BFFs

One thing that I have ALWAYS been envious of is poeple who have life long friends!

I can say that it is one of the things that I promised myself my kids would have.

and one of the many reasons that prompted our move back to Chicago.

I know that my girls would have made friends anywhere they lived but I would have hated to uproot them after a couple of good bonding years with friends.  

I am lucky, so so very lucky that some of my best friends had kids at the same time as me.

It was not planned but I'm sure glad it worked out that way.

The girls,

that now includes Riley-roo.

She brings her own style to the  party mix!

 Making themselves quite at home at Starbucks.

I can just imagine this scene in 10 years.

Up to no good

(the bunk beds are no longer bunked due to an episode on one of our Saturdays)

 These 5- Ethan, Mimi, Marlo, Rook, and Riley

 (Rooky is not pictured!) 

will always have each other, even if they go to different schools

and we live on different blocks.

You all are stuck!  

Why? 

Because your parents all ADORE each other!  

In the past, Saturday nights involved, 

drinking, hanging with the "gang" and getting into trouble

Now most Saturdays 

we spend drinking beers and watching our kids hang and get into trouble.

( and destroy Julie's house)

I love those kids like my own and I know my pals love mine!

And usually at least one parent is halfway paying attention, I mean "parenting".  

The kids know that all the adults have time-out power 

and they all have the power to grant permission.  

It is like our own little commune, 

for at least one day a week.

For this I am thankful, 

for this I feel blessed!

Snow days

After leaving Seattle's moderate climate

 and seeing how my kids had aquired a serious aversion to the sun, 

requiring sunglasses ALL the time-  

even in the mornings when the girls woke up they would complain 

"it too sunny mommy"-  

I mean really, this was ridiculous!!,

 I could only begin to imagine what they would do or say when the first "real" snow hit.  

They had seen snow in Seattle; they had also seen the city shut down after a mere inch, 

but they had never seen real Midwest snow.   

I was begining to think that they would not get to see it this year, 

but Chicago you came thru!  

A month or so later than we would have liked, but we will take it. 

 And take it we did! 

These two turkeys took to the snow 

like an Eskimo takes to an igloo.  

Take a look at the fun they had!

Pretty nice, for a couple o' kids who never saw real snow!

Princess Ballerina

This one came out of the womb dancing. 

There has never been a day that she

 was not absolutely positively certain 

that she wanted to be

 a princess 

and

a ballerina!

 I love that this wild wild child has

 such concentration and determination 

when it comes to dance.

Check her checking herself out while she dances.

 She's the only one doing what she was supposed to.

Then they have the free dance part of the class

I must say that she shines!

I think we will stick with dance

 and see where it takes us!

karate kids!

A couple of weeks ago the girls got an offer they could not refuse.

One of their besties, Ethan, invited the girls to join in on one of his karate classes.

We thought for sure that Mimi would love it and that Marlo would hate it, 

but the opposite was true.  

Mimi, who would do just about anything to be with Ethan,

 wanted nothing to do with karate after they had to do jumping jacks.

Marlo, my little clutz, was AMAZING!!

Marlo kept sneaking closer and closer next to E.

This video cracks me up every time.

What is funnier than watching a bunch of 3-4 year olds try to do jumping jacks?

Not much!!

This is hilarious!

Marlo can jump,

she can jack 

but putting the two together is pure hilarity!

Mimi looked like she was gonna get it 

but she did one, then froze...

for the whole rest of the night.

After the warm up she walked off the floor and stated 

 ballet was enough for her!

Make a mess?

No!

 Make a messterpiece!

This place is ideal! 

And it also happens to be a great deal too. 

 It's a mom's dream... 

all the crafts that you want to do with you kids 

but don't want to clean up after.  

In our house, these things used to be known as

 the activities the nanny did with the girls. 

Now we can all enjoy the mess and the messterpiece, 

without the worrying, stained furniture, fights and headaches!

Yaya and Popsie gave the girls a membership to this nirvana of art for Christmas

 and we have been regulars there ever since.  

These girls can 

color

cook

 craft

 paint

cut

 glue

glitter

experiment

run

jump

scream

slide

 and create their little hearts out!!

And really what good is a great place to play 

without your besties to share in the fun!

Meet my newest daughter Riley.  

Yup, she on our membership too.  

 They have a Blue Man group-ish room 

with drums and paint and water and all kinds of mess!

It is a favorite!

We love art 

and we love our yaya and pops for getting us 

such a great gift!!

You all can expect some works of art in the mail soon!