Chicago Vacation

*warning...long post ahead*
Waiting in Rensselear for the Amtrak that we took to chicago. Love this picture...just wish little Liam was in it as well.

Boys were super excited to ride the train. However it would happen on the day we take the train that 4 rail cars derailed at Union Station in Chicago putting us 2 hours behind our arrival time. It was well past lunch and the boys were TIRED of the train ride by the time we actually got off the train. Can you see how the excitment they had soon turned to misery!!

The boys even got to experience first time a cab ride. It was Elijah, Caden and his booster seat, Liam in his car seat and I all in the back of the cab. Let me tell you...this driver was CRAZY!! No time to buckle up kids or get them sitting correctly in the seat. I mean, Liam was at an angle with part of his seat on my leg. And this driver honked at everyone and anyone who got in his way. Even went around someone to get thru an orange light (yep, I said orange because it was just about red), but we made it thru and alive:). Fun times!

We went to the lego store and the boys each had 20$ from us to pick themselves out a lego toy. Elijah picked out a garbage truck and Caden picked out a back-ho type of truck. They love playing with lego's and thought it was so cool to see this city and dinosour(behind them in the picture) all built out of lego's.

It was extremely cold but we walked to Navy Pier to check it out and had some fun at these "fun mirrors". (pictures below)

Navy Pier in the wind and rain!! Was pretty none the less.

I laughed and laughed at all the different ways the boys ended up looking. To funny.

Take note to little Liam sticking his legs out at the bottom of nick's coat and then his head way up at the top of Nick's coat.

Nice legs there Caden!! Such talent you have.

Elijah took this picture of us. He did a pretty good job getting it centered and the beautiful buildings in the back.

We went to the Children's Museum one day as well and the kids had a great time. On Thursday nights from 5-8pm its Family Free Night, so it was great because we didn't have to pay a penny to have fun.

Liam even getting in on the water fun.

Elijah crawled in here and said "I have been eaten by a dinosour". Pretty funny at the time.

Eating at Bubba Gump Shrimp. Very good food and fun to eat someplace we have never eaten before. Boys enjoyed the good ol' cheese burger. (as always)

Liam even enjoyed his good ol' baby jar food at Bubba Gump Shrimp.

Waiting patiently for the Dolphin show at the Shedd Aquarium

Checking out the many fish and sharks at the aquarium. Lots to see...we were there about 4 hours.

Just had to walk to see the bean. Boys thought it was pretty cool. We tried to get a picture of our family by taking it ourselves (to use as a christmas card picture), but we couldn't get it to make us look our normal heights. We ended up looking like tiny people. Oh well.
We even rented a car the last day and drove up to Gurnee to visit my sister Joy and her family. It was nice spending the day with them.

We really had an awesome time on our mini vacation to Chicago. However we were really ready to come home....I am not one to vacation with an infant. We could have had better weather and not rain the entire time, but we endured the sprinkles and were thankful it never down poured on us.

New experiences

Yesterday I had one of the most crankiest children I think Ive ever had. I mean, can the boy cry any more?? I know he has an ear infection and I guess Id have thought it was gone...he has been on amox. for 10 days now, but then again I should know that from past experiences that amox. does not work for my kids. Its just not strong enough. I was to my wits end when I discovered what I believe to be the real culprit of his crying mood. A little toothy is popping thru his gums!! Poor little boy. Can you imagine the pain that would be to have a tooth pop thru your gums?? I now understood his reasoning and felt so sorry for the boy. Back onto tylenol he went and lots and lots of hugs and kisses he got. I even told him that I wish it was me that had to endure the pain...it really has got to be painful. I can now feel it with my finger so I know the pain is nearly over. I tried to get a picture of it, but its not the greatest quality. Its on the bottom right.

On to another great thing for the day.... yesterday morning Elijah and I went out to meet the bus at 7:30am. Much to our surprise there is this dirty, wet, smelly, skinny dog at our door step. Now some of you know I am NOT a dog fan and personally would never own a dog in my life if I didn't have three boys who are dying for a dog:). Elijah hops on the bus and I decide I better check its neck for a collar. Nope...nothing. Its so cold out I start to feel sorry for the dog. I start up to the attic to get an old towel and realize...wait a minute...I do not want this dog around, why would I try to make it comfortable out in the cold?? So I turned around, went and washed (scrubbed) my hands, and feet and removed my sweat pants I was wearing(he jumped up on me) and climbed back into bed hoping this dog would be gone when I got up. Caden and I and crying Liam went about our business and I kept hearing this wimper. I thought...you got to be kidding...that dog never left?? Nope, he was sitting on the front porch in the sun and walking back and forth from door to door wimpering. Thankfully it was a nice day out and sun was shinning, so when Liam went down for a nap, Caden and I went outside. Caden played for nearly 2 hours and that dog followed him around everywhere he went. I told Caden not to touch that dog, as we didn't know if it was sick or what and Caden never touched it. I was out watching him in the front yard. Around 3pm my friend from TN was home for the weekend and surprised me with a visit. I showed her the dog and she said...wow, thats a nice dog. Its a yorky. Those are expensive house dogs. She was kind enough to take him home, give him a bath and clip out the burrs in his hair. She brought him back and the boys are just thrilled they get to touch him now. I didn't know a dog could actually keep boys busy for so long!! They have played with him non-stop and we put him in our garage last night with a bowl of food, water and a towel in a box for a bed. On several occasions this dog has attempted to come indoors. Im sure its so lost as to what to do outside. I feel sorry for it belive it or not. We are letting the boys play with it today and we plan to drive around tomorrow and see if anyone has lost a dog. If not, home it comes with us again until further notice.
Caden has named this dog Fluffy Face and Elijah has named him Shaggy. Here they are giving the dog a wagon ride. :) Do you think he has ever had a wagon ride before....I doubt it:)

Now can you see how easily it was for me to fall head over heals in love with this little guy?? To bad its not an outside dog and to bad its not ours:)

Before and After

I have begun doing a few rooms. Paint was on sale a couple weeks ago and we were able to get 5 gallons of paint. Of course I have a few more rooms to do, but we must wait for the next paint sale. Here are a few before's and after's of the rooms I've done thus far.



Nick's Bathroom off Laundry Room After (sorry no before picture...but it was a maroon color). This really brightened it up. Hard to tell but the color isn't just blue...its actually a gray blue. Oh and the GOLD fixtures in this bathroom are NO MORE:)

Elijah and Caden's Room Before

Elijah and Caden's Room After (two walls everlasting blue and two walls guacamole green)

Help Please!!

Ok all you girls out there that are so creative and know what colors should go with what....I NEED YOUR HELP!!!
Im hoping at least one of these pictures does it justice because I just don't know if I like this. Please give me some suggestions. Thanks.

I just finished painting the guest room. Ive done alot to it and maybe ive done to much and maybe ive done to many colors.

Here is what ive done thus far....

Spray painted the bed and side table black.

Bought a new brown comforter

Bought this awesome orange pillow which I love

Then I took this pillow to Menards and they matched paint so that is the color on the wall with the bed. Then I got a gray blue(it really is more gray than blue, but when put up against the orange it looks more blue than gray) and now I just don't know if I like the walls. I love the orange wall, but not sure about the other three. Is it to much color with brown, black, orange and grayish blue?? Should I paint the other three walls a different color...like a tan or some off white or leave it?? Opinions would be much appreciated.

I'd say

Last night I was going to put Liam to bed, but he just didn't seem tired yet. Instead I layed him on the floor and layed down infront of him to just watch him play. He was such a happy boy for about 20 minutes which is great considering he has been so fussy anytime you put him down. (found out at his appt. on tuesday that he has a major ear infection in one ear and lots of fluid in the other...poor boy). Sure does explain why for the past 3 weeks he has been crying so much. Opps....I know...bad mom!!

I'd say....he has started to crawl just a bit!!!(or at least he is very close)

Airport??

The other day I was minding my own business and grilling dinner out back when I heard my uncle's plane fly overhead. Ive heard it a million times before so I know what it sounds like....and so I ran inside to grab the boys because I know they would love to wave at him and see him flying over "their" house. We are all outside and we hear the plane getting closer and closer and the boys are so excited. Thats when Elijah say's "mom, look its right there"!! We turn our heads and this is what we saw....








Now mind you we do not have an air strip next to our house:)...but instead they had just harvested the beans that day in the field beside our house and this is where my uncle put his plane down...amazing that he can just about land anywhere.

Of course the boys are about jumping out of their skin....and of course my uncle is so kind to let the boys(including nick...because he is just as excited) have a ride. This is Caden's first time in a plane EVER. Here are some pictures from the rest of the experience and a video at the end. They loved it and hope they get another ride sometime soon!!