Happy Birthday Rebecca!

Well, it is birthday season here! We have done nothing but party since last weekend! Today was the final jewel in the tiara- we had her birthday party complete with a visit from Cinderella! She is a busy lady but she did have time to stop by, paint faces, lead a parade, read a story, pass out some treasure and then leave in her magical carriage for the Mother's Day ball! The girls and boy had a blast as you will see below!

So, like Cinderella, we hope you have a ball on Mother's Day!!

They don't make hills like this in Illinois...

We went to the mountains this weekend because they are there. And as Rebecca says "We ARE Rocky Mountain High!"

We are year round pass holders to Rocky Mountain National Park. It's a lot like Disney World over there. You know for sure that it is going to be beautiful, you know for sure that you will see wildlife, and you know for sure that there will be tourists! It is the only place I have seen a grown man leap from his car directly into oncoming traffic to catch a photo of rutting elk. We were shocked a the elk culling operation that has begun and the number of fences erected in the park.
We were also a little astonished at the "inconvenient truth" of global warming (thanks Al Gore!). It is mid-March and there was very little snow to be found. In fact most of the day we did not wear coats!

Rebecca and Patrick are excited mountaineers. Patrick gestures meaningfully out the window at every stream/lake/river and yells "look Mommy- WATER! See ducks, Mommy?" Rebecca loves to climb any and every rock. She now hikes herself instead of catching a ride. Both kids could throw rocks into a mountain stream all day long. Rebecca throws a little like a girl but Patrick is unafraid to stride waist deep into an icy mountain stream to hurl a boulder twice his weight into the stream. Not to be out-done, Eric throws his weight around creekside too!


We had quite the bucolic picnic by this creek consisting of ham sandwiches, apples, cheetos and milk. Rebecca tells me that this is the very best meal I have ever cooked. Maybe I should study up on some culinary ability.
And with that, I'm ducking out...

Lucky leaping leprachauns!

So you know if our son's name is Patrick that this holiday is special to our family.

Last night we were lucky enough to be visited by a leprachaun. Leprachauns are naughty little creatures who visit the homes of those with Ireland in their hearts. They wreak havoc and play mischevious little tricks. Ours did all kinds of naughty things like switch out Rebecca's play clothes for her "home clothes," dye the milk (and the toilet water) green, hang daddy's p.j.s on the chandelier, and try to cook mommy's flowers. Our leprachaun was so busy playing he left behind his gold.

Everyone knows that leprachauns value their gold more than their lives, so we knew he would return soon to retrieve his prize. Being cunning creatures we are, we set a trap devised of a hand-drawn net and some popsicle sticks!

Alas, he escaped but left behind some gold wrapped candies and a gold coin for each of our leprachauns in training. Maybe we'll have better luck next year!

Besides the nocturnal visit, we are also celebrating Epicurious style with some corned beef and cabbage and Irish soda bread. and at Rebecca's request the kids had some green eggs (no ham) for breakfast!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

(Tune in later in the week for a Spring-style barefeet blog facelift!)

At the carwash baby!

So life is rough out here- we are just enjoying another 70 degree day.

In preparation for Eric's departure we washed and waxed cars. The kids (and Daddy) were really into it!

I did another blog today (It's amazing what a pile of laundry can motivate me to do.... Just keep scrolling!

The tall and the short of it...

I have been keeping a secret from you! In January I cut, make that chopped, my hair. My old hairstyle had been doing me no favors and was long enough to be annoying but had no style... My new hairstyle is trendy and cute, easy to do and I love it!

Also featured in this blog- Rebecca has grown probably six inches in the last few weeks. She now has tibias just as long as femurs and nothing was fitting her. We went on a mini-shopping spree and you will see some of the new get-ups. I cannot believe it- but she is a size 6. Well, in height anyway, adjustable waist bands are a MUST!

Finally, little man still loves his boots- finding occasions to wear them that one wouldn't ordinarily think of- such as with p.j.s! He has some "Sponge Bob" p.j.s he loves- and we've never even watched a single episode of "sponge bob." I think it might be all the cool colors...

And Eric, although not pictured, has been busy working, studying for boards, and getting ready to leave for a week to study under Ponsetti in Iowa City. We actually were lucky enough to have babysitters both nights of the weekend- I can hardly believe all of the great grown-up times I had!

Here's hoping you're lucky enough to get a visit from the leprachauns this Saint Patrick's Day!

We miss Grandpa!

We were lucky enough to have my dad out to visit for last week. Lucky but now we miss him! One of the highlights was taking Grandpa to our favorite swimming hole at the family fun plex. (Or maybe that was the only time I remembered my camera- you be the judge! :)!) The kids really like the "lazy river" but as Grandpa found out it is not so lazy. Patrick stole Rebecca's pink goggles, and the rest is documented here...

We are looking forward to living closer. Dad, Rebecca thinks you'll be taking her to McDonald's every day... Until we see you again, we'll be hiding out in our fort in the Wild Wild West! We miss you!

Happy birthday little man!

Well, our boybarian turned two last week! I cannot believe it!

We were lucky enough to have Grandpa out to visit to celebrate the happy event. Granny sent him as Patrick's birthday present. Well, that and some annoying singing dogs. As you can see, Patrick really enjoyed them though...

We had a seriously good time partying it up. Thanks to everyone who sent gifts and all who thought of him on his special day! We had a little bit of a cowboy theme since we are ending our ride here in the wild west. Between that and Obama passing legislation on limiting gun use, we had to stock up while we could.

I tried to make a big long video of his birthday several times but it keeps crashing my computer. I am seriously in negotiations for a Mac Book but Eric is a huge fan of his new Dell Mini. I thought men were supposed to want things bigger! :) Anyway, enjoy the following little clip...

Wii hope you have a great day!