Yummy Yum Num Nums

First off, Easter was not and will not be the same until Mom and Dad come home!

Ok-enuff of my wah wahs! Now onto the fun.

We started our Easter festivities with some egg coloring. This was exciting bc we never got around to doing it in the past few years. This was Triston's first time coloring eggs. He had a blast especially since he got to take what he had read in books and seen on TV and make it is own reality. He was so excited! He could NOT wait til Charito got home from Tommy's bday party. As soon as C walked thru the door T jumped up and down and said' "Let's start coloring!" It was so interesting to see how strategic T approached the process. He thought out his color choices and waited patiently. Too cute! It was also sweet that this ended up being our bonding time with T seeing as G had fallen asleep already. I think T really enjoyed the one-to -one attention.

See how mommy was so afraid of the mess and scary dyed hands the nite before Easter that I had everyone wearing gloves! Yes, I am psycho.

Easter morning we woke up late and missed church (oops!) We barely got our own little egg hunt in before we headed to breakfast by Chef Bro Neal in Roselle. It was a small hunt in my mind but I forgot what little it takes to please T. While T hunted G watched, taking mental notes, I am sure. G is so into watching every move T makes these days. I cannot help but wonder what he is thinking. It is so touching to observe.

But while T continued his hunt and joy for anything chocolate I waited to unleash the secret weapon. Grayson's first chocolate anything-a chocolate bunny. Now I NEVER would have done this with my first boy!!! Again I say NEVER. My mother even reminded later that night on the phone how I scolded her the first time she gave T chocolate and I freaked out and told her if he explodes poop all over himself she is coming to clean it up. I was way too afraid of how chocolate is processed on the same line as nut products and would not have even chanced it with T. Now with number 2 I am much braver. Yeah, I was a little nervous about the nut factor but I think my personal WANT for G to enjoy the day in his own special way over rode that nervous twitch of mine. It was EVER SO worth it. It is by far the first and best memorable moment for me of the day. What a hoot!

That little boy was sucking so hard on that bunny to my shock he took off a whole chunk of the ears! Hilarious. The best num nums he has had in his 6 mos!

No, mom please don't take it away! Oooh, was he ticked off! After our little Carper thing we headed to Roselle for an absolutely fab breakfast. Yum yum! Neal refused any help in the kitchen. I just provided the sausage and bacon. Neal whipped up his famous biscuits and gravy, homemade pancakes, apple puree, whip cream, strawberries and mimosas.
What a feast all the while the little boys stuffing their faces and running around well, like wild boys. No matter how long it has been since T and Ayden have seen each other those 2 pick up right where they left off-endless play, laughs, rough-housing and crazy cuz antics!
Lil' G and G.G. (great grandma)
Ayden teaching G all about trains.
After our afternoon is Roselle we met the Lulas and Lolo for dinner at Via Veneto. Another great meal and family time well spent. It was a relaxing Easter with so much to thankful in life. We truly are blessed beyond belief.

Long Day...Lots of Perks

Perk 1

Daddy was off of work today! So we planned a day out. We have been meaning to visit the Field to see the Pirate exhibit and we confirmed that plan when I (by chance) got the free pass from the library on Thursday. I was surprised. That pass is barely in. I thought for sure everyone would have the same idea for Good Friday. Keeping in mind that ALL schools were off this day we intended to get to the museum by 10 am when it opened. Yeah right! The kids shocked us when we all slept in til 8. It was great! So instead of 10 we made it there by 11. What a joke! Museum campus was CROWDED! Just what I wanted to avoid. And after finally finding parking we could not find a ramp for the stroller near the entrance we entered in. So there was Charito and I lifting the double stroller (he in front and I on the back end) up the MASSIVE staircases in front of the museum. T thought it was the best ride ever. Charito was lucky he didn't fall on his face. He had the heavy end.

We walked into the museum and the line was horrendous. Signs already posting "PIRATE EXHIBIT SOLD OUT". UGGH! I then turned to an employee and asked if I HAD TO wait in the nasty line if I had a museum pass. She walked us right up to a line of 3 people. How awesome! I asked the cashier HOW the exhibit sold out. I assumed it was a display people walked around and viewed at their leisure. Nope! The exhibit included a presenter which meant a show every 30 minutes. As a result every 30 minutes from 10am to 6pm was sold out. Amazing. The other amazing thing was the strategies behind the Field's anticipated super busy day. They were hooking in families left and right from the main line (averaging an hour long wait) for memberships to purchase on the spot. Well, why not? Yeah it is an extra $30-50 one intended to spend that day but it sure got you into a much SHORTER line. I just laughed everytime I saw a person with a membership sticker on their clothing-I just knew they had been suckered in that day!

Well, even though we didn't get to see pirates T was ok with that. He even said, "That's ok, mommy. We can see the animal jungle." Just a reminder to us how much he loves this museum. So innocent, so simple. Until T shared his enjoyment for the Field I have to admit-I thought it was soooo boring. But he has definitely turned it into a top 5 for us! He was so content guiding us on our exploration with the map and making sure to hit up his favorites-dinos, elephants, animal jungle, animal evolution and his latest TIBET. He enjoyed the masks and costumes they adorned in the villages. He also told me to "keep watching the organisms". He is making it harder and harder not to laugh at his "scientific attempts". All Charito and I could do was joke that no matter how big (the place or event) may seem to us he obviously is taking it in! Like a sponge.

"Now let's see. Where should we go first?"

G wanted a turn to navigate.

Map in hand-"Follow me everybody, I know where we're going!"

Perk 2

We found a new munchin' ground! A few weeks ago I was in Constructive Playthings and I heard the cashier telling a coworker how he had a taste for Big Mouth, a Thai joint. I HAD to ask him where! He told me at Crawford and Dempster. I expected a bigger place when we pulled up. It is this lil' storefront place in a strip mall. Maybe seating for 6 inside and pretty much a takeout n delivery place. I went in and asked if we could eat inside and it was a-ok. It was so nice to have the place to ourselves. The couple working there was so polite and attended to our every need (always helps to have smiling kids with you to spread the happiness). Even the decor was neat! Cartoony collections and colorful paint. And when we walked in the lady put cartoon network on for T. We actually don't watch this channel but there it was-Tom and Jerry. T has never seen an episode. One of those things that as an adult watching it I am shocked on how violent it actually is! But it kept him entertained and there is SO much worse out there. What a relaxed lunch with GREAT food. I am always looking for new Asian-ish food joints and I TRULY prefer the Ma and Pa places. Big Mouth is on MY list! Perk 3

After lunch we decided to stop by the Honda dealer to test out the van we are interested in WITh the carseats. Kids were fed and in a good mood so we went for it. We loaded them up and went for a drive. SO MUCH room for the boys and us! Such a smooth ride. We figured let's AT LEAST fill out the credit app and find out if we can get there special APR they had going on. Well that went well and we were left with the final decision. Pull the trigger or not? Today or next month? Or right before the trip to Arkansas (which was our deadline anyway)? After Charito crunched numbers in his head he gave me the look. We just went for it! What the hay?! Luv it already (but a tiny piece of me will NOT give up on my truck. I promise to give her her fair share of family drives, too).

T said, "The red is for me!" It was a perfect fit and car lovin' daddy was oh so proud to hear that one.

The new ride!

The boys were so well behaved while we signed and signed. T continued to remind us of the park we passed by on the test drive so we promised we would stop by when finished. Before we knew it (probably the fastest car buying process we have ever been thru-maybe they didn't want kids around?) we were driving to the park in the van. T was thrilled to know it, too, had a TV and immediately requested Signing Time (I don't mind, it's time to introduce it to G anyway).

Perk 4

A new park! Perfect size and best of all-NEW AND DIFFERENT. It was located behind the dealership as part of Morton Grove's Park District facility. Daddy and T played while G slept in the van and I played around with the buttons to make sure everything worked. My fav feature so far-the backup/in reverse camera! Size is gonna take some getting used to but I am LUVIN' the space.

So considering we were out of the house by 10 am and home at 7 pm we got alot done WITH 2 kids by our side all day. I am so proud that they were so good, especially during times that could have been disasterous! I love my boys. The big one, too! He got mama a van! Never thought I'd be excited for a minivan-I am OLD! Talk about a fun-filled family day!

Trains and Mommy time

Triston's friend Jackson just turned 3! His mom, Alysa (who I met and became friends with after I finished teaching her eldest daughter Maddie) invited us and Becky and Jack (going to be 3 soon) over for a little bday party. I LOVED that it was so low key and the boys LOVED that it was all about TRAINS! Alysa (who is soooo creative) baked little train car cakes for the boys to decorate. Then big girl Maddie his train cars around the house for the boys to go on a scavenger hunt. Once they found one of each color they got a train to take home. T is still lugging that thing around telling G, "Remember this was at Jackson's house?!" They had a blast. They also enjoyed a fantastic train table made by Jackson's grandfather and a good ol' game of jumpin' off the couch onto pillows and bean bags. This was probably the most exciting event of the party for T bc he doesn't get to do that here at home. I have a hard enuf time keeping from running across the couch and climbing all over all other types of furniture. But Jackson's home has the luxury of carpeting so I let T go at it!
I always enjoy chilling with Becky and Alysa. We always joke how we had to wait til Becky and I were no longer teaching Maddie in order for us to become friends. And these are friendships I am grateful to have in my life. For some reason it is really hard to get together with other friends' kids for playdates and yet Becky and Alysa and I make it happen so easily. And to add to the playdate happenings G and Jack's lil sis Alice will soon be chasing each other around!
I can only imagine what more fun we will have if Jackson joins us at Farnsworth in the Fall!

The 3 boys icing up their train cars
Jack and his frosting face!

Alice and Grayson (the lil audience)

G taking a break after sitting up for a while. He really liked that shape sorter ( reminded me to get our out this weekend).

Jack and T are amazed by the marble run Jackson's grandfather built. T remembers this toy everytime I mention we are going over there.
Pretty girl Alice

The train T built after the scavenger hunt

Superhero Triston