potty Training Department for a while, so here ya go: he is doing GREAT! He is in big boy underwear full time now. He has had a few pee accidents, but that's it. All poopy is now done on the potty with much excitement and announcement. Naps are usually dry, but we're still working on nights. Sam and I are very proud of him. Yay for no more poopy toddler diapers!

Pureed Veggies Hiding in the Spaghetti

Ok, so a tough weekend at the Riney household. Saturday was a rough morning at swim class... Patrick just wasn't feeling the underwater thing. Then we spent the afternoon and evening at home. We had a not so great dinner...I tried this new cookbook called "Deceptively Delicious." The idea is you hide all manner of pureed fruits and vegetables in regular dishes. I made baked spaghetti with pureed carrot in the sauce and meatballs with broccoli. It wasn't terrible, but there was A LOT left over and we were hungry for the rest of the evening. We won't give up on this idea of "hiding" healthy stuff in regular food, but I hope for better results next time.

One good thing that came out of this was that I learned how to steam vegetables and use the food processor. We will definitely be making Eva's baby food from scratch. YAY! I felt very "Mother Earth" working with fresh veggies and such.

Work is getting a bit discouraging. Lots of open houses and showings and phone calls, but no pending transactions.

Anyway, today was mostly laundry, feeding kids, going potty,and not going crazy. Sam and I are now frazzled shells of our once aimiable, reasonable selves.