Merry Christmas!

Happy holidays! Hope they are full of treats and naps!!

Halloween

Oops. A few months late in publishing these. May I introduce the Black Phantom and the Little Mermaid. 

Hot Dogs with Dad

French Fireman

One morning on our way into town, we got stuck in a crazy rainstorm. Kids were screaming, I got flustered adn missed out turn back to the boat. A mess. Rani got us under cover, only to find out we were under metal poles. Luckily, a local fireman heard the commotion and came out to save us. Offered us his house, towels, wine and treats. A quick tour of his house confirmed that I was meant to live in France. 

Dearth

Looks scary, but still busting out her "head to the side and smile" pose...

 

Little P is learning how to lie. Some recent conversations:

After finding a lock of hair in the hall:

H: Agh! Did you cut your hair?

P: No, Wil did.

H: Wil cut his hair?! OMG - why didn't you tell one of us and why hasn't his mom called me?

Later that day and another BIGGER lock of hair found:

H: DID YOU CUT YOUR HAIR? Wil has a crewcut - this isn't Wil's hair!

P: Wil cut my hair.

H: He cut your hair??!!! Why didn't you tell me?!

P: I cut my hair.

After P pulled a was of bills out of her purse:

H: Where did you get that money?

P: Pop Pop gave it to me. I'll share some with Nick.

N: Woo hoo! She just gave me $10!

Later after opening up my wallet to find it empty:

H: Peri, did you steal my money?

P: Pop Pop took it from your wallet and gave it to me.

H: Pop Pop hasn't been here for three weeks. Did you take my money.

P: I needed some money.

Lesson learned - Peri will throw anyone under the bus to get out of a lie.

PJ

Three generations of boys went downstate for an archeological dig a few weeks ago. Nick and Chris came back with all sorts of cool fossils from an old riverbed. They smelled like an old riverbed, too. Cute photo of Nick and PJ.

Saone

I was so busy enjoying our leisurely vacation down the Saone, that I hardly have any photos. But here's a cute one of the kids on the boat. Magical trip.

Tired monkies

Love catching these two asleep in the back seat.

Ballerina

Little P's ballet recital this spring. So cute! Now onto Hip Hop!

Sulking

She BEGGED me to sign her up for soccer again. I could have strangled her...

Big brothers can be annoying

Nick enjoyed "playing" with Peri and her friends at her birthday party last month.

Too tired for dinner

Nuff said

Summer Fest!

Nothing says CHICAGO like a summer street fest.

Birthday Princess

Happy Birthday big girl!

Cat Burglar

Benefit of a new garage - we get to park inside and walk in the backdoor. Downside - the kids beat me to the door and then stand there yelling "Mom, the door is locked!" while I struggle to close the car door/garage door and carry all my work bags in and at least one item of theirs.

One day, Peri beat us all to the back door. Somehow she opened it. I was in the car cleaning out pounds of old goldfish and yogurt wrappers from the back seat. I looked out the garage window and could see Nick on the deck going crazy! He was motioning and yelling. I ran over to find that when Peri opened the door, she also set off  the alarm. I was waiting for the alarm company to call, but for once they called Chris instead of me. Told Chris all was well and tried to talk to Peri about why she can't just open doors and set off alarms. She walked away from me.

In the middle of making dinner a policeman shows up at our back door. I apologized (after making an "AGGHH!" face) and explained what had happened. He was very nice and said he'd rather come out to nothing than to miss a real emergency. Once he left I let Peri have it. "DO YOU KNOW WHY THAT POLICEMAN CAME TO OUR HOUSE??? BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SET ALARMS OFF!" She blew a raspberry at me and walked away. Really??!!!

A cop showed up at my house once when I was growing up and all three girls ran and hid assuming he was after us. (He was after Megan for dialing 9-1-1) I need to put the fear in her somehow...

The Notebook

Nick and Peri brought goody bags home from school a few weeks ago. Each had a little rainbow notebook in it. Peri used hers and then took Nick's. She swore it was hers. I explained it wasn't and that hers was still in my car. She swore it was hers. She then wrote her name on the back and said, "See? It say's PERI." Sigh. I then started to reason that Nick probably didn't want a rainbow notebook anyway, when he starts yelling in from the other room (cared, but not enough to leave the tv), "It IS my notebook! And I DO like rainbow notebooks!" Double sigh.

Ice Cream!

MMMMM. Ice cream is good. Big brothers can be annoying.

Games

What game kept the kids in hysterics for 30 minutes tonight? "Put the Chip Clip on the Other Person"

Father's Day

Spent a little time at the beach...

Then off to a brewery for some brews for dad and orange soda for the kids...

Needless to say, the kids were hyper on sugar and exhausted at the same time for the trip home. Woo hoo! Happy Father's Day!

First recital

Long day at the beach

Swear Jar

A few months ago we started a "swear jar" to try and teach Peri not to say the word "hate". We came up with a few words that we weren't allowed to say (hate, stupid, dumb, any cuss words). If someone caught you saying that word, they pointed it out and you had to pay them $1. Within the first day, I owed Nick $5. We decided to remove "crap" from the list because apparently I say it every other sentence. Also turns out I say "hate" a lot too. I've since learned to say "strongly dislike". Sigh. This didn't work out at all like I expected.

Orphans

Left over photos from spring break. Chris and I were to tired to get in the photo. Now I wish we had. 

Birthday!

Peri has taken to wearing her Dora birthday hats around the house and out of the house. At breakfast a few weeks ago, she put the hat on my and loudly announced "It's my mom's birthday everyone!" Lots of looks and smiles from the other tables. Which would be nice, but it wasn't my birthday. Chris and Nick enjoyed my embarrassment. And I don't embarrass easily. Thanks Peri!

Lazy Sunday

Think her outfit and hair say it all

Newest Lil Kicker

We spent the first 20 min of the first class in tears, refusing to go in. Much better this week. Lil Stinker.

Wolves hockey

Nick went to a Wolves hockey game for a friends bday. Likes the nachos just like his mom ;)

Bag Lady?

Is it just me, or is Peri's shopping cart looking more and more like a bag lady's cart walking down the street?

Tired

In the middle of changing out if wet tights and screaming at me, Peri collapsed into a deep sleep.

Self Portrait

Peri has been drawing a ton of self portraits lately. The eyelashes crack me up. As does the fact that she thinks she has brown hair.

Prom??

Peri went to a princess bday party a few weeks ago. Walked out with this on. My mind immediately flashed forward 14 yrs to her prom. Acckkk!!! I'm scared and proud at the same time.

Hugging

Hit a Predators game while in Nashville during spring break. During one fight Peri told us "they're having a big hug!"

Another Thursday Night

Why did I think spring hockey sounded like a good idea? Every Thursday night...

Sister/Brother

Think this was taken a few months ago. Sometime after Christmas because the kids got those lollipops in their stockings. Nice to see them smiling with each other. I'm sure there were tears somewhere shortly after this photo.

Silly

Nothing special going on here. Just too silly kids. Nick in his typical "ninja" hockey undergarments. Peri showing off her beautiful belly. I swear the dots are helping her here!

Hula Poop

Peri was so excited to tell me how she did the hula poop at gym. LOL.

Father Daughter Dance

St Bens has a father/daughter dance each year. Peri and Chris went this year. So cute. They got each other a corsage and boutineer. Then off to the HS lunch room for snacks and dancing. Appears C's date got a little crazy towards the end of the night.

Car Show

Chris and I are nuts for the car show. Now the kids are two. As much as I dislike American cars (is that unAmerican?), I have to admit we spent a lot of time in the Chevy section. Tons of interactive stuff for the kids.

Not sure who these two orphans are...

Tadpole

Peri's interpretation of "get ready for swim class":

Thistle

N: "Mom, how do you spell thisle?"
H: "t-h-i-s-t-l-e"
N: "Hmmm. How do you spell thistle?"
H: "I just told you."
N: "No, I mean like "this will be the last day of school"."
H: "Uh...."

Call me

Peri and Nick have been requesting songs in the car lately. "Call me maybe" was Peri's request a few weeks back. Really? We don't listen to pop stations in the car, so still trying to figure out how she knows that song...Anyway, found it and found her lyrics kinda interesting...

"Here's a dollar, so call me maybe..."

Uh, ok?

Happy New Year!

Why three year olds don't make New Year's resolutions:

Heather: "Let's make New Year's resolutions."
Nick: "I want to eat at McDonald's."
Heather: "How about I will only eat McDonald's once a month?"
Nick: "How about I will not eat sugar for a year?"
Heather: "Wow. I like that one. But I think no McD's for a month is more attainable. How about you P?"
Peri: "I want to eat at McDonald's"
Heather: "You have to pick something to work towards like 'McD's once a month.'"
Peri: "I will eat McDonald's"