Category Archives: Daily Fun

Sugar Filled Fun

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Today was another one of those days that was jam packed with fun and candy with a few pizzas and hot dogs in between.

We started the day with breakfast at Feast. We love the Bucktown location, noticed they opened on the Gold Coast, and thought we ought to check it out. Yummy. If there was a kid menu for breakfast we never got it but it didn’t matter, one regular meal and some sides worked perfectly for the kids.

After we attended Logan’s birthday at Chuck E Cheese. It brought back loads of childhood memories.

Remember these Scary Characters?

It also brought pizza, cake, and cookies. Jack and Ben amassed 360 tickets, enough for a monster truck and candy. Japo sharked the coin tables and managed to get us our longest strip of tickets by strategic coin dropping.

From went from party to party. Next on the agenda was our annual Block Party. Dayton Street rocks. Band, Kegs, BBQ, Bike Parade, Pie Eating Contest, Face Painting, Arts and Crafts, Bouncy House, Pinata, Magician, Ice Cream Truck and the most delicious treats from Charlie Trotter. Every year he delights us with something new and different. I saw watermelon juice with rum, oysters, brownies but I’m sure there was more that I missed.

The kids absolutely loved the Magician, The Great Scott. He was silly funny and very interactive.

The Great Scott Captivates

If you want to see real fun just do what we did tonight, get them all sugared up on cotton candy, ice cream and candy then throw them in a bouncy house. Jack’s buddy Roya held her own in a house full of boys. After seeing her take Jack down again and again in the tent, I’m considering signing him up for her Tai Kwan Do lessons!

Roya the Tai Kwan Do Master

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Hanging in the Loop

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Once again we were all boys, 9 of us together. I often wonder what it would be like if we all had girls. Would the goal of the day every day still be finding a space for them to exercise like mad in the hopes of tiring our kids out as much as possible? Or could we all just sit nicely doing arts and crafts?

We tried to do the Millennium Park Family Fun Festival but sadly it was over. Another sign summer is ending soon.

We still managed to find our own fun.

Surprsingly, after throwing their Transformers for a while, Jack's STARTED working again.

Ben also found ways to occupy himself.

Tree Hugger

We ended the morning at the Elusive Pirate Park. After spending the day at the beach yesterday and this morning walking the streets of Chicago, we thoroughly tired Japo out!

The Boys at the Pirate Park

 

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More Summer Fun

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It’s been a few days since I’ve blogged, which some may take to mean we are not busy. But in fact we continue at our frantic pace, perhaps it’s been too frantic for me to have any deep observations. Or maybe it’s because we have been trolling around our old haunts again so it doesn’t feel blog worthy.

Either way, for those of you interested, here is what we’ve been up to…

Friday morning at Fellger Park…

"Cindy teaching the boys to Gamble" - Pam

Followed by Emma Bornstien’s 5th birthday party at Pump it up…

Emma's 5th Bday, Pump It Up

Saturday was rainy so we hit the Children’s Museum for a bit. Then back home for naps and a trip to Epic Burger for dinner. The burgers (I had the Portabello Burger) were tasty, the fries soggy, and the service epically bad. I was accused of taking a drink cup that I was never given, we were given the wrong number then given the wrong food, then got that number taken from us but no new number so our food just sat there. Oh, and our order was taken wrong too. Here in Chicago we are so spoiled for choice that unfortunately one bad experience is enough to turn us away forever. The manager did give us a $10 coupon for our troubles, so maybe if we ever get around to using it things will be better.

Sunday we took the boys swimming. No photos allowed at the EBC, sorry. The afternoon was so lovely we decided to visit Oz Park for some T-Bal practice, playground and dinner picnic.

Batter Up!

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A Full Day

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So much happened today that, when I look backed at my pictures today it reminded me of things I had already forgot about.

Like the free air show we got when we visited the zoo this morning. Fighter jets buzzed the area all morning. It was quite a juxtaposition.

Ben was obsessed with seeing the Camels today

It was a full morning. We were met by our friends the Lafayettes and the Hutchinsons, all with kids younger than Jack. I was pleased to see that Jack is not a snob about play mates. Even if they are Ben’s age or younger, he still enjoys and can find ways to play together. Ben on the other hand is still displaying Mice and Men Lennie-like behavior. He likes to hug everyone he knows, unfortunately he doesn’t know his own strength and always makes them cry. Hopefully it will pass soon, as these disagreeable habits in your child’s development eventually do.

In the afternoon we met six other families at Adam’s Park for another concert. Ben surprised me yet again with his fearlessness and quick learning ability by climbing this structure over and over again without help…

Fancy Footwork for a 2 Year Old

Meanwhile, Jack and his buddies played in the water park…

Jack with Zack, Oscar, and Angus

And if that wasn’t enough fun, we ordered pizzas and picnicked. Then we stayed to listen to the Dave Rudolf concert. Ben was so moved by the music he ran over and danced alone to the warm up.

Congo Line

We got home so late that I had to skip the bath. All I had time for was a quick wet wipes wipe down before bed. Not my best Mom moment but sometimes you just got to put fun before clean.

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Summer Lovin’

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Seems like it was only days ago that I was full of anxiety at the thought of watching two kids all day long for three months. But now it feels like the gorgeous, fun filled summer days are slipping by way to quickly. Now I’m suffering from a different anxiety, of how much Ben and I are going to miss having Jack with us all day.

Angus running from Jack with a Bucket, but Jack has no idea the bucket has a huge hole!

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A Zoo Day

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We had a great morning at the Zoo. It’s big enough that each time you visit you’ll have a completely different experience.

How City Kids See Cow Milking

We were joined by a classmate of Jack’s, Martha, and her summer nanny who is also their school teacher, Ms. Vanessa.

Hide and Seek

It was a day filled with fun. Picnic, hide and seek, train riding, climbing, and last but not least, animal viewing!

Ben, Martha and Jack Watching the Polar Bear

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A summer of High School friends

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Last night we were lucky to have another of Adam’s high school buddies make an appearance at our house. This is the summer of high school friends!

Looking at old photos

Dave and his soon to be college aged son Jake joined us for dinner last night. Jake
was surprised to see himself at age 5 in Adam’s album. The photo was of the Isberner’s wedding, which Dave had brought Jake to.

It was odd talking to Jake. He was a fine young adult. And we could chat about anything with ease. We even chatted about how much we both loved the show ‘Entourage’. However, he was also able to talk with equal enthusiasm to our 4 year old about the new movie ‘Cars 2’. Made me feel old, but also that life was short.

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Friendship

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Friendship is a funny thing. I’ve lived so many different lives in so many different cities and I’ve picked people up every place I’ve been. Some have stayed around and some have disappeared. You never know who will become a real friend and who won’t for many years after meeting the person. But no matter how many people I meet, there is nothing more heartwarming about the feeling you get when you realize someone is becoming a good friend. That ‘ah-ha’ moment when it dawns on you that this person has some staying power.

Jack and Grant at the Morton Arboretum, May 2010

I had that feeling today when a friend of mine shlepped 45 minutes to the Morton Arboretum to meet us. She gave birth to her third child nine days ago. Nine days ago! And it’s her third! And it’s 45 minutes away! Her oldest is Jack’s age and I’m pleased to say joining him next year at his pre-school. Her second is Ben’s age. I missed the boat on matching our third kids together. Maybe I’ll catch up for her fourth?

Jack and Grant at the Morton Arboretum, August 2011

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