105 Degrees

When Isabella came home from Tristan Michael's house on Saturday, it was about 7:00 p.m. and she told Bob and I she wanted to go to bed.  We both looked at each other and thought...WOW...Tristan must have really worn her out!  She even went upstairs, put her jammies on, brushed her teeth and was waiting for us to tuck her in - which she never does.
Sunday came and she acted like a zombie and we thought - whew - those cousins need to get together more often and play.  But then when I gave her a hug mid morning, she was burning up.  I took her temperature and it was 103 degrees, but no other symptoms, just a fever.  We had lots of baths and pain reliever.

Today, Bob took her to the doctor and the whole office was in a tailspin when they took her temperature and it read 105 degrees.  Within seconds, there were 2 nurses and 3 doctors in her room inspecting Bella from head to toe.  Running tests left and right on her.  After almost 4 hours, Bella is home and sleeping peacefully.   Wouldn't it be nice if you could put your family and friends in a bubble so they would NEVER get sick or feel bad or go through rough times with their health?  I hope she feels better soon and returns to her spunky self.  A mother's heart is always heavy when these things happen.  Her poor eyes tell it all......

We have been SKUNKED

We spent the day putting up Christmas Decorations and doing repairs.  At about 7 p.m., as we were winding the day down, Bob went upstairs to give the girls a bath.  I had put dinner in the oven, let Baxie outside and was just getting ready to let him in and head upstairs to tend to the girls.
AND then.  IT HIT ME.  I opened the BACK DOOR.  And.... I thought I was going to THROW UP.  LITERALLY.  I let Baxie in the house and he was FROTHING at the MOUTH.  DROOL dripping everywhere.  He looked like he was going to pass out.  I didn't know what to do.....

I screamed for Bob.  All I could smell was....ICK!!!   Bob came down the stairs and almost threw up too.  The girls screamed....BAXIE STINKS!!!   We took Baxie straight up to the shower, and WASHED him three times.  While he smells good, my house still smells like SKUNK.  Baxie was SKUNKED for the first time EVA. 

Thanksgiving Day

A Poem From Isabella & Giselle.....

To my Mom and Dad for Thanksgiving
Thank you for the food we eat,
Thank you for the clothes we wear,
Thank you for that special treat,
Thank you for your loving care,
Thank you for being my mom and dad.
You have made me very glad!

Everyone is thankful for something.  Today I am thankful for such a loving, healthy family.  Both near and far.  Although we all can't be together on this day, everyone is in our hearts and on our minds.

Today we cooked a turkey breast, mashed potato's n gravy, wild rice, a green bean casserole and some fresh sour dough bread.  Accompanied by a homemade apple pie that Bob made.  The girls enjoyed our feast, dressed in their Thanksgiving day crafts and loved up on "Thomas the Turkey."

Once we were finished eating, we relaxed, took a few ZZZZZ'ssss....then tackled putting the Christmas tree up.  Now that baths are over and we are all in our jammies - it's time for a MOVIE and POPCORN!!!
Love you all XOXOXOXOX

Today was family photo day... YEAH

Last year, my sister's only wish for Christmas was to get a family photo of the Vail's.  She had made this request in previous years, however I played hard to get.  I had decided it was time to grant her wish and more importantly, should I say, to stop being hard headed.  Last year, I put an ad in craigslist and hired a random photographer to take our family photo, as our regular photographer was booked.  I found the entire situation stressful.  We went to a greenhouse, which was beautiful.  But the photographer took forever.  The girls were all dressed up, yet dropped their shoes in the stream and we had to fish them out.  They had on white tights and decided to crawl on the ground, which left them black.

This year, I felt the same.  Stressed out.  It was a workout trying to get myself ready, the girls, along with keeping Bob on time.  I asked the neighbor to take pictures of us as a family for our holiday cards.  Then, she asked if I could take photos of their family.  I was all for it, however I wanted to take family photos on separate days - not all at the same time.  She thought that idea was silly and thought we should do it all at once.  I found the whole experience very overwhelming.  Trying to keep the girls clean in the woods before their photos, taking pictures of another family, yet trying to maintain composure.

I dressed the girls in white boots and the neighbor wanted to hit the woods hiking because it was such a beautiful day.  It was muddy.  The girls brand new gleaming white boots got trashed.  FAIL. 
At the end of the day, I took a deep breath in.  I need to RELAX more and STOP trying to be a perfectionist.  There will never be that "perfect" family photo where every member is smiling at the camera and I need to accept that.  That is what makes photography so BEAUTIFUL.  Capturing the "MOMENT."

I realized that not everyone has that CREATIVE eye.  While I can't say that I have a favorite of a family photo taken of us this year or last, I will tell you that I took some kick A photos of Bob, Giselle, and Isabella this year.
Next year, I will have my mother take family photos of us, as she has her father's creative EYE when it comes to photography.  I was memorized while looking at old photos taken....and THAT is how it should be.  Photos are meant to FASCINATE the EYE and CAPTURE your SOUL.

An Evening At the Circus

Ringling Brothers Circus that is.  The GREATEST show on earth.  It was our first circus together as a family (Bob told me he went several times as a kid)!  Back in 2009, I visited the Ringling Museum of Art with my mother in Sarasota, FL.  Last night, I was thinking back and wishing that I would have seen the circus first, then visited the museum.  I remember alot of the history from the museum and I can only imagine how cool the circus actually was BACK in the DAY. 

Giselle was all SMILES from ear to ear the entire time.  It was priceless to see.  Isabella...well, she was not too interested in the circus, which surprised me.  Tristan couldn't take his eyes off the show.   Here are a few pictures from the evening.  Enjoy.

The PAWS Event

Bob and I headed out last weekend for a night on the town to the PAWS event at the Drake Hotel, one of Chicago's largest events to support their no kill humane organization.  The richest of the richest attend this event and it is quite the site to see.  Bob's company sponsors a table every year in which we are afforded the opportunity to attend.  The women, all dolled up, complete with their matching dogs in their costumes or outfits should I say and then the men, all dappered in their tuxes.
I had that specific day off off of work, so when the afternoon came, I rounded up my girls and off to the city we went.  When we reached the city's skyline, Isabella's exact words were...."Mommy!!!  Those buildings are SOOOOO BEAUTIFUL!!!"  Baby G of course just had the sound effects which went something like OOOOHHHHHHHH.  
I explained to both girls that it was the skyline of Chicago.  I also let Isabella know that I was taking her to her very first house that she was born and raised in until she was two years old and that Baby G was in mommy's stomach when we moved.  She was SUPER excited and very intrigued.  Now that she is 4, she is really starting to comprehend and understand things. 

Once we arrived, she raced up the stairs as if she had never forgotton them.  But once inside, she didn't recall her old surroundings.  Who remembers places from when they were two years old anyway....right?
Off to the PAWS event Bob and I went, in which our trusted babysitter from the city watched our girls.

We had a great time at the event dancing the night away, having fun with friends, hanging out with Billy Corgan from the Smashing Pumpkins and Bob even made friends with Ed Swiderski.  While I won't share all the details of the evening out with Mr. Vail, I will tell you that my girls enjoyed the city.  And I wonder....I just wonder if Isabella will be a city girl.  She sure does love the action, the lights, and the people.

Baby G Trick or Treat!!

http://youtu.be/qHVvTNZLyrE

Halloween 2012

Isabella was a flower princess and Baby G was a butterfly princess but you would never know it with all of the layering that we have to do in this cold, Chicago weather.  Trick or treat hours were from 3-7 p.m., so we dressed up the girls and out we went.
The neighbor, Allyson drove all us all around our area with the golf cart, which was really nice considering the girls don't last very long walking.  Traditionally, the girls last about an hour trick or treating.
This year, it was really cute to see Baby G and her transformation.  Last year, she didn't even know how to say TRICK or TREAT.  This year, she RAN to the houses, Bella rang the doorbell and then they both yelled TRICK OR TREAT.  As soon as Baby G received her candy, she said THANK YOU and BA BYE.
Many households I talked to commented on how their kids were grown and they no longer had little ones to take around the block...and they seemed sad...so after several parents had said that to me, it was at that moment, that I REALIZED, that I was going to take all of it in and enjoy every moment.  Bob and I are at the front end of life, where we have little ones and we don't necessarily think about when the kids are older and everything that it entails.
After we went out trick or treating, we went to Allyson's where everyone from the block was invited.  We had homemade chili, corn bread, appetizer's, desserts and cocktails.

What a fun Halloween and we look forward to many more!!!!  Enjoy the pictures.