April 12: Fun with Friends

We have had lots of fun playdates recently - both with kid friends and adult friends!!

Zachery, Mari & Calli

Becca & Ross- rockin' out on Guitar Hero

A picnic lunch: Mari, Dillon, Koji, Izumi, Calli & Ashleigh

Calli and Danielle

No friend here. This was while we were waiting for Calli to finish her appointment. Mari dressed up with all Calli's winter gear out of my bag. Too funny!

August 31: At the Zoo with Dillon

Today we went on another trip to the zoo with Dillon.

These pictures of the girls wearing Rich's hat crack me up!

Silly Pirate

Today was our friend Nicholas' birthday party. It was a pirate party - complete with a silly pirate the kids threw water balloons at.
Here is Calli - sitting with Lucas and Dillon to enjoy some cupcakes.

Pool Party & BBQ

After the parade, we invited our housegroup back to our place. The kids swam in our little pool, and we were glad to have a couple neighbor kids join us as well. The guys grilled burgers and we all ate a yummy feast!

Dillon & Calli

Mari

Lily

Mari loved peaking in to see Lily in the stroller.
Adam & Dillon - posing as bakers.

Jamie & Aogu

Ian & Ashley

Rich & Jeff

Jamie was so sweet to make a birthday cake for Rich, Prashant & I.
Izumi loved sitting in this plastic tub.
Mari

Dillon wearing Calli's sunglasses.

Koji & Calli

Parade

Today was a perfect day for a parade!! A little warm, but managable. And after we saw how much Calli LOVED the memorial day in Michigan - we knew she would love another parage.

Rich, Mari, Izumi & Chloe

Chloe & Adam

Dillon & Calli with squirt bottles - a great way to stay cool on a hot day.

Kim, Chloe, Me & Calli

Kim & Lily

The boys: Rich, Jeff, Aogu & Prashant (and also Mari & Lily)

The girls: Kim, Jamie, Me & Renae

Hula

Well, not so much hula, as hula hoop. (Sorry, Tia Julie) So tonight we went to the Lincoln Park Zoo SuperZoo Picnic. Calli made a bead braclet, we painted pictures and saw them feeding fish to the polar bears. Plus, our good friend Dillon and his family met us there. It was a lot of fun!

They had a DJ playing dance music all night. It was so kid friendly. They handed out hula hoops and the kids went crazy. We will definately plan to go again next year!

Lunch With Dillon

Today our playgroup met at a park because it was warm and sunny. We had a fun time seeing everyone. Mari enjoyed the swings for the second day in a row! Calli had a bag of mini-goldfish and shared very well - handing them out one by one to any kid who asked. Of course, my kids wouldn't stop and pose, but I got this great shot of Dillon!

Then Renae invited us to go out for lunch with them. We went to Baker's Square. It was yummy! (Yes, Dillon was chewing on this lemon! Silly boy)

Calli did a great job eating her hamburger, and Mari ate about half the turkey off my Slow-Roasted Turkey Focaccia. The best, and most surprising part, was that Renae and I actually had some good conversation, which is tricky to do when you are a group of 2 adults and 4 kids!!

Spring Showers

I guess you know it is spring when you start to get rain showers. We have had several showers in the last few weeks. Tonight the sky got dark, it poured, it drizzled, and then it mostly cleared up. Our observant neighbors found this rainbow and called to let us know about it.

Calli, Dillon and I went outside to see it. They had been watching a DVDV while I made dinner. Dillon's parents are considering a move to our neighborhood - here's hoping they do :)