Birthday Fun

Testing out his new birthday toy: playdoh pizza shop

Mamma Mia! It's a pizza!

Danny asked for Hungry Little Caterpillar.

Danny wished for "God" when asked what his birthday wish was.

A snuggly month of reading with grandparents

Another Jolly Christmas

Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa's

Christmas Day at Gigi and Papa's

Story time at Uncle Roger's

It's been a season of baking!

Not packing snow, but fun enough...

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

Ryan and Danny didn't seem to notice it was freezing outside, as they wanted to explore the entire tree farm.

Danny liked posing by each small tree.

Found it!

This was the first Christmas that the boys helped hang ornaments on the tree. They did a really nice job. The only broken ornament was a Packers ornament and it was Anthony who dropped it. Hmm. A little bit too ironic? (*Historical note: Packers are 13-0 at time of publication.)

Gingerbread Houses

While mommy and daddy were gone at youth group, the boys got the royal treatment with Grandma and Grandpa: getting to make their very own gingerbread houses. The end products look lovely and the proud smiles of the decorators even more lovely.

Thanksgiving

cousin craft time

Indian play

Santa Claus Parade

Yule Like Peoria Christmas walk where we stopped into a bank to see Santa

We hadn't prepped the boys on how you tell Santa what you'd like for Christmas
so when he asked they both agreed they wanted a "Christmas tree toy."

Ice sculpture was melting rapidly in the 60 degree evening! Not complaining about that -lovely weather!

What time of day does your family parade around the house dancing to Trans-Siberean Orchestra?

We prefer between the hours of 6-7am.

Trick or Treat

handmade by Grandma Jean when Daddy was a toddler!

4 years in a row he got our pumpkins and chomped away.

Carving Time

Zoom in on Danny's tough guy face!

This just in...

PINK is joining our family!

Eggplants

Eggplant Timeline -Early May: While shopping at the greenhouse for our vegetable garden, Ryan decides that he would love to buy an eggplant seedling.
Late May: Rabbits have eaten the first eggplant seedling, so we go back to the greenhouse to try again.
June: Eggplant seedling again gets eaten but we see that there is a tiny remnant left in the ground and just hope for the best.
Entire summer: Ryan devoutly waters his eggplant and prays for the intercession of St. Isidore (patron of farmers) to watch over his plant.
Late summer/early fall: We wait. And wait some more. And get excited with each inch it grows.
September: Buds and tiny eggplants!
October: see below

Requesting that I make eggplant parmesan for dinner.

"I don't know big bro. You think this is really going to be tasty?"

follow up: The eggplant parmesan got thumbs up from both boys. They each had two helpings. (No one is surprised at this, right?)
Ryan said with much satisfaction, "I waited all summer for this meal. I want to have it for every dinner."

Brookfield Zoo with Grandma & Grandpa