Breakfast With Santa

Notice there is someone absent in each of these photos?

No Santa for us, thank you. Lots Christmas fun was had none the less!

Party! Party!

Thank goodness for Christopher Columbus....

It was "big" Ellen's birthday so we all (Mike, Seamus, Sue, Ellen, Stephanie and 12 kids) had lunch and birthday cake at Sue's. Finn came to this party in morning, went to his friend Thomas's party and returned for another round at Sue's.

We went home, put the Fuzz to bed and were inspired to make a scarecrow with our neighbors.

Mom's bottom and Dad's top make a nice combo, don't they?

Ended the day with a Giles/McNeela/Murray pizza party and a few rousing games of Kick the Can, Cops and Robbers and football.

And now everyone is fast asleep.

Afton's Visit

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Miss Livy Comes to LaGrange Park

We survived our two days with four kids under six years of age. Sam and Meg took a 30th birthday trip to Napa and between the grandmas and aunts and uncles, Livy stayed in Chicago for a whirlwind stay with her cousins.

Truthfully, I was never really worried about Livy. She is so sweet and fun to play with. It was Saoirse I was worried about. And I was right...

The Fuzz was well aware that all eyes were no longer on her and she took full advantage to practice her naughty ways, running away, rolling in the dirt and giving Livy a few loving tackles when no one was looking.
Overall, Uncle Bobo and I were pretty exhausted, but everyone slept well, had fun and sustained no injuries as far as we could tell. I am pretty sure that Olivia wants to move to the suburbs now...and Finn cried this morning when she had to go. Come back any time, Liv!

Treats!

Uncle Sam is in New Jersey for work and Dad went to the Hawks

game so Aunt Meg and Liv came for dinner.

Aunt Meg brought the goodies!

Cupcakes!

Chocolate Covered Pretzels with Jimmies!

Green Icing!

.....And our newly ONE YEAR OLD Olivia!

Flubber!

We're on Spring Break this week (even if Spring doesn't show up). We were quite excited to have B over for a whole day. We made Flubber at the recommendation of Gina Rennpage Gabel. BIg Fun!

Mix warm water, glue, food coloring and Borax...

and voila! Flubber!

It bounces, isn't slimy despite all of the glue and is super fun to play with.

Saoirse did not agree with this review.

Happy Birthday Uncle Sam

Uncle Sam turned the BIg 3-0 this week. Uncle Sam is not featured in these photos, but here we are enjoying his cake!

Halloween Festivities

A monkey (in a costume that has been recycled at least three times --- maybe more).

A super sweet (and feminine) shark.

A fireman (Chicago's finest).

And a police officer.

A bat (wearing the very same homemade-by-his Grandma costume that his Dad wore when he was 5 years-old).

Little Red Riding Hood.

And a wee little lioness.

The Big Cousin

She'll probably never let her be Daphne when they play Scooby Doo....

Sleep Over City

Too much sleepover....

Ellie and B were great!  But the current Mason sleep over was poorly scheduled on my behalf.  Mike is in Galena and I am not in the mood.  

Anyway, below are sweetly sleeping cousins and one cousin who was not invited to the sleep over.  She enjoyed bouncing on the aerobed none the less.

Olivia's Baptism

Special Day for Olivia.  She looked just beautiful!

Early morning bubble blowing,

then some went to school, some went to Cormac and Ronan's house.

A trip to the dentist followed.  Finn has a discolored front tooth.  Turns out to be bruised, which is no big deal.  Got his teeth cleaned and obtained forms for Kindergarten.  

Little Brother observed said process.

Followed by some road building with B and a swim lesson (not pictured).

The day ended when Melissa the babysitter came and put three very tired children to bed while Mama and Dad went out for their last dinner in the neighborhood (sniff, sniff). 

 It was very tasty.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

It was 92 degrees today!  We went swimming at Aunt Cate's....twice.  We went in the morning and then invited ourselves back again in the afternoon because we could not bare the thought of going to the park (or staying in the boxed up house.)

Some of us liked the pool more than others.

Lou preferred to snack.  Too much excitement going on in the pool, as you can see.

In other news, we tried to deprive Seamie of his nap in order to have a better bedtime hour.  I only let him sleep for 45 minutes today.  At this moment he is still up to his old ways -- running out of the room and jumping on sleeping siblings.  Sigh... 

Babysitting Olivia (age 7 weeks)

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