Sky's the Limit

Got tickets to the Chicago Sky game (WNBA) from my gym teacher, Ms. R. Dad, Mabel and I were going to go but Mae was not feeling 100%. Uncle Brian called and Eli was coming downtown with him so we asked if he wanted to go in Mabel's place and he did.

Took the Blue Line out to the stadium in Rosemont. It was kind of a hike but we enjoyed the train ride.

The game was awesome. We split a huge lemonade and the play was really good. The Sky won the game which catapulted them into the playoffs so to celebrate they let everyone down on the floor.

New Backyard

So ever since Hutch arrived things in the backyard have gotten, well, a bit messy. From his #1s that stained the entire yard yellow to his #2s that smush all into the grass, it got to a point where we couldn't even play in our yard.

Well, that has all changed, now, hasn't it? Mom and Dad had a vision a long time ago for the backyard and when Hutch came along the timing for it was bumped up a little bit. So here we go, I'll take you through some before and afters:

So we put up a pergola (patio furniture TBD), put in blue pavers as the patio and the walkway from the garage to the steps...

And the grass is actually not even grass, it's turf with a filtration system that will take Hutch's #1s right down through to the soil. We also took out the sidewalk between the garage and fence and made a little dog run for his #2s, now it's just getting him to go back there that will be the trick.

We're going to roll a basketball hoop back in here because you can bounce the ball on the turf, and Lord knows I'm hoping to be the starting point guard on the girls hoops team at St. Helen next year. 

Anyway, this next one feels like the real money shot.

Pure Michigan 2016 | Part 3

And last but not least a couple things to leave you with from our trip. As I mentioned in Part 1, this year we had a pool that we could go to, and man did us city slicker kids who don't really have access to a pool spend some time here. Probably 6 hours one day and 5 the next.

And at said pool we started playing the throw-the-thing-and-jump-in-while-catching-it game and I got the great idea of taking slo-mo video for it, which turned out pretty fabulous. So everyone's was really good... here's me and here then Mabel...

But one of the videos in particular stood out. Show 'em how it's done, Colin.

We went with our friends to Michigan, but I also met some friends there as well.

And so, with another successful year in the books, we got in the car and headed for home sweet home. Until next year...

Pure Michigan 2016 | Part 2

So the fishing and the fire, you get the point. Now, let's get down into what we really came for: the picking!

Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, apples. You name it we picked it. Not much narration needed here. Enjoy.

Stay tuned for Part 3 of this series of posts which includes the best part of the trip this year...

Pure Michigan 2016 | Part 1

So we trekked out and down and around Lake Michigan and then back up again along the coast for our annual trip to the place where Tim Allen makes it sounds like Heaven, and he's actually not that far off.

This marked the ninth year in a row we've done this, and it just keeps getting better. Mom, Dad, me, Mae, Pax, Colin, Steph, Ana and Sid. Got a little log cabin on Lake Goshorn again; last year we had the private dock and this year we had the pool (more on that a little later, or maybe even in Part 2 of this extravaganza.

So where to start... let's say the fishing pier. It wasn't private this year but it felt like it anyway, and we spent an evening there fishing and playing.

And while Colin was giving fishing pointers to Pax

Mae and I were reeling them in!

And then this happened. And we only had to practice it a couple times until this Olympic-like level of protection was reached by Ana and me.

The cabin was a huge success, as usual. We built a fire every night and had Smores (and got eaten alive by mosquitos) and we also had the tattoo shop open all weekend so everyone was inked up for three days straight.

And don't forget Oval Beach. Not a lot of pictures here because we were all busy having fun, but it was a picturesque day at Oval Beach and we made the most of it... outside of spending much time in the water, which was - no joke - probably around 45-55 degrees. Dad and Colin rocked it out in there though... old bones must not feel the chill as much.

That last photo right there reminded me of this photo from Spring Break in Denver.

Well, that about does it for Part 1. In Part 2 we'll hit the pool and orchards and leave you feeling like a slice of blackberry pie... stay tuned.

Hot for Teacher

Well, it was back to school a couple weeks ago. But before we did that, we kind of rocked out the St. Helen Carnival. And by rocked out, I mean Dad got up on stage with his friends - The Chris's - and brought all my friends and me on stage, and we sang Twenty One Pilots "House of Gold."

And then people started getting crazy and coloring their hair.

And this is Pax and his best friend Vivvy. They have been friends for a couple years now, and now they are in the same preschool class. They play together every day, pretty exclusively, and had an amazing time at the carnival riding all the rides together for hours on end.

Then it was time for the first day of school.school. The day started with Hutch waking me.

It was old hat for me. Mae finally went into school without crying, after 2.5 years of going to St. Helen. And Pax was the big story as he entered his first day of school ever.

Zero hesitation. Off he went...

Into class. No issues. Just a big "goodbye mom and dad" and a kiss and he was off to spend his day with Miss Eva.  Even gets a nice big fat nap in every day.

But here was the big money shot for the first day. School Selfie!