Callahan?

So, I'm in bed and I pull out today's mail...a catalog for The Illinois Math and Science Academy  and as I'm reading the cover, I look at the kid in the white lab coat "Callahan?, is that Callahan?" I hand the catalog to Tim, he looks at it and says "I think that is Callahan"

OMG! my kid is on the cover of the IMSA Summer Catalog. Well, Cal almost busted, almost busted right then and there. There is not much about school that excites Callahan, but my God he has been talking about going to high school there for 2 years now. He has attended their summer program for gifted kids for the last 2 years. It is the 1 week out of the year that there is passion and light in that child. He can be with kids just like him, kids that can split atoms, create and explain DNA strands, discuss black holes and share freakin non-stop facts... freakin facts about everything.

Woohoo, way to go Cal!

finishing touches

I found these adorable outlet covers at Restoration Hardware. They are Slate and had to be special ordered. They just arrived! We redid our kitchen with a Flint tile floor(done by Tim and I) and a gray/black/cream granite table, counter tops and a smoky glass back splash. I have been looking for outlet covers that tie it all together. I was thrilled when I found these while Christmas shopping, but I only ordered 2 as they are $15 a piece and I wasn't sure of the sizes. We have been w/o covers  since July as seen in picture below. I was washing the back splash and got one of the outlets wet...SPARKS SPARKS and more SPARKS. It's time to finish.

Still need stove and microwave, another thing I am going to have to bite the bullet and purchase. I must say to this day I love love love my refrigerator. I am in Love with it

Christmas and a little more bling

I was the last one to bed on Christmas Eve.When I all woke up on Christmas day there were a few presents under the tree marked

 To: Mommy, From: Santa

One in particular had this stunning diamond pendant. A 1.8 carat, stunning diamond pendant to be exact. I cried, yes I did, tears, real freakin tears and more than once throughout the day/night. I was never so surprised in my life. I had just received the gorgeous Emerald from Tim the night before. Anyone that knows me knows I don't do glitter, gloss or glam. I am a pretty plain non-sparkle gal... except for my engagement ring I rarely wear jewelry. One time I wore a pattern shirt and my Karrick's eyes nearly bugged out of his head "What are you wearing, mommy? Go take it off" 

We headed to Palos Heights to spend Christmas at my dad's with all my siblings and cousins and I wore BOTH of my sparklers and felt wonderfully gorgeous. Maybe a glam-girl in the making? Hmmmmm

All kidding aside, I'm still recovering from shock and the look on Tim's face was wonderful. I think it really gave him joy to give me these presents and that they were chosen very carefully out of  love. I really think it's okay to feel special and appreciated...thanks hun, I Love You!

Tim and I were in bed last night remarking on how blessed we are. 3 healthy, happy and wonderful boys complete our family. It was great to spend time with my extended family, I haven't seen my auntie Mar(I was named after her) in forever and was so happy to see her(in plaid shirt). She is my mom's younger sister.

If it's Christmas it's game time. Scrabble above and marble mania below

Lots-o-Jenga going on

My brother Patrick(right) was all beat up from sparring. He is training hard in the ring for a CFD vs CPD MMA rematch.

He thinks it will take place sometime in May or June.

It was one of my favorite Christmas' ever...This year it held so much more meaning to me and my family. I am truly blessed with so many wonderful people in my life. Life is to short not to enjoy every gift we have been given and to share those gifts with everyone around us.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is always spent with Tim's family in Long Grove. It's always a very festive evening, with family being together. Christmas carols, laughs, good food and a roaring fire complete the perfect setting.

Karrick and "That girl" as he calls his cousin Marisa

How do you make a 10 year old boy ecstatic?

Give him a mini dirt bike..

Never too cold or too snowy or too wet or too dark to ride a mini bike

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa


Getting Ready for Santa...

 I bought the plate and cup on the left last week for Santa cookies, well Callahan wanted no part of a new plate set. He has been using the one on the right since birth and will continue to use it.

Must feed the reindeer

we played a little trick on Santa this year, spilled flour on the floor to capture Santa's foot prints. It is so magical for a 5 year old at Christmas.

TJ wanted:

New phone

    Ravens Jersey

                             Tony Hawk Ride for Xbox360

Not a hard boy man to please

he's still a boy in my eyes

Just for me

Tim surprised me tonight with what could possibly be the most beautiful piece of jewelry I have ever received

I Love it!

Thanks Tim

Nan

This picture is from my wedding and with her grandsons, my cousin Brendan 3rd from left lives in nans house today

My paternal grandmother was just an incredible lady, we called her "Nan" short for "Nanny". She was loved by all, everyone's favorite. A very strong woman in character, she raised 3 boys and buried 2 husbands both of whom were Chicago Fireman. I never met my grandfather, but "Pop" was always grandpa to all of us. Every time we visited he gave us a quarter. My father is the middle child, the only one still with us.  My father and his younger brother were both Chicago fireman and that tradition is carried on by my older brother Patrick who proudly wears the CFD uniform today. Nan loved to gamble with frequent trips to Vegas. In her 80's she still drove to the "boats" to try her luck. She has been gone 10 years now, I was 8 or 9 months pregnant with Callahan when she passed. As long as I can remember Christmas was always celebrated at Nan's house with all the cousins and extended family present. One cannot think of Nan without that warm feeling of comfort. I am lucky enough to have some of her cherished items passed on to me, my favorite is a crystal punch bowl set still packed up as the day my mother gave it to me (3 boys and heirloom punch bowl do not mix) TJ still uses Pops bedroom set

This little lady will be 30 years old this year, given to me by Nan on my 16th birthday

My Santa bank given to me long ago, I had to be 8? I remember my older sister got a porcelain stocking bank at the same time.

Thinking of you this Christmas Nan, as there are more of you up there than down here

Thanks for the warm memories

Oak Park Village Champs

 My boys are growing up and TJ is off to high school next year. You always hear people say "enjoy it now" because it all goes so fast, but do we really listen? NO! How many times do we want to tell those people to "shut the HELL up!" Now I want to shake people and say "enjoy it now..." I love my life, but I love to reminisce about the old simpler times when my boys were little. Yes, I said "simpler"...is that a word? Whatever!

During this Holiday Season and maybe beyond; I am posting some great memories from the past of family and friends. TJ-8, Callahan-6 both played t-ball in Oak Park on the Red Sox. T-ball in Oak Park is like nothing you have ever seen in any other town. Serious freakin business, the entire village comes out to watch. Our Red Sox were incredible and yes, We Won the World Series. Our team was "that team" made up of Ascension kids + plus my boys. TJ was possibly the most spectacular 8 year old ball player in history. Never missed anything in the field and had an uncanny understanding of the game.

Look at my little tiny Callahan...6 years old and in his 1st season ever, winning the World Series in Oak Park. Only OP'ers understand this, the rest of the world thinks "get a grip you freakin loon"

A day in Long Grove

Saturday morning we headed to Long Grove for a day with grandma and grandpa McGinty. Karrick hung out inside with grandma while I headed to Deer Park mall for some retail therapy. Tim grew up here and there is no shortage of things to do. The boys brought their sleds and snowboards as grandma has her own hill. Their home sits on 6+ acres and being that grandpa owns a tree company the grounds are a photographers dream.The landscaping is something out of a magazine. There are many buildings in mint condition. Here is the 10,000 sq foot barn that boasts a basketball court inside. In the summer we enjoy the in ground pool, kayaking on the pond and driving around on golf carts. It's a mini vacation just 20 min from Lombard.

TJ and his dog heading to the hill

TJ going down and at the bottom is Callahan splat on the ground after crashing into the bushes. Yes, the boys built a ramp half way down...hence me going shopping, I can't watch

Tim's bro Brian and my niece Marisa

sometimes my Karrick seems so tiny to me

Patrick just runs wild protecting everyone from some phantom danger, maybe he senses the coyotes or deer that roam. Click on Patrick and see his psycho eyes

My all time favorite tree a 200+ year old Oak tree that is protected

Cal and his friend Ben that spent the weekend with us warming up by the fire

Marisa's cute snowman

Santa's Helper

father and son

There is nothing cuter than daddy and his little boy snuggled together watching Rudolph the red nose reindeer. Notice the little stuffed Rudolph next to Karrick. It is made from recycled water bottles.

Art and Literature

Karrick's watercolor hand print ornament

Karrick is in the process of writing another book. His first book "The Robots" was a good 12 pages sketched all in pencil. Below is just a sample, page one is still a work in progress

He's not quite there....yet

My boys were off of school today. I brought Karrick to work with me and while we were driving, out of the blue he says

 "Mommy you're so fat,

Your tummy can turn the steering wheel"

Me: "What?! What did you say?"

With the look of horror he says

"just kidding" it's okay if you say  "just kidding"

Then it hit me Callahan...the older brother

When you have a large age gap between kids as I do, sometimes things get lost in translation. Callahan almost 11 is hugely into the "yo momma's so fat..." jokes.

Yo momma's so fat,

she makes Free Willy look like a tic tac

Yo momma's so fat,

when she walked in front of the TV I missed 3 commercials

Yo momma's so fat,

when she went to the beach Greenpeace tried to drag her back in the water.

  I can thank the iPod touch that Callahan owns for this fun fun phase.

Karrick was trying to be like his older brother, but being only 5 he just not there...yet. It also hit me that Karrick, while so young in many ways, is also "that kid" in his class that knows just a little bit more than he should. He has been known to get arrested by the cops in "Need for speed most wanted" and we have caught him playing "Call of duty, Modern Warfare 2" . It's a sticky situation when he tries to explain these games on the playground...I put up my hands and say "older brothers"

PS: the kid is damn good in Sim City...what that game has done for his math skills...

Lilacia Park, Lombard

One of Lombard's gems is Lilacia Park. It is a 8.5 acre park with over 1000 lilac trees and Tulips as far as the eye can see. Lombard is the lilac town and May is dedicated to Lilac fest. Every Winter the village lights up the park. Before picking Cal and TJ up from CCD at Sacred Heart (which is across the street) I walked through. It was dark and still snowing. Christmas carols filled the air as I followed all the paths that wind through the park. It was so pretty. I was the only one there and just took it all in and snapped away