Weekend!

What a great weekend!!

It may have rained through most of our drive to and from Arlington Heights, but we were driving so what do we care?  It was decent weather in Arlington Heights and the kids got to run around and see their grandparents and cousins!  Kelley's cousin Matthew had first communion and we were invited to the party!

Someone remind me to thank Grandpa Rodney for this...

No party is good without leftovers and Matthew got his mitts on a bun for the ride home.  Yes, that bun IS as big as his head and YES, he ate the WHOLE thing.

Sunday was a BEEE yoo tiful day and so after I finished some brief work at the library, we all went over to the park and then the neigbors for a little friendly family baseball game.

Kelley has practicing on the Wii and showed off her baseball skills and her pretty dress...

I helped Matthew with a couple swings and then he said and I quote "I don't need you, Dad!"  And you know what?  He didn't.  The ball is right by my neighbor's Katie's face after he hit it!

Just for good measure - I took a little BP off the neighbor

Pure Magic

I had some relatives over this past weekend for my daughter's 6th birthday so I busted out Rock Band and it was the life of the party. I've never been more impressed with Rock Band's ability to make total strangers into a functional band and actually make it work.

One thing I discovered about the group experience is that it's REALLY hard to keep your own instrument straight when everyone else is SCREWING UP theirs! I am somewhere just south of a "decent" Rock Band Guitar player. I can get near perfect on all the "Easy" songs but I stall about halfway through on Medium.

Our longtime friends from Milwaukee joined us for a very heartfelt rendition of The Pretenders' "Brass In Pocket". I had no idea what a great voice she had, but she was BELTING out the lyrics as if she had practiced the song in the shower every day of her life (maybe she does!)

Finally, I bring you my sister-in-law and her family (the youngest takes a quick exit on drums in favor of my brother-in-law) working out "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" with a little sass and attitude!

Amazing Cakes!

Today on Amazing Cakes! we bring you the story of a mother who goes above and beyond for her children's birthdays.  Witness some of her previous works of art!

This year, the amazing cake maestro mommy has OUTDONE herself with this amazing Barbie Ball Gown Cake!

The studio audience is clearly impressed!

Pretty good work, Cake Maestro Mommy!

Happy Birthday, Kelley!

Just Plain Sick...

No one has a right to look this cute at the age of six...

with her Auntie Jennifer :

and just for old time's sake, the same picture almost exactly six years earlier :

Big YAWN!

...aaaaaand Good Night!

Park Season Returns!

Park Season Returns!

At last after this brutal long winter where even March felt like February, even after April 1st where we could see our own breath - finally, FINALLY we get a day where we can go to the park without our jackets!

Matthew is really amazing in how much he's grown up since last year - he would barely climb this thing last year, now look at him!

By the way, they were taking turns saying "Baby Pickles" (which is funnier than "cheese!" for the play camera that's built into the playset (not pictured) :