we're back

... at least until we head out of town again this coming weekend!

I just downloaded my pics and only messed with one. Here's our extremely happy dog, Friday, loving the country life....

Off to bed... hopefully I'll edit some more tomorrow.

'nite!

Ack... it's Friday already!

Yikes... we leave first thing Sunday morning for a week in Missouri and I'm not sure I'm ready at all. I've got quite a bit to get accomplished tomorrow... besides just the general packing stuff. I love going to my mom and dad's but the dial-up issue makes me feel rather cut off from the "real world" at times. But it's also kind of nice in a way.

I've just been working on our homeschool curriculum plan for the next year again. It's making me crazy to not have my new Sonlight catalog. In my impatience... I requested another one from the website. I'm really trying not to go overboard for next year, but there are just so many things out there that sound so cool.

I managed to scrap again today! I used my first ever template and I could easily be hooked! I used the Digital Starter Kit: Color My World at Scrapartist.... so many cool things in there! Anyway... here's the layout...

and the details

Jen - we most definitely need to do a photo playdate soon now that they weather is getting better. I'm out of town all next week... but I'm game any time after that!

Okay... I've lost focus somehow while typing this and I have no idea what else to write (chatting on Hello while typing does that to me).

I'll try to recompose myself and type more tomorrow before I go off to MO for the week.

Oh... I guess it is official... my name's on the list!!

'nite!

happy thursday! LOL!

I have trouble coming up with titles! LOL!

Nothing much new here... we didn't go anywhere today. I OD'd a bit on field trips last week. To be honest, I had too much nervous energy about Hall of Fame that I couldn't sit here at the house... so we took field trips! This week I'm much calmer, plus the weather has been nicer so we've stayed closer to home and just played with the kids on our block. Next week we're going to Missouri to see my parents so we'll do plenty of outings. So far, we're already planning to take the kids to the Wonders of Wildlife Museum at Bass Pro (that place is really cool... we went last year too) and we're going to use our passes and go to Silver Dollar City. Not sure what else we'll do. The kids really love the Discovery Center and have been asking to go again... but I really don't want to overdo things. I've ordered their Easter outfits and had them shipped to my mom and dad's so maybe we'll do some pictures if they get there in time.

Clara is getting this dress from Hanna Andersson...

And Alex is getting this vest also from Hanna Andersson...
I didn't take any pictures today but I did scrap a page of pics from our trip to the nature musuem last week...

details here

Oh Amy... I have a 20d also and I have found with chasing kids I always have my camera set to burst mode and al servo. That way I can fire off several shots at a time (like when Clara was twirling or leaping in class) and I can track her movement with the al servo. Let me know if you have any questions.

Okay... nothing else here so I'll stop rambling!

'nite!

Thank you!

Thank you for the congrats! It was fun getting the call yesterday. Now life is returning to normal and I got a big dose of reality when the kids and I got caught in a major downpour walking home from the L. At one point it was even hailing... the kids kept yelling "that hurts, that hurts!" as they were being pelted with ice. We were all so soaked that we had to completely change clothes when we got home.

My camera did manage to stay dry so here are the pics from Clara's dance class today...



Well... I'm heading to the couch to veg for a bit!

'nite!

Wooo hoo!!!

I got a call from Fred from Creating Keepsakes this afternoon!!! I got an honorable mention spot for this year's Hall of Fame contest!!! So exciting!!! My phone rang this afternoon and the caller ID said 801 (the area code for CK in Utah) but there was no one on the line.... I just kept standing there like an idiot yelling "hello, hello" over and over. I finally hung up and he called right back! Right now it doesn't seem entirely real... it will probably sink in some tomorrow when I get the official email with the layout they're requesting for the Hall of Fame book. I can't wait!

To pass the time today, I convinced Clara to let me take some pictures. I really wanted to play around with the "urban" feel of our back deck and the stairs, but the sun was way too bright at the time she wanted to play so this is the best I could do...
She had a bad case of the giggles this afternoon!


Like that pose above? That's what she does when she sees the camera now.

Doesn't she look like she's wearing a straight jacket in this one??? or at least *should* be wearing one with that crazy look on her face?!?!?

Look at those baggy jeans!!! The girl was busting out of her jeans before we moved so we went and bought her several new pairs to get her through till spring... however, she's really slimmed down lately (from all of the walking, maybe?) and now her new jeans are too baggy and her old jeans fit!

We're slightly in crisis mode here. We're going to France for our anniversary (actually tacking a little sightseeing onto one of Jeff's business trips), but our passports are about to expire. No biggy, just renew them. However, the passport offices are swamped and running way behind AND my passport is still under my maiden name and we can't find our marriage license anywhere! Thankfully we're going to visit my parents in Missouri all next week... and since that's where we got married I'm hoping we can just go into the Greene County Courthouse and pick up another copy. We'll definitely be shelling out the extra money for expedited service.

Too funny Debb... yes, it does seem like we have guests for dinner alot. Actually we do so much more than we did in Texas. Chicago seems to be a destination for more people so when people are here for other reasons (vacation, business, etc.) they stop by for dinner. It's a lot of fun... and for the week night dinner guests, I don't cook... we order out! LOL!

Tomorrow is Clara's parents day at her dance class so I'll have some new photos to play with. They've started working on their recital number. Their costumes are sooooo sweet! They're pink with little roses. I have to look up the name of the piece that they're dancing to but I can tell you that it's Mozart because every time I hear it I can visualize the exact portion from the Baby Mozart DVD! LOL! It's been years since we last watched it but that thing is still seared into my brain!

Okay.... I need to go do hugs and kisses with the kiddos!

'nite!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

One of the perks of living in the city is being able to decide (on a whim) to hop on the L and attend the St. Patrick's Day parade downtown (about an hour before it is supposed to begin). We got down there without any problem but the crowd was pretty deep along the parade route. Below is a sample of my view of the parade...

Yes... I know I usually angle my pictures but this was also enhanced by having a nearly 7 year old boy hanging off of my back. I put the camera away and just enjoyed the sea of heads before me and the occasional glimpse of the parade.

We were on our way back to the L when look who strolled up... you can't really tell since his hood is up but that's Alex giving Tony the Tiger a big "high 5".

Then we took a stroll through Millenium Park. This thing is so cool... I will *have* to bring the kids down there on a week day so we can play when there aren't so many people around.

Then we walked over to see if the river was green. The kids were so excited because it was green... didn't have the heart to tell them that it was just the normal green tint the river has... not the St. Patrick's Day dyed green.

So now we're home... waiting for our guests to arrive. I made Corned Beef and Cabbage and attempted some Irish Soda bread. Hope at least some of it is edible!

Have a good one!

one more

Besides getting school done with Alex and making Cinnamon Raisin biscuits for breakfast, I got absolutely nothing done today. I couldn't even motivate myself to edit pics... well... except one...


Isn't he fun??? He's from the Robots & Us special exhibit (the kids LOVED it!!).

Okay... off to bed... I'm going to need some sleep, we're hosting a little St. Pat's get together tomorrow night and I have volunteered to cook stuff I've never cooked before!

'nite!

just one

We had guest for dinner tonight so I didn't edit but one pic from today's trip to the nature museum. Here it is...

I shot in RAW for the first time today... big thanks to Katy who helped me step by step with the editing.

'nite!

The Shedd - photo oVeRLoAd!!

So we spent the day at the Shedd and while the kids studied the fish... I took pictures! I've never played around with taking photos of animals on display before... I definitely have a lot to learn. I had good luck with some but others aren't even worth the space they're currently taking up on my hard drive.

With that... let the overload begin!

I just loved this guy... just hanging out watching the people go by...

not sure who this guy is... I'll have to look him up...


two from the dolphin show...
penguins!!!!
this guy was a little camera shy... this is of him making his slow-mo get away...
this guy was a little more cooperative...

loved these little guys, just hanging out in their water dish...
and finally... NEMO!! (as screamed at full force by multiple preschool aged children as I took this)
Okay... Jeff and the kids should be home from the park soon... I should probably get dinner started!

Have a great evening!!

a little bit of spring

A little bit of spring is still here at least for another day or two. It was so nice out we had to take a break in the middle of school to head to the park. Just a couple of pics...

going down the slide together...

and now Alex giving Clara a boost back up to the top...

In homeschooling news... we hit our breaking point with our spelling curriculum today. I have officially decided to drop it and for now we're filling the void with a cool little (free!!) online program called Spelling Time. Even if you don't homeschool... but have a kid in 1st - 5th grade, it's definitely worth checking out.

Bridget... as for a playdate... just let me know when you're this direction and we'll try to get together!

Okay... I need to get to bed... we may be going on a big outting tomorrow.. we'll see!

'nite!

so close... yet so far away

Alex loves the slider thing at the park (I have no clue what it's really called). The problem is that he's just a smidge too short to grab the handle.... so he jumps and he jumps... trying to time it right and catch that elusive handle. Some days he can do this for nearly an hour at a time, but today there were just too many people at the park. It's supposed to be nice for the next couple of days so perhaps we'll go back and try again.


finally time to scooter on home...


'nite!

zoo day!

Clara still isn't 100% yet, but it was too nice of a day to stay at home... so we decided the least "germy" kid friendly place to go was the zoo. We also hit the Lincoln Park Conservatory while we were there. We had a great time, but now we're paying for it... Clara is miserable and complaining of an ear ache :-(

Here are some pics from today...

my city kids :-)

Well... apparently I didn't take many pics at the actual zoo! LOL!

Sigh... I need some local photo friends... Brenda, Anne and Amy... I miss you guys!!!

Okay...

we're off to Children's... sigh.

***ETA***
We're home... with an inhaler... but we're home.

the good and the bad...

the good news is that I woke up this morning to an email requesting THREE of my layouts for the new Memory Makers 601 Great Ideas Book!

Now the bad... Clara's sick still... her cough is still there and now there's fever. That was bad enough... now for the frustration. A friend of mine recommended a "great" pediatric practice that is within walking distance from our house. Well... I called them today, and they do not see new patients for sick visits. You must have had a well visit with them first. Okay but they don't have any new patient well visits available for at least three months out!!! They referred me to an urgent care clinic associated with Children's Memorial. Clara is sick, but I'm really not sure she's "urgent care clinic" sick. I just worry about her since she has a history of breathing issues. I've called the pediatrician we used when the kids were little bitty (before we moved to Texas) and I'm hoping that they'll be able to get her in. Wish me luck!

just stuff

Okay... I've been a very bad blogger lately. I've just been so tired lately, plus I've been madly planning my homeschool curriculum for next year. I absolutely LOVE planning for the next year, so that's pretty much what I've been doing lately with my limited spare time. I think I've nearly worn out my Rainbow Resource Catalog and last year's Sonlight catalog! I can't wait until the new Sonlight catalog comes out next month.

Good news! Clara's blanket was fixable! Pink is all better now... thank goodness! Angela - you mentioned that your son would hold the label of his teddy bear to his lips... that's what Clara does with her tag from her blanket. Here's a layout I did recently of Clara asleep with pink... notice where the tag is...
details here

Poor girl... she's down in her room coughing like crazy. We may be taking a trip to the doctor instead of the museum.

I haven't been scrapping much lately, mainly because I haven't been taking many pictures lately. Perhaps I should challenge myself again... hmmm. I did do a quick layout tonight with some pictures from Christmas morning...

details here

I guess I do have a scrapping project to do... I just need to get started. I have decided to do one of those bound photo books from Shutterfly with layouts of the photos of my grandparents' farm. I really need to get those memories down on paper before things fade more than they already have. For those of you who have done a theme album... do you use the same kit for all of the layouts? I'm thinking that's what I'm going to do... I just need to find me a big kit with lots of stuff to play with that would go with my rustic farm photos.

Ugh... Jeff's out of town again so I'm on my own with the kiddos and I've avoided cleaning up the dinner dishes for entirely too long now... gotta get those done and to bed (and hope that Clara's cough dies down so we can all get some rest... we all need it... but she needs it especially).

'nite!

oh so sad...

Have you ever seen a sadder looking kid than Clara in the pics below? She's having a tough day. Clara LOVES her pink blanket that she got as gift when she was born, but more than the blanket itself, she loves the tag. Today she came to me in tears, Pink's tag is only hanging on by a thread. She's devastated. We're going to try to get it fixed.


Trying to smile through the tears in this one.

Oh... here's the layout I said I would be able to post today... I just love Michelle Coleman's Urban Color kit!
details here

Okay... I'm going to go see if it's still snowing!

Have a great weekend!!