And Then She Lost Her First Tooth!

So, we send Tater to Papa and Mimi's for a few weeks and she goes and grows up! She took a bite of chocolate chip short bread and out fell her first tooth! I sure hope that Tooth Fairy finds her at Papa's and give her a bonus for being so brave away from Mama and Daddy!

You Know You Are Home When...

...you go to the grocery store at 7:30 in the morning!

...you take three kids in their PJs to Target before 9:00 in the morning because you are completely out of diapers in the house!

...you walk through the house and fill a laundry basket with things that are in rooms where they don't belong.

...there is enough laundry for at least 10 loads...because Daddy can take care of the kids but he can't take care of the kids and do laundry!

...you can't see your kitchen counter beneath the dirty dishes, bags of groceries, piles of mail, and all the random stuff that collects there without a mommy to clean it off.

...you secretly wish you could sneak back to the airport and climb back on a plane to the world of hotels where they clean up after you, restaurants where they cook for you, and shopping that doesn't involve diapers and groceries!

What Happen in Chicago, Stays in Chicago!

A much-needed and well-deserved weekend away in Chicago with the girls was had! We had such a great time that we are looking forward to making it an annual event. There was lots of chatting, good yummy drinks, delicious food (lots of cheese and bread!), a bit of walking, some amazing shopping, beautiful jewelry, and tons of giggles! Much NEEDS to be kept between the four of us, but here are a few memories of the fun!

L and K (the sisters!) posed with Flat Stanley, who traveled from the Netherlands to join us occasionally over the weekend.

There were tulips everywhere...all colors and gorgeous!

D took a break from shopping.

Lunch in a park in the city.

Another visit from Flat Stanley (this time posing with Aunt D).

Street Performer on the Magnificent Mile

Looking down the river

Fountain at Millennium Park

Tulips

"The Bean" at Millennium Park

D and me in "The Bean"

Inside "The Bean"

Can you find us?

Taking a picture of us taking a picture in "The Bean"

The Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues.

Amazing food and amazing music...we even danced!

A Catholic church we popped into on the way to dinner Saturday night

Not surprising...since we were traveling with a minister!

My first sight as I got off the "L", that I traveled on alone to meet up with girls.

I was definitely out of my comfort zone but had a blast learning about the city!

This is a fountain at Grant Park.

The water pours off the top...beautiful!

The second tower is where they project moving images...amazing art!

Tulips!

More tulip...the city was to the right, the lake to the left.

Lake Michigan

D taking pictures of the lake

So...just a quick recap! We had fun, loved being grown-ups, missed our kids and husbands, but came home better for it all! Next girl trip in t-minus 364 days, ladies?

Weekend Re-Cap!

Miss Wiggles and I flew to Papa and Mimi's house for the long weekend to pick up Tater and bring her home from her long vacation. We had a great "girls + Papa" weekend, with plenty of shopping, eating, and relaxing. It was a nice time for Mommy and the girls to enjoy being with the grandparents!

Miss Wiggles enjoyed her breakfast...and making a mess!

Mommy and Mimi took Tater to the Planetarium (while Papa stayed home to watch the Cowgirls...oops, I mean Cowboys...lose).

She was so excited she couldn't stand still!

Happy girls in pink!

Thanks, Papa and Mimi, for a fun weekend! And know we are missing you tonight...as Tater lays in bed crying herself to sleep, wanting her Papa!

Kid-isms!

As Daddy was carrying his new compound miter saw down the basements steps ($69.99 at 6 am on Black Friday...yes I was in Home Depot that early!), Bruiser told me:

"We need this - Daddy and me. We need this to build."

*******************

Driving home yesterday, Daddy insisted that I take a turn behind the wheel (although I didn't do it very willingly!). So he had to take over the job of "cruise director" and entertain the troops. He started writing words and letters on the MagnaDoodle and letting them yell what it was...yeah, not Mommy's kind of game! Then Daddy progressed to pictures. At one point he drew the outline of the United States and held it up for Tater. She got all excited and announced, "It's a cow!" Poor Daddy!

Thanksgiving ReCap!

We traveled to Mimi and Papa's and Pop-Pop and Memaw's for Thanksgiving this year. After the SEVEN hour drive on Wednesday - during which no one napped and there was miles of unexplained traffic! - we arrived to enjoy a few nights of good sleep, lots of yummy food, and hours of fun with family!

We went to Papa and Mimi's first...they are 40 minutes closer and we didn't want to drive another second! Then we headed to Pop-Pop and Memaw's for Thanksgiving day...food, cousins, Wii, and lots of Miss Wiggles' cuddles! Thanks to a built-in sitter Friday morning, Daddy and I headed out to the stores at 4:30am and found a few great deals (saving for a later post!). Family pictures with the cousins followed and then lunch with Pop-Pop (Memaw had to work :( ).

Can you guess where we ate?

Then we headed back to Mimi and Papa's for a hockey game! Both Tater and Bruiser had been before but Bruiser was too little to remember. He LOVED it...and Tater loved it until the treats ran out!

We celebrated Thanksgiving on Saturday with Papa and Mimi and the aunts and uncles...after Papa took the two older ones to the grocery store by himself! and Mimi and Mommy did some more shopping.

Today we headed back home...only six and half hours this time!

Pumpkin Picking Pictures!

Today was a bit of a day! It's only 3:30 and I'm ready for it to be over! We started the morning with flu shots for Tater, Mommy, and Daddy. Tater's ear-piercing screech was probably heard on the other side of the country! She does not do needles very well!

Then we went to Kids' Club (Sunday School with a fancy name!), where Bruiser got told he wasn't quite ready...a nice way of kicking him out! But more on that another time...maybe.

Then, we ventured over the bridge, down the highway, and into the country to find some pumpkins! We started with a tractor-pulled wagon ride - no hay, perfect for the allergy prone Sprouts!

Then we went search of the perfect Jack-O-Lantern pumpkin, which Daddy got the honor of carrying for the next half hour - all 20 pounds of it!

(Yes, Mommy made the blog today!)

Tater found a pumpkin blossom.

Tried for the picture-perfect fall photo but Bruiser doesn't act on command very well!

Better picture, minus the unknown child in the background - need to explore the wonders of Photo-Shop!

Bruiser spent the ride back from the field looking through the wagon slats at the tractor. He's all boy!

We ended the day with a mini-train ride ("All aboard!) and some yummy fresh-made french fries and corn-on-the-cob!

Now the exhaustion has hit - me at least! Bruiser napped (passed out!) in the car on the way home and is now upstairs calling for me because he has decided nap time is over. Not according to my schedule! Hopefully he'll entertain himself with his trains and give me a few more minutes of piece!

The good news is that I have tomorrow off and we have a play date planned! Entertainment for the kids and for Mommy!

We Survived...I Think!

So Daddy was away for the past three days ... for work. I was here with the three kids ... by myself. Why is it that Daddies get to go away for work and Mommies just have to work harder? Oh, but I digress!

Things went fairly smoothly. Except for this moment when Bruiser woke up from his nap this afternoon! I think he needed a few more minutes!

I even made homemade pizza for dinner - just cheese (no sauce!) for Tater and BBQ chicken for me and Bruiser. Yummy!