Trip to Chicago - Paul Konerko Day

Anyone who knows Andy knows how much he loves the White Sox and Paul Konerko.  It is no surprise then that we went to Chicago last weekend for his last two games and Paul Konerko Day.

We started out Saturday at Drew's game.  I took a little video of Drew playing quarterback:

Almost a completion!

After the game, we headed to Chicago.  I dropped Andy and Drew off at the game and then drove downtown with Kayley and Ryan.  We took our stuff to the hotel and met Mel and Sam at Navy Pier for the evening.  The weather was BEAUTIFUL and we had a lot of fun!  The kids enjoyed everything there was to do and Mel and I had a great time catching up.

Waiting for Mel and Sam

Loving the view

Ryan's turn to drive the boats

HUGE ferris wheel!

View from the top of the ferris wheel

Kayley wasn't scared at all

Enjoying our ride

Mel and Sam

Cheese

Happy girl

Sam's first ride

The boys enjoyed the night game and took the train back to the hotel.  They got back pretty late and Drew was wide awake so it took a little while for him to fall asleep.  Poor kid didn't get much sleep because Ryan was up pretty early the next morning.

Kayley and I walked to the American Girl store for shopping and brunch on Sunday.  This was our second time at the American Girl store.  We went in May with Mel, Angela and Amelia.  Kayley had a hard time deciding what she wanted...because she wanted pretty much everything.  But, in the end, she decided not to get anything and wait and tell Santa that she really wants the twins and the twin stroller for Christmas.  :-)

We're back!

Patiently waiting for their brunch.

While Kayley and I were at the American Girl Store, Andy took Drew and Ryan to the Willis Tower.  Andy said Drew wasn't so sure about the glass platform you walk out on.  Ryan, on the other hand, wasn't fazed at all.

Great view of the city

Cheese time again

This picture makes me nervous

A little unsure

All three boys

After our morning adventures, we met back at the hotel and then headed to U.S. Cellular Field for Paul Konerko's last game.  We had a great time at the game and it was nice to be there for his last game.

Chores

Like many kids, Drew and Kayley have to do certain chores around the house.  One of their chores is to make their beds in the morning.  Sounds easy enough.  You'd be surprised.  But, looks like they both found a way around it.  Well played, kids.

Happy Birthday to...Matt??

My birthday was last weekend and Ryan sang happy birthday to me...kind of.  He sang, "Happy birthday to Matt.  Happy birthday to Matt.  Happy birthday to Matt."  We started laughing and told him to sing Happy birthday to Mom.  He started laughing and then sang, "Happy birthday to Matt" some more.  Stinker.  Matt's birthday was a few weeks ago and apparently Ryan hasn't moved past singing happy birthday to him!

We had a busy weekend last week.  Drew had a flag football game last Saturday morning and then I took Drew and Kayley to a fall festival with some friends in the afternoon.  It was crazy busy, but the kids had fun.  It is good the kids had fun because the rides cost a small fortune.

I took all three kids to Tanner's Orchard on Sunday afternoon.  The weather was beautiful and we had a great time.  By the time we left, the line into the store was short (it is usually ridiculous) so we went in and bought apples, a mini pumpkin pie, apple cider donuts and some caramel popcorn.

The kids are busy with school.  Drew is reading chapter books and is reading a new series he really likes so it isn't hard to get him to do his reading, which makes it easy on us!  Kayley is working really hard on reading and math.  She has come a long way with her reading in just the first month of school.  She is also working on writing her letters and numbers.  Her handwriting isn't exactly where her teacher wants it so we need to spend some more time on that.  She has had a pretty good attitude about all the extra time we spend on things, but she has her moments!  I am really proud of how hard she is working though.  Ryan is having fun at daycare and even though he can be handful, his teacher loves him.  He is a little naughtier than the other two ever were at daycare.  One of his notes last week that said he forgot his listening ears and he had ants in his pants.  I am not surprised.

Pour Some Water on Me

Ryan loves water.  And he really loves dumping cold water on himself.  A couple of months ago, Andy started filling up the cup in the bathtub with cold water and pouring a little on him at a time.  He absolutely loves it and screeches with delight and giggles each time.  After awhile, he started grabbing the cup and filling it up with cold water and pouring the entire cup on himself.  Then he started watching videos of people we know doing the ice bucket challenge and that prompted him to start pouring water on himself and letting Drew and Kayley dump water on him every time he was at his water table outside.

Ryan has a lot of fun playing with Drew in the sprinklers too.

It hasn't been all water at our house though.  Drew had his first flag football game last weekend.  I am certainly biased and all, but I would say Drew's team looked great in their first game!  Must be thanks to their coach!  I didn't get many pictures because I had a two year old on my lap asking me to read him books the ENTIRE game!  I will never again forget to bring a few monster trucks and trains to entertain Ryan!

Drew is the second from the left next to Andy

Hide and Seek

How are we nearing the end of August already?!  This month is flying by.  We had another busy week with football, haircuts, back to school night for the kids and a playdate.  We had something every night.  I guess that is how the weeks fly by!

I didn't take any pictures this week so I am posting a video Andy took a few months ago of Ryan and Drew playing Hide and Seek that I thought was pretty cute.

Growing up so Fast!

It was back to school this week for Drew and Kayley.  First and second grade already.  How did that happen?!  I feel like I was just changing both of their diapers!  I am so glad I still have my baby, Ryan, to keep me feeling young!  Of course, he is in the Twos room this year so he is not so much a baby anymore.

While Drew was really excited to go back, Kayley wasn't quite done with summer yet!  Both kids really enjoyed meeting their teachers during the open house the night before school started so that was a relief.

Kayley's desk

They were excited when we got them up and got right out of bed.  If only that would continue!  Kayley even insisted on helping to make her lunch after reading the book, "The Night Before First Grade" where the main character made lunch for her first day of first grade.  I need to find more of those books!

Kindergarten and first graders have to wear name tags on the first day.  Kayley was NOT happy about that.  She clearly felt she was too old to need a name tag and told me repeatedly she knew where she was going and wouldn't get lost.  We went back and forth all morning and all I can say is it was on when she got on the bus!  

They both had a great first day and are excited to go back tomorrow.  Let's hope they jump out of bed as enthusiastically as they did on the first day...

We also had another milestone this weekend.  Kayley learned to ride her bike without training wheels!  We asked her at the beginning of the summer and she was not interested and we didn't want to push it.  We got busy with t-ball and baseball and she was perfectly happy riding her bike with the training wheels.  Andy mentioned it yesterday and she surprised us by saying yes.  I am not sure if she was just bored or if being a first grader made her decide now was the time, but off they went.

It wasn't all easy.  She was pretty scared so she was pedaling as fast as she could.  Andy got a workout!  I think she felt too wobbly if she was going slower.  I took her out this afternoon and she did great.  We aren't quite ready to go down the sidewalk yet, but she is catching on quickly.  Now it is time to buy her a bigger bike!

Quiet Week

Drew and Kayley spent last week in Iowa at my parents' farm so Andy, Ryan and I had a quiet week.  We enjoyed the quiet for awhile and started to miss the noise.  Luckily, Ryan kept us entertained with his singing:

It appears we missed the kids more than they missed us!  Grandma and Grandpa spoiled them with slumber parties in the living room,

 a day at Perfect Games when it was raining,

a bonfire with s'mores,

and a trip to Adventureland!

They had a fun week!  Kayley even played with some of my old toys.  When she was playing with my old barbies, she asked if all boys had hair like this mom was little!  I did grow up in the 80s...