Getting ready for Vacation!

Oh my Goodness!  We are actually going on a family vacation!  Chicago, here we come.  We are all flying to Chicago to visit my girlfriend Trish that moved away and abandoned me 2 years ago.  God bless everyone that has helped us make this happen, from airplane ticket assistance to borrowing warm clothes for the baby(thank you Jamie V) to cheap accommodations to the great ideas for places to see.  The family has been a tremendous help since most everyone used to live there.  And we will get to visit Tom and Marcia while we are there!

Evan and Austin are spectacular.  Evan is roaming around the world under his own power and Austin had a great report from his teacher at the conference.  We are really encouraged that he is going to be an amazing student.  His DIBELS are off the chart for his age.  

Darryl is currently preparing the yard for winter grass.  Unfortunately he cannot plant the seeds until we get back because it will need constant watering for the first week or so and we will be gone all that time.  So, he is just going to get it all ready and then toss out the seeds when we get back.

I am fretting about the packing.  "Do we have enough warm clothes, suitcases, and energy?"  Traveling with the two kids will be a new experience.  I hope to haul as little as possible.  Maybe Trish will know someone that will let us borrow a pack-n-play so I don't have to bring mine.

OK, here are the pics.  I'll add the vacation slide show when we get back!

Thanks!

Here is your teaser picture

p.s. Aunt Jaime, thank you for the new header, I love it!!

Thanks to the iPhone

I  admit that I haven't done a great job of keeping updates current but not having a camera will contribute to that.  Now that Darryl and I have our iPhones {happy anniversary to us!} I have a lot of pictures.

Where to start!

Evan is a whopping 9 months now.  Well, almost, next Wednesday.  He is now trucking around on all fours.   Boy, I forgot how quick they can be!!

He is eating anything he can get in his mouth and just LOVES the gerber Mac 'n cheese.  If I hold my breath I can feed him without gagging.  I am such a dedicated Mother.

He is a great sleeper, at least 9-10 hours a night and 2-4 hours of naps during the day.  I am so blessed.

We count a total of 6 teeth now, four on the top and 2 on the bottom.  And you can ask Aunt Carrie if he likes to use them on our fingers!

He is perfectly content to spend a time playing in his pack 'n play while I clean or play with Austin or whatever.  But once he is tired or hungry he'll let you know it.

Thanks to a suggestion from Aunt Brianne we got some of the Banana teething crackers and he just thinks they are the greatest!  And they don't make near the mess that those nasty biscuits did.

Austin is 2 months into kindergarten and loves his class.  He is so smart!  He sounds out words all the time and always offers to tell me how many letters are in a word.  And now they start math?!?!  2 + 3 = 5.  And he didn't even use his fingers.  Oh my!

He has started playing soccer on Saturdays.  They warm up and practice drills for about 40 minutes and then have a "game" for 10 to 15 minutes.  He loves it and is cooperating very well.

Darryl and Tio are doing their thing.  I think that Tio is getting a little bored.  He hasn't gotten to "get" anyone in a while.  Sucks when there is no crime ;-P

I am somehow managing to keep myself busy.  Ha ha ha.  We are trying to get all our plans finalized for our trip to Chicago this month.  OH, I am so excited!!  We have never been on a real family vacation before and this one will be great.  We are going to see the Brookfield Zoo, the Shedd Aquarium, Navy Pier, Hancock observation tower and whatever else tickles our fancy.

We're going to stay with my girlfriend Trish that I haven't seen in like a year and I just can't wait! Woo Hoo, Pour me a margarita girl!

OK, so I actually have a ton of pictures that will take too long to upload here so again I put them on Picasa, click here.  But there are a few of my favorites below as teasers...

Oh, also, there is a link on this page to be a "Follower" of my website.  It doesn't mean you have to wear long robes and do what I say, it just will send you an email when I update the Blog.  That way you don't have to waste hours each day hitting refresh so you will be the first to know when I have something to share.  Lucky you!

These two dudes are totally cool!

"I'm ready for my close-up Mr. DeVille"

I told my brother a secret and he promised not to spill it.

Austin McKinney, Power Forward

Fresh from a nap, sleepy face.