P Four

Pablove 3

2012-01-29T10:07:00.000-06:00

Last night Brian and went to Turner Hall for the 3rd annual Pablove concert. Sadly, I didn't know much about any of the bands playing last night. But I did really enjoy watching two of Brian's co-workers in Testa Rosa. As we were leaving for the night, Meiko was on stage, and I wish we could have watched more of her. And, we missed Butch Walker, which would have been great to see. Of course, it was absolutely awesome seeing our friends Jeff & Jo Ann last night. And we snuck out to meet up with Scott & Ali at Elsa's for dinner. So much fun. (Pablove Benefit Concert 1, 2)

Inspiration Files :: Mim Design

2012-01-26T23:14:00.001-06:00

Here we go again -- I think I'm craving a bigger kitchen. Or maybe it's because the ignitor on our stove has been clicking non-stop for over a week and it's really, really annoying. If I could lift it, I might just throw it out the window. (The repair guy came out today, but the part won't be here until early next week.) Anyhow, the kitchen is what initially caught my eye in this house. But honestly, I'd take the entire thing. Architecture by Mim Design. (photos by Mim Design, via Desire to Inspire).
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By the way, here's another kitchen by Mim Design. The rest of the house wasn't my favorite, but I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like it! I dig it. Probably not the best ceiling for snow, but nevertheless, quite something.

Star of the Week

2012-01-25T21:56:00.001-06:00

A couple weeks ago, the Artist of the Week. And now, the Star of the Week. C is on Cloud Nine. He brought in a few of his favorite things, some photos, and got to put them on display in his classroom. Even the beloved blanket has been making it's way to school every day (but comes home at night). But today was extra special because I got to visit him! I read his favorite book, There's a Mouse About the House, to the class. And then we had cupcakes I made! C was very particular about them -- I blame it on the fact that he has a summer birthday and doesn't celebrate in school -- but we ended up with chocolate and vanilla cupcakes with strawberry frosting and star sprinkles. They were a big hit. It was such a great day. (By the way, C really wanted me to post the funny photo of him and the yawning Storm dog ... Goof ball.)

Art by H :: An Ode to Georgia O'Keeffe

2012-01-24T21:28:00.002-06:00

Movies

2012-01-22T21:48:00.000-06:00

C asked me to watch a movie with him today -- along with just a few of his friends.

Ice Skating

2012-01-22T10:11:00.000-06:00

Right next door to the boy's school, there is a pond that gets flooded in the winter for ice skating. Because of the mild season, yesterday was the first day the rink was open. The boy's got ice skates for Christmas, so of course we had to go try them out after dinner. In 2nd grade, the kids use the rink for gym class. So when H ran into a few of his friends from school, they were skating circles around him -- but totally took him under the wings and we barely saw him all night long. Even C got in the mix. He was so determined and never gave up -- it was pretty awesome. Two hours later, Brian and I had enough, and took to sitting around the fire in the warming house, while the boys were still skating around with their friends. Hope to get to spend a lot more time here. Can you believe how lucky we are to have this? (P.S. It's free! But you do need to have your own ice skates.)

Friendly

2012-01-22T09:59:00.000-06:00

In all the years of watching H play soccer, today was probably the most fun I've ever had watching. His team played another one from the soccer club -- the one his old soccer coach, coaches. At half time, the score was 2-2. It was tied for a long time, or the other team would be up by only a couple points. It was close. Towards the end, the other team pulled ahead quite a bit with some amazing goals. The ending score being 8-3. I wish it would have ended a bit a closer, but both teams really seemed to have a ton of fun.

Monster Jam

2012-01-21T11:25:00.000-06:00

Well, this is something I can say I've never done this before! After a delicious dinner, we met up with our friends Eric, Karen and their 4-year old twins at Monster Jam. We surprised the boys -- they were seriously excited. And, I have to admit, it really was pretty fun. Loud, but very cool. Those trucks are crazy.

Right Outside My Window

2012-01-20T13:16:00.000-06:00

Nothing will stop these boys from sledding down our mini hill while waiting for the bus. Not even the fact that it was 0 degrees Fahrenheit this morning.

Lauren King

2012-01-18T19:34:00.000-06:00

Illustrated scenes inspired by vintage photographs. I cannot tell you how much I absolutely adore this. Art by Los Angeles based Lauren King [blog | shop]. (via poppytalk)

Long Winter Walks

2012-01-17T20:02:00.000-06:00

Not sure what I was thinking (well, I do -- I was thinking it was going to snow all day), but I decided that I had to get all my errands done first thing morning. Of course, it was the worst time to go. Here's a fact -- I really don't like winter driving. Living in the Midwest, it's simply part of life for a good portion of the year and I do it of course. But I swear, the streets were slippery, the snow was blinding and my heart was pounding like mad by the time I got to my destination. (The way home was much better though.) After a few hours, the snow stopped and the sun was shining so I made my way outside to slow blow our driveway. Honestly, I couldn't get enough! It was gorgeous out. So decided it was a great time to take Storm on a long, long walk. We were gone nearly an hour. Call me crazy, but I really do love this weather.

Winter Wonderland

2012-01-17T11:57:00.000-06:00

This is what it looked like right outside our house this morning as the boys were heading off to school. I kind of love it when it gets like this -- it reminds me of living in a black and white picture.

Inspiration Files :: Albergo Diffuso

2012-01-16T21:48:00.000-06:00

A little something different for the inspiration files! Honestly, I could never imagine living in cave, but I find this 18-room hotel project in Matera, Italy quite amazing. Of course, it reminds me a bit of our little house in Italy -- so of course I have a soft spot for it. Le Grotte Della Civita photographed by Jordi Canosa Fotografo (via Desire to Inspire)

Late Night Sledding

2012-01-12T21:23:00.000-06:00

Finally, some snow! The kids were beyond excited. Other than doing their homework and eating dinner, they could be found outside. We even discovered the little hill in our backyard makes for some perfect late night sledding.

Liam Stevens

2012-01-11T21:45:00.000-06:00

Amazing work by London based illustrator and designer, Liam Stevens. (via Where the Lovely Things Are -- another from the archives)

Artist of the Week

2012-01-10T21:33:00.001-06:00

Look who's the Artist of the Week! C! My friend Tami sent me this picture when she was at the school today. I'll get to see it in person tomorrow during my lunch duty shift. He's very excited.

Out of Hibernation

2012-01-09T21:56:00.000-06:00

Can you believe it's January and I got to ride my bike today? Outside? In Wisconsin? Not only that, I really enjoyed it! It was a gorgeous sunny day in the 40s. Besides my running tights, I had to borrow all of Brian's cold weather gear (since I don't own any). In fact, I didn't even have any wheels on my bike -- thinking it would be a few months before I'd be riding again. I borrowed Brian's Pablove wheels, but have got to say, they look pretty nice on my bike. I haven't ridden since the beginning of September and was a bit rusty. And while it looks like the warm weather is going to stay for a couple days, it's going to be cold towards the end of the week. If anything though, it makes me realize it's time to get myself on a trainer -- only a few months until Spring!

Soccer Weekend

2012-01-08T21:53:00.000-06:00

Soccer with H on Saturday. Soccer with C on Sunday. Both scored goals, and had an absolute blast playing their very first indoor season games. In fact, it was the first time H ever played indoor, and he played better than ever. And in between we got some stuff done around the house and even made it out for brunch. It was a pretty nice weekend.

VIP

2012-01-06T17:39:00.000-06:00

Look who came up for a visit today! Melissa. Oh my gosh, I sure do miss her. It was so great catching up. I'm already so excited for our next visit. P.S. Nice slippers, Ang. I probably could have put some shoes on. But I have a cold, remember? Not really thinking clearly. Anyhow, what a great day.

Inspiration Files :: Swedish Summer Home

2012-01-05T23:09:00.001-06:00

I know, I know ... a summer house and it's winter. Or, at least it's supposed to be. It actually felt like a beautiful spring day. Here's another from the archives -- one I just don't want to forget. I could easily see spending time here. (via Bliss Blog, photos by Rachel Smith)

Ginger, Lemon, Honey

2012-01-04T22:09:00.000-06:00

Woke up with a headache, and now I'm sniffly. Drinking lots of this, hoping it goes away.

Art by C :: Abstract Self-Portrait

2012-01-03T21:45:00.002-06:00

Something to Remember

2012-01-02T21:42:00.001-06:00

The kids went back to the school today, and Brian back to work. It was just Storm and me around the house. I had grand plans of putting in a big day of work since I was trapped without a car. But when I realized my office was still closed for the holidays, I decided to take the day off too! And I used it to get organized around the house. The tree came down. I weeded through holiday decorations we haven't used for awhile. I did about seven loads of laundry. I took the dog for a long walk. Oh, and I got my car back this afternoon, so that's a good thing. Decided it was time to go through my Google Reader too. Lots of good stuff from long ago for the inspiration files. I also found this image and figured it was a good reminder to help kick off the new year. (via It's Mary Ruffle)

New Year's Day at Ray's

2012-01-01T22:08:00.000-06:00

We woke up this morning and took The Frig's over to Alterra for a little breakfast, then headed on over to Ray's before they went back to Chicago. Ever since Brian took H to Ray's MTB on Monday, he's been begging to go back. He absolutely loves it there. The boys were trying to go on Friday, but the timing was just off and they were not able to make it. Today worked out great though -- especially since our friend David from Chicago had planned on coming up with his son and nephew so we got to meet them there (our friend Eric runs the place, so he was there with his wife and two of their kids too -- so fun). I thought the park would be packed, but it wasn't. And it was perfect. This time, C even got in the action. H has been on a bike for a long time. But it's just not something C completely feels comfortable with. He did great today -- spending most of the time in the practice section before making his way to the flat track that goes around the entire course. I spent a lot of my time running after him, while Brian and H tackled the harder course. Even though C did a great job riding, his favorite thing still was taking breaks and jumping into the foam pit (which my husband did a 360 into on his bike, by the way -- pretty impressive). It was a really fun day. Such a great place.

Can't post without including this adorable photo of Brian and little A. It was taken at Ray's right before they left. Sad. I miss them already.

New Year's Eve Celebration

2012-01-01T21:49:00.000-06:00

After we had gotten home from the nature center -- and endured the whole car fiasco -- we started making dinner. Over the past few years, we've spent Christmas with the Elsmo's enjoying a relaxing dinner consisting of several courses. We of course love eating this way, but so do our kids! And we really missed a meal like that over the holidays (we miss the Elsmo's too....), so decided New Year's Eve. was the perfect occasion. Scott, Ali and A swung by for a little visit in the afternoon, which seemed very appropriate. They are such a huge part of our "new" Wisconsin life -- and it was so great to do a little pre-New Year celebration with them. Around 6pm, my cousin, Justin, and his family (who just moved to the area a month ago from Tampa, Florida) came over to join us. We had such a great time. Justin, Amy and the girl's had to leave around 9pm for another celebration, while Chris, Penny, Brian and I continued eating and trying to stay awake until midnight. The three youngest kids crashed around 9:30 p.m. H did his best to stay awake until 12:00, but fell asleep on the sofa a few minutes shy of it. Honestly, we didn't stay awake much past -- but we did it!

New Year's Eve. Celebration Dinner:
Olive Cheese Puffs
Mediterranean Salad with Prosciutto and Pomegranate || Bon Appetit
French Onion Soup || Paula Deen
Mushroom Ravioli with Green Pea Purée || Vegetarian Times
Steamed Mussels || Tyler Florence
Caramel Budino with Salted Caramel Sauce || Bon Appetit

The Frigs Visit

2012-01-01T20:30:00.000-06:00

Oh my gosh, it was so much fun with Chris, Penny and the girls. We really didn't have any plans except to ring in the New Year together. On Saturday, Brian and Chris ended up going on a bike ride. So Penny and I loaded up the kids and went for a little hike at the nature center. So much fun. They kids are seriously so cute together. Unfortunately, on the way out, my car suddenly died and I ended up having to get it towed! We'll find out what the deal is tomorrow. I was just so happy it happened on the last day of 2011, instead of the first day of the new year! That would have really been terrible.

(By the way, the tooth fairy even had to pay a visit while The Frigs were here).

Celebrating 40

2012-01-01T20:21:00.000-06:00

Whoa. What a whirlwind weekend. Seriously, it was so much fun. And I'm honestly sitting here, just so happy and content ... thinking my life is pretty much the best ever. There's really no better feeling.

Friday afternoon, Chris & Penny and the girls drove up from Chicago. It's been a few months since we've seen them last, and was just so awesome getting to spend a few days with them. I really, really miss them! They had spent the night before at a water park, so were pretty beat. Fortunately they didn't mind that we had another party to attend that night. In fact, they suggested a slumber party with the boys. It worked out great, and the kids loved just hanging out. They've kind of grown up together, and it's really quite amazing seeing them together. The reason Brian and I had to leave, was to celebrate our friend Kim's 40th birthday! It was a surprise party, and Jesse did an amazing job planning it. I hadn't seen Kim and Jesse for a few years. They lived in California, and just recently moved to Montreal, Canada. Our friends Greg & Yvonne were also in town from California. (Quick side note story: Yvonne and Brian went to school together. We were at their house for dinner about 12 years ago, when we started talking about their neighbors. Turns out, it was Kim and Jesse -- and Brian and Jesse grew up in Racine together. We've tight ever since.) Anyhow, it's been a couple years since I've seen Greg & Yvonne too! We also got to see some friends from Chicago who came up for the occasion (Another small world story -- our friends Paul and Roger have a house in Michigan where they spend a lot of time. And their neighbors are good friends of theirs, who we've known for years! Strange.). We just had so much fun hanging out and being goofy (and clearly immature ... as seen from the fake breasts -- a gift from the birthday girl's mom, by the way). We even danced the night away! Before we knew it, it was 1:00 in the morning. And we still had an hour drive back home. But I honestly didn't want the night to end. I adore these people, and hope it's not another three years before we get to see each other again.

2011 Year in Review

2011-12-30T08:00:00.002-06:00

Friends from Oak Park are about to arrive to spend a few days with us -- then it's back to school on Monday for the boys. One week of vacation was not enough, if I do say so myself. I feel like 2011 was the year of transitions. Not a bad year by any means. But in 2012, I hope to feel more settled. I need to keep working on my patience and try to be less stressed out (ugh, such a struggle but swear I'm getting better). I want to get out and explore -- there's so much awesomeness around here. It's the year of the PFour -- I can tell.

Here's some of the highlights of our 2011:

- We listed our house for sale (and it went under contract in less than three weeks)
- We survived the big snow storm of 2011 (in fact, we kind of loved being cooped up for a few days)
- We dined at Alinea with Leif & Melissa
- Brian celebrated the big 4-0
- We visited my parents in Florida
- H turned 9
- Celebrated friendship with an absolutely amazing evening
- We moved to Wisconsin
- After sitting in the sidelines for many years, C finally started playing soccer
- Went to Next :: Paris
- Really enjoyed hosting guests
- Spend many hours swimming in lakes
- My sister and I did a mud run
- Brian completed in a few different races
- C turned 7
- H started 4th grade, and C 1st
- Brian and I celebrated our 12th Anniversary
- C lost his first tooth
- Brian rode over 600 miles in a week with Pablove Across America
- Brian and I went to England with our friends Lora and Bill to see a Manchester United game

Whoa. Quite the year! Can't wait for the next.

Wishing you the best year yet in 2012!

Hot Chocolate on a Stick

2011-12-29T14:34:00.001-06:00

I feel like I've been eating and drinking for a month straight. Before I get back on track -- maybe eating some greens and oh, I don't know ... run more than once a week -- I wanted to show you the cute gifts we made this year. Hot chocolate on a stick with homemade marshmallows! Yum. We gave them as teacher gifts (along with a gift card), to our family and even our friends who came over for Christmas Eve. They were delicious in hot milk (4-8 oz per stick) and even on their own. Yum. (Idea originally found last year here.)

Cocoa Blocks
From King Arthur Flour, kingarthurflour.com

- ½ cup heavy cream
- 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (1 1/4 cups)
- 3 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (chopped chocolate bars or chips)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened baking chocolate
- wooden sticks

Line an 8" x 8" pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Heat the cream and condensed milk over low heat until steaming. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate; allow it to gently melt.

After about 10 minutes, return the chocolate mixture to low heat to completely melt the chocolate. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is thick and shiny. Add a few drops of flavoring oil if you like; hazelnut, coffee, or vanilla are popular flavors. (NOTE: I used vanilla)

Pour the chocolate mixture into the pan; shake the pan gently to level. Sprinkle with cocoa, if desired. Set aside overnight to slowly set up.

Run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn out onto a clean cutting surface.

Slice into 1 ¼" cubes. Heat a knife in hot water and wipe dry before each cut, for smoothest cuts.

Stick a wooden stick into the center of each block.

Roll in cocoa or crushed peppermint candy, if desired. (NOTE: I did not)

Wrap in waxed paper, parchment, or plastic wrap to store.

Yield: about 3 dozen blocks.

Homemade Marshmallows
From Alton Brown, FoodNetwork.com

- 3 packages unflavored gelatin
- 1 cup ice cold water, divided
- 12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- Nonstick spray

Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer set up with the whisk attachment along with 1/2 cup of the water.

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.

Combine the confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.

When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners’ sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Date Day

2011-12-28T10:02:00.001-06:00

We're using this week -- which is going by WAY too quick, by the way -- to do a bit of exploring and showing Brian some of our favorite places. The day after Christmas, Brian and H spent the morning at Ray's MTB while C and I made some Zombie Barf from his new Doctor Dreadful kit. Afterwards, we went over to the Audubon Nature Center for a little hike. Yesterday, we decided to go to Discovery World, where we saw a fish snack on another fish from it's tank (whoops!) and H laid on a bed of nails. We were having such a great time, we went across the street for a fancy little date at the Harbor House. C tried his first oyster, and loved it so much, he ended up ordering more and eating three!

Later, we met my dad and he took the boys for a night at my parents. (Brian's idea -- and it was great). My mom and dad leave later this week for Florida. This is the long one though -- they are gone for awhile now. Boo. So it's pretty great the boys got to spend the night with them. Brian and I took advantage of some alone time and went to a movie and dinner. Since we had such a fancy lunch, we ended up going through the Culver's drive-through. It was perfect.

Christmas Day

2011-12-26T14:20:00.000-06:00

My sister and her family hosted Christmas Day for us, my parents, my cousin and his family, and my brother-in-laws parents. H hates being around his cousins, can you tell? (Obviously joking -- he's in heaven when he's with them). Dinner was excellent, and it was a perfect, relaxing Christmas Day that no one -- in our family at least -- wanted to end.

Christmas Morning

2011-12-26T09:45:00.000-06:00

The rule was, "Don't wake us up until 7:00." It worked out great, since that's when the boys got up too. I'd say Santa did well! Storm got a brand new bed and bones. H & C got Legos, ice skates, sleeping bags, games, Shrinky Dinks and a bunch of little odds and ends. The boys spoiled us with some pretty awesome homemade gifts (my favorite things to get from them), including a Christmas tree in a jar from C. He comes up with some pretty cleaver stuff. We spent the morning playing, and writing secret messages back and forth with their new invisible ink sets. By the time we left for my sister's in the afternoon, H was already done with his entire firehouse Lego set. C, on the other hand, spent most of the morning outside testing out his new marshmallow gun from the Kramer's.

Christmas Eve.

2011-12-26T09:18:00.001-06:00

Such a fun couple days. I'm always a bit sad when Christmas is over, but am definitely looking forward to a relaxing day at home, and a week just hanging out with my little family (Brian is home most of the week!). Following the tradition of the past few years, we decided to have a friends and family over for an appetizer party. Brian's family came a little earlier than the rest so we could have a little celebration with just them, then the Schwebel's, Luna's, Schutt's and my parents came over. Besides the fact that there was WAY too much food (lesson learned for next year), and the fact that I rarely remember to take photos when we're hosting a party, it was such a great way to start the holiday celebrations. The boys were anxious to go to sleep, like they are every year on that night (H had woken up at 1:42 am the night before to start tracking Santa on his iPod). They slept in the same room that night since C was freaked out (his room is right outside the fireplace), and both reported seeing a shadow and hearing jingle bells during the night.

My Three Sons

2011-12-25T12:46:00.003-06:00

Oh man, I sure am the luckiest!

Making Cookies

2011-12-25T12:45:00.000-06:00

I had already made a few different kinds of Christmas cookies, but somehow managed to forget the kind to decorate. To keep the boys occupied for a few hours the other day, I picked up some frozen, already cut out cookies (lame), and pre-made frosting (double lame). Still, the boys had a great time decorating. And they didn't taste bad either!

Wishing You ...

2011-12-23T09:12:00.000-06:00

Borough Market, London, December 2011

Gifts are wrapped. Cookies are made. Holiday cards have been sent. Now it's time to hit the grocery store one final time (hopefully), clean the house, and start prepping for the next couple days. Tomorrow we're hosting Christmas Eve., then it's off to my sister's for Christmas. The boys have off of school today and for some reason, I have a feeling it will be a super long one for them -- and possibly me. They are so crazy excited. Nevertheless, it will be busy around here, so from us to you, Peace, Joy & Love.

Winter Concert

2011-12-22T20:32:00.000-06:00

It's that time again -- winter concerts. There's something so sweet about them. Little voices. Pride. It makes me melt. I wasn't sure what to expect this year. Instead of separating by grades (like they did at our old school), each class performed twice, and they divided the audience up by letter of last name. Our concert was in the afternoon. As we were sitting down, kids -- who practice instruments outside of school -- performed solos on the piano and violins. Then the first and second graders performed. Can you find C? Here you go:

A close up. We were not sitting in the most ideal spot for picture taking. They sang:

"Sing Joy" by Nancy Dervan
"The Tree in the Wood" English Folk Song - Sung and signed with some of the lyrics written by the first graders.

Next were the second graders:

"Walking in the Air" from The Snowman by Howard Blake
"A La Nanita Nana" traditional Spanish Carol

Once the first and second graders left the stage, it was time for third and forth. Here's H -- see him?

Here he is! Third grade was up first:

"The Starfish" by Twila Bergerson (their music teacher), based on the story
"My Favorite Things" by Rodgers and Hammerstein

Then fourth:

"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot (my favorite of the day)
"A Recorder Collection" (where they all busted out the recorders and played)

Finally, the third and fourth grades combined to sing -- along with some teachers (vocals, tambourine and saxophone):

"Button Up Your Overcoat" by DeSylva, Brown and Henderson

It was fun. As a special treat, Nina & Papa surprised all of us and stopped by the school after a lunch meeting they had downtown. They missed C, unfortunately, but got to watch H -- and afterwards, got to meet their both of teachers and see their classrooms. Sweet.

Visit from Portland

2011-12-20T22:22:00.000-06:00

My cousin and his family are in town a couple days from Portland, Oregon. It only happens every few years, so we were happy to get to see them (and meet their youngest child). Amy & Justin hosted the bunch of us -- including seven kids under ten years old. It was non-stop, but great catching up.

2011 Wish List

2011-12-19T17:33:00.000-06:00

{Cozy Wool Blankets}

{Ruched Glyph Dress}

{Swedish Hasbeens}

{Cotton Tie-Dyed Scarf}

{Camera Bag}

{Heart Rate Monitor}

{Three-Tiered Stand}

{High-Waisted Jeans}

4th Annual Holiday Dinner

2011-12-18T09:35:00.000-06:00

Last night we met up with the Schwebel's and Nordquist's at Jake's for our 4th annual holiday dinner. I can't remember how it started (was it Ali's suggestion?), but it's become a very fun holiday tradition we have. With everyone's busy schedules, it's so nice knowing that at least once a year, we'll get to sit down, catch up, and just enjoy a nice relaxing dinner together. We may not have gotten "our" table this year, but it's an evening I never want to end. (Past dinners: 2008, 2009, 2010)

England :: The End

2011-12-17T15:05:00.000-06:00

Brian and I had to catch our flight bright and early. We flew out of Manchester with a layover in London. (NOTE: There are plenty of direct flights out of Manchester to Chicago, but we used travel miles which made us go through London). Bill & Lora took the train back into London, and were lucky enough to spend a couple extra days there. We arrived home in the early evening, and right away, I had drop Brian off at work. (He left the next day for San Francisco.) It was great seeing the kids, even though my first task upon arriving was to get them hair cuts since C had taken the scissors to his the first day we were gone. H had been talking about getting a buzz cut for months, so his wish was granted.

The vacation was perfect. Bill & Lora were awesome travel companions -- in fact, I kind of miss them! We fit more in four days than you would think even possible. It felt non-stop, but everything kind of fell perfectly into place. And we all always took time out at the end of the day to enjoy a glass of wine or beer and unwind a bit. London was extremely easy to get around via the tube, and everyone takes it at all hours, so it felt safe enough to me. Manchester was easy getting around via taxi (got to love the English cabs) -- nothing we went to was very far away. The biggest obstacle we had was crossing the street. Brian was so anxious to get to our dinner reservations (we were running a few minutes late), that he nearly got hit by a car crossing the street. He had looked the wrong way (easy to do), and didn't even notice it until he felt the wind of the cab coming his way. We got in the habit of looking both ways all the time ... just in case. Although, I did get a note from Lora saying that Bill was hit by a Prius in Borough Market. Fortunately it was backing up and going slow so he wasn't hurt at all.

Beside the near death experiences, we feel so lucky to have gotten to experience everything we did on this trip, and we so happy to have gotten to share it with our friends. Cheerio!

England :: Day 1
England :: Day 2, Part I
England :: Day 2, Part II
England :: Day 3
England :: Day 4

England :: Day 4

2011-12-17T14:36:00.000-06:00

Like I said, in Manchester, we had absolutely the best sleep we've had in a long, long time. We woke up to a gloomy, cold, rainy day, so it was quite easy to spend the morning relaxing. After our whirlwind last few days, it was definitely needed. Around noon we met up with Bill & Lora at a café across the street from the hotel, where we enjoyed amazing coffees and a proper English breakfast (sausage, bacon, fried egg, beans, and roasted tomato).

After that, we walked about five minutes into the city center and met up with our friend Mike -- who purchased the original Liverpool tickets -- and spent the day wandering around the holiday market. The pictures really don't do it justice. It was sparkly, festive and absolutely beautiful. And, it never ended! The market was huge. We would stop for a pint, walk a few feet, have a sausage sandwich, walk a few feet, have another pint ... it was just one of those days. The perfect way to spend our final one. After we had dinner with Mike, we parted ways, and the four of us walked over the Manchester Arena (a close distance from our hotel) for yet another concert.

Mötley Crüe, and ....

Def Leppard! Ok, definitely not two bands on my list to see, but it was actually very fun. I preferred Mötley Crüe over Def Leppard, even though their pyrotechnics had me thinking they were going to burn the house down. But we had a really great time. We even got to see characters like this, which made it all worth while.

England :: Day 3

2011-12-16T09:50:00.000-06:00

The third morning of our trip, we woke up bright and early to catch a train to Manchester. It was a relaxing two hour ride, where we could unwind and enjoy a few of the treats we picked up at the Borough Market the day before. We dropped our bags off at the hotel (we stayed at the Crowne Plaza - Manchester), and took a cab right away to Old Trafford -- our ultimate destination. (We were all a bit excited.) We spent some time just walking around with our mouths dropped open, in disbelief that we were even there. Then we went to the Mega Store to purchase some gear. You should have seen Bill & Brian's smiles walking into that place. Next we took our seats, and this is where I'm going to warn you -- we were so completely spoiled. My parent's friends, who's season tickets we used, have seats right in the middle of the field. They were amazing seats. Not only that, we had access to a couple restaurants. Typically these have to be arranged ahead of time, but we were lucky to have gotten a table for lunch. Maybe it was the way we talked that gave it away that we weren't from around there. (Actually, it was pretty funny because everyone kept telling us how much they loved our accents and I had to laugh, because we of course felt the same about theirs! Plus, everyone in Manchester was really so nice.) Anyhow, we enjoyed a nice lunch, then were happy to hear that once we were at a table, it was ours the rest of the day! In fact, we placed our halftime drink order when we were leaving, and had beverages waiting for us, which was quite divine. Another fact, we even had drinks waiting for us after the game. It was magic.

The game was awesome to watch. The level of play was ridiculous. Manchester United played the Wolves and creamed them 4-1. We were warned about the language -- and while I do believe it does get rowdy, it was quite tame when we were there. One thing we all commented on was the fact that beverages and drink were not served IN the stadium. You watched the match, took a break during half time, then came back. It was kind of nice. Imagine the uproar people would have if they couldn't have their nachos and beer while watching a game here. Of course, baseball and football are much longer games -- food and drink is what gets me through it too! The other thing we noticed, is the lack of mega screens. If you missed a play, you missed the play -- there was no showing it back. Honestly, it was so nice not having that distraction. I've never had a game go by faster. We didn't ever want it to end, and felt so lucky to have had the change to be there.

After the game, we took a cab back to the hotel, checked in, then looked for a place for dinner. This was the hardest part of the entire vacation -- everything was so jam packed. After awhile, we ended up at a Lebanese Restaurant, and it was so good. The nightlife was crazy. Even if we were interested (which we weren't), we couldn't have even gotten into one of the pubs. We ended up at our hotel for a quick nightcap, then retired upstairs for the best night sleep I've had in a really, really long time. Amazing.

England :: Day 2, Part II

2011-12-15T13:50:00.000-06:00

The Ten Bells might be most well-known for it's association with Jack the Ripper. It's where he murdered two of his victims. And it seemed to be quite the place to be. There was a line around the corner waiting to get in. We walked right in, and up the stairs, to our destination -- a dinner by the Young Turks. Brian had read about it in Wallpaper* magazine, and we knew we had to try to go. The Young Turks at the Ten Bells is a pop-up restaurant -- only going through the end of January. The menu changes every week. When we showed up, we were the only ones there. They were nice enough to have us come 30 minutes earlier than their official opening so we could make it to our next destination. It worked out well, and even allowed us the opportunity to get a photo with them. The meal was excellent, and the wine pairing suggestions were spot on. The menu on our evening was as follows:

Hendrick's Cocktail

Smoked Plaice Roe
Turnip, Pork Fat & Apple
Potato, Dried Oyster & Pickled Shallot
Pear & Walnut

Fresh Milk Curds, Cauliflower, Watercress & Sunflower
Venison & Rabbit Faggot, Pine & Parsnip
Partridge, Jerusalem Artichoke & Kale
Quince, Custard & Ginger Biscuit

It was a very cool experience. Unfortunately, we had to rush out to go to the O2 Arena to see .....

OMG ... Coldplay, people! Seriously, could it be any better than that? Coldplay, in bloody London? Come on! Unfortunately, we did show up a tad late. But we saw the majority of the show, and what we saw was absolutely mind-blowing. I cannot wait to see them again some day -- to see and hear them was addicting.

England :: Day 2, Part I

2011-12-14T12:02:00.000-06:00

This, may have been my favorite day of the entire trip. We took in so much -- which was crazy, considering we didn't have many plans at all before we left home. Over coffee, we decided to go to the Borough Market -- a food lovers paradise. I'm so happy we did. For me, it was one of the highlights of the vacation. The cheeses! The meat pies! The produce! It was absolute heaven. We got to sample a pretty good variety of foods but the chorizo sandwich and raclette really were standouts. We could have spent all day there. But at 2:00, we had to be on the other side of town. We met up my friend Megan, who was in town a couple days during a layover from Africa, where she lives. Together, we strolled through Portobello Market, ending with a couple pints and sweet potato fries. It was really an excellent day. Just wait for what we had in store that evening!

England :: Day 1

2011-12-13T17:26:00.001-06:00

We're home from a whirlwind few days in England! Well, part of us is. Brian had to turn right around and leave for San Francisco today. You may remember when we purchased Liverpool "football" tickets (long story short, we actually ended up at a Manchester United game instead). Well, the time finally came for our trip. Thursday morning, we met Lora & Bill - who had flown in on a different flight - at Heathrow. After dropping our bags off at Hotel Indigo - Paddington, we grabbed a coffee, then hightailed it out of there. I know different methods work for different people, but when I go abroad, I can't take naps the day I arrive (even though I can never sleep on the airplane) or I'll sleep through and wake up early. It throws everything off for me. I'd rather just go through the day and try to get to sleep early. We didn't stop all day. Which was fine by me, because the last time I was in London was 1985, and all I hoped for was to see the members of Duran Duran. Well, I guess I still wouldn't mind that. Point is, I was very excited to be there. First we took the tube to the London Eye. Lora & Bill stayed behind and walked around the holiday market that was close by, but Brian, who's scared of heights, joined me. Honestly, it wasn't scary at all, even for the chicken. The rain drops appear bit more dramatic in the photos then they really looked when you were inside. It was gloomy, but the view was still quite amazing. Afterwards, we just walked for miles around the city in awe at how amazing it was. We passed by Big Ben, through Westminster all the way to Buckingham Palace. By then, we were all a bit delirious, and figured it best to hop on the tube towards our hotel, and find a pub for fish and chips. Just a few minute walk from our hotel was Victoria. It was absolutely delicious. And the perfect end to a perfect first day.

Holiday Branch

2011-12-10T13:00:00.002-06:00

We really, really miss having a fixture hanging above our dining room table. We have plans to some day drywall the ceiling and add electricity. But for now, my holiday branch will have to be it!

Art by C :: Weaving

2011-12-08T14:00:00.001-06:00

St. Nick

2011-12-06T09:48:00.000-06:00

We found out this morning, that C snuck into his brother's room during the middle of the night and spent the rest of the night there. You see, he was a bit freaked out because he heard St. Nick in our house! The kids woke up with filled stockings, and couldn't have been more excited. They got new PJs, flash cards, a gyro wheel, chocolate candy cane milk straws and a giant candy cane. Even Storm received some presents.

Special Water

2011-12-05T15:32:00.000-06:00

The other day C made a glass of special water for me to keep by on my nightstand in case I was thirsty. Complete with a straw and construction paper/tape cover. He even added some berry flavoring (a little too much berry flavoring... yuck). But what a nice gesture.

Santa Brunch

2011-12-04T16:21:00.000-06:00

Today was our annual Santa Brunch at the country club. It really hadn't felt like the holidays around here, being it's 50 degrees and raining. I know once February hits, I'll be cursing the weather, but right I really wish it would snow. The Santa Brunch is always a really great way to kick off the holidays. After ten years of going, this is the first year that both my sister's kids couldn't participate -- only the boys got to visit Santa. H was super excited and eager -- it was very sweet. But C wouldn't even step foot into the same room he was in. He's petrified of the jolly old man. Nonetheless, it was a really nice day. (Here are scenes from past years: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)

Christmas in the Ward

2011-12-02T22:37:00.001-06:00

Tonight we met up with the Schwebel's and Luna's at Christmas in the Ward -- a little holiday event in the Third Ward. Brian was able to meet up with us after work too since it's just a couple blocks away from the office. We saw the tree lighting and fireworks. Santa was even there -- but C was freaked out by him. (When Ronald McDonald and gingerbread men showed up, it nearly put him over the edge. I wonder if he's ever going grow out of his fear of people-who-are-dressed-up-as-characters phase.) My favorite thing of the night though, was seeing reindeer.

The Magic is Back

2011-12-02T22:31:00.000-06:00

"Magic Elfy Pickles P" is back in the house. The boys are so excited and couldn't wait for him to come back. Even if C has been sleeping every night with his brother while he gets "used to having Elfy back." The first night the elf was here, the boys asked him to deliver their holiday wish lists. Pretty cute. I just hope he remembers to visit the North Pole every night!

Cole and the Terrible Whatzit

2011-11-30T13:44:00.000-06:00

The other day, C came home with a book he made in school. It was completely illustrated, and dedicated to "Mom." Here it goes:

Mrs. S. (his teacher), Bradyn and I were at the park. The Whatzit is in a fat pig plastic costume. The plastic pig kicked Mrs. S. onto a roof. Cole kicked the Whatzit. The Whatzit cried. Then the Whatzit went to the zoo.

About the Author:
Cole is a first grader. He lives in Wisconsin with his Mom, Dad and brother. For fun, Cole enjoys soccer.

Isn't he sweet? Somehow, everything goes back to big pigs and kicking.

Trimming the Tree

2011-11-28T21:00:00.000-06:00

Here it is! The final product. Besides the lights and the garland, the boys basically decorated the entire tree. We kind of love it.

Cutting the Tree

2011-11-27T21:56:00.000-06:00

This morning we decided to travel north to the Greenview Tree Farm to cut our own Christmas tree. Over the last several years, we've typically scored the perfect tree by visiting the local lot and picking one out. Seriously, they have been amazing. One other time we were able to visit a farm and cut a tree down -- but it's been a couple years since we've done that. Cutting our own is definitely the preferred method. Even if you never quite know what you will find. The boys refused to wear winter coats, and were freezing the moment we went outside. Most of the trees were either way to big or too small. We did end up taking the hay ride back to the barn warm up before we headed on out again. But eventually, we found a tree that would work. It may not be "perfect" but we think it's pretty great, and the boys said it's their favorite tree yet.

Turkey Classic

2011-11-26T20:29:00.000-06:00

Today was spent at the Turkey Classic -- a indoor soccer tournament C's team participated in. They played three games. They lost two (including the one where they got creamed by a bunch of girls a whole head taller than all of them) and won one by one point. Overall, it was a pretty great day.

Nature Walk in my Parents Back Yard

2011-11-25T16:27:00.000-06:00

My parents house is surrounded by forest. You don't need to wander far to find little treasures. The boys were in charge of gathering some of our holiday decorations (the red twigs).

Morning After Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T16:24:00.000-06:00

Even though we only live about 40 minutes away, we decided to spend the night at my parents after Thanksgiving. It was just like the old days.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T16:21:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving was spent at my parents, along with my sister and her family. We arrived earlier in the day so we could watch football. We were able to stop by my cousin's new house and welcome them back to Wisconsin (they had been living in Florida the last few years). And Brian and I even fit in our annual pre-Thanksgiving trail run. It was short but sweet. It was a perfect day.

There even was a little visitor! A guinea pig named Bella who my niece was pet-sitting for. I was bit by a G-pig when I was young, so really never gave them much thought. But I kind of was smitten by this little thing.

Art by C :: P is for Princess

2011-11-23T11:31:00.002-06:00

Caramel Budino

2011-11-22T20:37:00.000-06:00

So, I made this the other night when Scott, Ali & A were over for dinner. Caramel Budino with Salted Caramel Sauce. It was amazing. (Recipe via Bon Appetit).

INGREDIENTS

COOKIE CRUST
1 cup finely ground chocolate cookie crumbs (such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers; about 20 cookies)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

BUDINO
3 cups whole milk, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
5 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons dark rum
1 teaspoon kosher salt

SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream, divided
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Lightly sweetened whipped cream

PREPARATION

COOKIE CRUST
Mix cookie crumbs, butter, and salt in a medium bowl. Place 2 tablespoons in a small bowl; cover and chill for garnish. Press 2 tablespoons cookie mixture onto the bottom of each of eight 8-ounce mason jars or ramekins.

BUDINO
Whisk 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside. Heat remaining 2 1/2 cups milk in a small saucepan just to a simmer; set aside. To make caramel, stir sugar and 3/4 cup water in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; cook without stirring until an instant-read thermometer registers 210°–220°

Line a sieve with a double layer of cheesecloth and set over a large pitcher. Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in hot milk, then cornstarch mixture. Slowly whisk in caramel. Return mixture to saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and a thermometer registers 175°, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in butter, rum, and salt. Pour through prepared sieve.

Pour 1/2 cup budino over crust in each jar. Cover; chill until set, 4–5 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. (NOTE: I did this)

SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE
Place cream in a small pitcher. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Set aside.
Stir sugar, corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high; boil, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until deep amber color forms, 5–6 minutes. Remove from heat; gradually add vanilla cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Whisk over medium heat until smooth and thick, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and salt. Strain into a heatproof bowl. Let cool slightly.

Spoon 2 tablespoons caramel sauce over each budino. Top with whipped cream. Sprinkle some of reserved cookie crumbs over each.

Back Stage

2011-11-22T12:00:00.000-06:00

When we were at the concert Sunday night, we got to hang out back stage waiting for our friends. Been a long time since I've been back there, and from what I remember, it's much nicer. Or maybe, it's just the difference it makes now that smoking is banned. Thank goodness. My favorite part though? All the awesome posters.

Fitz & The Tantrums

2011-11-21T16:42:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, Brian and I drove down to Chicago for the night. Our friends Jeff and Jo Ann were in town. Jeff is co-founder and CEO of Dangerbird Records (and Pablove). One of their acts is Fitz & The Tantrums, who were performing three sold out shows at the Metro. The last time I was there was probably four years ago when Brian and I saw LCD Soundsystem. In a past life, we spent many an evening there when Brian was in a band. It brings back many memories, for sure. Anyhow, we had seen Fitz & The Tantrums at the Pablove Benefit Concert last in January and were blown away. I really like their music -- but seeing them live is something special. They are full of energy, fun and simply amazing. The whole venue was dancing and clapping. You just can't help it. It was awesome.

Want to hear them? Here you go!

Epic

2011-11-19T21:43:00.001-06:00

For the last few weeks, I have spent many hours raking the leaves in our yard. It really hasn't been too bad -- beside one other weekend, I've only had to spend couple hours here and there. Today though, leaf raking was brought to an entire new level. Our last house had a teeny tiny back yard, so we come equipped with one normal sized rake and two small kid-sized rakes. I did invest in a couple tarps a few weeks back so we could drag the leaves to the street. Most of our neighbors are super smart and simply hire a lawn service. Some others have purchased the leaf attachment for a tractor. Not us! The people with "one of the largest yards" in the area -- per the description on the MLS sheet. We raked and raked. We loaded the tarps and dragged them to the curb -- no less than 50 times. My body aches, despite the ibuprofen I've already taken. But it does feel really great to have finished this. And I of course can't forget a big shout out for my partner in crime, H, who has been a HUGE help. The whole family basically pitched in this week, but before that, it was him and me and a few random moments with C. And I couldn't have done it without him. Hmm, I wonder if I should have offered him some ibuprofen too.

Art by H :: Skeleton

2011-11-17T20:09:00.002-06:00

The Three Little Pigs

2011-11-16T15:00:00.000-06:00

I recently signed up to volunteer for lunchroom duty and recess at the boy's school. Fortunately, it's for the fourth grade class. With the younger grades, your time is spent putting straws in juice boxes and opening yogurts. I basically need to get napkins every now and then, and excuse students to the bathroom. Although, I was a bit early today, and had to stop some third graders from throwing food and trading their lunches (a big no-no because of food allergies). Oh, and I did catch a 1st grader going to the bathroom with his sandwich up his shirt sleeve to throw it out. Kind of funny. But so far, fourth grade is not half bad. And I get to see my H, who still likes seeing me. In fact, I guess his friends think I'm pretty cool -- so they are ok in my book. As I was leaving my lunchroom duty, I ran into a parent from C's class (who was my sister's college room mate of all things) who asked if I was going to the play. Um, what play? Honestly, I had no idea what she was talking about, but thank goodness I ran into her! Turns out, his class was putting on a production in music class about the Three Little Pigs. And C was a puppeteer! He was so proud. That little impromptu play kind of just made my day.

Storm is 5

2011-11-15T12:06:00.000-06:00

Happy 5th Birthday, Storm! If you could measure affection by the number of squeezes you get on a daily basis, you might just be the most loved dog in the world.

Thank you for putting up with our shenanigans. Here's to hoping you get to sleep the day away.

(Oh wait! You already ARE!)

P.S. Fun fact! Today is also my parent's dog -- Winston's -- birthday.

Motorcycles

2011-11-13T14:55:00.000-06:00

Part of me was of course cringing with fear, but the boys both got their first motorcycle rides over the weekend. They didn't go far, but absolutely loved it. Gulp.

First Snow of the Season

2011-11-10T12:04:00.000-06:00

I was woken up this morning by H running in my room and opening all the blinds so I could see the snow falling. The boys were outside at least fifteen minutes before the bus was even scheduled to come, just running around with their mouths wide open, catching snowflakes. As soon as they were picked up, Storm and I set off for an hour long walk by the lake. There really is something magical about the first snow of the season.

Celebrating a 13th Birthday

2011-11-09T23:14:00.001-06:00

Today my niece turned 13, which is kind of unbelievable. It seems like just yesterday we got the news that she was born! We were in the airport with my parents coming home from my cousin's wedding in North Carolina. To celebrate tonight, we feasted on crab legs, lobster, steak and birthday cake, of course. The boys were in heaven. I think she's going to have an excellent year.

Another Tooth

2011-11-08T21:54:00.000-06:00

Now that his brother is losing teeth, someone was pretty happy to lose #7.

Colon

2011-11-07T21:05:00.000-06:00

I have no idea why, but I find this name project from Spanish class, extremely cute.

Cheese Fondue Night

2011-11-05T22:18:00.000-05:00

My sister is a hunting widow. And the thing is, she's not the only one I know. It's a real thing here -- the dudes sure do like their hunting here in Wisconsin. I don't really get it. That being said, Brian went hunting every year growing up, and it probably is some of his favorite memories. Even though in the 18 years I've known him, he's only gone hunting once, it's still something he'd love to do again some day. Nevertheless, during hunting season, my brother-in-law is gone pretty much every weekend. In fact, when we were planning our wedding, he mentioned that if the wedding was during hunting season, he'd have a hard time being there. I think he meant it! True, Brian's not hunting. But this being weekend three of him being M.I.A., it's kind of the same thing. A few weeks ago when we realized Tim and Brian would be gone, my sister and I decided to plan a date. Today, she and the kids came over for dinner (cheese fondue). All day long the boys asked when they were coming. When they showed up the boys went absolutely nuts. (Christie, believe it or not, they did settle down when you left -- even after drinking the Coke you bought them). It was a great night. Being able to do this is definitely a perk to living close(r) by.

Brian and Pablove

2011-11-04T21:11:00.002-05:00

I was meaning write a bit about Brian's week on the Pablove ride. But once he got home, we were so excited he was back -- all of us were exhausted -- and a few days later, he had to leave again. This time, he's doing the Chattanooga to Nashville Ragnar Relay with work (they are one of their clients). In fact, he just called and said he ran his fasted 5 miles ever. His next leg is at 2 a.m. which is just crazy. He comes home Sunday afternoon, and is gone again on Monday. By the time he's back, he'll have been home four full days over the course of three weeks. The boys and I miss him, that's for sure.

The Pablove ride was absolutely amazing. The group that Brian rode with seemed to really get along great and have an excellent time. They were on some perfect roads, and some not so perfect. In fact, there was a long stretch of dirt they had to ride. I guess that's the interesting thing about riding a bike cross country -- no matter how much you plan, you really don't know what you'll be riding on until you get there. At one point, they even needed to get a security escort through a space center they weren't expecting to come across, and no where else to go. Over the week, the group rode on 600+ miles, and ended the emotional journey in New Orleans, which is Jo Ann's (Pablo's mom) hometown. And Brian made it! We are so very, very proud. Thank you again, for everyone's support. Brian could not have done this ride without it.

Sunset

2011-11-03T21:23:00.000-05:00

We had the most amazing sunset tonight. I had to drop everything I was doing and watch it. These photos are from basically the same spot. Bright pink to the west. A purplish blue and the moon high above. And a few minutes later, gorgeous reds and oranges (and my neighbors cool light post) west again. It was breathtaking.

Inspiration Files :: Spanish Apartment

2011-11-02T13:55:00.000-05:00

It's time to start cleaning out my Reader and go through my inspiration files! It's been awhile. This is from many months ago, but it sure is dreamy, right? The best part is, it's two apartments that you can rent. Alemanys 5 is located in Girona (Costa Brava), Spain. The original building is from the sixteenth century. I totally have a thing for old-new. I also love how it kind of looks like an urban farmhouse apartment. (via Desire to Inspire)

Trick-or-Treating

2011-10-30T16:16:00.000-05:00

Trick-or-treating in Oak Park was always such a huge deal, and we had absolutely no idea what to expect here. The houses are far apart, and most of our neighbors are old. Thankfully, we were told that the block up the street was THE place to go trick-or-treating, so that's where Brian and the boys headed. After sitting in our house for an hour, waiting for at least one trick-or-treater to even show, I was so relieved when Brian called to say the boys were having a blast, and there were hundreds of people out. I sat out a bowl with candy, and high-tailed it up there myself. He was right -- it was unbelievable. I have no idea how that particular street ended up being the trick-or-treating mecca of Fox Point, but it is. Unfortunately, it started raining quite hard, so the boys were cold and miserable. Trick-or-treating didn't last long, but they seem totally content. By the way, you may have noticed that H started out as the Headless Horseman. By the time he left, the mask was bothering him so he went as Dracula. Without the fake teeth because both his other pairs broke.

The Great Pumpkin Display

2011-10-28T20:41:00.000-05:00

A friend mentioned that Whitefish Bay has a Great Pumpkin Display each year, so the boys and I decided to check it out. They provide free pumpkins which can be carved there, and put on display. Maybe next year we'll do that. There's also food (from Jack Pandl's) and music. We only stayed a little bit, but it was really kind of cool.

Hiking with Maia and Nina

2011-10-28T17:35:00.000-05:00

H and I loved Lion's Den Gorge so much when we went a couple weeks ago, that we thought it would be fun go back to show my niece and mom, who came to visit us today. They really liked it too. It was awesome hearing H talk about how much he enjoyed going on hikes (Lion's Den today was his idea). C was a trooper too. He was still on the look out for bees, and had his snake stick in case any pesky garden snakes made their appearance. All we found was a little fuzzy caterpillar. But it was a really beautiful day for a visit.

Jack o' lanterns

2011-10-27T19:57:00.000-05:00

Since the boys had off of school -- and we had to wait around all morning for the internet company to come -- we thought today would be perfect for carving the pumpkins we picked up at the apple orchard. It's hard to believe that last year at this time, we were just getting back from Germany and barely had enough time to even carve our pumpkins. My gosh, a lot has happened in that year. Anyhow, they turned out pretty cute. H carved alien eyes. And I helped C, who made the smallest face on the largest pumpkin. Here they are:

Aren't they scary?

Tooth #2 ... Missing

2011-10-27T08:52:00.000-05:00

Less than two weeks after C lost his first tooth, another one goes missing. Sweet!

Halloween Parade

2011-10-26T22:16:00.000-05:00

The boys have off of school the next couple days, so today was the costume parade and their Halloween celebrations. H is going to be the headless horseman. He couldn't wear it to school though because it was too gruesome. (Can I hear a big 'ole "LAME!"). Instead, he wore the cape only, we bought him some fangs for 25 cents, and he went as Dracula. He's not really one for dressing up, so it was fine. C's costume is the spider monkey from Ben 10. Don't worry -- I have no idea what that is either. His costume used to have a tail and shoulder pads too. The tail and one of the shoulder pads went missing in the giant leaf pile at the Halloween party we went to, so we just ripped off the other shoulder pad too. I told C he looked scared in the parade. He said he was just nervous.

It's funny being the new person at a school. Halloween was such a big deal in Oak Park and something I totally looked forward to. The boys had a little celebration in the class, but that was it. No goodie bags. Teachers barely dressed up, if at all. Parents didn't dress up (everyone except my friend Tami, that is -- thank goodness for Tami -- not that I dress up or anything either, so who am I to talk.....). The parents were invited to come to the parade, but we were crammed in the gym and had to stand behind orange cones. (And man, was it roasting hot in that gym). I tried my best to get a picture of the boys, but they rushed by so quick, this was the best I could do. Now, all this being said, it's really just me wining a little. It was still fun to see, and the kids had a blast. In fact, H loved it -- probably because he's a Halloween Scrooge, so was happy it was low-key.

Art by C :: Snake

2011-10-25T21:48:00.003-05:00

Halloween in Delafield

2011-10-22T22:14:00.000-05:00

Each year, Delafield has a big Halloween Celebration. We stopped to check out the pumpkins on the way back from the store, and realized it was trick-or-treating around to the businesses! Of course, the kids couldn't wait to go. Thankfully my mom & dad happen to keep these hats & creepy masks stashed away at their house. I never knew how handy they would be, but the kids sure did get a lot of compliments!

Soccer Saturday

2011-10-22T22:08:00.000-05:00

Both boys had soccer games out in my old stomping grounds - Wales, Wisconsin. It worked out great, especially since my parents just got home earlier in the week from Florida. Of course, as soon as I found out they would be around, I invited the boys and myself over for dinner, so they were stuck with us all day. We all had a great time. Even the dog, who I dropped off at their house earlier so he could frolic around as well. Every time I drove into their driveway, we had to stop for deer. They were amazing, and I never get tired of watching them. We also came across several wild turkeys which are sure are ugly, but amazing. Regarding soccer, H's team won, C's lost. It's kind of how it's been going. Both boys played great today, and H even scored a goal, which makes it three this season. Seriously, in past years, his record was one goal ever, so it's pretty fun watching him progress like he has this year. As soon as the game was over, the kids on his team ran over to a giant hill. They must have been eyeing it the entire game because they just took off as soon as the game was over. After a little break, it was C's turn to play. His team worked really hard, and had some incredible moments. C had several great passes, and worked his little bottom off trying to get a goal. Tomorrow we have another jam packed soccer day.

And Off He Goes ....

2011-10-21T14:15:00.000-05:00

Me and my adorable family at the Project Pablove event a couple weeks ago

I just got back from dropping Brian off at the airport so he could fly to Nashville for the start week 3 of Pablove Across America -- which kicks off tomorrow. I've been watching the dedication videos daily, and my heart hurts more and more. I can't imagine telling your child -- who you've been telling to fight hard and be strong -- to let go, your time has come and we'll all be fine. I just can't. When you look into the eyes of parents who have gone through this, you can't help but notice something a little different about them. Something that says they have seen and know more than they ever should. And the kids fighting cancer! Well, they are just amazing. As we were going to the airport, we saw a Make-A-Wish limo drive by. Yet another person with story -- it happens far too often. We are going to miss Brian a ton during this next week, but are so proud of him. Go Brian! (bpettit.stayclassy.org)

Art by C :: Playing Soccer

2011-10-20T10:11:00.001-05:00

Art by H :: Still Life

2011-10-18T12:48:00.001-05:00

Lion's Den Gorge

2011-10-16T16:02:00.000-05:00

Back when Chris & Penny came for a visit, the boys had gone on a bike ride and stumbled upon Lion's Den Gorge. Brian's been wanting to take us back there for awhile, and today seemed like the perfect day. It was breathtaking. The trails were perfect for a family hike. The weather was amazing. Lake Michigan had crystal clear water. I can't believe something like this is only 20 minutes away!

Halloween Bash

2011-10-16T15:53:00.000-05:00

Each year, our friends have a Halloween bash. It's in their backyard, and the neighbor's. This year, over 270 people came. We all came with a bag of candy, which got dumped into a giant leaf that the kids went wild searching for. Brilliant! Since these are new-since-we-moved friends, we had no idea what we were in for. Most every one was in costume except us, who dressed up as Losers (i.e. no costumes). Next year, I'll know. It was an absolute blast. And close enough that we even walked there.

Apple Picking

2011-10-15T16:07:00.000-05:00

This morning we met up with the Schwebels at Barthel Fruit Farm for some apple picking. Do you know what? I don't think I've been apple picking before. Isn't that crazy? It was so much fun. We picked Honeycrisp and Golden Delicious. The boys also picked two pumpkins (at $2 each, they were a total deal). And the apples .... are amazing -- a fact I may or may not know based on the number of them I ate along the way.

The Tooth Fairy Strikes Again

2011-10-15T14:57:00.000-05:00

Look who lost his first tooth today! He's so excited. Almost two months after his seventh birthday. What can I say, we have late tooth losers.

Party on the Farm

2011-10-13T20:39:00.000-05:00

Tonight Brian's company had a party at the Family Farm. It's been an absolutely gorgeous Indian Summer, but today was the day it decided to rain. All day long. We still had a great time visiting the goats, miniature horses and llamas, and making jack-o-lanterns. But we did skip the hay ride.

What the ....?

2011-10-11T15:13:00.000-05:00

I first noticed this little sucker when I was moving a branch that had fallen, felt something squishy, and smelled something gross. I'm not going to lie -- it freaked me out. It looked like something from Alice in Wonderland. I figured it must be a caterpillar, but what was it doing out in fall? I had never seen anything like it. Despite the fact that H wanted to squish it, I moved it onto a tree. And then it did this:

Yikes! Turns out though, it's a Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (I think, according to Google images). And it does emit a foul odor when threatened. And has an "orange osmerterium" that looks like a forked snake tongue. Pretty gross. But pretty neat.

S'mores Shoppe

2011-10-10T21:27:00.000-05:00

When the boys got home today, I still had some work to do. After about an hour, I came downstairs to see what they were up to -- they had opened a S'mores store. There were Smorz cereal s'mores, marshmallow s'mores, giant marshmallow s'mores. There were even Starburst s'mores, along with dark chocolate and almond paste stuffed dates. (For 5 cents, I bought a piece of the dark chocolate.) As you can see, C was the chef and server. H was the cashier. He even got paid by C for his services. it was quite the production.

Pablove Across America :: Day 1

2011-10-09T12:05:00.000-05:00

Pablove Across America kicked off yesterday! The boys and I woke up bright and early to drive Brian to the start of the ride. He'll be officially riding the third week, but also joined the group today on their ride from Milwaukee to Chicago. It sure was a beautiful day for it. Tour de France rider Christen Vande Velde even joined the ride for part of the way. That afternoon, H, C and I drove down to Oak Park. The boys got to hang out with their good friends Emma and Finn (and talk about how much they miss our old house, their old school, our old neighborhood ....), and I went over to David & Anne's for a fundraising dinner they threw for Pablove. Melissa volunteered to cater it. Other friends gave up their time to help serve. I met Brian there when the other Pablove riders came. We got to see some old friends from SRAM, get to know the Pablove team better, enjoy some great food -- pretty much a perfect night.

I'm so happy Pablove Across America kicked off in Milwaukee. All the riders really make a huge commitment and sacrifice to do the ride. And I think it was especially important that the boys see first hand why their dad is going to be gone for over a week, riding a bike across the county to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer. Why he's so dedicated to the cause, and why we support him in doing that. They met the people behind it all. They met Pablo's parents. They met children who have had cancer and survived. They met other parents who's children had/have cancer. It's powerful stuff. These are all children who were perfectly healthy, and got cancer. It's unimaginable. I'm not going to be posting about this every day. I promise. But if you are interested in following along, make sure you subscribe to the PABLOg.

Pablove Shutterbugs Show

2011-10-07T15:36:00.000-05:00

It's the big kick off week for the Pablove Across America ride. Our friend Jeff, who founded the organization with his wife, came in last week. We were lucky enough to go out for dinner with him earlier this week. The boys were so funny. We have talked about Pablo, and Jeff, a lot. They were excited to ask him about California. C asked if he was famous. Cute stuff like that. As you know, Brian's riding the third week, from Nashville to New Orleans. Last night, his company hosted Project Pablove, an art show at the studio featuring some photos from the Pablove Shutterbugs (a program that gives kids living with cancer a creative voice through photography). They also had a Tshirt station set up, where people could choose a shirt, one of two awesome designs, and haveit made for them right there. Our friend "Old Man Malcolm" did a little spinning. Maritime played a little acoustic set. It was a pretty awesome night. I had the boys with, so couldn't stay super late. But we had a great time. I think the boys were pretty impressed by their dad. There was lots of love in the air all around. (P.S. It's not too late to donate to Brian's ride, and he still has a way to go. Really, every bit big or small helps. bpettit.stayclassy.org)

Open House

2011-10-06T23:10:00.000-05:00

Tonight was Open House at the boy's school. It's so fun seeing how excited they get about showing me around (Brian couldn't make it -- his schedule is just ridiculous the next few weeks). C had a mystery. I had to figure out which desk was his based on a few things he wrote about himself and a picture he drew. I probably couldn't have guess by the picture -- even though he drew some really cute freckles on it. But when he was talking about what he liked, he wrote down a "big, fat pig." Totally gave it away. H had to complete a scavenger hunt with us, so we got to meet all the other teachers. We were not at the school long, but it was so much fun seeing where the kids spend most of their days. I'm so proud of them.

Soccer Sunday

2011-10-02T20:10:00.000-05:00

Today's soccer game was way out in Wales, Wisconsin close by my old high school. It was an absolutely perfect, gorgeous day6. Unfortunately, C's team got cremated, but my sister and the kids came out to see the game, which was pretty awesome. Afterwards, we stopped for custard at LeDuc's, then went to see their new house which they just moved into last Monday. It was really nice -- exciting stuff. Another fun weekend day. Why does it have to be Monday tomorrow?