Happy Anniversary to Us!

Okay, so it has literally taken me all week to get these pictures up...I guess we've been busy, I mean everyday life with my children is pretty darn busy, but still! Anyway, we had a super great day, it was very low key and we spent all day with our kiddos which was kinda sweet. I even got Leo to look at our wedding album with me and he was really into it! Very cute!

Usually, we sort of go with the "traditional" gifts for that year and this year (7) it was copper. Well, copper is kinda hard! We do really need new pots and pans so we considered getting copper bottom pots, but neither of us really wanted copper bottom pots so we went back to the drawing board! We seriously, and I do mean seriously, needed a new mattress, so we decided that since the one we picked out had copper colored embellishments on it, we'd go with that! So far so good, but I'm still getting used to it. Regardless, it's leaps and bounds ahead of the other disaster that we thankfully had hauled away!
We took the kids to First Watch for brunch, a place they are always happy to eat! Blueberry pancakes anyone?!

Since it was still early and we didn't want to go home, we hit the Barnes and Noble and read books and played trains for a good hour. When the rest of the mall opened we of course headed to ...

the carousel! With Daddy along, they hit the teacups, I sat out.

here they are in action!

Leo driving the sports cars around the play area

while Sophia kept the bridge area troll free

For lunch, we hit Ben and Jerry's...I mean really who are we kidding, we'd eat ice cream for lunch any time, but it was our anniversary!

After B&J we headed home to take naps and then we hit the park...

Sophia basically just hangs off the monkey bars without really trying to go forward, it used to be cute, now it's just annoying b/c she won't even try!!!

We share our anniversary with Grandma B's birthday and this is the first one since we lost her last April. So, we asked Sue to join us for a celebratory dinner at one of Grandma's favorite places, The Olive Garden!

happy to be together!

Okay, so here's where it gets weird...as we were walking in to the restaurant, this lovely lady pictured above welcomed us in...now this wouldn't be weird in and of itself except for the fact that Jo used to work in Grandma's nursing home and we chatted with her quite often. My kids loved her and Grandma loved her, and also called upon her to help her out many times. We had no idea she worked there and although we had thrown out different ideas of where to eat that night, we knew we had made the right choice when we saw her welcome us. She even set the table for us and left an empty seat for Grandma.

Dessert time! Charlie and I shared a chocolate cake, which was Grandma's favorite and the flavor of our wedding cake, so it was truly divine

I couldn't resist this shot from the parking lot, they just look so cute and happy! :)

Sophia helping me hold my flowers, a gift from Sue

our little monkeys, although just a glimmer on that wonderful day 7 years ago, are a blessing every day since then, well I mean at least mostly when they aren't clogging sinks, throwing tantrums or hitting each other

A Visit to the Reptile

Mooooom, put the money in already!

a little blurry from her fast riding!

peek-a-boo!

This picture cracks me up! At least Juan is cheesing!

We utilized the day off school to meet our friends Juan and Andres in Brookside (about 1/2 way between our two homes) at a super cool bookstore called The Reading Reptile. I hadn't been there since my teaching years and hadn't even taken my kids, so it was a perfect opportunity. The place is super cute and locally run and has lots to do besides read! In fact, I didn't seem to capture any actual reading taking place in any of my snapshots! All the kids loved the pretend play area and a dime store pony that really only cost a dime to ride! We did manage to read some books though and I even came away with a fabulous book on how to count to ten in Greek! Fun!

Park Day

so excited, they went running down the hill
here, Geese!

needed a break

they came by the gaggle when they saw food being distributed

playground time!

Sunday was too nice of a day to stay inside after naps, so we hit the playground. This is one of our bigger parks with lots to do and we played until the sun went down!

Play Date for Leo

working on puzzles
everyone loves watercolors!


I think I've mentioned before that Leo doesn't have many friends of his own yet. I know that's pretty normal, but I'm working on it! ;) Anyway, his friend Alexander came over for a playdate recently and it's always so great b/c I don't have to worry much about them. They have the usual 2 year-old issues, but for the most part they play together incredibly well. I'm so thankful that we have them!



After Alexander and AJ left, we headed outside b/c it was just too nice not too! Hard to believe that on Monday we were making snowmen and by Friday we were playing outside without our coats! Typical midwest weather at your service! Here are the highlights of our morning.

Roy Orbison and his dame take off down the street

child abuse or creative parenting?

here she loves the baby...

...and here she's stuffing her in trunk....

...then she sits on her and rides away?!

oh dear...we're really going to have to have a talk now. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Happy Valentine's Day!

On Monday the kids had their Valentine's parties at school. We rushed right home to dig into the bags and find the candy...er, I mean read our valentines!


On Tuesday we had a love filled day for sure! Charlie snuck out early and returned home with some delicious donuts (yes, we do have an unnatural love for donuts in this house!) and flowers for Sophia. My flowers arrived later and they are so pretty! I keep mine on the kitchen table and Sophia keeps hers next to her bed, so sweet!

we stopped by Bama's and exchanged Valentine's with her

After stopping by Dean and Deluca's to pick up a yummy lunch for daddy and a few fun treats for Julie and me, we headed to make cookies with Luca.

here's Francesca looking happy in red!

as part of our Valentine's to the kids they got new sunglasses...stylish!

Daddy also got the kids their own heart shaped box of candy

heart shaped pizzas for dinner...yum!

under candlelight of course! The kids got a kick out eating with the lights out and the candles lit...it was very romantic...or not, but still cute! ;)