For my non Chicago friends, we got 19 inches of snow, the 5th largest blizzard in recorded history for Chicago, this past weekend.

There was so much snow they cancelled school on Monday. This kids spent more time on our deck than they did the entire year.

Adam went out to shovel in the morning and returned 45 minutes later. He got side tracked pushing 3 cars that were stuck in the snow out. And, in the world of karma, that afternoon I missed Ben’s therapy because I got stuck myself. Luckily two very nice men who didn’t even know each other both stopped to help me.

There is snow everywhere right now. Packing parked cars into their spots, piled on garbage cans in alleys, shoveled in humungous piles in parking lots everywhere.

Two days later we are still slipping and sliding all over the place and praying each time we pull into our alley that our car will roll along all the way to the garage without getting stuck in the snow.

And this afternoon, as I was driving the older boys home from school the skies opened up and snow starting falling on us. Again.

I’m sorry I’ve been so slack about blogging.

It’s not because there has been nothing to write about in our lives. In fact, it’s the opposite. As I lamented to my friend Kelly today – everything in my life right now is unbloggable. It’s very difficult for a blogger to have a bunch of unbloggable stuff going on in their lives. Like asking a yenta to keep a secret.

But rest assured everything will be revealed in time. Let’s just say for now, there will be big changes for our family in the ninth year we are together.

Which is amazing to think we can still have so many major changes. I mean, so much has changed already. Isn’t FOUR kids in FIVE years enough?!! How could we keep this sort of pace going?

Nine years ago it was Adam, me and 200 of our closest family and friends partying on a beach and now the celebration looks like this…

Dinner at Star of Siam, our go to Thai restaurant.

Even with all the dirty looks from the other diners watching our kids shouting and laying on the middle of the floor with their shoes off, sticky rice ground into their hair, it was still a happy family moment.

As I told Adam in his anniversary card – there is no one I’d rather be on this journey with. Bring on year nine baby, I’m ready for you!

I’ve skipped a few deliveries, mostly because blogging about more soup and roast veggies didn’t seem that exciting. I think last week I actually made my roast veggies into soup.

Kale, Cabbage, Lettuce, Spagetti Squash, Scallions, Turnips, Potatoes, Parsley.

This week I managed to get slightly more creative…

I combined cabbage, turnips, scallions, and potatoes and half the kale together for what could loosely be called Colcannon. I remembered eating it often at Irish pubs with my Irish roommate when I lived in Hong Kong. She craved it like an American craves cheeseburgers. Also in there, carrot, butter and milk.

The other half of the kale was used in a frittata for breakfast.

The spagetti squash was combined with the parsley in a recipe I found on food network: Spagetti Squash with Parsley and Pecan Pesto. Delicious.

I didn’t manage to use the lettuce in time…

Aaron and Japo.

I was super sad when Mom left on Tuesday, having an extra set of hands was a LOT of help.

It was back to laundry and dishes every day, and suiting up the twins against the winter cold anytime I need to do anything.

Still, I was excited about the back to school schedule and all it’s perks, like a few hours of free time when the twins nap. Or all the possibilities it opens up to just drag 2, instead of 4 kids to places like the grocery store.

That excitement lasted one day. Wednesday and Thursday all the schools were closed due to the weather temperatures. Below freezing temperatures plus a big wind chill put the forecast in negative digits.

Adam wore a face mask to get to work.

Sam brushing Mom’s hair.

And we hunkered down. I mean, we still made it out each day, but it was usually for a small amount of time and something super simple with parking very close to the door.

One morning we spend hours in Target. See what I mean about super simple? Who knew Target could be called a ‘destination’?!

We spent hours in the toy department. I spent most of that time trying to explain to Sam and Aaron they were in a toy store, with multiple toys, with multiple of THE SAME toys so there was no need to fight over the SAME ONE.

The kids eventually bought holiday gifts with the gift card Mom gave them before she left.

Then we had lunch at the cafe. Pizza Hut pizza and Icees.

Deceptively sunny at the Target Cafe.

Yeah, it’s not great food and I’m sure a lot of moms are turning up their noses at me right now but it’s better than what I fed them the next day we were off school…

Thursday we were locked down again. The kids played really nicely in the morning together. That happens sometimes. Not as often as I’d like or envisioned it would happen before I had them, but when it does it makes it that much sweeter.

“Ha ha ha” races.

Some game with weapons where miraculously no one got hurt.

Jack led a bunch of games that I have no idea what they were, including the two above. I’d like to say I took more of an interest, but all I cared about was they were all getting along and there was no damage or hurt involved.

So after Ben’s therapy I rewarded them with more processed junk food.

McDonald’s playroom.

Friday they called school back in session, which is odd because it is even colder today than it was yesterday, but I’ve learned not to question these things, instead we hurried home to finish the homework that was due!

On a drizzly winter day, we welcomed the fact that the annual New Year’s crepes get together was scheduled today.

Our crepe chef, Olivier, was in the weeds for hours as the kids dominated the orders this year. Jack came back for FOUR crepes!

I love going to Pam’s house. She is a Montessori trained teacher and her house is set up in little stations that make it perfect for all ages.

And the toys are all still there even though the older boys mostly play games that don’t involve very many toys at all…

My poor mother was slaving away again in the kitchen. It’s a wonder she keeps volunteering to come up and help the way we put her to work while she is here!

Besides Pam’s great spread, her husband, Doug, always manages to spend time with my kids, making them feel as welcome as the adults.

Between Doug and Adam, I was free to over eat and drink, an induldgence I took full advantage of!

I hope the older boys can get back into school after the break they’ve had!

Thanks to my mother, who arrived the day after we returned from the water park, the older boys are getting to do LOTs this break!

The last two days we left the twins with her capable hands while we whisked Jack and Ben off for more fun.

Thursday we took them to the Winter Wonderfest.

It takes two adults to take Jack and Ben because they aren’t interested in any of the same things but I must say I was proud of both of them for different reasons.

Jack was the biggest dare devil I’ve ever met. He took turns with Adam and I, spinning us dizzy on rides like the Gravatron, Tilt a Whirl, and the Cliff Hanger.

By the way, mom tip – do not go out late on New Year’s then attempt vomit inducing rides the next day.

I know it’s not normal for his age because we ran into a school buddy of his who was too scared to join him on most of the more stomach churning rides.

Jack and Timmy on the Tilt a Whirl.

Ben on the other hand was full of fear. But Adam worked on him the same way he did at the water park. In a quiet moment he explained to Ben that the only thing that was stopping him from doing the rides was fear.

“And you know who controls your fear, Ben?” Adam asked. “You do.”

I think it might have clicked. I mean, controlling his environment is right up Ben’s alley! Next Adam said, “So let’s go defeat that slide!”

And he did.

He refused the tea cups at Great America earlier this year.

I don’t think Ben is excited about winter break ending because this morning I was trying to rush him along, asking him to hurry up and finish his breakfast because we had to go soon. Something in my voice sounded very familiar, probably much like the voice I use most school mornings because he froze up and said, “I don’t have school today?!”

No Ben, today we are rushing you along for more fun, fun, FUN!

Today we hit the Museum of Science and Industry with Jack’s school buddies.

It was jam packed but the boys didn’t notice, they were too busy having fun in the Ideas Factory…

In the Omnimax Theater…

At the Submarine…

And for some Frozen Yogurt…

I think I’m going to need a vacation from this vacation!

Yesterday we took a tour of the Jelly Belly Factory in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. You can just imagine the look on the kids faces when we told them we were taking them to a candy factory!

Look they have a sample bar where you can ask for as many samples as you want! I tried egg nog. They seriously have like, every flavor you can think of.

Here we are waiting for the tour to start.

They cart you around the warehouse showing you different videos. You see candy made on these screens, not live like I envisioned. But it was still cool to see the mosaic jelly bean pictures and clothes made of jelly beans! (No pictures allowed during that part of the tour.)

Afterwards, the fun part! The boys picked out their candy! Here is Jack loading up on 10 pounds of jelly beans.

Man it was a busy weekend.

So much for hunkering down for the cold weather!

First, the Hanukkah bears have been up to their usual stuff the past few nights…

Hanukkah Totem Pole

Superhero Hanukkah Bears Battle Godzilla

Then there was the holiday train one night followed by a dinner out at Dee’s Restaurant.

Another night, Zoo Lights followed by a dinner out at Eleven City Diner. Nothing like a little deli food to warm yourself after a night out at the zoo.

3D glasses for zoo light viewing.

Then every night there were candles and presents…

And one night there were Hanukkah cookies too….

It was a great start to the older boy’s winter holiday and just wait, we have A LOT more planned for them for the rest of it as well. If I didn’t have such a happy childhood I think I’d be pretty jealous of these kids right now!