Summers End

What a ridiculously busy week its been!  We have all been running around preparing Rhiannon to start her new school year.  While registering her for this school proved to be EXTREMELY difficult (aka them treating me like a lying thief who faked her address and was treated like a common criminal right in front of her already estremely anxious daughter.)  After two days, multiple pieces of mail and identification (to prove we were who we said we were and we lived where we do) she was finally all set and registered to start school. Since she had witnessed all of that negativity I wanted to do something to make the start of the school year to have a more positive feeling.  

As a reward to her for being so brave with starting a new school and a stress reliever to myself we decided to give her room a much needed  makeover.

So we marched our hinies to the nearest home depot and picked up a gallon of Glidden paint in pebble grey.  We spent the entire afternoon transforming her cluttered mess of a room into this.......

Before

 After!!

I am so pleased with the outcome!  We were a bit worried the color would be to dark but it almost reflects the colors in her room and has a purpleish tint to it.  We then spent the rest of the evening scouring the house and putting it in order for some special guests we were going to have the next day.

(Somewhere in this day my car keys mysteriously disappeared.  I hadn't realized it yet...)    













The Mister and I woke bright and early the next day to go to watch a Cubs game on a rooftop with a few friends.

 I was very excited for a few reasons.

1. Beer and a break from children!!!
2. First cubs game this season!!!!! (And only the second ball game this year.)
3. First rooftop experience EVER!!!!!!!

It was so much fun and just the break I needed!

I ate:

•  two hot dogs with the works 
• a chocolate ice cream cone 
• two servings of pasta salad 
• half a slushie 
• a bag of chips 
•  four and a half beers.  

I was one happy girl.

We left right after the seventh inning stretch when lightening and black clouds came rolling right  above us.  We ran for cover in a nearby bar just as soon as the sky opened up.  

After we got home the Mister took a much needed nap and I got to work prepping the food for our weekend guests who came into town to escape NY as hurricane Irene edged closer to them and then decided to make the best of a bad situation and stay a while!  

The Menu

Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables

Mashed Leeks and Potatoes with Gravy 

Peach and Blueberry Pie

I'm going to have to say that it was DELICIOUS!!!!!  If you need a refresher on how to roast a chicken go here.  I made the pie the same way I did here except I used 4 cups of sliced fresh peaches and 2 1/2 cups of blueberries.  

And of course it was for a three month old baby so I had to put an owl on it.  

(Did I mention I got to hold a sweet new little itty bitty baby?  I love holding sweet new little itty bitty babies.)

(I think this was a one way street.   She doesn't look like she enjoyed us holding her.  But that is okay.  I still think she is the cutest baby alive.  With the exception of my own.)

That night we all had a good ol fashioned basement party.  Because we are awesome. 

Obviously. 

The next day we had a lovely time on the beautiful lakefront before we had to say our goodbye's.

I love this picture.  It looks like the paparazzi took it for the Star or National Enquirer.  

(*GASP*Just look at those two canoodling in the park.  So scandalous!)

I'm a bad mom.  I forgot her jacket. Anyone who has lived in Chicago longer then two weeks knows to ALWAYS bring a jacket.  I brought one for me.  (Maybe the kid needs to start thinking for herself ) ;)  ;)

Sweet Baby Rhiannon watching the waves...

  

After all of that fun I desperately needed to catch up on cleaning and laundry and all of those wonderful chores mothers get to do.......Clara, however, had other plans for me.

I like her ideas better.

(P.S.  My car keys are still missing.)