In celebration of ...

our recent anniversary, Ryan and I headed to Chicago. Ryan's friend, Patrick, is finishing up his doctorate out there so we hung with him before having a couple days to ourselves. We stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel on Michigan Ave. Being our anniversary they upgraded us to the king suites up on the penthouse level (34th floor). They room & view were amazing (and the bathroom was twice the size of our bathroom here at home)!

The highlight of the trip by far was the US Soccer World Cup Qualifier game versus Honduras at Soldier Field. We had killer seats (2nd row about 38th yard line). It was such an exciting game and despite the predominately Honduras fan base, the US kicked their butt and won the match. We were screaming and cheering so loud that the next day our voices were gone.

We also attended a White Sox game which turned out to be the most boring game ever. They lost in record time (score was 6-0) yet still did a fireworks show at the end. Ummmm ... I guess celebrating a big loss is cool.This is us at the lamest game ever.

We took an Architectural Boat Tour of the river. It was the ony time that it rained while we were in Chicago. Lucky for me, my sweet man bought me a $2 poncho. And lucky for us it stopped shortly after the tour began. This was the morning after the US soccer game. Can you tell we were so tired? Note to self, book the later tour next time.

The Institute of Art museum was also on our list of to-do's. It was fun going thru the museum with Ryan and partaking of all his knowledge. I think it's pretty safe to say that I do NOT like modern art. I had fun mocking most everything in the modern section. I can't believe what some people consider art. Seriously, dumping a pile of rocks in the middle of the floor is not art. This is us waiting outside on the front steps of the museum.

And of course we ate lots & lots of yummy food: BBQ at Fat Willy's, Burgers at Blackey's, Culver's in Indiana when we went to the outlet's, and more. But the best meal I had was breakfast at Orange in Boystown. Ryan got this yummy Rosemary Almond Orange french toast (to DIE for) and I got the Green Egg's and Ham (pesto, mozarella, tomato, prosciutto egg dish). It was probably the best breakfast I've ever had, hands down.

We also splurged at the outlets (not in Chicago, but just over the border in Indiana - an

hour drive). I got a new bag from the Fossil outlet that I've been waiting and waiting and waiting to get. No more waiting :) Plus a new outfit from JCrew outlet. Ryan scored at the Puma outlet with a wetsuit hooded track jacket and some sneaks. You know, cause, all anniversaries deserve celebrating with gifts to ourselves :) Overall, it was a fabulous trip and when it was all over, we were very happy & eager to come home and be with our kiddos.

Freaky Friday

this past week I haven't been feeling so hot. Dizziness, nausea, hot & cold flashes, and severe pain along the back of my head (literally it's all tender and sore, like someone hit me in the back of the head with a baseball bat). I'd just been writing it off as exhaustion or something as we had just returned from a trip to Chicago where we exhausted ourselves at Museums, Baseball games, US Soccer games, river boat tours, lots & lots of shopping, lots of yummy eating, movies, and more.

But when I woke up this morning to find myself covered in a rash from chest to toe, I knew it wasn't just my body trying to re-cover. So, I went to the Doctor fearing a gazillion things (shingles, west nile virus, reaction to a venemous spider bite, meningitus, eventually even a brain tumor, cancer, etc).

Turns out I am allergic to Sulpha (not sure of the exact name, but the Dr. said to just remember that I'm allergic from here on out to Sulpha). I had taken it for an UTI last week yet for whatever reason the rash didn't appear until now.

Thank heavens for antihistamenes and steroids - may they work faster than normal, lest I scratch my itchy self to death. Here I am in all my red, splotty, itchy gloriousness. And this is nothing. It's now spread up my face, the one spot that didn't have it earlier.

So, Sulpha meet Penicilan. Penicilan meet Sulpha. You two are forever engraved in my medical charts under the "Allergic to" section. May you become great friends and may I never encounter you again.

6 years ago ...

we took the plunge.

Here we are today...

Thanks to Ryan for the past 6 years of marriage. He's patient and forgiving of my faults, and he's given me the 2 best gifts I could ever ask for - F & B.

Love you hon!

the Hell that is Potty Training

Yes, I said Hell and no, it wasn't by accident. Warning to those I just offended, do not read below, you will just continue to take offense.

Potty Training has truly become the bane of my existence as a mother and has definitely turned me off to having any more kids. Seriously, I will not have any more children because of Potty Training. I can deal with temper-tantrums, squabbling siblings, and toys all over the house. But not this. 

Riddle me this:  How long does it take a 4 year old to get the hang of it (especially since we started Potty Training when he was 2)?  Apparently forever.  We go a week with no accidents, then 2 weeks riddled with a gazillion accidents, and only after losing ALL of his toys will we get another week of no accidents, only to be followed by another 2 weeks of accidents galore and once again loss of all toys. This never ending cycle is getting old.

I decided to do a friends boot camp routine with Berlin as she's had great success with both her kids. YEAH RIGHT!!!  Berlin was doing great the first part of her potty training, but she sees Finley fight, scream, and protest on a daily (hourly) basis when I ask him to sit on the potty, that now she has no desire what-so-ever ... and gives me lip-service everytime I put her on the potty (what a great teacher Finn turned out to be).  My kids could care less about any reward ...  Stickers? Fruit snacks? Unlimited capri suns or juice?  Popsicles? Chocolate?  Toys?  All she says is, "I don't like stickers, " "I don't like fruit snacks," "I don't like soda," "I don't want to be a big girl," and blah blah blah blah blah.

The best advice I have gotten to date; be consistent and loving. Loving? LOVING? It's a little hard to be loving after the 100th time of dragging your child to the toilet, all the while getting punched and kicked the whole way over, and hearing "Stupid Mom" a hundred different ways. Only to have them soil their pants in the process. Loving flew the nest a long time ago. So to well-intentioned advice-givers out there who think they know the trick in getting them to embrace a relationship with the potty ... Please refrain - unless you plan on coming over and "implementing" the plan yourself while I check into the hospital.

So, that's it. I'm done. I'm calling it quits. I could care less if my children wear diapers 'til they're 8. The money that underwear is supposed to save me is being wasted by the enormous amounts of laundry I do each day from accidents. And I'm tired of being grumpy mom, because trust me, it's made me grumpy (just ask Ryan).  I was much happier when they were in diapers.

Summer Lovin'

Summer is here and we are SOOOOOO happy. We've had a lot going on so bear with me :)

Preschool is over for the summer. They had a really cute Pirate graduation party with lots of piratey activities. Unfortunately, Finn was a grump-a-lump and it wasn't nearly as fun as it should have been. 

  

Our favorite part of summer is going to Bear Lake. We opened the cabin this last weekend. It was a little sad for me at times knowing that Peter (Ry's father) isn't with us anymore. It makes me glad to think that the cabin will always be a reminder of Peter & Renate (Opa & Oma to the kids) in our lives, and I know that they are with us in spirit when we're there.

Here are some pics of the beach. We had great weather the morning we went down to the water. Later that day it rained and then on Sunday we got caught in a little hail storm on our hike up the Limber Pine trail. Despite the not-so-great weather, the kids are already begging to go back up.

  

And of course with Summer comes yard work. Yuck. Most days I feel like all I do is weed. Morning glory, dandelions, & prairie grass are the bane of my existence. It seems that just when I get it all done (a good 3 weeks later), that I have to start all over again. Arrrgh! On a positive note, we spent Memorial Day weekend clearing out the field of all the debris (bricks, concrete, metal, logs) & broken tree limbs that have accumulated over the past few years. Here's Ryan on the new mower cutting down the 3 foot tall weeds. Literally, this was an all-day project and we were totally spent (and sore) by the end of the day. 

  

These are just some cute shots of Berlin. She is all about dressing up these days. Here she is all ready to go with me to Joann's to get some No-Sew last week. She's all about "accessorizing" these days.  Even if it's not her. Bentley bears the brunt of this and can usually be found sporting a necklace, courtesy of Berlin. He's very good about letting her dress him up, but by the look on his face, I'm sure he doesn't love it.