Memory-Filled Memorial Day Weekend

So Memorial Day Weekend was a huge success. First, a few days before the weekend I got in the mail a new castle to play in. The house that Santa had brought us finally became a tear-down, so we replaced it with a castle.

And this castle is awesome for many reasons, among them - it has a drawbridge for a door. But also because you can paint it, so I got my paints out and got after it, and now it is a colorful castle.

It was also a memory-filled weekend because it was the first time that Mabel got drunk. Kidding, but Dad and I walked into the kitchen to find this scene. Something tells me this actually happening is closer than any of us would like to even think about.

We got a couple hours of swimming in as our pool opened. No photos though, no cameras by the pool.

And lastly, we got a new bike seat so the four of us can now go on a bike ride together, and Mae got her first bike ride in. Too bad her head looks like it's the size of an apple in the helmet.

We rode and rode, and then we stopped by Buckingham Fountain for some ice cream.

Bet you can't guess what flavor I had?

And then we rode and rode some more until finally, well, the weekend caught up with me.

GLOW STICKS!

'Nuff said.

Super Mario's

So there is a place over in Little Italy on Taylor St. called Mario's Italian Lemon Ice. They serve... wait for it... yep, lemon ice. Dad has been going to this place since he was three or four years old mowing through his favorite blend of lemon ice.

Well, he and mom started taking me a couple years ago. We'd get lemon ice and sit on a stoop and eat it together, and it was pretty much his favorite thing to do.

Well, tonight was Mae's Mario's Baptism and to put it bluntly, she was not disappointed. So we gathered our ice (Mom's favorite - cantaloupe | Dad & Mae split watermelon | I got strawberry) and went around the corner and sat up against the wall and enjoyed. No need to narrate each picture, they all tell the same story - one fantastic evening.

The Secret Chef

So you've probably been wondering for a few days now who the secret chef is that visited and made my favorite meal.

Well, Mom and Dad went to Mexico for a week (which did not sit well with Mae, and she told them about it for about a week after they got home) and Grandma and Nonie came to stay with us.

We did tons of fun stuff - the zoo, the Aquarium, the whole bit. Check out this picture here that Grandma took with my reflection, can you say photojournalist? Yes, by the time I left this baby hippo and I were pretty tight.

And as you can see, Mae took a liking to a certain someone.

And Nonie made my favorite meal (and my dad's favorite meal EVER) - her special spaghetti and meatballs. You can't even really imagine how good this meal is. In fact, when my Dad called and heard we were eating it he called the airlines to look into getting an immediate flight home.

And we got some rough-housing in with Grandma, she brings the intensity to rough-housing, that's for sure.

And we had a nice time just hanging around playing with play-doh as well.

All in all, a great week with some of my favorite people.

Happy Mother's Day 2011

Okay, so that tease was pretty good, eh? Yep, she's better than the Easter Bunny and Santa combined, she's my mom, 'nuff said.

So for Mother's Day we got up and Dad made breakfast for everyone and then we went on a nice long walk down on the lakefront, which was Mom's big wish. Then it was off to church and then out to Nana's house.

Here you can see a few of the moms in our family - mine, most importantly, but Nana and Aunt Tasha a close second along with some others not pictured, such as Nonie, Grandma Lammel, Aunt Erica and Aunt Suzy.

Then it was me chilling in my underoos out front playing baseball. Got my skirt a little too wet to wear so I went straight undergarments the rest of the day.

And here's a good pic of a bunch of us on the front walk. What am I doing?

Well, if you look a little more closely you can see I'm taking "how to sit with your leg crossed" lessons from Papa.

And then Nana and I took a picture with Buddy. Okay Buddy, look at the camera...

Seriously, dude I said look at the camera...

Buddy, I'm not gonna ask you aga... oh, close enough. Here we go, Nana, smile.

Oh, and I'm not sure if the music was on too loudly in the car on the way out to Nana's or what but I think Mae thought we said Happy

Buddy's Day, which is her favorite holiday, I'm quite sure. Hugs all around for the doggy.

And then when we got home, Mom, Mae and I cuddled up on the

couch...

To watch a little Mary Poppins. A great end to a great Mother's Day.

Easter Part III

Wait, Fin, Easter Part III? Seriously? Three whole posts devoted to Easter? Yes, it was that good (and my editor, who just got back from a week in Mexico, hence the lack of posts, actually found these photos on accident, thank goodness).

So came down the stairs to find that the old Rabbit had eaten most of the carrots I left for him and drank the water.

Then it was on to the egg hunt... The magazine rack? Yakkity Yak, don't talk back, FOUND IT!

Under the bowl? Bunny, you're out of control.

La dee da, here we go, legs - let's head to the kitchen to find some more eggs...

Um, very funny, you old Bunny.

As you can see, a pretty sweet Easter, to say the least. More posts to come this week.

(Okay, I'm gonna try something that I saw Maury Povich use, he called it a "tease" before he went to commercial break to make sure the audience came back...)

Next post up, a little shot of me with my favorite chef, who just happened to make my favorite meal. Also, a holiday that we celebrate even harder than Christmas & Easter... stay tuned.