Mommy's Date!

I am so behind my posts.  So, this actually happened a few weeks ago (September 10, 2010), but here it is anyhow.  Mike was very tired and Arianna and I wanted to go somewhere.  We decided we will go to the library and then for some ice cream.  When we got to the library, we found out that they changed the hours and it was closed :( but then we went for some ice cream faster.  Arianna's favorite flavor? Chocolate!  Mom's was butter pecan.  So, we shared a two scoop ice cream of our favorite ice creams.  Arianna was so excited to see balloons and they gave her one.  She went talking and singing all the way to the house.  Nice date.

No ponytails!

Arianna does not like to have a ponytail, but she is ok with "piglets".  So, here are the first pictures where she actually did not take them down within 5 minutes.  She looks so adorable.  The only problem she kept moving so much it was hard to get a good picture, but you get the idea.

We went to Crackle and Barrel for breakfast.  It is one of my favorite restaurants and Arianna likes it too!  She was playing and singing.

Then, we went to Jo Ann Fabrics and she loves crafts... I know not a big surprise there. I hope she keeps liking it as she gets older.

And finally Target,  we knew one day she will want her own cart and she did.  She saw it and did not want to let go.  She is a proud owner of a shopping cart now.

Honk Honk!

This is the first ride that Arianna has in one of those car carts at Home Depot!  She loved it.

And then we needed to go to Kohl's to buy some clothes for Mike's job.  She hated this cart when she was younger.  This time she was better, but she was getting so tired.

We tried the Indian restaurant by Orland Park Taj Mahal and it was very good.  Mike got the Frontier Chicken (Right side) and I opted for the buffet and found out that I like Chicken Vidaloo (may be misspelled)
and their Rice pudding. Arianna was very happy that she was singing and she was also a bit silly.  ;)

Then we went to our evil store Barne's and Noble , evil because we like a lot of stuff, but we only bought a magazine per person.  Arianna picked one book and I got her a really cool puzzle (about doggies).  There is a picture of it below.

Then, we came home to play a little in the yard and to re-fill the bird feeders and Mike hanged 2 more bird houses!

We were so tired that we came inside and rested for awhile.  How was your day?

Our first apple picking with Arianna!

On Saturday we went to Garwood on Indiana to pick some nice apples. The place was almost deserted it since it was a very chilly, windy, cold day, but the kids loved it. They kept saying "apples, lots of apples, where are apples? I don't see them (looking for the ones in the trees, not in the floor)". Overall, the place still have many types of apples to choose from: Cameo, Fuji, Golden delicious, granny smith, and two other that the names escaped me right now. The cost was good, 85 cents per pound and you can mix the apples. All were the same price. They also sold some pumpkins, had a small maze for the kids. Nice. Afterward, we stopped at their store where they sell even more stuff: bake goods (bought an apple pie with honey crisp apple and caramel - yummy), many preserves - blueberry, strawberry-rhubarb, peach, pineapple..., honey, many vegetables and fruits, frozen fruit, some pasta. Nice store. Here are some pictures of the adventure!

This is a super nice apple tree, look the yummy colors in the apples!

I love the next two pictures, what do you think?

After the store we stopped at a nearby antique store where we found a piggy and something for the Lionel O train so we bought those two things for mom and dad for their anniversary! The store was big and we looked around then we went to Culver's since Mike was very hungry and that pretty much was our day for today. We are thinking next year we are going to go blueberry picking when the days are not as cold!

Guilty Pleasures - Early Valentine's Day

On Friday, February 6 we celebrated and early Valentine's by going to see one of our favorite shows. Clay Jenkinson portraying Theodore Roosevelt with John Williams from WGN720 radio as a mediator / host. He also portrays Thomas Jefferson (we'd seen it twice) and he was saying that he is trying to portray Robert J. Oppenheimer, the man often remembered as the "father of the atomic bomb." He said that maybe next year will happen. I hope so, we will go see it. If you want to know more about it: http://www.jeffersonhour.org/
The show was excellent and lasted from 7:30 pm to 9 pm. Then, they were given autographs; they even let me take a picture. We were supposed to go to a quick dinner after the show, but by the time we got around our area (show was in Waubonsee - Sugar Grove), not much to choose from. All restaurants by 11 pm are closing and it was 10:39pm and did not want to rush. So, we went for Arianna to my sister's house. Thanks for babysitting!

So, the next day Mike had a plan and he did not tell me, but he surprised me by going to Michigan City. But first, we needed to stop and give a quick wash to our really dirty car and while waiting in line, I saw this tree with a really nice bird nest. Just the perfect spot for it too!


Also, while waiting Arianna was drawing and making lots of "o" "t" and "h"... those are her favorite sounds for letters!


Then, while inside the car wash you could tell Arianna's face was going from happy to worry to scare. I held her hand and told her that everything will be ok. She cried for 10 seconds, and then just held my hand. She was fine.

Mike drove to a restaurant in New Buffalo, MI called El Rancho Grande. It is a mexican restaurant with some tacos named Taco Duncan. They are very delicious: steak, bacon, chorizo (mexican sausage), onions, jalapeno, cilantro, homemade tortillas and a special sauce where the tortillas are dipped. So, that was our Valentine's brunch!

We stopped at OshKosh store in Michigan City to buy a few more pieces of clothing for Arianna. We are also trying the "leash" because she wants to walk everywhere. She did not like it, but she dealt with it. In the picture she found a dog and was hugging it, but the camera was not fast enough to capture the moment :(

And for our guilty pleasures... I bought Mike a pocketknife - a leatherman - since he uses it all the time and the one he had was from 10 years or so...

And he bought me a fossil bag and wallet. To be fair, I think I have about 6 bags total (bought in a 10 yr bracket), and the one that I had used for the last four years is giving in ... as for the wallet, I needed a replacement because mine broke. And he bought them at the outlet were thankfully the discounts are better! (He bought me a secret present... we'll see what it is !)

Our cats no longer safe...

That was the time when Betsy and Misty could go up, up on the top of the sofa or recliners to the safety they provided against our "squiggly Arianna", but no longer...

Yes, she can go up and down. It is easier for her to go up on the sofa, but she can managed if she wants to.



She was almost there, to get Betsy....but she saw the camera and decided to climb down and posed for a picture. She says "cheese" now. [She is also saying "papa change" which translates to pamper change! and she says "ba time" for what else her favorite thing, bath time]

Also, we went to Target today and she found this glass. She liked it so we bought it. We did not tell her that it was a glass or what to do with it, but she knew!

So, she is in a climbing mood... and she cannot sit in the chairs yet (by herself). So, I helped her before she got too frustrated. She sat for awhile playing with one of her favorite toys.

And finally, she likes to sit in the recliner with a blanket, boppy, and her sippy. She was so tired, after this picture she went for a nap.

Thrift finds!

I went to the thrift store (one I have never had a problem with) and it was the first time that I went when it was barely opening (9 am). There were so many children's books and lots and lots of things to go through. I had never seen so many :)

With 31dls I got the following:

-17 children's books (there were plenty left for other kids)(2 were musical)
- 7 beanies (Ari plays with them - specially the doggie)
- 2 big cups (I always wanted a good hot chocolate cup)
- 11 stamps (Christmas related)
-7 pieces of clothing for Arianna (2 still had tags)
- a musical / table activity for kids (value at 40 dls)
-A bed for dolls (and a doll included )

I cleaned all the books and toys and they look like new, some were new too. So, I guess not bad for a day of shopping. Here are some pictures!