The danger of residential architecture....

The danger of doing residential architecture is that you WANT the houses! AAAAH! Well not all of them of course, but there sure are some cool homes out there! This week I got to see the "almost done" version of a high rise we worked on. Lots of shopping and cabinetry design, and it's looking great! The lifestyle of living along the lake is fun, but I am not interested in that right now. So.... maybe when I'm an empty nest!

Today we measured a house in the historical area of Oak Park. Gorgeous home! Well, it will be even more awesome once they do some of the fun architectural work of course! For all the great parts of the home, they didn't have the open kitchen/family room that we have - toys were in the basement. It made me so happy we have our main floor family room. Such a luxury. If we ever move, we'll miss it for sure if the new place does not have something similar. I personally would love bedrooms that are big enough to hold a few more toys but can't be picky right?

I really love "learning" these homes while measuring them. My boss and I feel like it's a discovery opening closets, finding laundry chutes, etc. Glad to have this opportunity. It's funny, walking through a beautiful home, makes you jealous. Makes you picture your own family in the home. So I start thinking "do we want a historical home eventually?" Then reality sets in that one thing I can't wait to get away from is the old-house-issues! A nice modern home sounds SO GOOD right about now. Especially with a bit of water in the basement, a garage that is falling apart, a roof that is curling up, and walking around seeing every single room needs repainting. It's a love-hate thing I tell you. Sigh.

Summer 2014!!!!

Last summer I was unprepared. The end of May arrived and while I had plans, the kids had different ideas of summer, and it was a big old cranky mess around here. So this year I planned well in advance and signed the kids up for a variety of activities through the summer, we have a vacation coming, and I spent many emails setting up playdates- which is really what the kids wanted anyway.

So a few photos and updates. Awwww...... all 3 kids. 10 years from now I'll appreciate the photo but will probably forget the work it took to get this one! Venice has been especially cranky and bossy and non-too-excited about anything that involves mom deciding what activity is next. So this idea was met with a lot of "no." Emphasis on the "no." Even with treats the answer was "no." Even with the "but it's a picture for Daddy for Father's Day" the answer was "no." So the first few photos in this series are a screaming mess. Then I grabbed a little cat Logan had brought into the room. He actually wanted to hold the cat but seeing as he's 10 I suggested not this time, so I grabbed the cat and this cat so happens to be named "Gato Carrabato." So I had to speak to this cat in spanish. I'm standing on a stepstool in my room wearing a hat to be silly, wielding a camera, and speaking in spanish to a cat. Hoping for a laugh. Smile. Click. Print. Done.

Carly turned 1!!!! We survived it! The kids wanted to get her a doggie ice cream but I couldn't find one so I happened upon this (during my 30 minute lunch hour, rushed over the Petco) and it was fun singing and treating her to such a sweet morning of her birthday. We returned home for the day to find my entire kitchen covered in poop. Yes, that was NOT a good idea. But you know, yeah, sometimes moms don't think it all through. One hour of my life I'd like to get back, that hour scrubbing poop off the kitchen floor and dog. Fabbu beginning to summer I'll tell you. Carly- you kept it real. Life will not be getting any easier now that you are one, thanks for ensuring I don't forget that! 

Miss Bossy Pants can talk your ear off. She unreally, unbelievably adorably cute. Her words are like chipmunk voice, she tells everyone "I YUV YOU!" all day long. She offers things like "You want candy mom? I get you candy." She's smart and notices everything. Know the ABC's, colors, numbers, addition, spanish, english- you name it. She also has a sense of humor. She plays in her playhouse and you are supposed to come to the window and ask for food or lemonade and hand her play money. This day she handed me food and I pretended to take a bite. As I "bit down" she starts giggling uncontrollably and says "Mommy, that food has FARTS! " Oh my she's quite the character.

Soccer is over for the season! My parents came to the last game and watched their first win! It's a lot of fun watching the kids get so excited to play and their joy over a trophy with a plastic soccer ball attached. So much pride. You did good Logan on your team- "Blue Lightening." 

This summer has started out pretty warm. We belong to a health club with a pool and have been enjoying lots of time there on the weekends. I don't think I can handle all 3 kids by myself in the pool yet on a busy day. We shall see if we get to the pool during my days off. But for now- weekends with 2 parents has been fabulous.  Venice wears a "puddle jumper", Sylvie is trying out goggles (but still nervous to go under), and Logan found the joys of a boys versus girls water gun fight. 

This weekend we spent the day at Lake Geneva with my in-laws and it was chaotic and hilarious, delicious and wonderful. The wind was absolutely insane, so we were hesitant to pay for the beach, but ended up staying for hours. The kids loved the sand and water (Sylvie is in the background jumping waves). Venice hung on the beach for awhile but braved the water. Ice cream, meals, and shopping rounded out a Sunday Funday to remember. 

Next stop, Seattle. It's been 9 years and we lived there for 7- haven't been back since we left. I'm nervous and excited, thrilled and heartbroken to see what we voluntarily left behind. I will always miss our Seattle days. I'm curious if it will feel very difficult to go back or it will feel like visiting college is- been there, done that, it's over for now and it was great while we were there but that's in the past. I doubt it- Seattle is just an amazing place and I really truly miss it. Felt like home. Darn massive family and their love right? Had to come back and spend our years here instead like good responsible kids that we are ;)

Sylvie Curlyhead: unpublished gem from before Venice arrived!

I wonder if Venice will have Sylvie's pretty hair!

I wonder if Venice will have Sylvie's pretty hair!

Baby Personalities

Unpublished:

Venice:

She is sensitive and delicate and clingy and shy. She gets overwhelmed easily. She seems to have stayed in the newborn stage longer than Sylvie. She will get herself all excited by the mobile or playmat, get totally overwhelmed and overstimulated, adn then want to nurse, catnap and then wake up refreshed. She loved to hang out up on my shoulder looking at everything going on in the house.

And she LOVES my daughter. She gets more smiles than the rest of us! Sylvie has perfected the baby-ease high-pitched talk and Venice can't get enough of it. This from the Sylvie who begged me not to have more children. Now Sylvie says she wants to marry Venice. I'm sure the honeymoon will end and there is definitely jealousy but for now, I'm happily shocked! Right now she is on my shoulder looking at Sylvie twirling and squealing with delight. Sylvie the attention-seeker is loving the attention.

Their personalities tend to be spot on from the early months. To the mom who had a baby who studies everything, that was Logan. He had a crib toy and at 9 months I handed him a real screwdriver and he went right for the screws trying to undo them for an hour. No frustration, just concentration. He is my Lego Master. Kid of 2 architects. Enjoy- that personality is just awesome.

Amsterdam- the tail end

We got to taste Amsterdam a bit more. We enjoyed a meal at the Heineken restaurant, and another trip into the Apple store to borrow their Wifi:) By now we were pros at the traffic rights of way and it didn't bother me to cross 10 lanes of traffic because I knew when I could walk and that no one would hit us.

The morning canal ride was refreshing and pretty, informative and good company as we sat with some fellow Americans. There were so many little experiences I'm not even sure where they fit into the puzzle of our trip. Seeing prostitutes peaking out of windows and stepping behind curtains as you passed. Seeing and smelling pot. Buildings and roads only meant for walking and biking as they are so bumpy and collapsing. We got to visit a neighborhood I believe was the beginning of the Eastern Docklands. I had read up on the architectural center so of course we took a million pictures of this sweet building on the water. The botanical gardens were gorgeous and one of the greenhouse rooms was so hot and steamy Jorge's camera fogged up and I had to leave. It left me with flashbacks to being in the jungles in Mexico/ Guatemala.

First Crushes

Unpublished gem from  November 2011:

Sylvie: "Can you believe Frank has a crush on me? Just don't tell him because he won't admit it." 

Me: "How do you know then?" 

Sylvie: "He told McKayla. And he has a crush on her too. So he told her and she told me. So that's how I know.Once Gabriel from preschool had a crush on me too." 

Facebook Status

This is how I roll.,.. I'm 2 after all. Refuse to take off the fancy dress. I have slippers inside of my snow boots. Headband all wonky. And upside down sunglasses. Sometimes you just say 'yes.'

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Venice can't stop talking about the animals we saw and "Peacock so funny. He wiggle for me and show me his flowers. Just for me." So awesome. The feathers felt taller than me!

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Thank you,  hubby, for our mini outing l! It was a beautiful way to enjoy this spring, and helped to make this a perfect Mothers Day.

Li

Sometimes it's not the dryer's fault you are missing a sock. Miss Creativity strikes again

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My Cubs fan is rooting for the other team!!!!! ( at a Sox game)

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Carly has some cool markings on her back, to me they look like "Angel Wings." This dog has a serious soul. I don't doubt she's lived some previous life.

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Date Night with a busy architect "hey, so are you busy? Wanna go to a baseball game.... Right now?" There is beer and laughing and excitement. Who cares that it's bedtime on a school night and that all 3 kids are with us- can't hear them over the cheering anyway! Love you so much and I hope we always have great adventures! 

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2-1/2, 10-1/2, and 8

The half-years have arrived! So it's about time I did a quick update. Plus, it's 10:40 am and Venice just fell asleep, so I have quiet for the first time in awhile.

Venice

Let's start with the littlest princess. She cracks us up all the time. She likes the word "poop", she repeats everything, she sings, she insists, she knows what she wants and how she wants it and boy it had. better. be. her. way. But this is all typical 2-1/2 year old behavior. Let's see if I can record some special moments so we can laugh about it later.

You live in the sandbox. And your playhouse. You love to make a mess, mush things, squish things, play with things. In your playhouse you have a table and chairs and play "drive through" or "kitchen" depending on the window we visit. We ask for cookies, you giggle, you dump a shovel of sand into our hand, we pretend to drive away in the craziest manner possible, you laugh histerically.

"Hola!" "Aguacate" "Que?" If Sylvie, Logan or I use a spanish word, you think it's hilarious. You have a great knowledge of what is english and what is spanish and you definitely don't think the lines should be blurred between who speaks which language. 

Clothing- notice you are sitting in the sand in a nightgown. And a pull-up! We are moving towards potty training and away from babyhood in any hopes that you might consider training this second year of life. I am giving the changing table away for the sheer idea that you get past the love of being changed. We'll just have to do our special sing-songs and toe tickling throughout other times of the day. 

You say the absolute sweetest things, even strangers notice. "Sylvie, you are my sees-ter and I YUV you. You yuv me too?" You play school with Sylvie, carrying your Ariel backpack filled with whatever you fancy that day. You are learning to be obsessed with the letter V, with things like "Mom, which one MY yetter? Show me MY yetter!" in the Sesame Street alphabet book. You told me tonight you had homework, knowing I'd laugh. 

This school year is ending tomorrow, and while everyone is excited for summer, everyone is sad it's over. I will miss my Mondays and Fridays alone with this little miss for the next few months. If I'm still working part-time come fall, I'm sure we'll welcome it once again with open arms. 

Logan

Age 10 has been a lot of fun with you this year. You really seem self-confident. You are willing to help out and help a ridiculous amount with your pup especially. She knows you love her best! Your friends this year have played Pokemon, Yugioh, and soccer. You join the girls in silliness at play dates. And water fights, despite the fact that you hate actually being wet, are irresistible to you. You had an epic Boys Versus Girls water gun fight at the pool at Lifetime this weekend. Girls, well, you have your secret crush, and told Sylvie! You are already worried about summer's pace of things, but I think you'll do great.

Runners Club. Soccer. Soccer in the yard. Soccer at the park. Soccer sticker cards. Soccer. And more Soccer. 

Your video game of choice with friends is Skylanders. Alone it's any iPhone game like Dragon worlds, zombie worlds, puppy worlds, food worlds. You wake early and run to your phone to see what activity happened overnight. You like tv but not really a ton of shows specifically right now. Many of the good Disney channel shows have ended their seasons. 

You are starting to fill in the downtimes with fun things like making robots. You always have astute observations and you are rocking school this quarter. You seem focused and ready for tests when we practice for them. Spelling, math, social studies - you have them down pat. 

You held your own building a volcano for the science fair and put together a movie with Jorge to showcase the "explosion." You are learning computers and proud of your first school email address.

Sylvie

Where to even begin with Sylvie. There has been so much excitement for you this spring. You seem to be in every photo- so  much fun! You made your First Communion, and held yourself with grace and poise. You kept your anxiety at bay all the way until the end, and looked just beautiful. Your mass was lovely and we enjoyed this piece of your childhood. 

American Girl adventure! It was somewhat of a spur of the moment, but I drove the girls downtown to the American Girl store. Sylvie got a new doll. We shared a meal. And ooh'd and aaaah'd over everything in the store. It was a whole mess of fun. And a splurge. It's not an easy adventure, but we made it work- despite Venice not making it intensely difficult on the walk from the family restaurant to the store!

Two words: Pogo. Stick. You are SO GOOD AT IT! I Love watching it! 

You are so creative. You are constantly making things, creating things, and searching your iPad for more things and ideas. You are handling a sad end to the year well. Your teacher twisted her ankle at the picnic and cannot return for the year as your teacher. You handle all the daily chaos well, and take on your little Venice buddy often enough that we even get to eat a home-cooked dinner sometimes! 

I love all 3 of you to bits, and I'm really loving these ages. My thyroid was out of wack and has soured my mood, so I'm pushing past that and getting better medication, but through it all I knew I was such a lucky lady to have this little family!