Our Escape out of Chiberia to Ixtapa, Mexico

We couldn't take the cold weather and snowy conditions anymore and had to escape to break the cabin fever! So we jumped on a plane and headed to Ixtapa, passports in hand. It was Giselle's very first airplane ride at 3 years old! Bob and I were both lucky traveling to and from, as we each had an empty seat next to us so the girls were able to completely lay down and relax on the airplane. We had only booked one room with a bed and pull out couch but once we got there, we discovered they upgraded us to two bedrooms with an adjoining door = BONUS! I can't even begin to explain how much fun the girls had or even how much fun we had watching them be so excited while on vacation. The resort that we stayed at had so many activities for the girls...just to name a few that they participated in were: a family sand castle competition on the beach, slip and slide on the beach, a piñata party, a talent show, circus activities and so much more. Bob and I took Isabella kayaking, in which I accidentally flipped everyone off the kayak...whoopsies. We took the girls on a sunset cruise, which was breath taking. They enjoyed sitting on the big net on the front of the boat and made several friends! Most everyone on the boat was doing shots of tequila, so several passengers decided to dress our kids up in sombreros and ponchos and feed them candy necklaces - they loved every second. On another day we took them swimming with the dolphins. Isabella really enjoyed the show and the dolphins. She didn't want to feed them or kiss them but at least she touched them. Giselle wanted nothing to do with the dolphins. If I was 3 and super little I probably wouldn't want to either. She was still a trooper throughout the show and had her award winning SMILE from ear to ear. All in all, it was a great 2nd family vacation - the first was to Colorado on our road trip camping! It was a great balance of relaxing yet fun adventures. I can't wait to go on another! Here are a few pictures from IXTAPA!!

Isabella goes to Florida

In the middle of polar vortex...the term I have heard for the first time in my life (and it felt like it too), we jetted off to Florida to spend some quality time with my parents, Isabella's Grandma Chug and Grandpa Dale. And what a relaxing, warm getaway it was! We are so thankful that we had the time to get away and enjoy one another's company! So what did we do? The list of things to do and places to go was endless, where do I start? I LOVE pictures and I think they speak a thousand words, so let me SHARE with YOU! Enjoy! If I had to put our trip into words, here are the words I would use to describe: Once in a lifetime. Relaxing. Full of Sunshine. Precious. Sharing. Caring. Loving. Learning. Embracing. Learning to be patient (on the fishing side). Funny! Has anyone seen TRIXIE lately? Tell her I miss her if you see her! Isabella and I had so many fun times on the trip and created many fun memories to be cherished FOREVER! If you look at the pictures, we were fortunate to experience DISNEY WORLD for the first time, have endless hours in the pool, rode several rides at Disney, go FISHING (next time I will for sure bait my own hooks), see Minnie Mouse (Isabella didn't know what to do or how to act), have quality family time, Isabella got to dress like a princess and so much more....I could go on and on. If we would have had Giselle, Bob and Baxie, I think we would have stayed longer.....

Welcome to CHI beria.....

Polar vortex. Chiberia. Coldest it's been in 30 years. Record breaking cold temperatures! Cabin fever? Do a little dance and shovel and shovel some more? Yep, we got it. And that is all you are seeing and hearing on the news. And we are feeling it. We are dreaming of a tropical adventure! How many homemade soups and fires can I build? How many movies can we watch? How many crafts can we make? Does anyone want a cookie? You wanna go outside? Sure. That lasts about 15 minutes if that. And it takes about 15 minutes just to put all of the gear on. So here are a few pictures of the day. We tried to build a snowman, however everyone got to cold and we went inside. It is even too cold for Baxie but I did capture his beautiful foot print in the snow! Baby it is cold outside......

Their FURCULA kind of evening......

I don't know about you all but when I was a little girl, my sister and I looked forward to this tradition. Each year, after my parents had cooked a super yummy Thanksgiving dinner, they would save the "wishbone" until it dried out and then my sister and I would make a wish and break it to see who got the larger piece! Now, for those of you that don't know about this, let me tell you. In 15th Century Europe it was thought that the wishbone could be used to predict the weather. Nowadays, once removed from the turkey or chicken, the wishbone is dried and then held between the little fingers of two opposing "wishers". Once the wish has been made the bone is pulled by each person. The wisher who breaks off a larger section of bone is assumed to have their wish granted. Alternatively, the winner of this contest may choose to transfer the fragment of the wishbone, along with the wish, to a person of his or her choosing. Why am I just talking about this now when Thanksgiving was in November and it is now January? Well, I wanted to make sure the bone was nice and DRY so it would just break. There is no bigger bummer than pulling on the furcula when it is not dried out yet! I have had it sitting on my kitchen window sill since Thanksgiving day. So on this cold January evening, I decided it was time to educate the girls about the wishbone and let their new tradition begin. Why not make a wish to see if it comes true??!!! They were super excited about it. Well, you will see....Giselle was not too excited about it. (I secretly forgot that the terrible 2's are not the worst - it is the 3's! Just tonight, she climbed on top of her bed, grabbed a glass piggy bank off of a shelf filled with change and threw it across the room at her sister Isabella. Needless to say, change and glass were everywhere. Thankfully Isabella missed the pig throw) Totally got the concept. They each made their wish and guess what. Isabella got the bigger piece of the bone. May her wish come true!!!

Story Telling Tuesdays

So I decided to explore my neck of the woods and found that the local library has story telling on Tuesdays. Many Chicago-area schools were closed again today and dozens of the day's flights were canceled and some area attractions were shuttered, with the subzero chill maintaining its grip on the region for another day. But if there was a silver lining, it could be found both in morning and evening commutes that have been smoother than they were during the deep freeze earlier this month and even in the resolve of Chicagoans to just get through it. While the temperature was super cold, we braved it and got out to break free from this cabin fever! This program runs for 6 weeks at the library and is free. The girls listen to a story with Ms. Kathy and then get to make a craft afterwards. While they do story time and make a craft, I sit outside of the door and read. The program runs for about a half an hour. Here are a few pictures of their first story time at the library and their craft that they created!

MLK Day Together

On Monday, the school was closed for the girls so it was a perfect excuse to get together with their cousin Tristan! We met up at Kids Town. It is a unique place to take your children that offers an entertaining play place with more than a dozen themed play areas that feature colorful decor, costumes, accessories and toys to encourage imagination! Everything from a construction room to a princess room. Tristan, Isabella and Giselle played for hours while Bob, Jen and I got to catch up. Afterwards, we all went out to lunch together! Needless to say, their afternoon naps were quite long because they wore themselves out playing so hard! I don't know about you.....but with this winter weather advisory that seems to never end....well, we have cabin fever! Here is a snapshot on our way to lunch.

Back to the BASICS

So....today marks the 15th day that I have not worked. On December 31st, 2013 I was "laid off." I am 35 years old and have always had a job since I was 15 years old. Perhaps it was my upbringing, but I have ALWAYS loved working. But it is BACK TO THE BASICS and let me explain. I have two kids. One just turned 3 and the other is 5. I used to work 12-13 hour days between the job and commuting. Before the long commuting days, we lived in the city and I would cook a full blown meal for dinner with all of the food groups. Back then it was Bob, myself, Isabella and Bax. Isabella was a baby, so it was easy. I would just puree some home grown veggies for dinner. We moved and it became like the movie the FAST and the FURIOUS. My life was in fast forward. And I couldn't get it to slow down....but I (we) adapted. Those fancy meals turned into quick fixes. Sure, you can cook a whole weeks worth of meals on Sunday in preparation, but if you love a fresh meal by a fancy cook, you don't "pre" do anything. You ROCK it OUT in the kitchen for hours from scratch. I fell into a rut of cooking for my children. I would get home after being gone from the house at 5:30 a.m., then I would be home by 6 p.m. and I would make chicken nuggets, pasta, hot dogs or fish sticks. Then I would give them a bath and read them stories. Bed time resulted in 9 p.m. Hit repeat times infinity. (at least for 3 years) In the past several weeks, I have received several phone calls from friends wanting to know what I am doing with myself now that I am not working.....and here is my answer.... -For starters, I no longer make my kids chicken nuggets, fish sticks or pasta for dinner times repeat. I am "re=training" them to eat whatever is on the table that I cook. And good god, this is no easy task when they have been programmed for so many years....If they don't like what I cook, they go away hungry (shame on me). It has only been less than a month and I know this is going to take time. And I am prepared to deal with this..... Little by little, we will get there... -All those times that I said "Maybe another time to my kids." I have mad hours now to create crafts with them, read that extra story or love up on them even more. -Surprisingly, when you work in either Chicago or New York City...you are sucked in to cyberspace. The internet. Facebook. Pinterest. You name it, your head is constantly online. I am learning to slow down my ROLE. I am going old school. I just checked out a few books from the library and plan to read them. I can't tell you the last time I read a book..... I am not on the internet that much and LOVE IT. Maybe its the cold weather, but it is nice to have a break. Will this last forever? We shall see. But for NOW.....I am enjoying these two ladies. Trying to make an influence in their lives AND we are stopping to smell the ROSES...... I have noticed a change in their personalities now that I am closer...