Chi Town with LaLa!

I just got back from the quintessential girls weekend, with one of my closest and dearest CA friends, Laura (nicknamed "LaLa" by Taj).  With almost a year since we moved from California and last time seeing each other, Laura and I planned to reunite.  With her being on the West Coast and me on the East Coast, we thought Chicago would be the perfect meeting spot!   Laura and I have been friends for over 7 years.  We met while dating our soon-to-be husbands, got engaged around the same time, had our weddings 1 month apart, and then our pregnancies about 7 months apart with each child!  Laura has 2 princesses, and I have the 2 princes.  One day, we hope to arrange their marriages! LOL

It was my first time in Chi Town, and us girls really whooped it up! Chicago is simply incredible! With its diverse architecture, modern skyscrapers, the lakefront and river with its cool bridges, its a city that is incomparable.  I've always heard that either you are a NYC person or Chicago person, and I totally disagree.  I love them both so much.  Just like NYC, Chicago has its own authentic charm.  Its young, hip, laid-back, less fast paced and loud, and has wider and cleaner sidewalks, and less tourists for sure.  It has the beauty and grandiosity of a city, with the friendliness of a Midwest small town.  The hotel, restaurant, and bar scene is a cosmopolitan's dream come true! Lucky for me, its just as close of a plane ride (1.5 hours) as it is to NYC!

Laura and I left our babies in the good hands of our hubbies, and jet over to Chicago, where we had a joyful/ tearful reunion at the W Hotel City Center upon arriving on Friday.  We clinked glasses and vowed to make this an annual tradition.  All weekend we caught up on our lives, ate at amazing restaurants, sipped on fine cocktails, strolled through the city (we had beautiful warm weather), went on an architectural cruise tour, and did a lot of sight-seeing (by foot, boat, and elevators!).  It had all the makings of a girls weekend: shopping, make-overs, photo shoot, dining, and dancing! We randomly found ourselves at the right time and place at the famous Michigan Avenue's Nordstroms, and were squeezed into an ultimate glamorous Smashbox cosmetics event that was all booked up.  Couldn't have asked for perfect timing since we were just about to head back to our hotel to get ready for our Saturday evening plans.  VA-VA-VOOM make-overs with fake eyelashes, hair styled, and one photo shoot with celebrity photographer Steven Khan later.... as well as in our new outfits from our earlier shopping spree, and we were ready to party! I don't think I have danced as much as we did that night on the rooftop of the Wit hotel, since my wedding night!  I guess that's what happens when two fabulous mommies of toddlers get all dolled up in a cool, hip city! It was a much needed break for us hard-working mommies, and we took full advantage of it!

Cloud Gate, Millenium Park..... also known as the "bean". 

Can you spot me in the reflection of the Bean? ;) Hint: I am waving! 

Friday night dinner at Paris Club

Chicago River architectural boat cruise..... very fascinating!  

Learned so much about Chicago's lovely skyline and history!

Our Smashbox cosmetics photo shoot:

At the top of the John Hancock building..... 96th floor.  Best view from the ladies restroom!! HA!

Saturday night dancing queens..... we didn't take off our dancing shoes until 2am!

Last day.... exquisite brunch at the Ralph Lauren Cafe where we met up with Laura's college friend, and a little more sightseeing before heading to the airport.

Bye Bye Chi Town!!! Aerial view from the plane.  Can't wait to go back again!!!

Oh, the Places We Go.... the Things We Do!

Its definitely Spring, and since we've had anywhere from 50 degrees to 78 degree days.... its outside play time again! A couple weeks ago when it began to warm up, the boys and I went on a nature walk around our yard and guess what we found?  A bird's nest, a honeycomb, leaf bulbs on trees, flowers beginning to bloom, and even our wild mint is back. We've visited the baby chicks and ducks in a nearby Tractor Supply store, and boys got to pet them!  The sun is a'blazing, and the rosy sunsets have returned!

At this time of the year, Spring resembles new life and some good Spring cleaning.  And in our version, that means gut our kitchen and remodel half of our house! LOL If we are not busy traveling or going on adventures, then we are busy busy bees designing and creating!  After a little remodeling of its own thank goodness for our downstairs game room that has turned into our family room-kitchen-dining room- playroom- storage during the construction!  Here we go again..... it reminds me of our cottage days, where I improvised with cooking and meals.  Luckily, I was able to freeze a lot of leftovers and crock-pot ready dinners.  While our entire 2nd floor main level is getting an immaculate facelift, and 2 old huge maple trees had to be knocked down in our front yard (as well as some on the lakefront), the boys and I have been staying out of harm's way and going on more adventures!

Erie Zoo:

yes, that is another bandaid on Jax's forehead!  This boy keeps tripping over his feet and bumping his poor head!

"Moooo" says Jax (and the cow!)

"Baaaa" says the black sheep, whom Taj fed popcorn to.

They found a new best friend!

Daytrip & Playdate in Buffalo:

Lunching with my littles at the Cheesecake Factory (at the Galleria Mall).  Who knew Cheesecake Factory was so kid-friendly? The second we sat down and without asking, they brought out sliced bread and bananas for the boys!  They either know their stuff, or they felt sorry for me! :)

After a little shopping, we met Taj's buddy Addie at the SkyZone trampoline place:

These two are just crazy about each other.  They chase each other, follow each other, hold hands, and hug the whole time!

My little jumpin' bean!

Mayville Lunch date and Playground:

Mayville is another town across the lake from us, and it was fun to go out to lunch and play at this new playground for the first time!  You can also see the trees blooming in the photo above!

And just yesterday we went on a hike in the Lakewood forest with Taj's other favorite buddy: Charley!  

 Charley's mommy Lesley pushing the little ones in the stroller.

 exploring the woods...

 A sweet moment for these two sweet friends

and here are the other lovebirds! :)  Of course, Miss Maggie is 7 months younger than Jax!

.....and we can't forget all the mommy fun I have had with my fabulous mommy friends (Christy, Paula, Amanda, Lesley, and new friend Susan!), and my book club friends (pictured above, at a 5 course wine paired dinner at the Moonbrook Country Club, AND our triple dinner dates with the hubbies!

Phew! We have been busy!

Springing into Spring, at the Audubon Nature Preserve

The snow has melted, the temperatures have gone up to the 50's, lots of sunshine and blue skies, and even the return of those breathtaking rosy sunsets.  This can only mean one thing... SPRING HAS ARRIVED!!! HellOOOOOO Spring! My oh my, how much we are beginning to love you!!

On Thursday, we organized an outdoor play date with our new friends, Christy and her 19 month old son Miller!  We caravanned to the Audubon Nature Preserve in Jamestown, where the boys got to run around and explore, and also saw turtles, fish, snakes, frogs, birds, beehive and bees, at the indoor nature center!

The nature is still pretty scarce and dry..... but with the expected 4 day-in-a-row rain showers and close to 60 degree temperatures, I have a feeling by the end of next week the trees and flowers will be blooming.  I CANNOT wait to see this! And I will be sure to snap some pictures of this phenomenon :)

What a fun play date we had!  All 3 boys got ALL their energy out and were so famished by the end that Christy suggested we eat at her restaurant, Guppy's, (in Bemus Point) that her and her husband own!  We had a fantastic barbecue chicken, coleslaw, grilled cheese, fries, and caramel-coconut pie dinner!  Thank you, Christy!  Looking forward to our next adventure!

Our First NY Easter, 2013

Hop Hop Hop 

I was wondering whether the Easter Bunny would leave his warm bunny hole to deliver easter egg goodies in the cold snowy grass, but nothing stops him..... Snow or Shine, this bunny means business!
This marks our first ever "white" Easter! And it began one week earlier when we had breakfast with the Easter Bunny at Wegman's :)

Jax was smitten with the bunny..... he loved on him so much, and wanted to take him home!

Easter 2013 Family Portrait :)

The days leading up to Easter Sunday were full of many arts and crafts, 

egg painting, and cookie baking!

Jax dyeing his first easter egg 

The day before Easter, we not only baked cookies, and dyed more eggs, but it was such a nice "warm 50 degree" day that we got to play at the playground!

Easter morning..... Egg Hunt #1 (indoors)

Egg Hunt #2 (outside)  The snow was melting and we had another warm day to relish!

Hunting for eggs in the snow!

The boys found lots of neat little toy surprises in their eggs, and also got a big Easter basket filled with new paintbrushes, science projects, squishy monsters, and chocolate bunnies!

Then the bunny told the boys he had another fun surprise for them, and so we followed the bunny down his bunny hole and came out on the other end... splish splashing!!! 

At Splash Lagoon (giant indoor water park) in Erie, PA!

Not a bad Easter Sunday, spent playing at the kiddie water playground, splashing in wave pools, floating in the lazy river, and going down water slides!  It was a fun family day!  Taji was also brave enough to go down a couple toddler/kiddie water slides and LOVED it!
It almost felt like we were on vacation :)