Morton Arboretum Fieldtrip.

Summertime.....Schooltime!

For our last fieldtrip of the summer we met our friends the Kings and Hancocks at the Children's Garden. We spent hours of fun in the water, splashing around, building dams, climbing through tree houses, running through the maze and smelling the flowers! It was an amazing place. So much fun. I too loved being with friends. We even saw our neighbors there. A day full of fun with friends. Happy Days.

The Girls!

It is two in the morning and all is quiet and calm! A feeling I love to cherish. I just finished cleaning the upstairs for a luncheon with my friends tomorrow. For a few hours I have a house of ORDER! Now if I wasn't so tired I would love to read my Book Club Book. I decided I better take pictures of the house now so you can see it (only three years later... It never is clean enough for a photo shoot, I have messy pictures too.) The sad news is in just a few short hours when the world awakes my house will not look like this again for awhile.

Our Home.....The Clean Part....More photos on the next cleaning session.

Back to Chicago Baby!

On our way home from Utah we decided to go on I-90 and visit Mount Rushmore....This added six hours onto our two day drive, but it was well worth it. We definitely saw prettier scenery.

Coming out of the Black Hills we saw the Flinstone Village. I loved this place as a child. Seeing the park brought back so many memories of getting up early Saturday mornings to watch the Flinstones! I was so excited to go again and take my kids. I had to convince Mike that we did have an hour to go to the park, and he finally gave in. We unloaded the kids, went to buy tickets and found the doors were locked. The park had closed 5 MINUTES Earlier! What! Who closes a tourist attraction at 5 pm in the Summertime! I was so Sad. No one else was though! The kids have no idea who they were, or what they were missing. We did take some photos and rode the "Quarter" rides for 45 minutes. My kids had a blast, due to that we always say No to the rides outside the grocery stores.

Mount Rushmore was Amazing and Magestic! I love watching how these great tasks were accomplished without the technology we have today. What a mark of what our Country stands for. I hope and pray these amazing Men's ideals do not get lost in today's new thinking.

Jaden said he did not care about History. I am sure when he actually learns about it in school he will be glad to tell everyone he has been there.

The Kids loved the museum where they got to pretend to explode the dynamite and carve the faces out of the mountain.

It was an enjoyable end to a great trip out West....Home!

Memories from the past 4 months!

Happy Fathers Day Mike!

You are the Greatest Dad!

We bought a BOAT!

We drove 2 1/2 hours to get out of the rain to try out our new boat!

We had a beautiful day at the Wisconsin Dells.

I learned how to drive the boat and was even able to pull Mike on the wake board!

Happy Birthday to Me!

I have had a great life these last 37 years!

I am a Lucky Girl!

I had a perfect day!

I enjoyed sitting outside on my new patio furniture,

had donuts, pina coladas (virgin of course)

and lunch with three different friends.

That night was the Father and Sons campout, so Jill and I went to the park, jumped on the trampoline, and played games in her princess tent. I watched two chick flicks and went to dinner and Ice Skating with Mike the next day. It was Fabulous!

The kids will be attending a brand new

Elementary school next year,

so they had the children design an art block

that will go up in the school as a mural.

They each did their traditional picture...

Jill her and a friend... Jaden - ALIENS.

Jill was interviewed for the local paper while we were there.

She is so excited to attend kindergarten.

Jaden would prefer to have summer break year round.

Look at me I am finally 6 months old and can eat more food.

Although, I absolutely hate cereal!

Enjoying a beautiful Sunday stroll through the Nature Preserve.

We were eaten alive by bugs and had to run the whole way.

I had the kids pose for some pictures.

Girls night out!

Jill danced beautifully in her ballet recital,

and then we had delicious shakes and fries!

We enjoyed Jill's Spring Sing Concert and Preschool Graduation!

Congratulations Jill we are so proud of you and your love for learning!

Springtime Fun!




My little helper!

Spring Break!

We went to St. Louis to see Mike's mom.

We enjoyed going to the museums, and the zoo.

It was a beautiful day and then snowed that night.

Family Photo Shoot....

No More pictures Mom please !

I took hundreds of photos and the kids did great.

Here are some of my favorite ones.

Hop Hop Hop.... Here comes the Easter Bunny!

Easter Egg Hunt at our friends the Kings!

I am so excited my friend Karrie moved to Chicago

a year ago, so we enjoyed a nice holiday at their home.



General Conference

We built a tent for the kids to watch the Prophet and Twelve Apostles speak.

We read the story of the people in King Benjamin's time pitching their tents towards the temple to hear the words of the prophet and related it to us today. The kids also enjoyed doing their conference bingo game with M-n-Ms and Mike and I enjoyed listening too!

It's Dinner Time!

Mom this is Ice Cream?!

April Fools!

I made fish sticks out of waffer cookies, peanut butter and corn flakes; potatoes with ice cream and carmel, and peas out of airhead candy. It took me an hour to roll out the peas. We then had yummy cupcakes for dessert made out of meatloaf and mashed potatoes. It was a fun dinner.

SUGAR, SUGAR....

Tyler loves morning breakfast time....

Sugar on his ceral and Sugar on his own terms.

SING BABY SING!

Jill performed "I am a Child of God" for her preschool talent show. She did a beautiful job, and brought tears to the eyes of many. She loves to perform and be on stage. Congratulations Jill. We love you.

Jill was so excited to receive her special talent trophy from Mrs. S.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Thumb Sucker

My Little Thumb Sucker

Thumb or Fingers?

The fingers are working for me.

Just Like Dad!

Mike's mom said that he used to suck on his two fingers as a baby. The boys are following in his footsteps or should we say fingersteps. Jaden did this for two weeks and gave it up. Tate however, loves it! Since he is my last baby I'll allow it. Not like I have a choice. He hates binkis and bottles. I might be hating it in a year when we try to stop him, but it sure is cute now.