The CUBS

First off. I was not there for most of this. Mark took an epic trip to Chicago with his brothers. It was a dream come true for all of them and I guarantee any one of them would happily regale you with the details of the pain and glory that ensued. 

But, none of these guys are willing to write this blog post. sooo.....

Just the facts, ma'am!

There was a feeling all season that the Cubs were going to get another shot at the World Series. Everytime I walked by a paper in Price Chopper, it seemed there was a headline about how awesome the Cubs were doing this year.  We were abuzz!

And then they did it. It was really happening. The brothers began plotting a meet-up in Chicago. 

Game 1: Cubs lost. No!

Game 2: Cubs win. The first Series game win since 1945. Sweet rewards.

Game 3: Indians take another win. Why is this happening?

Game 4:  The boys meet up in Chicago, and heaven only knows how, they found a hotel room. 

They coordinate their outfits.

And they head out to see the citay.

I think their dad helped design this building? Yes no?

Getting cozy on the L

Enjoying the energy of the crowds outside Wrigley field. I can imagine the fun of just being there and hearing the crowds mill about with excitement. These people have been waiting 108 years for this opportunity, their not sitting at home, watching it on television. No sir.


Game 3 was a devastating loss. This puts the Indians only one game away from winning the series. These are not good odds. Not good at all. Makes a person feel nervous all the time, a permanent knot in your stomach.

The boys take the next day to visit their old childhood home in Crystal Lake. Or at least text in front of it.

And of course, walk the path that they walked many times to their elementary school. I admit, this is a pretty fantastic path.

Look at these big boys in front of their old elementary school!

The made their way out to the cemetery where their dad was buried.

This is the first time all of the brothers have been there together since his funeral.

Game 4, they decided to get into that stadium. They found a fellow selling ticket and they all forked over $$ to get them. They knew it could be a scam, so Mat stayed behind and stood with him while the other brothers went to confirm if they were real tickets. To their disappointment, the tickets were fake and just as they were calling Mat to let him know the guy was a crook, he took off and disappeared into the crowd. They were pretty devastated. Again they'd have to listen to the cubs lose outside the stadium. 

Eventually they had had enough of the disappointment and took the train back to their hotel room. As stepped off, they saw the restaurant. It felt like Rock Bottom.

Game 5 day. Mat decided enough was enough. He bought tickets. He gave them to his brothers and we shall never know how much money he laid down for them. He said not to ask questions. And we won't. They were going to the game.

And they won.

THEY WON!!!!

Dreams do come true. We live to fight another day. These brothers made memories they'll never forget. I have a feeling that anyone of them could tell you the story and make you laugh and cry for happiness. And I'm told that Jim has written down, so good gravy, somebody ask him for it! It's worth telling!

The boys flew home to their families and we watch with delight, anticipation and terror as the Cubs won game 6 in Cleveland. The very possibility that this could happen becomes all consuming. 

Game 7 arrives and Mark and the boys watch with nervousness and the hope that miracles can happen. I can't stay in the room for more than a few minutes. I'm sure I'll jinx it! 

I am occasionally persuaded to come by and hunt for Almond Joys in Mathew's Halloween stash.

A game changing rain delay and 10 innings later and the Cubs had broken a 118 year losing streak and made my husband cry for joy and my two warring boys hug and jump up and down. We'll never forget it!

We're proud to be Cubbies! Fly the W!!

Classroom Parties, Olathe 3rd Trunk or Treat, trick or treating... The costumes, the cakes, the candy.

How about we do all the Halloween posts in one? Shall we?

Yes, we did attend numerous class parties, preschool soirees, trunk or treats, chili cook-offs and dare we forget....actual door to door trick or treating. We spent the weekend "in costume".

But I think we'll see if I can portray the general idea in one super Halloween mash-up: 

Thursday we kicked it all off with Everly's preschool Halloween get together. It was the first opportunity she had to wear her bird costume. 

She was excited about the mask!

Using her super bird vision to put on her own shoes:

 Playing a few games with her classmates:

y

Alissa Wada hosted the party at her house and she also happens to be an amazing baker and food blogger. These cupcakes were the most amazing bites of heaven. I now confess I took eight of them home to share with the family and I ate EVERY SINGLE ONE. I don't even feel bad. They were that good. They deserved to be properly appreciated.

Friday night was the ward party. I spent a good party of that day helping to decorate and set up. 

The dozens of cakes made by men and women in the ward. They did double duty as table decorations and dessert.

I was in charge of making monster doors!

And you know I took time to take pictures of the kids in their costumes! I can't help myself!

The girls all went as birds, Ethan was "a teenager", and Mathew was Prince Adam, from the Beauty and the Beast.

I think they all turned out great! And I couldn't help but throw together an old stand by....the NERD!

My other favorite of the night: Jessica and Dylan went as Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin.

Isn't she adorable?

Saturday morning we focused on candy counting, candy swapping, candy guarding and candy consumption.

The girls took theirs outside to play a few rounds of pretend trick or treating. I heartily approve.

Sunday was a day of rest! From costumes and candy! (not candy....the candy was everywhere)

Monday morning we had Anna's classroom party in the morning:

And Laney's in the afternoon:

Let us all breathe a sigh of relief that dressing up and classroom parties come to a screeching halt the minute they leave elementary school.

Inhale.........

Exhale........

And then after school we invited a few Clarkes over for soup and rolls and we were off to do a little trick or treating....after we ate and also after we located one little Clarke girl that took matters into her own hands and walked a good quarter mile down the road trick or treating. Solo.

Then we went trick or treating.

Mario and Luigi

 Megan borrowed The Nerd

Anna and Ella...best buddies!

We went to about a blocks worth of houses....but Mathew and McKenzie were armed with pillowcases and we gave them a loose leash. So they canvassed the entire neighborhood and when they finished they got a ride over to her house and trick or treated that entire neighborhood. 

Which led to this:

That's a boy that feels strongly about the security of his sugar.

And it rubbed off on his siblings.

All every minute of the last five days led to this:

It was a five day Halloween extravaganza and we paid for it with an evening of costume organization and probably 3 or 4 cavities at our next check up. 

Well worth it.

Carving Pumpkins 2016

This year we went to our local Walmart pumpkin patch. The scenery leaves something to be desired but the speed and price can't be beat.

We invited Flynns and Guenthers over for carving a treats.

Ethan..my favorite of his pumpkins to date!

Mathew's said "Studio C"....he loves the written carved word!

Megan went for a pumpkin with a pumpkin.....deeeeep.

What is featured on Laney's pumpkin? I'll give you one guess.

That's right! A wolf! And it was her own design.

Mari helped Anna with her pumpkin. As a seasoned mom, she know when to sit back and when to offer assistance.

Anna carved one big EYE and what appears to be a mustache and tiny mouth.

Everly wanted a very complex monster face with peeled white teeth and intricate details. Martin showed her a spider pattern and luckily she changed her mind.

Where does she learn to pose like that??

Todd and Aidan worked on a "Five Nights at Freddy's" character. I have no idea what that is, but from what I've heard, it's scary and I prefer my ignorance, thank you.

Courtney pitched on on Megan's and Kylie made an adorable sunflower. 

Done!

left to right: Megan's pumpkin within a pumpkin, Anna's big eye, Maren's smiley-mean, Laney's wolf, Everly's spider, Ethan's best ever, Mark's unibrow, Mathew's Studio C, Kylie's sunflower and Todd still working on Aidans....lol

A bit of harmless fun

The girls are always in and out when I'm getting ready. They are about their business and happily in cahoots about this or that as I do my own hair or make up.

Then every once in awhile they focus in on me and become interested in what I'm brushing onto my eyelashes.....

"Mom? Will you put make up on me?"

I wonder for a minute if they might think that I think that they NEED make up to be beautiful and I feel like I better make it crystal clear that make up is fun and I like it because it's fun, not because I need to have it. And don't forget that you are beautiful because you are you and because you are good and kind to others and make up doesn't make that better or worse.

Understand?

Yes?

Then let's do a makeup!

And when they are all eyelashed and lipped and blushed I ask them to give me a smile and instead they do that serious supermodel thing where they stare soulfully into the camera and for a few moments I see exactly what they are going to look like as grown women. And it scares me more than a little bit.