Congratulations, Piwo!

Piwo's graduation celebration was sort of a two-parter... it's well-deserved because it's been quite a year for all of us.

Our very close friend, Greg Piwowarski (affectionately known as Peevo) graduated from Northwestern University on June 21st. We all met up after the Cubs game on Saturday and commencement at Murphy's Bleachers in Wrigley-ville, I love the City! It was the first time in a long time that Piwo was actually able to relax!

Yesterday, our newlywed friends, Michelle & Joel Riley hosted Piwo's graduation party in their awesome new home! Thanks, Riley's! You are SO generous! We missed the friends who couldn't make it, but we had a lot of fun too. We continue to build and strengthen our friendships and memories. Thanks, y'all!

Tag:

What I was doing 20 years ago 1988:
1. Sophmore at OHS, in the shadow of my smart sister, Tami (her Sr year)
2. Working at Prestwich Farms
3. Rebelling - that was pretty much full time
What I was doing 10 years ago 1998:
1. I finally badgered Larry into admitting he loved me
2. Spent a lot of time being reckless and irresbonsible (isn't that what your 20's are for?)
3. Working 3 or 4 jobs
What I was doing 5 years ago 2003:
1. Spent the year going crazy because I was 30!
2. My sister, brother-in-law, and youngest brother (notice, Tyler, I did not say 'baby') came to Chicago to suprise me for my birthday
3. We were living in downtown Chicago and having so much fun
What I was doing one year ago 2007:
1. Driving Larry and everyone else crazy from the hormones that comes with pregnancy - yes, they were the hormones!
2. Starting at Washington Mutual (aka the Titanic nowadays)
3. Giving birth
What I've been doing so far this year:
1. Enjoying every day being a Mom
2. Reconnecting with long lost and old friends
3. Enjoying my relationship with my mother
What I was doing today (I think it would be easier, what am I NOT doing):
1. Laundry
2. Ethan's haircut
3. Millions of errands
What I'm doing tomorrow:
1. Laundry
2. Piwo's graduation party (I'll post pictures - fun, fun, fun)
3. Getting ready for Monday - blech.

Thanks, Steph! Now I tag Brenda Tobler, Caleen Christensen, and Kate Tolman

So, Sunday, we went to Naper Days (3 day festival) in Naperville, at the historic Naperville Settlement. It had rained earlier that morning, so we were just going to go for a couple of hours. We had fun, the festival had the usual fair - food, crafts, rides, petting zoo, bands, etc... We walked around the settlement with the old stores and window fronts, and forts, even a school house.

Petting zoo...

Ethan is watching the baby calf hence the "moo" and ear action.

Hmmmm loves fries, wonder where he got that?

Larry saw this at NaperFest in the toddler pen - there is seriously something wrong with this...

Zoo Day!

Saturday, we took Ethan to the Brookfield Zoo where we have a season pass. Now, as you may know, I am not a big fan of the zoo, but Ethan loves it so... I mean, he's been going since he was in utero. Ew.

At Sting Ray Bay (exhibit within the zoo) Ethan was oo-ing at the sting rays and especially the larger ones, he did not want to touch anything but he would scold the children - and adults - who were putting their hands in the water.

I forgot his canopy so I ended up buying him a pair of sunglasses while there, he wore them as he does. Of course, people commented that they couldn't believe a child his age would actually wear sunglasses.

Animated, where does he get that?

Lately, Ethan is very much into Blue's Clues. He freaks out when Larry tries to change the channel and he gets excited when the mail song comes on, he stands up and sings and dances along.
Here he is at the beginning when Steve is announcing a game of Blue's Clues and Ethan is acting right along - it's a very short clip.

Ha Ha

This is very funny to me, and I'm sure to those of you who have a "handy man" at home... whom you live with, and "helps" you, and "fixes" stuff...

We saw this driving around town on Sunday:

Happy Father's Day

First, Happy Father's Day to my Dad...

Thanks, Dad for working so hard and being a provider. Thank you for teaching me the invaluable lesson of hard work and earning a dollar. Thank you for teaching me to trust in myself and being accountable. It is true what they say "you don't appreciate things until they're gone", or more like, until you are in that position (meaning, a parent). I am grateful for the things I have learned from my Dad. I love yah.

Happy Father's Day to John...

Thank you for always being unconditional and caring. Thank you for always thinking of us, and always being sincerely concerned for our well-being.

Happy Father's Day to my brother's (and in-laws)...

I am always impressed and frankly, surprised, with the excellent father's you have become. Thank you all for being who you are - in your weird ways - just kidding. But really, not. No, I am.

Happy Father's Day, Larry...

Thank you for being such a devoted father to Ethan. Thank you for putting your family first. Thanks for always making sure Ethan has everything he needs and for telling him 'no' - we all know I can't =). Thanks for being more of a father to Ethan than I ever hoped you would be and for just loving him so much.

Uh-Oh, Ethan.

So, I came in after going to the grocery store, but I had Ethan with me. As soon as I walked in - bags still in hand - he says "look at the TV, just take a good look at the TV". I walked in but didn't really notice anything weird, until he changed the channel where the bottom of the screen was a very light blue.... and there it was, it appeared ... orange crayon scribbled very intentionally and sufficiently all over the bottom of the screen covering about 4 inches in height. Fortunately, for Larry, I always buy washable. It came right off.

Congratulations, Graduate!

This is our little cousin, Kailee Smith. She just graduated from Kindergarten. Kailee's dad is our first cousin, Rusty. Rusty is the youngest son of my Mom's youngest sister, Linda. Kailee's Mom and Rusty's wife, is Meagan. Unfortunately, we don't get to see them often and we are just now starting to get to know them. We are very fortunate to have family like them.

Merry Milk Days, Harvard

Every year Harvard, IL has Milk Days. Harvard is a small town, but largely a dairy community. Milk Days is a very big deal, they have cattle shows, a parade, a breakfast, a run, a carnival and parties - it's all weekend and they even paint the main street white. In the middle of town, they have Hermelda (spelling?) the town mascot.

My very great friend, Debbie, is from Harvard and grew up on a dairy farm. Holbrich Holsteins. Debbie's family is awesome, they have been like a second family to me through the years. But Debbie and Larry knew each other first - at ISU (Illinois State Univ). I have been fortunate to join Debbie during such events.

This year we took Ethan to see the parade - he wasn't too big on it, but he did really enjoy the marching bands, and the best part were the fire trucks and paramedics. He waved to the firemen, and fire dogs, and wailed along with the sirens. After that, he sort of lost interest.

We were also joined by some other of Debbie's "city" friends, of whom I've also had the pleasure in getting to know over the last few years: Sheri, Kevin and Lilliana Albrecht and their friend Joe.

Please, keep in mind, I am a first-time mother when reading the following:

Yesterday the babysitter called saying Ethan may have dislocated his shoulder, he was napping, but he was favoring it and not using it at all. She said it was tender and he whined and cried whenever he bumped it against something.
Of course, I sprang into action. Larry was also heading home at the time, so he was able to arrive at the sitter's house and pick Ethan up. I wasn't sure what to think since we weren't there. I remember this had happened to me as a child.
I called the pediatrician and as it turns out, it's pretty common - the ailment is Nurse Maid's elbow. I guess the tendon is pulled or jerked out (like pulling kids up by their arms or out of a car, or up off of the ground, you get the picture), but can be manipulated back in. Which, is what happened in about 10 minutes, all better. Interesting.
Thankfully, Larry works for the state and has kick-a$$ insurance. I think Ethan has been to the doctor's office at least 9 times in 20 months, and this does not include the check-up's occuring every two to three months.