Hutch Hugs

So looking back in our photo archive of the past couple months, we noticed a trend taking shape so I thought I'd put together a post I like to call Hutch Hugs.

We got Hutch in June and for the first couple months it was quite the disaster. Since then, we've put in a lot of work (and a nice chunk of change in getting him professionally trained) and we now have ourselves the most wonderful, loving, friendly and protective dog in the universe (a bit of hyperbole but I don't care at this point).

He's there when we go to sleep...

And he's there to wake us up every morning.

He loves the outdoors.

He enjoys dancing...

And a good spoon.

We interrupt this regularly scheduled program to bring you a couple photos with Buddy, Nana's dog, and our original dog bestie. He's on his last leg so wanted to make sure he made a cameo.

Okay, back to Hutch. He gets very excited about his Christmas presents...

And have just LOVES car rides. Whether it's resting on my head...

Or holding hands with dad while he drives.

Christmas Piano Recitals

Once again we took to the stage for our Christmas recitals.

With about three weeks to go it was looking bleak. Mae and I both sounded well below what was going to be acceptable for a recital. So we took to the practice stage (the old 10,000 hours adage) and lo and behold, things started to take shape.

Mae started us off with a bang. And I have to say, "below acceptable" is a compliment to how bad Mae sounded coming out of Thanksgiving. As you'll see, though, she pulled it together nicely and, to be honest, just getting her to take the stage is a victory. Well done, MJ.

Then after Mae's recital was one we got on to the big kids. My performance was highly anticipated. Couple anecdotes include 1) Mr. Bauling entered the building and asked dad if I composed my own Christmas song this year and 2) Some of the dads were putting money in the pot and whoever's kid performed the best, that dad would take home the cash (I know this sounds really weird, Dad's group of dad friends are like bunch of kids, always messing around). Anyway, when Dad walked up to find out what was going on they said he wasn't allowed to participate because he brought a ringer (me). So there was some big pressure. All kidding aside, I love getting up there and performing, so when my number was called we just did our thing.

Okay, well that last video was too big to upload to the blog here, so you're going to have to click on this link to watch it.

And with that we bid you farewell from this post, and leave you with a couple Christmas recital smiles.

Hawks... A Little Closer This Time

So you all know by now that we have our Blackhawks tickets every year where we get to go to 9 games and although split a bit, the majority of those are attended by dad and me.

Well, a few weeks ago was one of those games, but there was a little twist. That day Uncle Brian called and said he was going to the game with Isaiah and Eli, so things got a little more exciting.

So we all went to the game and went to our own seats, theirs being just a little bit closer... ... and by that I mean ours are in the second-to-last row in the stadium and they were in the 11th row.

So we hung out in the concourse at the end of the first period and just messed around a bit.

And then the text came in from Uncle Brian. He said for us to come down there and he and my dad could hang out on the concourse and I could go with Eli and Isaiah down into the good seats for the rest of the game. I was unbelievably grateful, but actually not all that surprised as this is the type of thing Uncle Brian does for other people all the time.

Either way, the rest of the game was amazing, the Hawks won 4-1 and I got to take it in 11 rows deep with my two favorite people in the world.

Oh, and dad got a selfie in with me right after the game, ice level.

He's A Man! He's 40!

So that's a reference to an old college football coach's post-game press conference rant, but it also describes Dad as he is, in fact, now 40.

And his 40th birthday was shaping up to be way lame-o, until I stepped in.

Decided late afternoon I was gonna make a run at this thing to make his 40th birthday memorable. So I put together a bunch of games and after dinner, well, we got after it.

Blindfolded pin the tail on the donkey (you'll see from the looks of me about to walk down the hallway this game was not my strongest, and Mom eventually won).

That moved right into Suitcase Race, Hutch even participated in order to make it 3-on-3.

And then my favorite game - Guess That Food. This is where we blindfold people and then the other people prepare food and feed it to them and they have to guess what it is. Given the poor performance shown by Dad in this one, I'm a little worried he's more like 70 and the old taste buds are failing him...

Anyway, all in all a really fun 40th birthday party for my Dad, compliments of moi.

Animation Creation

So Mae and I are in this animation club after school once a week and we are making a movie right now. So I have been learning about some things and there is a stop motion app that someone brought to my attention. 

Last Friday I slept at Nadia's and we decided to start experimenting, and here's what came to be. Hope you like my first (stop) motion picture. Please submit Best Director nominations to the Academy.

Free Fallin'

Last weekend was the most amazingly beautiful Fall weekend in Chicago, so we took advantage by heading out to the forest preserves on Sunday with Hutch. Mae and I got Hutch some much-needed exercise and Mom, Pax and Dad came along for the ride.

Then we headed over to Uncle Brian's new house where the leaves were piled nice and high and we made the most of that, I think you'll agree.

Prime Pumpkin Time

So it was an... interesting Halloween this year, to say the least, but we made a weekend of it, that's for sure.

Friday night we did cousin pumpkin carving night with Eli and Sophie, huge success.

Then Saturday we hit up a couple Halloween parties. I got Pax ready for the Ninja reveal...

And we were on our way.

By the way, I was an archer. Don't mistake me for Robin Hood. And please tell everyone else so they stop asking me if I'm Robin Hood.

And it's a pretty good thing we got that picture of the three of us together dressed up, because that would be the last time we were dressed up for Halloween festivities. 

Monday came with a party at Mabel's school...

And a napping Ninja (wait, do ninjas nap? I really don't think ninjas nap).

And I am not pictured because, well, I spent the afternoon and evening throwing up and laying down. I managed to rally a little bit and sit on the porch with dad passing out candy while Mom, Mae and Pax trick-or-treated with Ana and Sid. Oh, and check out Mae's face paint. Mom did that. Wish I had a better close-up because it was so good. When Mae's mouth was closed she totally had the side tongue wagging down and to the side.

All in all we'll look to avoid the stomach flu when this puppy comes around next year.

Denver East

So our friends Harper and Maida and their mom Melissa came to visit us before Halloween, and we got into the regular shenanigans of park hopping, pumpkin patching and some good old fashioned hanging out.

Oh boy, Grandpa will be really pumped about this one.

P.S. coloring compliments of Pax.

And lastly, while they were in Hutchinson Cherry Skertich, aka our dog Hutch, graduated from doggy training school and is now officially a functioning member of our household.