Awesome Memorial Day at Wrigley Field!!

So our day started with 4 tickets to the Cubs game in the upperdeck that were given to us by a lacrosse dad on Austin's team.  I purchased 2 more in the upper upper deck so the whole family could go to the game.  I ran to the store this morning to buy the whole family cubs shirts.  We got on the train, walked a few blocks, got on the red line and rode to Wrigley field.  That in and of it self was fun!!

At the Wheaton Train Station - ready for the game!

We sit down and just as the game starts a man comes and asks us if we want to trade seats with him. It was Todd Ricketts - a cubs OWNER. He said his were in the sun and his kids wanted to be in the shade - would we want to trade. OK...his tickets were row 2 right behind home plate!!!  We spend the next 8 innings sitting with coaches wives and girlfriends and actually talking with some of the players. Fukudome gave Kiersten a game ball. 

The 2 owners, Todd and Tom Ricketts, both came and talk to us. IT WAS CRAZY!! I told Matt is was all because I went and bought shirts this morning!!   It was SUPER hot but something we will never forget. I spent a fortune on drinks and ice cream but all worth it!! After all, the first 4 tickets were free and then next 2 I bought online for 19.00 each!! 

This guy was on Undercover Boss just last fall. Tracy said she saw us on TV!!  What an adventure!  So fun!!

We went from this...

to THIS!!  Can you believe how close?

Cubs Dug Out

Happy Hot Kids!!

Reagan's Rainbow Birthday Cake

Marci has made some really fun cakes for the kids, butterfly, race car, a princess, etc.  This year, Reagan zeroed in on a rainbow cake.  We put our mind to it, but could not figure out what we were going to do.

We thought we would lay the cake out in the shape of a rainbow, maybe add colors on the top, or with M&Ms, something simple, but that would be a rainbow that Reagan would recognize.

As we were thinking about what to do, Nancy called with the perfect idea, make each layer a different color.  So, we gave it a try.  It turned out really cute, however, it is tough to see the "lean" in the cake.  Once we assembled the cake, the last two layers started to slide off the cake.  We hurried and put it in the fridge, hoping the frosting would setup and hold it all together.

Reagan loves to cheese it for the camera.  We have not had any of our kids notice the camera as quickly and "pose" for each shot.

Marci cooked each layer individually and then would assemble the cake as we went.  We learned a few things as we went along, like making sure each layer was flat,  cooking more than a day in advance, etc.  But, it did not fall down!  As you can see, it is a rainbow cake for sure, and tasted great too!

Family Fun Run at Hawthorne May 14, 2011

The Hawthorne fun run was on Saturday morning and we were all prepared.  Even Reagan wanted in on the action, so we "numbered" her up.

Three runs took place for the younger kids and all the way up to a 5K.  Kierst and her gaggle of friends.

Davis, Kate and Brandon getting ready to run, or be a superhero, one or the other.

The kids ran hard.  It was fun to watch them compete and they took the race serious, especially when they turned the corner and saw the finish line, then they really turned on the jets.

Austin ran really fast, taking third in his division.  Somewhere around a six minute mile!

Marci and I both ran the 5k and it went well.  We have  few races coming up, so we are trying to stay in shape.

Reagan and Brandon - Birthday Dance Party

Reagan and Brandon having a Dance Party

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

ABC

Itsy Bitsy Spider

ABC again

Reagan's 3rd Birthday!

Rain has been our constant weather pattern this spring, however, right around Reagan's birthday, it shot from the 50s to the 90s for a few days.  Just enough time to get outside for a little fun.

Reagan got a little machine that pumps the bubbles out and the kids chased them around the yard.  It was cute to watch them chase them down.

It was so hot and the weather had turned so quickly, that we had some friends (the Ruges), whose apartment building is not allowed to switch from heat to A/C until June 1 or after three consecutive days of 90 plus degrees.  Their apartment was so hot that they spent the afternoon and evening with us.  

This was the cake, before the cake, birthday cake.  We celebrated on Reagan's birthday, but we knew we would be having another party on Sunday, so we bought a little cake, but nothing compared with the rainbow cake that Marci built!