Chicago

Last week we were able to go to Chicago for a Cubs game and dinner for our anniversary! We found tickets on Stubhub.com for $3.99 each!! :) We got hotel room in the Hilton Garden Inn and we had gift card to Fogo de Chao!! The hotel room had 2 queen beds, so Rachel got a bed all to herself! And still managed to fall out in the middle of the night...without waking up! We had a great time at the baseball game!! The Cubs lost, but Fukadome hit a Grand Slam and Rachel LOVED all the excitement!! After the game we got Rachel another autograph for her hat, from another pitcher, Russell #40. Dinner at Fogo de Chao was AMAZING! We ate sooooo much amazing steak and ribs and meat. Rachel loved that they kept making her whatever she wanted, banana/strawberry platefuls, broccoli salad and some sweet dessert thing that looked like French Toast without syrup. After we stuffed ourselves we had dessert too! Mark had some homemade ice cream/sorbet with berries and I had the turtle cheesecake. I was so stuffed from all the good food before dessert I didn't even finish my cheesecake!!! But we did get them to take this awesome shot of the three of us before we left. We had such a great time!!!

I can hardly believe it's been 7 years! We have lived in 5 states and 4 time zones and loved it! We have been so blessed to see so much and meet so many wonderful people that we are still friends with, and always will be. I couldn't imagine my life any other way, I know I could never be this happy if it weren't for Mark and the wonderful person he is! He makes me want to be a better person everyday, I am so blessed that he is mine for eternity!! I love you more than words could ever express!! And our beautiful little girl, I don't even know where to start. We are so blessed to have her and her wonderful personality and amazing joy for life! We are blessed, so very blessed!

More Paxton

A couple of pictures of family time while Uncle Mitch was working. We nice long bike ride, again in the middle of nowhere, that Rachel loved! She LOVES bike riding!! She calls the seat on the back (or the trailer we pull), "her bike". We went to visit the horses and by the time we got back to the car she was out cold! And her new favorite pose is putting both arms around us and making us look at the camera and telling us to say "Cheese"!!

Paxton, IL

My Uncle Mitch ended up taking a business trip to Paxton, IL...which ends up being only 45 min from Bloomington. We had a great time at the playground with him. (Not much to do in Paxton). And a wonderful pizza dinner to top off the night! Can't wait to see you again soon Unlce Mitch!

Snowball Fight

While I was working a couple of weeks ago, Lillie, Owen and Rachel decided that we should have a snowball fight. I played fair and made sure I hit them all in the head with the snow! Here's the evidence!! Afterwards we went inside for hot chocolate...of course.

Decorating the Tree

Rachel was so excited to put the tree up. And yes, we're the terrible people who have a fake tree, which I swore I'd never have...oh well. We had no where to get ornaments this year (again) so back to the mall we went. Luckily Rachel is crazy into Elmo and we were able to find her an Elmo ornament for this year and then our family one, of course. After putting the tree together she insisted on giving the tree kisses. She loves Mark's train and the "Santa hat" just not wearing the hat. The picture was taken right after I told her to smile, in which she responded, "NO." And yes, she usually wakes up with "pretty hair".

SNOWDAY!!!

So we got about 8" of snow last night and Mark was able to come home early so we all went out to play in the snow. It was actually the first time that Mark has ever been able to play in the snow with Rachel. We had a great time, but Rachel was bummed that we weren't able to build a snowman (the snow was to fluffy). I can't wait til the store has more sleds and we can take her sledding!!!

I am fully aware that Rachel's eyes are closed in the picture of her and I, but Mark took 3 pictures and her eyes are closed in all 3, so I chose the one that I look best in!

Presents

We were so excited for this Christmas because Rachel would really be able to enjoy it, and she did!! Every new thing she opened ("Rip It!!!") she wanted to stop opening presents and start playing with that toy or book or clothes immediately. Every person we talked to on the phone on Christmas morning was "shown" the kitchen!! Rachel would literally take the phone from us and go in her room and point it toward this kitchen so they could "see" it too! Needless to say she loves her kitchen and we love that we get to help her put all the pieces back in the cupboard and in her box of food all the time! Yeah...fun!! Notice her adorable apron and that I have a matching one...yeah, again Mark is AMAZING!! He also made her a fitted and flat sheet with a matching pillow! They're adorable and she loves them! Pictures to follow soon! She loved it all and she made sure to say "Thank you" after each present and she even gave me a huge hug after we were done opening. It was so sweet!

She was so spoiled!! Thank you to all who needlessly spoiled our little girl.