Mabel's Mustache

Mae decided she was going to sport a mustache, which we all agreed would be a really good look for her. She said she is inspired by a certain mustachioed someone and asked us to guess who that could be.

So Mom, Dad and I sat down and tried to figure this out.

Is it the tried-and-true mustache of Tom Selleck?

Perhaps it's Freddie Mercury.

But Fin, who the heck is Freddie Mercury???

Au mon dieu (that's French for "Oh My God")! Google it, my friend, what you find will rock you.

Mom was thinking maybe it's Hulk Hogan, who's mustache and hair look as though they could have inspired Mae... man, those beautiful blond locks. Could she be a Hulkamaniac?

Mae speaks for the trees, so there is always the possibility that it is the Lorax...

But she said no (definitely not Tom Selleck), no (though she does love "Bohemian Rhapsody"), no (she's frightened by Hulk Hogan on so many levels) and no (but she does appreciate that someone is speaking for the trees)

Wait, it just hit us... and Dad can't believe he didn't think of it sooner.

Coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, Joel Quinneville, we can't thank you enough. Mae has confirmed it - you are her source of inspiration.

The Three Amigos Hit the Shedd

So I had a field trip to the Shedd Aquarium and our chaperone was none other than dear old (but not that old) Dad. Each chaperone got three kids and the night before the trip I told Dad I really hoped we were paired up with Nadia (my best friend at school) and Michael (on whom Nadia and I do NOT have a crush).

Well lo and behold, look what the cat dragged in the next morning at 8:50.

So we headed out to the bus and off we went.

Things went better-than-planned at the Shedd when Dad made us "accidentally" get separated from the group and he finagled his way into a couple areas where we weren't yet supposed to be, so most of our trip was a private day at the Shedd, just the four of us.

We hit up Ice Age 4-D but had to pinky promise that we wouldn't tell anyone when we got back to the group. That's Michael (on whom I do NOT have a crush) in the front.

I felt the starfish which was totally weird but I'm glad after 2-3 years of wanting to that I finally got the nerve to do so.

And then our field trip was over. On the ride home someone got a little tuckered out and fell asleep and someone else thought that was pretty funny. And don't forget, that someone who fell asleep I do NOT have a crush on. Just sayin.

The Photography Bandit

So check this out, we found these photos on Mom's phone from back in December, right after Christmas, but we couldn't tell who had taken them. Apparently a thief had stolen Mom's phone and we needed some clues

First, there was this, something about working really hard... maybe it was my teacher, Miss Darlene!

Then some up close shots of the Christmas season... could it have been Nana? She just looooooves Christmas.

Or maybe it was Nonie who had taken them? I wondered when I saw this one of her husband Russ from his high school hoops days.

I got really anxious when a photo of me on my puke boat popped up. Was it the puke boat photography pirate? Who was in my house taking these photos?

Then there was this, and I started to feel like I was getting a couple clues that were going to come in handy...

And then these shots of her some of our furry friends started to give it away...

Particularly when they appeared to be a jail cell....

And at long last we found out who the photographer was when she implicated herself!

Mae has gone on a photography shooting spree, just snatched up the camera and did her thing. She is now teaching photography class at the University of Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-10pm, if you're interested in taking a class.

Five Big Balloons

Well, yes, it is my big day, so as we did with Mae, let's take a look back. We'll start at the beginning, it's a very good place to start.

Here's me fresh out of the womb, just a couple days old.

A whopping one month old.

At 1.5 years of age, I was studying the martial arts.

My second birthday brought a huge conk on the bridge of my nose but also brought a very large smile.

At three years of age my donut obsession had firmly taken place.

Don't forget four, where I was schooled in the likes of Mozart and Mary Had a Little Lamb.

And here's the big cat, five big balloons old.

Mae Day! Mae Day!

In honor of my widdle buddy, I thought I'd take a look back. As some of you know, Mabel turned three last Sunday, so let's go on a little history adventure, shall we?

This is Mabel Jane on the day when she blessed this world with her presence. Funny thing is, I don't think she weighs that much more now than she did on this day.

Before we start skipping to the annual photos here's Mae at one month old, just chillin. 

Here's Mae right around her first birthday. I chose this picture because my photo editor told me it is his favorite photo of all time, simple as that.

Here's Mae on her second birthday, just rockin the piggies and getting ready to blow out her candle.

And here's Mae today, a few days removed from turning three, in her brand new apron that she got from her friend, Kim. Also ever-present you can see her new Blackhawks hat. I asked dad to take me to the store to get a Blackhawks hat and when Mae woke up from nap she really wanted one, too, so we went back and got her one.

And so it is that I say happy birthday to the lovely and talented and always bursting with fruit flavor, Mabel Jane Skertich. You are the love of our lives and the light of our home (I know, super deep, right? But it's true, Mae).

A quick look back at Christmas

Well, since we were all sick as can be right after Christmas, I never got around to posting Christmas pics.

So here goes nothing.

First off, here is our tree. Worst. Tree. Ever. Since we were already at Costco we went all mainstream and got our tree from there.

Long story short - 3.5 hours later, after dad had dragged this tree out to the alley and we went up to our local garden to get our tree, we were back in business. And at school I made the angel to put on top... bonus.

Okay, fast-forward to Christmas Eve at Nana's. I got this awesome computer...

And Mae got one too. Thing was, after Mae opened up her computer she spent the next 25 minutes on it. See the presents behind her? Not interested, just rocked the computer. NERD ALERT! She did end up getting on this horse a little while later.

Got some awesome pics Mae and then some more with the cousins.

I've been telling you for years Eli is just a straight baller.

We left apples and a cookie for Santa and carrots for the reindeer, which were a big hit. Then Mae and I came down together and opened gifts.

Um, yeah, chapstick was a huge score, been asking for that since before Thanksgiving. Ah, the simple things.

We got mom this pancake shaper that does Sesame St. characters.

Mom, however, probably didn't need it. Did I ever tell you she is a professional. Requests Christmas morning were flying out the window - WREATH! PRESENT! SNOWFLAKE!

PRESENT! SNOWFLAKE! CHRISTMAS TREE!

SANTA HAT! ANOTHER SNOWFLAKE! CANDY CANE!

See what I mean.

And now back to our regularly scheduled nerd alert.

Spent the next three weeks puking, coughing, sneezing, ear infecting, the whole bit. But we're better now and getting set for BIRTHDAY WEEK!!!

February Bells

You don't have to tell me it's February 2.  And I don't have to tell you when you get Mae tickling the ivory and me on the mic we'll sing whatever suits our fancy.