Blackberry Farm Pioneer Village

This weekend was so much fun and so busy -

Saturday Ethan and I went to Grandma and Grandpa's house near Peoria to visit with Rhonda and Chelsey. Ethan had a blast and actually slept a full night (I know!). I was so surprised to look at the clock and the time was 7:05 am Sunday morning! Grandpa made pancakes, eggs, and sausage for breakfast, it was awesome! Ethan ate great and played so hard, he had so much fun with Chelsey. Sammy (dog), Chelsey, Ethan, and Grandpa played in the backyard, they colored, and played with Chelsey's Play-dough.

Sunday we made our way back home - boo hoo. Ethan is quite the travel companion - he talks the whole time, and sings along with me. Ethan also likes to yell at people on the road - hmmm, wonder where he got that from?

Monday we went to Blackberry Pioneer Farm, which is in our park district. It is small, but it's really fun. Larry had the day off, and it was the first, in a while that we all spent it together. Ethan and Dad rode the carousel, and he did well, til he thought I was being left behind. As we toured the museum and read the historic facts, Ethan was patient, and seemed genuinely interested.

Memorial Weekend

Congratulations, Kate and Tyler - baby #3

Leeya Katherine Tolman, 8.4 lbs, 21 in - today.

Happy Birthday Leeya, we are so happy you are finally here.

1 1/2 going on 35 -

These kind of pictures always humor me ~

We got in the car, and Ethan had his sunglasses on, but he wanted the invoice next to him, so he, of course, pulled down his shades to read better.

And as soon as we got to Larry's office, Ethan immediately went to work. He climbed up in the chair, picked up the phone, starting chattering away and put his hand on the mouse.

Happy Mother's Day (to me),

Love, Mom (Nancy)

This is typcal weather, here in Illinois. I took this picture on my way home from work earlier this week. Notice the front is bright and sunny, slightly raining. Notice the rear-view mirror, dark and almost tornado-esque.

This is pretty cool - try the Color Test

Oh, that's friggin' nice, my baby sister FINALLY gets on the blog-wagon and blocks everyone... hell-l-l-l-oooo-o-o-o-o! As punishment, I will now post a picture she may find embarrassing, but her kids would probably love!

Alright, it's probably not embarrassing, but it's the only one I could find, apparently Tasha is very good at escaping the flash, but it does remind me of the little one I grew up with.

This is something I forgot about, but wanted to share really quickly.
When we were young, Mom used to 'make' us tickler her hand in church. I hated it, but I guess I was the best one (I think everyone else purposely did a bad job just so Mom would not ask them again). It was such a chore.
I guess I should be grateful because Ethan never sits still, but he loves his hand to be tickled. Even when he was an infant he would stretch his fingers out for me to tickle them, and he would move his hand around.
Ethan has been going through an attachment phase, and has been very clingy and needy of me. I have been laying down with him at night and he thrusts his hand in my face for me to tickle it. It just makes me chuckle.

Thanks, Mom!

Happy Mother's Day!

I almost forgot - Happy Mother's Day to all the sister mother's, I know, and especially to the best Mom I know: Mom
My relationship with my mother has really come full circle in the last couple of years, and I have been so fortunate to have many memorable and sentimental conversations with her. Often times, late at night, I will see mom on IM and send her a note. We will chat for a bit. On such an occasion, Mom remembered a story. I guess when I was very young and Dad traveled a lot, all the kids would be in bed and off to the land of nod by 9 or 9:30 (starting with Tami at the earliest of course). I would sneak down stairs and Mom would pop popcorn, and we would watch old Carey Grant movies and snuggle up together under a blanket. I don't remember these experiences at all, but I do love Carey Grant movies, and I do stay up late. Some behaviors are learned and not genetic. This I definitely got from Mom - being a night owl. In turn, Ethan has inherited it from me... crap. Turn about is fair play? Or something like that? There are many other stories, and other memories mom has shared with me, but this one is my favorite, because it is just ours.

Morchella esculenta

I love mushrooms: portobello, button, shitake, morel... the great thing about the Morel mushrooms (specifically the yellow morel), is that they grow in abudance here, in southern Illinois. Thankfully, my in-laws have the market cornered. Mom Johnson came up for Mother's Day and brought some of these tasty moresels for me courtesy Dad Johnson!!!! I love them! John goes with some friends and picks them for hours, there's a price to pay because he gets scratched from the bushes and branches, but it is sooo worth it. You do have to be careful though, because there are poisonous species that look very simlar. Larry hates vegetables period, but Ethan loves mushrooms too (so far, anyway), so I am trying various recipes.

Happy Mother's Day -

I know all you mom's will appreciate this, but this being the first where I got a card personalized, is an epoch.

This is ironic.

The funny thing is - I never eat breakfast (routinely) and haven't in years...

You Are Cheerios

Like other Cheerios eaters, you want to be a responsible adult. But you can't help but still be a kid at heart! You try to make good decisions. You're a clean cut, conscientious person. You're the type of person who would never skip breakfast. Part of you thinks that breakfast is too important to miss... But a bigger part of you knows it's too fun to miss!

What Kind of Cereal Are You?

Do you ever think our children get sick of us taking pictures?