Bruisin' & Keepin' Up

The pantry and the refrigerator are fun places to play.  Especially if you find an opened package of something.  Something like, tortillas....

...she took a nibble off each one.

With school starting, our 'whatever' days are quickly coming to an end.  I'm still part-time this year (we continue to work on remaining part-time indefinitely), but even my off-days during the school year quickly fill with appointments and other running around.  Now that's a round-about way of saying...we went to the Children's Museum!

Both kids love it there - Finley cruises through the exhibits as if he's afraid we'll leave before trying everything.  And Hadley, now that she's a walker, she's thrilled to be part of the action.

Multitasking fail.

Baby Girl heard me say I'll be getting rid of our baby things.

Spatulas automatically mean yum.

Hadley is exploring and testing limits/expectations.  She knows how to beg for M&M's and she will fake-cry if Finley does something she doesn't like.  She also stamps the walls.

Saturday was the Bruisn' for Bob's House event, a 5K obstacle course.  Patrick, Ryan & I decided to participate. 

Pre-race fun...

...the sponsors...

...checking out some of the obstacles, like the Ice Bath...

...and going for a cruise!

Go!

Patrick was faster on the obstacles but I was quicker on the runs in-between.  This was the only time Patrick was ahead of me, I win.

The kids were DIRTY!  We're excited that next year, there will be a kid's event!

Headed back towards the final few obstacles....

...the slip-n-slide...

...climbing a bus...

...and the rope swing!

And somewhere behind me (ha!) were Patrick & Ryan.

Done!  My goal was to complete all obstacles without getting injured (the marathon is five weeks away).  My ankles are sore today, I'm guessing from running on an uneven surface and I've got one bruised shin, overall it was a success.

Finley had been saving this t-shirt for the Bob's House race (it has a dog on it), he showed it to everyone.

Today I woke up with high blood pressure.  With the construction at our building, we have not been allowed inside yet.  Panic is an understatement.  The next few weeks scream "CRAZINESS" which we all know I love.  The craziness begins tomorrow.  Today I enjoyed a little girl's determination to walk home...

...and a little sister wanting to keep up with her brother.

Who like any big brother, ran ahead as fast as he could.  Can you see him in the picture?

 

Road Trip to Chicago

I had one more in-service before I officially start, so Grandma was stuck with babysitting duties again.

While I learned about handwriting in Kindergarten, Hadley learned that these toys actually move, great.

  Our scary sleeper.

Not sure if I should be worried, but Hadley likes to poke at our eyes and I caught her poking her baby's eyes too.

We met up with Tara, Jake & Gracie and Melissa & Elle at Irvine Park.  Jake & Finley overfed the ducks in about four minutes.

Climbers!

Animals!

This picture disturbs me.

Finley was anxious to feed the goats until he learned that goats don't catch food like Zoey. He wasn't as excited to hold the food in his hands.

The girls!

The boys!

We gave Finley a basketball hoop for his birthday, Patrick put it up a few weeks ago.  He has fun and can make baskets!

Problem solver. (I may have dropped a hint)

I hate Hadley's new trick.  She makes me a wreck up there, she has no concept that edge = giant fall.

We drove to Chicago!  Considering we have a four-year old and a one-year old, it went pretty well.  Although as the passenger, I spent 75% of the drive turned around passing out snacks and toys.  Hadley slept 30 minutes, Finley slept zero.

We stayed at Great Grandpa Wally's, he's got plenty of extra space.  We set Hadley up in the extra room, assuming Finley would sleep with us.  Finley asked for a pillow, then I discovered this and my heart melted a little.  He'd made himself a bed, "cause I need to watch Hadley sometimes".

Finley was happy to see familiar faces, he was full of hugs for everyone.

While Patrick checked out odd jobs around Wally's house, we played on the front porch...

...Hadley danced...

...Finley took pictures...

....and lied when he told me I wasn't in this one.

We went out for ice cream and visited with Auntie Shawna & Auntie Aryn.

Friday night I was traumatized.  By a bat.  Patrick headed out with relatives and I stayed back to put the kids to bed.  Hadley was struggling to go down, so I put both kids in bed with me.  Around 11, I woke up to transfer Hadley to the pack n play.  I sat up and something whizzed past me - a bat.  I screamed.  I panicked.  The thing swooped all over, once landing on the edge of the bed.  Frickin' gross.  I called Patrick and yelled to come home.  I continued to scream, swear and dodge.  I (finally) had enough sense to throw a blanket over the kids (I have no idea how they didn't wake up).  When the bat landed on the curtain, I rushed each child into another room.  We huddled on the bed (kids still asleep) until Patrick returned (those 10 minutes felt like 10 hours).  He managed to get the bat with a broom.  But needless to say I slept with the light on and one eye open all weekend.  I hate bats.

I think we need a Dunkin' Donuts, I LOVE their coffee.

Patrick's family lives in the Edison Park neighborhood of Chicago, lucky for us, it was the Edison Park Fest all weekend.  It kicked off with a parade. 

There was not a single band nor float, it was mostly groups (political, school groups, nonprofits and local businesses) handing out fliers and...candy.  Wow, these kids got a haul.  See the red cup Mayah is holding?  It had at least 15 suckers in it, they each received a cup-full.

Which made Hadley's day, she begs for suckers.

Finley's highlight was the tae kwon do group, he broke a piece of wood!

After the parade we headed to the fest for the bounce-houses.  There were bounce-castles, bounce-boats, bounce-caterpillars and more.

While Finley bounced, Hadley slept.  Which worked out well for us, she was too little.

Happy boy!

There were a few carnival games, Finley tested his strength.  Lucky for us (insert sarcasm), Patrick is super-strong and won six inflatable hammers/swords.

These prizes provided entertainment later in the evening.

The festival had awesome food - a gyro for me!  There was also a giant "Hot Dog" posing for pictures.

Mayah had one goal, to win a fish.  Lucky for us (more sarcasm) Patrick can aim a ping-pong ball, he won three fish.

Finley proudly named his fish "Maria".

Auntie Shawna had a vase that made a perfect "fish mansion" for all three fish.  I'm happy to report that Maria stayed in Chicago with her two fish-cousins.  Finley never even asked to bring her home.

Auntie Shawna sent us a picture of Maria living happily.

Auntie Aryn spoiled the kids with belated birthday gifts from Texas.

The rest of our evening was spent hanging out with Aunts, Uncles & Cousins.  We have so much fun with Patrick's family, we wish we could see them more often.

Sunday morning was spent visiting with a few more relatives.

And then it was time to say good-bye.  It was such a fun weekend, we hated to see it end!