Halloween 2012

This year, we went trick or treating with Hawthorne friends:

Grant and Gracie, Lilly and Grayson, amongst others...

alot of fun for the kids, and for the adults (as we walked around the 'hood with hot totties)

Stella's 1st Grade class halloween parade. Oct 31, 2012:

we even found another family of supermans, that Dylan had no problem playing along... sitting down for a picture with a family of perfect strangers...

stella: queen
dylan; superman
daddy: maverick (from top gun -- sorry no pics)
mommy: mommy with the mostest (as per the yoush)

Pumpkin Picking 2012

This year, we headed south and west to Bengston's farm near Joliet.

It was a great day. overcast with threats of rain, but a very pleasant (with warm breezes) 67 degrees.

Since it threatened rain all day, the masses of people were kept to a minimum.

the kids had a blast. and so did mom and dad.

Week of "Firsts"

This week, Stella started 1st grade, Dylan started pre-school and Dylan started Soccer.

all went very well, and the kids are extremely happy.

we are blessed.

It doesn't hurt that mommy kicks a**. : )

The Luck Era Begins

Life is cyclical. We are creatures of Habit. 4 years ago this weekend, I took Stella to her first MLB game at yankee stadium. Today, She went to her first NFL game.

it was opening weekend of the NFL season, Bears vs. Colts... and Andrew Luck's first regular season game as a colt.

Colts lost. but Stella and I won. we had a great day. just the two of us with 50 yard line seats. probably the best seats in the house. And she is just so inquisitive. it was really  nice to explain the rules of the game, etc... she's so smart. so fun. so beautiful.

I love her so much.

air and water... wow!

Today, as a family, we went to the Air and Water show. i think we all enjoyed it alot more than we expected. The Blue Angels are really impressive (and LOUD!). we sat at the most southern tip of the Belmont Harbor peninsula... i think we'll likely go to the exact same spot next year.

Wrigley Field

The fam joined me as we shot Andre Dawson and Kerry Wood at wrigley field.

i said to Dylan as he was playing catch with Andre Dawson in center field of Wrigley:

"Dylan, you're 3... it's all downhill from here".

St. Patrick's Day

Stella has a classmate, Harry, who has a dad, Harry, who is an alderman in chicago.

Harry invited Harry's entire class to get on his float for the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

A great day. the weather has been unreal. 78 degrees and sunny at the parade. and that was day 5 of this weather. according to Doppler, we have another 7 days of this.

rock and roll.

Dylan and Daddy go for a bikeride to the beach