It was November 5th when Expat Mum commented:
"Welcome (belatedy) to the US of A. We are having our first "brisk" day here in Chicago after t-shirt weather for longer than usual. Bah!"
It is now Feb 24th and the temperature outside is 1 degree Celsius and....Yes, we say...."wow, it's warm outside tonight". Go figure!
A had her first real b-day party last Saturday. Her friend Lorenzo turned two. They had a little dog show, 2 dogs doing tricks. It was really cute. It was an unusual party for the USA ,I thought. At 12 am, I was drinking sparkling wine as the rest of the parents. It must be the Italian blood in their family. And the whole family was invited, I like that a lot. More people is always more fun. Or it is so busy, you don't have time to get bored. Either way, it was very nice. And A felt big, you could see it in her eyes. The only moment she was back to her age was when we were leaving: she wanted to take her present with us. It took a while convincing her that the present was for the b-day kid. The goody bag she received helped and we left.
A is turning 3 in a short while. If anyone has nice ideas, please comment. It doesn't have to be a girls' party, just fun for everyone...HELP!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Very (!)responsible parents
Busy weekends is fun. We love it. But two days is just too short and it gets late, especially for the kids.
Last week-end, we began with 'Fathers' visit' at school. P went to see F at her class. That was Saturday morning. Then the b-day party of A's friend. Then we had a family we met at the gym, a family from Belgium. Their daughter and F get along very well. F is crazy about her and Marjolein is the same. Their son Bas and A played quite nicely at the end, they are just a bit younger. When they left, it was around 9:30.
Next morning, the girls and P started with church. Sunday mornings, I have 1,5 hours free. He he! Then we went to the gym. We had Brook and her whole family as visitors. Wall climbing, swimming...we left around 5 pm. We saw Leo and invited them for a drink and they arrived at 6:30. They left late as well. It was great thought, everybody had a great time and I dare to talk for Leo and his family, too.
Monday, when I picked up A from school, she was SO tired. I felt guilty. But in the afternoon, at the ballet, she was running around and playing with Megan (daughter of a neighbour) and Oscar. And we had both kids early in bed and they slept early as well. That is for us some kind of miracle. There goes my guilt then, would anyone blame me?
Last week-end, we began with 'Fathers' visit' at school. P went to see F at her class. That was Saturday morning. Then the b-day party of A's friend. Then we had a family we met at the gym, a family from Belgium. Their daughter and F get along very well. F is crazy about her and Marjolein is the same. Their son Bas and A played quite nicely at the end, they are just a bit younger. When they left, it was around 9:30.
Next morning, the girls and P started with church. Sunday mornings, I have 1,5 hours free. He he! Then we went to the gym. We had Brook and her whole family as visitors. Wall climbing, swimming...we left around 5 pm. We saw Leo and invited them for a drink and they arrived at 6:30. They left late as well. It was great thought, everybody had a great time and I dare to talk for Leo and his family, too.
Monday, when I picked up A from school, she was SO tired. I felt guilty. But in the afternoon, at the ballet, she was running around and playing with Megan (daughter of a neighbour) and Oscar. And we had both kids early in bed and they slept early as well. That is for us some kind of miracle. There goes my guilt then, would anyone blame me?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
The score
If I make the maths of the last couple of days:
- 2 mouses, 1 dead, 1 escaped
- a new leakage in the kitchen ceiling. Had nothing to do with the incidents before. This was a whole new issue caused by a vent pipe leading to the roof that was never glued at a T joint. This new leakage resulted in 2 new holes in the kitchen ceiling and 1 big hole in the closet in 2nd floor.
- I saw a raccoon wandering around in the backyard. Beautiful animal though. This point is a plus.
Do we need more? Oh yes, we had a little accident with a paint bottle of the children and my one and only nice looking jeans is ruined next to my fleece that I used all the time and a very cute shirt of A.
I see on TV that the weather is going to be below zero again. Let's see what that will do to the house.
Good night!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Girls' day (and night) out in Chicago
Our school is one of the few schools that has winter vacation. I didn't know that. Another thing that I didn't know is that everyone in our school goes away for the winter vacation. I was thinking about little trips or play dates for a whole week, then I found out that everyone was going away for a sky vacation. P had his own plans - business trip of course - and the house started to stink again. I wasn't looking forward to stay home. I decided to go downtown Chicago with the girls, take a hotel and stay for 1 night, 2 days.
The weather heard about this, I think, all of a sudden it was nice and sunny, way above zero Celsius (between 5 and 10, good enough for us). I reserved at a hotel downtown, really downtown. Chic hey! Tuesday morning, I had a hard time waking up. The night before, I was thinking about leaving early, but when the morning comes, oh, that pleasant feeling of your bed... You all know it I guess. Half hour later than planned, I got under the shower. Then I thought it was a pity to leave late. Somehow, we managed to park the car right on time at friends' house who lives close to the train station and took the 8:22 train. Once in the city, we took a cab to the hotel and after a call to the theatre, we left to see 'Alice in Wonderland'. I was amazed with the way it all went perfectly on schedule. The play was not in a small neighborhood theatre as I expected. It was a really big thing. And of course, it was not empty, not on a Tuesday morning on a school day. The school was there. After the show, maybe 10 school buses came to pick the kids up! I am talking about a major crowd.
You probably know the story of Alice, it is all a dream. You cannot make much sens of what's happening. If you add that the fast English, the jokes that not quite made for kids of 2 or 5 and a theatre full of school kids are talking continuously, I don't think F and A got much of the play. Well, honestly, I missed half of it. Luckily we knew the story from the Disney book - from the series P thought it was stupid to buy, haha let me poke him here -, so we enjoyed it. It was well done, very cute and the effects were nice, too.
Around 11, when we left the theatre, we were tired like we had a whole day behind us. I decided to walk a while, enjoy the sun and the nice weather. We were close by the museum campus. I thought the museum of science and industry, our next destination shouldn't be too far. By the aquarium, the kids got tired of walking and the wind and we luckily took a cab. I say luckily because the Museum of Science and Industry was nowhere close by. It took us 10-15 minuted by taxi to get there. Once at the museum, we headed for the food court. A little bit food and a glass of sugary juice makes miracles. In no time we were back on our feet, full of energy. The museum was great, I will not list all we saw. I think the most interesting for the kids was the little new born chicks, just out the eggs. Super cute.
Hours later, we left the museum. Back to the hotel to rest... for the kids and my poor feet. Then we left for dinner. I found a nice cafe restaurant in my 'Chicago with kids' book and it turned out to be the perfect place to go on a Tuesday evening with the kids. We had a lovely dinner, a real girls nite out. I even enjoyed sipping my little cocktail. The name of the restaurant is Jack Melnick's Corner Tap.
Amazingly nice on time, we were in bed.
Next day, the weather was changed. Rainy, foggy and of course windy. After an easy morning, we left the hotel. A almost flow because of the wind, I hardly held the taxi door open. We arrived to the Chicago Children's Museum, our address for the day. It was, again, a success. We spent the whole rainy day inside, enjoying ourselves. We took the train after 4 p.m. and arrived home around 5.30.
The kids are in bed now and the smell of the house is less. I am writing this, drinking tea and watching Bridget Jones for the 500th time. Nice!
The weather heard about this, I think, all of a sudden it was nice and sunny, way above zero Celsius (between 5 and 10, good enough for us). I reserved at a hotel downtown, really downtown. Chic hey! Tuesday morning, I had a hard time waking up. The night before, I was thinking about leaving early, but when the morning comes, oh, that pleasant feeling of your bed... You all know it I guess. Half hour later than planned, I got under the shower. Then I thought it was a pity to leave late. Somehow, we managed to park the car right on time at friends' house who lives close to the train station and took the 8:22 train. Once in the city, we took a cab to the hotel and after a call to the theatre, we left to see 'Alice in Wonderland'. I was amazed with the way it all went perfectly on schedule. The play was not in a small neighborhood theatre as I expected. It was a really big thing. And of course, it was not empty, not on a Tuesday morning on a school day. The school was there. After the show, maybe 10 school buses came to pick the kids up! I am talking about a major crowd.
You probably know the story of Alice, it is all a dream. You cannot make much sens of what's happening. If you add that the fast English, the jokes that not quite made for kids of 2 or 5 and a theatre full of school kids are talking continuously, I don't think F and A got much of the play. Well, honestly, I missed half of it. Luckily we knew the story from the Disney book - from the series P thought it was stupid to buy, haha let me poke him here -, so we enjoyed it. It was well done, very cute and the effects were nice, too.
Around 11, when we left the theatre, we were tired like we had a whole day behind us. I decided to walk a while, enjoy the sun and the nice weather. We were close by the museum campus. I thought the museum of science and industry, our next destination shouldn't be too far. By the aquarium, the kids got tired of walking and the wind and we luckily took a cab. I say luckily because the Museum of Science and Industry was nowhere close by. It took us 10-15 minuted by taxi to get there. Once at the museum, we headed for the food court. A little bit food and a glass of sugary juice makes miracles. In no time we were back on our feet, full of energy. The museum was great, I will not list all we saw. I think the most interesting for the kids was the little new born chicks, just out the eggs. Super cute.
Hours later, we left the museum. Back to the hotel to rest... for the kids and my poor feet. Then we left for dinner. I found a nice cafe restaurant in my 'Chicago with kids' book and it turned out to be the perfect place to go on a Tuesday evening with the kids. We had a lovely dinner, a real girls nite out. I even enjoyed sipping my little cocktail. The name of the restaurant is Jack Melnick's Corner Tap.
Amazingly nice on time, we were in bed.
Next day, the weather was changed. Rainy, foggy and of course windy. After an easy morning, we left the hotel. A almost flow because of the wind, I hardly held the taxi door open. We arrived to the Chicago Children's Museum, our address for the day. It was, again, a success. We spent the whole rainy day inside, enjoying ourselves. We took the train after 4 p.m. and arrived home around 5.30.
The kids are in bed now and the smell of the house is less. I am writing this, drinking tea and watching Bridget Jones for the 500th time. Nice!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Congratulations!!
Eddy, congratulations with your birthday!! M.A, would you please give read this message to him, I know you are the one who reads my blog. Hehe, what a cheap way, sorry.
P, O, F, A.
P, O, F, A.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Back to home
We are back! We moved back to our home. This morning, I packed for 4 hours a car totally full and we left the apartment. The holes in the ceiling and the wall are not looking... cosy, but whatever, I am tired or driving back and forth. Is the house smelling? I think a bit, but not as bad obviously. I think I am a little used to it as well. That's a bit sad I guess. After putting the car full of stuff away, and cleaning, I am thinking about throwing a party. It is still home sweet home.
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