Music, Macy's Tree, Nap

Last Saturday, November 22, was the annual lighting of the Michigan Avenue lights here in Chicago. The parade is led every year by the one and only (as far as the kids know!) Mickey Mouse.
This year, we took Lillie down to see Justin Roberts in concert. She was ECSTATIC!!! Seriously, we couldn't control her.
Lillie has always been a "wait by the sidelines" kinda gal until she is truly ready to dive in. She eventually warmed up to the idea when I told her that there was a puppet on stage talking. She climbed aboard Pat's shoulders and enjoyed the rest of the concert!
















We then headed over to Macy's on State Street to see "the tree". It is absolutely gorgeous this year. I won't spoil it for anyone that has not see it yet and plans to. But I will say if you are on the fence, go. Lillie picked out a few ornaments, we had lunch, and I'm pretty sure we wore her out. Night, night Lillie.

Oh yeah, it was my birthday, too. The 8th anniversary of my 29th birthday. Any comments on the number of candles and you will be banned from viewing this blog!

Lastly, HAPPY THANKSGIVING to everyone. Safe travels if you are headed to a destination and enjoy! I am just finishing this up so we can hit the road ourselves back to Michigan.

Southpaw for Patrick

Here's a little clip of Charlotte in "action." You will notice the ball is in her left hand. To quote my wonderful hubby... "Well, if I can't get a boy out of the deal, at least (maybe) I'll get a southpaw." We'll see, Patrick, we'll see.

What, Why, and How

As I sit and type this tonight, it is really snowing for the first time. Not flurries, snow. It's trying to stick to the ground. I hope it doesn't succeed for too long. Just not ready for that.
So, as we've all witnessed, it seems that the "Christmas Season" gets started a little earlier each year. Pretty soon, Christmas in July will really be Christmas in July. To that note, Pat DVR'd "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" last night. Now, Lillie watched this (we actually have the DVD, but if you know any man he will record and/or watch a movie/show on TV 1000 times before he has to get up, find the DVD, and actually put it in the player...) a million times last year. And to our enjoyment she called the green guy "the *itch" which I KNOW she didn't mean to say, it's just how it came out in her 2-year old voice. "MORE *itch, MORE *itch" we would hear.
It's so different this time around... now it's:
"Why does the dog have a horn on his head?"
"Why he has scary eyes?" (Yes, that's 3 year old grammar)
"Why he is taking all the ornaments off the tree?"
"Why is the dog pulling the slay."
"What's he doing?"
"Wow, that's a long rope."
"Oh, look at the pretty houses. They are all decorated."
Can't wait for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer...

A Beautiful November Day

We were lucky enough this week to have a few beautiful, 70+ degree days to enjoy. We took advantage on Wednesday and went to Lake Katherine. Lillie loved the waterfall. She was sure that it was warm enough to go swimming and kept asking if she could go in the water with the ducks.

It's the Great Pumpkin!

Nope... just Lillie. Thankfully after telling me (in August) that she wanted to be a pumpkin for Halloween she didn't change her mind. Lillie talked a good game about going trick or treating, but when it came down to it she should have been dressed as a CHICKEN! Oh well, I guess I'm a little happy that she doesn't like going up to "strange" houses and asking for candy!

While Pat took Lillie around the block, Charlotte and I enjoyed a gorgeous Halloween night on the steps handing out candy. And Halloween 2008 is in the books!

A Pumpkin As Big As Daddy's Head

Can it be? Well, I don't know but that was Lillie's goal as we set out on an adventure to Bengston's Pumpkin Farm.
First things first. A pig race. Here are Pat and Lillie looking as though they have just finished watching the last Cubs game or they are watching a pig race. It is just THAT exciting.

After the pig races (as if you could top that!)Lillie was ready to find a pumpkin. "I want to find one big as Daddy's head." Ok, here we go! It turns out not only did Lillie want a big one but she also picked every non-traditional (round, orange) pumpkin there was. I asked "Lillie, why do you want the bumpy one?" Lillie said "Because it's different." There you have it. I guess that reasoning will be ok until she brings home her first boyfriend. Lillie followed through with "different" into carving her pumpkin of many eyes and Pat's more traditional face.