Category: Good times

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“SURPRISE!!”

This past weekend we all went to my mom and stepdad’s house for a surprise 60th birthday party for my mom. She’s probably cringing right now after reading how I just revealed her age (hi, mom!), but I’m positive that as soon as you take 1 look at the pictures of her below, you will think I’m lying about her being 60 years old.

Things didn’t start off quite as planned, however, since this area of the country suffered a nasty winter storm Friday night complete with heavy snow, rush hour Chicago traffic, and 10 mph highway speeds. That is not an understatement. What is usually an hour and 45 minute trip took us 5 solid hours. 6 if you count the full hour it took R to get from his office, pick up D from daycare, then get down to pick me up at my office so we could finally hit the road that afternoon.

All of the guests were supposed to have congregated at their house by 6:45, as my mom, stepdad, and the couple with whom they were having dinner were planning on taking the train back to the suburbs from downtown Chicago and arriving home themselves by 7:15. Har! Yeah right. We didn’t get there until 9:00. And some people weren’t even able to come that night and had to miss the surprise and come down the next morning instead.

Fortunately they were a couple hours delayed themselves, and thanks to the horrendous traffic and some strategic texts from my sister, we were able to sneak in the door not 10 minutes before they walked in the house. Whew! The surprise was safe!

It was so much fun. I think the pictures speak for themselves…

Although he wanted none of the spotlight, we made it into a joint surprise birthday party for my mom and retirement party for my stepdad. Friday was his last day!

Please note that D assumed this position on my mom’s hip as soon as she walked in the door Friday night and remained perched there the entire weekend until we left very early Monday morning. I think she may even have snuck out of her crib during the nights to sleep there, too.

We were excited to get D on the toboggan on Saturday, but she wasn’t too thrilled with the snow. I refuse to believe that the fact she had gloves on her feet since I hadn’t taken her boots and her legs were wrapped in a blanket covered by a garbage bag to keep the snow out had anything to do with that… Ahem.

Many an hour has been spent at this table (and many a beer drunk, as you can see) playing board game after board game during family get-togethers. Can’t you just feel the concentration?

And it never fails – you try to get my sisters and I together for a picture and it usually ends up something like this…

Happy Birthday, Mom!! We love you more than words, and you will never look a day over 25!

 

 

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Hawaii – the rest…

Since the majority of my time on Maui was spent lounging by the pool, reading (Hunger Games trilogy anyone? i loved it!), soaking up sun, and sipping cool drinks, I’ll share the rest of my holiday recap through pictures. It was definitely a week to remember.

 

 

 

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Thar she blows!

Winter in Hawaii is humpback whale season, as these giant mammals migrate from the gulf of Alaska to the warm shallow waters around the islands for breeding and birthing. On the Wednesday of our week in Maui, we all went on a whale watching cruise, which turned out to be incredible.

During the 2 hour cruise we saw no less than I’d say a dozen whales. Some were various groups/pairs we would see repeatedly, but the number of sightings was very impressive. I think I had only seen 1 whale before, on our honeymoon. That trip to Maui occurred during the end of April and beginning of May, which is pretty late to see even 1.

We weren’t sure how D was going to do on the boat, especially for such a long ride. There were some meltdowns, but fortunately they didn’t last the entire trip. I did take her below deck for awhile 1) to get her out of the sun even though she was slathered in sunscreen, 2) to spare the whale watchers’ ears up top, and 3) because I was feeling like crap myself.

I need to stop pretending I don’t get seasick on boats like this, because I obviously do. Put me on something fast and direct, not slow and bobbing. Yuck. Fortunately ginger ale helped.

But the results more than made up for the twinge of nausea and the toddler tantrums. Besides seeing the whales, some of which came up right next to the boat, they put a microphone underwater at one point and we could hear some of them “talking”. It was so cool.

Mother Nature truly is an amazing lady.

 

 

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A very Maui Christmas

I’m probably stating the obvious when I say our Hawaiian vacation was spectacular, but it was. 7 days and 7 nights in paradise? How could that not be magnificent?

Our home for the week - the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua

We flew from Milwaukee to Denver on the night of Dec. 23, then hitched a direct ride from Denver to Maui on Dec. 24, arriving around 3:30 in their afternoon. We were terrified of how D might react to a 7ish hour flight, but amazingly she was a peach. She started throwing up at my sister and brother-in-law’s house in Denver that Friday night and proceeded to douse herself and her car seat on the way to the airport Christmas Eve morning, but why wouldn’t she? Just making sure we were paying attention and getting nervous about what was in store.

Really nervous.

Fortunately Karma must have decided to give me a break, because we saw nary a trace of vomit after that. Well, until we got the rental cars in Maui and D decided it was a good time to barf all over her car seat and my step-brother on the way to the hotel, then again shortly after arriving there. At least we made the entire flight puke and crying free, though, right? Right!

So who knows what was going on in that little stomach. A mild bug? A touch of altitude sickness? Much to my surprise that was the last we saw of the cookie tossing for the rest of the vacation, including the tail end we spent in Denver again. Thank GOD!

There is much too much to cram into 1 post to recap this holiday sojourn, so I’ll simply begin with Christmas Day itself. The weather was a little cloudy and rainy, but thankfully that cleared up after the first day or so and left us with blue skies and tanned hides.

We enjoyed a delicious brunch at the Ritz on Christmas afternoon, then watched the Packers beat the Bears in Green Bay. As you will recall, we are a family divided when it comes to NFL football, so R was a solitary happy camper after that game. Ah well. We were in Hawaii!

Ok maybe R wasn’t completely solitary in his happiness at the Packers’ win. At one point that afternoon D came out of Grandma and Grandpa’s room modeling this, an authentic signed Aaron Rodgers jersey. Daddy was elated!

Stay tuned for more of our Pacific adventures…

 

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To the cloud(s)!

“Christmas vacation… Christmas vacation…” That song always reminds me of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, one of the best holiday movies of all time. You know – the one playing during the opening credits cartoon of all the messes Santa gets into on his rounds. Still don’t know what I’m talking about? Oh geez. Here, just watch this:

 

 

Man, how I love that movie. But back to my point… it’s Christmas vacation! Well, technically not until after work’s over today, but I’m still counting it. We take off for Denver tonight, then head directly to Maui tomorrow. Yes, yes, yes! Can you tell I’m excited? I don’t even care anymore that I haven’t been in much of a holiday spirit because of the trip this year, because I am SO ready for some sun and relaxation.

I am still dreading being trapped in a flying tube for 8ish hours with a very squirmy 16 month old, but I just keep telling myself that kids cry, kids have meltdowns, kids need to get out of their seats and explore every once in awhile, but no matter how much shit happens we’ll be deplaning in Hawaii!

And if the flight does end up being a disaster? Well then just pass me a guava colada once we land and keep ’em coming! Actually, even if the flight doesn’t end up being a disaster, you can pass the guava coladas anyway.

Because it’s Christmas, boys and girls! Time to celebrate! And don’t forget to leave the milk and cookies out for Santa tomorrow night.

 
 

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Only 2 weeks late {pictures!!}

So here it is, FINALLY. My Thanksgiving recap post. In pictures. Exactly 2 weeks late. Ahem. It was awesome.

 

The table all nicely set and ready for food

 

R proudly displaying his poultry

 

Mmm, turkey

 

Mommy & D, enjoying the feast

 

Oo, this dish is tasty

 

My spoon - hilarious!

 

Wait, they're gone?

 

CRANBERRIES!!

 

Straight into the tub

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

We had enough food for a family of 10 and proceeded to eat leftovers until this week. R said we should really have taken some to a shelter, to which I agreed, but unfortunately they have pretty strict rules about donated food and its preparation/handling. So we are still finishing up the pumpkin torte. It was a wonderful day at home, just the 3 of us – our little family. And yes, that is a mini Packers jersey D is wearing. R wouldn’t even let me put a cute little holiday outfit on her. Hmpf.

 

And since I made you wait so long for some pictures, here are a few bonus shots. Because no day is complete without an abundance of D.

 

D helping Mommy put her ornament on 1st

 

She's now ADDICTED to her chocolate advent calendars

 

Happy St. Nick's Day!