Catching up

Sorry it's been a while. I'll try to catch up with a few things. Nothing too exciting - just everyday stuff. Well, actually we did have an earthquake a couple of weeks ago. No, it wasn't the wind, the construction outside, a storm, or a tornado (our husbands did try to convince us more instinctive women that it was any one of these things). It was a real live earthquake. Everything was fine with us. My sister lives almost right at the epicenter so she had some damage at her house but nothing too too serious.

So the sun did decide to shine again and we were THRILLED to say the least! We've been spending the few nice days we've had off and on outside in the cul-de-sac playing and chatting with our way cool neighbors. It's so so nice to just walk outside and have instant friends to hang out with (for us and the boys!). I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but we just feel so blessed to have moved into such a great neighborhood - all of our neighbors are so nice and fun. Did I mention there are 20 kids on our street? And at least one more moving in a few months from now. These pictures are from a day that we decided to walk to the park (another perk for us in the neighborhood). Elliott keeps reminding Brian that he promised to teach him to ride without training wheels this summer, so stay tuned for that.

After the pool incident with Ethan this winter I decided the boys had to take swim lessons before our pool opened, so here's the little guy himself. He only acted scared the first 1/2 of the first lesson and then all was good (especially after he got to go down the waterslide at the end of the lesson). I think his teacher and other classmates for sure would agree that he does not need any extra instruction in kicking. The other kids just automatically turn their heads now when it's his turn to swim - think they've been splashed one too many times?

A couple of weekends ago we got to meet up with the Maeders! They were in town for a Supercross race - Dylan's passion! Their boys are super sweet - Ryan even let me hold him for a while. Brian and Chris are good friends from Orlando, and Chris happened to marry Kristen, who's from Indiana so hopefully we'll get to see them more since we've moved closer. We used to hang out together in Orlando before anyone had kids - I just kept thinking it was so strange for the four of us to be pushing a stroller around and chasing little boys now. And here's my latest adventure.....Amber is moving to Champaign so I got to go house hunting with her last weekend and we found this cute house (as well as many others!). Hopefully all goes well and we'll be moving her into this very house very soon!

Chicago

My neighbors invited me along for a girls' weekend in Chicago this past weekend and it was so much fun!! We went to see Wicked - yes, I finally saw it, and yes, I understood it even though I've never seen The Wizard of Oz. Our hotel was really cute and the shopping did not disappoint us! We even finally found a Chicago hot dog, and it was worth the 2 hour search. I love that these girls are my neighbors - they are so sweet and it was so fun to get away with them and laugh all weekend!