Happy Thanksgiving Week!!

A whole week of Thanksgiving celebration! It began on Monday afternoon. After a super-quick workout and shower at the Y, the boys and I went to the airport to pick up Janneke/Tante JaJa. Her flight was delayed so the boys and I walked around the airport looking at all the "balls" (ornaments) on the Christmas trees.

Shortish drive from the airport, and Art met us at home for lunch. Boys down for a nap, and the three of us chat it up until they woke up. Then off for Chicago-style pizza. Sweet Gidorno's Pizza has 30% off dine-in on Monday nights. We decided to brave the coldy weather and walk there - have to burn off some of the calorie-bomb pizza. We got to see lots of Christmas lights on the way. Dinner - excellent. Even the boys were wonderfully behaved, thanks to toys and crayons and being able to walk around a bit in our empty part of the restaurant. Brisk walk back home and boys to bed. We're all pretty tired, so we skip a game and watch an episode, or two of The Office and an episode of Scrubs. Off to bed!

Tuesday: Rush to get ready. Janneke comes w/ us to take Zach to school. As a PhD Childhood Education teacher, I was glad to hear that she could see that Zach's classroom had all the elements that should be there. Yea YMCA Part-day preschool! Quick trip to the store, knowing full well that we'd be back there again on Wednesday, then back home. I loaned Janneke some of my favorite 'fluff' books, and she got busy reading while I tidied and got organized. We all, including Wyatt, sat down for a little snack, then Wy and I left to go watch Zach's swim class, while Janneke took some down-time at the house. Art met us again for lunch. Boys to bed. Art and Janneke left to go get some coffee/hot chocolate at a coffee shop 2 blocks from our house. I took a glorious nap. Once kids were awake, we got ready to head to downtown Evanston. Tonight Evanston was hosting a tree lighting in the fountain square, with carolers and other festive things, and we wanted to be there. We planned on walking again, but it started raining, then a bit harder, then harder. We piled into the car and drove downtown. So much rain. We camped out in Barnes and Noble, hoping the rain would clear. They have a cute little kids area w/ a train table that kept the boys busy for a good long while. I left to check out the situation, and indeed they were going through with the tree lighting. Lots of people w/ umbrellas standing around. It was just too nasty, so we decided to can the tree lighting ceremony. We ran ran ran from Barnes and Noble to Zoba's - our dinner location of choice. As always, so very delicious, even though I got Pad Thai instead of my usu Pad se Ewe. Yum. Back home. Kids to bed. Again, everyone exhausted, so no game playing. Janneke fell asleep on the circle chair while watching The Office and Scrubs. :)

Wednesday: Zoo day!! We packed a lunch and headed down to the Lincoln Park zoo. Not sure if Dong Won's zoo pass was expired, we parked on a side street and checked out the zoo. Pretty cold though, so lots of animals were inside. Still, we saw a good amount of stuff. Wyatt loved the Cat room. Lots of lions and tigers and pumas, oh my. Wyatt about killed himself screaming "KHAKI, KHAKI". One tiger was growling and roaring a bit, which was amazing really. So low. You could feel it in your chest. We also got a great show from the Gibbons. Luckily, we were at the Gorilla area when the trainer was going to work w/ their alpha silverback. That was pretty neat to watch. Then heading home for nap time. Art had to do some work, so I worked on our blog for a good 2.5 hours while Janneke read. So nice and quiet in the house. Dinner. Boys off to the Mangrich's for the evening, while we ran to Jewel and then to the airport to get Karl. The airport was, not surprising, PACKED. We had to wait in a long line of cars just to drive up to the pick-up area to get him. We barely slowed down and he jumped in the car. We had hoped to go see some of Chinatown and eat a bit, but the weather was still pretty awful, so we just headed back to our neck of the woods to the Hop Haus. Very cool sports bar w/ a flat screen at every booth. We got to pick what we watched. Some drinks and french fries later, and all was good with the world. We dropped off Karl & Janneke at our house and went to pick up Z & W. Report: terrible. Boys would not go to bed. They just giggled and laughed until finally they had to move Wyatt into Morgan's room where Wy cried for a bit while Morgan said "Wydit cry, Wydit cry". Sigh. Poor B & S...and Ben's parents! Back home, kids in bed, some chatting, Shayna in bed.

Thursday: Thanksgiving: Turkey Day
We had the day planned pretty well for cooking, resting, etc.  We did end up having to send Karl and Janneke to Jewel (w/ Wyatt who fell asleep in the stroller...boo) to get some last minute things.  By about 4:30, things were well under control and almost ready for the table.  Time for me to go pick up Kanesha, a NWern student who was not going home for the Thanksgiving holiday.  We didn't know anything about her b/f tonight.  Turns out that we all have a lot in common.  Her family lives in the Camp Creek area in South Atlanta.  She has a brother at UGA, and one in the military.  It was a lot of fun to have her there and chat with her.  Dinner worked out GREAT.  Everyone's dish was so yummy!  The boys even behaved themselves for the long dinner...even Wyatt who had only had that one short nap in the stroller and refused to take another one.  After dinner Zach asked if we could play a game.  He chose Hungry Hungry Hippos.  Fun for the whole family. :)  Kanesha, Zach, Oom Karl, and Janneke played a few rounds.

Zachary VERY serious about his HHH.

Zachary counting his winnings...very seriously of course.

Everyone playing!  Check out the ruthless face on Oom Karl - determined to beat Zach.

Family game of Hungry Hungry Hippos after Thanksgiving dinner.  True to Zachary's current obsession, he named his hippo Caroline.

 After the HHH game, it was time to put Wyatt into bed...he was exhausted.  Still a bit early for Zach though, so we did some Thanksgiving food crafts.  It didn't work out so well though.  I could never find any candy corn, and had to use some oversize candy corn that we got at the Jelly Belly distribution center in WI.  Not as cute as the normal ones.  We repeated Aunt Joy's craft from last year, Oreo turkeys.  Still, pretty cute.  Then I attempted a new food craft: marshmallow/pretzel spiders.  Those did not work out so great.  Tasty enough, but looked nothing like spiders.  Fun though. 

Thanksgiving Day food crafts - an annual tradition for the Chicago Counts

Then bedtime for Zach.  The rest of us played Clue, then Scattergories.  As it got closer to 10pm, we were winding down, and I took Kanesha back to her dorms.  When I got back, the dishes were nearly done.  What a treat!

Friday - Tante JaJa's departure...booooo.
The morning started off with a not-so-hot breakfast.  I had been so pleased that nothing got ruined on Thanksgiving, that I must have let all that stress go with Friday's breakfast.  I burned the pastries.  I burned the bacon.  The eggs were a bit off too.  Not a wonderful start.  Nice to have the boys in the kitchen doing dishes though:

Wyatt helping Oom Karl and DaU with the breakfast dishes.

Wyatt is thrilled to be helping out!

Oom Karl throwing Zachary in the air over and over and over

Art takes Janneke to the airport, going by NWern and to Art's office on the way.  Oom Karl went with the boys an I to the playground for a good hour or so.  Then back home for lunch and naps.  While the boys were napping, Art and Karl drove down to Lincoln Park in Chicago to check it out.  It is a swanky neighborhood full of little shops and bars and restaurants.  Not a terrible outing.  Leftovers for dinner.  Boys to bed , and a game of Settlers of Katan with Karl.

Saturday: Downtown
We decided to make it a family adventure and drive downtown.  We walked and walked and walked, showing Karl all of the stops in our "regular" foot tour: Navy Pier, Wrigley Bldg, Millennium Park, Architecture Institute's full scale model, walking walking walking.  In addition to the regular stuff, we also walked through the German Christmas market briefly, and then went to Portellos around 4:30 for a late afternoon snack of Authentic Chicago-style hotdog...recommended to us by some cops.

Sunday: Oom Karl leaves...booo....
Church, then out to lunch w/ some people in our small group to Malone's BBQ.  yum!  However, we stretched the kids a bit too far and they were both melting down by the time we left.  Art took Karl to the airport a bit early, since we all expected it to be a day of heavy travel. 

Happy Thanksgiving week to us!

Video time

A few times a week, Zach gets to watch a video (20-40min) of his choice. Usually Wyatt is not at all interested in watching it with Zachary, which is good, b/c we would prefer he watch no tv before he's 2. However, today, they were both engrossed. Dexter, sleeping happily in the background. Actually, Dexter's presence was not totally welcome. Zach likes to watch his videos sitting on the ottoman. He asked me to move Dex, but I declined. So he had to make due w/ another pillow. Why he doesn't want to just sit on the couch or the circle chair, I don't know. Irks me when Art does it!

Totally engrossed

Dexter happily sleeping, no idea Zach was plotting his removal from the ottoman

Other side of Date Night

I have already added a post about mine and Art's set-up for date nights every other Thursday. Here is the other side of our date nights - our boys at the Mangrich house. Thanks to Stephanie, I have a few pics from one of our nights out. Our boys at their house, playing with Morgan.

Kids playing "train" on the soft blocks

Zachary and Morgan "talking" while Wyatt chills in his jammies

All is good. Glad to see proof that they enjoy themselves at Morgan's house.

Dexter = Relaxed

Dexter's favorite person = Art
Art watching tv = invitation to Dexter
Art's lap = Dexter's nap choice

Dexter settling in

Dexter showing Art some nap love

Counts men get sheared!

All 3 of my guys got a haircut today. Art was desperate for one, Wyatt needed one even though I was loathe to go ahead and do his FIRST HAIRCUT, and Zach didn't want to be left out, so he requested a haircut too.

I got them all set up in the kitchen - Wyatt in the highchair, Zachary on the big stool, and Art on the little stool. We put Cars in the portable dvd player and I started the assembly line hair cuts.

Set up in the kitchen - My 3 guys at once

Chicago Counts Barber Shop

Cute Wyatt, his very first haircut. He was not thrilled with the sound of the clippers, but did not cry or cringe. He did however, have a death grip on Art's fingers. He had his paci and watched the video. His cut went pretty fast, since I used the clippers all over. With Zach, we are always sad when he gets a haircut, thinking he looks "too old", and that he looks better w/ long shaggy hair. Well, Wyatt is totally opposite...we think he is SO CUTE with short hair. Even cuter than before.

Wyatt's new hair

Big boy Wyatt

Art was next. We were smart last haircut, and wrote on a piece of paper what clipper # attachments we use and where on his hair. So again, pretty fast. After Art's cut, he and Wyatt took a shower while Zach was mesmerized.

Then poor Zach. He wanted the haircut, he asked for it. However, come go-time, he was not thrilled. He said "no scissors". So then I got out the clippers, and he said "oh, no, NOT that thing!", and I said "what should I do, bite your hair off w/ my teeth?". Har har. So he decided to go with the lesser evil of scissors. He did really great! A bit of cringing and yelling at me because "I CAN'T SEE THE VIDEO", and "Mommy, you're IN THE WAY", but no crying, no screaming, no major trauma. In fact, he was so good about me cutting his hair, that I just kept going and going...and going. So his bangs for sure are a "bit" short. And, of course, not anywhere near a straight line. He would not let me get in front of him (blocking the video of course), so he ends up w/ bangs at a diagonal. Later, on Tuesday, when he went to school, his FAVORITE, Caroline, saw him and said "Mommy, look, Zachary has new hair!"...so I guess it was obvious he got a cut.

I guess this was the beginning of cutting hair all together. Not a practice I enjoy (I'm just terrible at it!), but am willing b/c Art wants to spend ZERO money on a haircut. So there you go.

Little side story: I guess I had told too many people, or mentioned it too many times that this was Wyatt's "very first haircut", because Zachary started telling people at church and school, when they asked him if he got a haircut "it was my very first haircut". Silly boy.

Here are my guys, all clean from their showers and happy listening to DaU read a book.

November 14 - A Good Day

Sub-heading: The end of it
The sub-heading can only be added because I'm typing this 5 days after our November 14 Good Day occurred. I will reveal "the end of it" at the end of this post.

Saturday, November 14th started off like most mornings...7am, hearing Zach pad quietly into our room, and Wyatt calling out for DaU to come get him. However, by miracle of miracles, it was really 7:40, not 7am! Yea! Perhaps taking the boys swimming last night wore them out plenty. Since Wyatt woke up so early, we thought - hey, he'll go down late for a nap - so we decdided to head over to "basketball" playground next to "lazyboy swing" playground. We played until about 10am and then came home to put Wyatt down for a nap. He was having none of it. We left him in there for about 45 minutes, but never did go down for a nap. We decided we'd eat an early lunch and head over to the sculpture park by the river. It was a GORGEOUS day out! Just light jackets for all. We wanted to be out as much as possible b/c of the bad weather coming. We parked by the put-in for a summer canoe/kayak company. We were getting ready to walk across the river when Zachary saw something amazing: A CAR TOWER


Pretty crazy, all those cars stacked on top of each other (this is at a towing/wreckage place). Zach was of course entralled. Then we notice that we are parked near a dog park, so instead of crossing the river to the sculpture park, we make our way down the opposite side of the river towards the dog park, thinking that the boys would love to see the dogs running around. However, we had to make a quick stop at the canoe/kayak dock to throw rocks into the gross water. HUGE FUN for the boys. Wyatt threw a nice, massive, tantrum when we left. We watched the dogs at the park for a bit, which was not as enjoyable for the boys as I thought. Wyatt did do some good barking, and one dog stopped in his antics to come check out the strange dog. We kept walking to a playground in the distance. Turned out the playground was a bit old for the boys, but there was something else there that captivated them: a mini skate park. They stopped playing and running and just sat for a good 10+ minutes watching several boys, some w/ skateboards, some w/ bikes, doing tricks.

The boys sitting together, happily.

Our boys watching other boys at play.

Zach and Wyatt were so still, staring intently at all the tricks. Art and I just sat on a nearby park bench and chatted. So relaxing! We finally had to tear them away so they could go take a nap. Exhausted Wyatt, with no morning nap, fell asleep in the car, and Zach right away when we got home. Art and I also took a good afternoon nap!

After dinner, we were pretty tired, and decided to skip swimming and opted for the 1st Bi-Monthly Chicago-Counts Family Movie Night. We got the boys ready for bed, then popped in Cars for them to watch for an hour or so b/f bed. Before we started the movie, Zach found some Nascar on tv and wanted to watch a bit of "real car racing". Wyatt was intrigued.

Z & W wearing matching pjs - thanks Nana!

Family movie night on the Round Chair.

Check out those giant feet!!

For Wyatt, family movie night did not last long before he got bored. He's really still too young (17 mon) to be watching tv. So he just played nicely in the front room while the rest of us watched the movie. When Wyatt started fading, I went and put him to bed and let Zach watch for another 15 minutes while I worked on the computer. During those 15 minutes, Art fell asleep watching the movie. Zach heard Art snore, looked at me, and said "MOMMY! Is DaU asleep?", "How did he do that??". So I put Zach into bed, worked on the computer for another hour, and Art finally woke up around 9:15, only to retire again around 10:30.

Good day.

Sub-heading explanation: Little did we know it, but today's nap refusal by Wyatt was the end of his morning naps. As I write this over a week later, Wyatt has totally given up his morning nap. If he happens to be in the car around 11-12, he will fall asleep for a catnap, otherwise, he's done, and takes a long afternoon nap like Zachary. So this Saturday was The End Of It, meaning, the end of Wy's morning naps. He stopped nearly a full year before Zach stopped his.

Caption Contest for Buster

Need a caption for the following picture. Feel free to click on "comments" and give your excellent ideas!



My caption: Oh those boys are TOO much, those boys are much too much!

Here is the video Joanna sent out long ago that I STILL laugh at, and sing all the time...the inspiration for my caption in this contest.

Public Service Announcement on Fatherhood

Senior Connections

Friday the 13th - surely something crazy would be in store for today right?? Well, what was in store for us was certainly something that we'd never done before.

BACK STORY: A few months ago, we joined an organization called Senior Connections that pair a Sr with a "friend". To join, you have to commit to about 1 hour per week with your Sr. Could be visiting, could be helping w/ housework, could be taking on errands, etc. Well, our situation is a tiny bit different. Our Sr, Herr Steffek (he is German, but has lived in the US for ~40yrs), did not 'technically' request to be part of this organization, nor did he request a family to visit him. However, the social worker at the retirement home where he lives contacted Sr. Connections saying that he would really love visitors, but would never ever request it. Enter the Counts family. I have no idea what he thinks about why we visit him, but he does seem to enjoy it. The boys are generally terribly behaved, and he finds that amusing. It really is like they enter that retirement home, and the devil swoops in and makes them temporarily insane. It's been managable however, and we've gotten good feedback from others about our visits. So we'll keep going unless he asks us not to. The best visits are when it is nice enough to take him outside and let the boys run around the courtyard, or the visit when just Zach and Art went and they walked (Z rode his bike) w/ him in his wheelchair around the block.

So today, the organization, Sr. Connections, had a luncheon for all their Seniors and their Friends. I was not sure what we would tell Mr. Steffek about this and why we where there, but he did not seem to care; he just wanted to get OUT. So there we are, in a large room filled w/ Srs and their Friends, plus Zachary, Wyatt, and one other little boy about Wyatt's age. Our boys were controlled chaos, but did spend most of the time running up and down the stairs in their stadium seating area. They were a *tad* loud during the presentation on massage, but other than that did, well, ok I guess. No one seemed to be TOO irritated by them. I finally had enough of it though, and left w/ the kids after an hour, shortly b/f the massage presentation was over. It was best. So not a failure, but certainly not a slam dunk of an outing.

The few moments we could get the kids to sit still: Counts Family w. Herr Steffek

Art escorted Herr Steffek in the bus provided by the home, to and from the luncheon. Art asked him a few times if he was enjoying it or if he wanted to go back, and he certainly did NOT want to go back. I think he mainly tolerated being there, but it was better than being cooped up in the retirement center I guess. He does seem to be enjoying our visits more and more.

Dexter fitting in

Here is Dexter, his favorite nap spot taken, just going with the flow and fitting in where he can. That pretty much sums up his life - fitting in, around the boys, where and when he can. He takes his moments when he is able to.

Dexter using the space available

Pretty cute, napping in the open space beside Zach's parking lots

Date Night!

Art and I have an arrangement with another couple, S & B Mangrich, to alternate weekly date nights. They bring their daughter (a month older than Wy) to our house on their Thursday nights, she plays, then we put her to bed, and they pick her up later in the evening. On our Thursday nights, we take our boys to their house for playing and going to bed. It's a great system for us (we think they get the short end b/c our boys are so HYPER), ensuring we get a date night at least every other week. Both couples have been utilizing the advice given by an older married lady at a bridal shower back in the summer. Each spouse takes turns planning the entire date, doing whatever that person likes/wants to do. That way once a month, each of us gets to do exactly what we'd like to w/out worrying about the other spouse liking it or not. For example, one of Art's date nights involved grabbing a beer at a sports bar/grill and watching GT Football. We have had a lot of fun with this, plus each couple gives the other one ideas of what to do.

Art & I playing a car racing game

Here are Art and I at date night recently: Nickle City arcade, an idea given to us by S. Mangrich. It was a ton of fun. Most games are one nickle to play, but some are 3-8 nickles depending on the game. We played DDR (dance dance revolution) for 8 nickles each which was both fun and a good cardio workout. Guitar Hero was about 5 nickles each, but also fun, once you got the hang of it. They also have an area of Free Play games; mostly old school games like Track & Field, Tetris, Mortal Kombat, etc that are all just free. They have a bunch of "redemption" games where you play for tickets, like skee ball, etc. Pretty cool place. We paid $2/person to get in and then bought a $3 bag of nickles. $7 date is awesome! They closed at 9pm, and we had no idea 1) that we were the only people left in there and 2) what time it was, until they shut down the power in the middle of a game. All the games got shut down...very cool shutting down noise from all those games.

Wyatt & DaU Quality Time

Usually, on Wednesdays, I am the one who takes Zachary to AWANA (bible memorization club) and waits (at Caribou Coffee -yummmm - w/ my laptop) for his class to be over, while Art stays home w/ Wyatt and puts him to bed. This evening however, Zach got a ride to/from Awana with his pals Jack & Caden (twins), in their MINIVAN (big thrill). That left me at home during Wyatt and DaU's quality time.

I was able to witness a new game Wyatt likes to play - "DaU is a Horse", with the twist of Wy liking to push Art back down when he is ready to get on his back.

Wyatt riding Horse DaU


The video of the entire process. Check out Wyatt pushing Art back down!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Happy Halloween!

Strange holiday really, but the costumes are just so cute that how can you resist? . Our Halloween started off with a trip to the airport (for Zach and I) to pick up Poppi and MeMa. Zach refused to wear his costume, even though it would be super cute. Instead, he accidentally put his jeans on backwards and did not want to change them. I saw several ladies looking quizzically and I said "yes, they are on backwards, but he won't change them". Once we were all home and fed, we began the 1st Annual Counts Pumpkin Decorating.

Wyatt happy with all the activity.

Can't help showing off for the camera.

Shayna's pumpkin sweatshirt - got a few stares at the airport

Going to town on the little pumpkins

Zachary preparing to paint the bigger pumpkin (which Art and I were planning on painting)

Zachary's finished pumpkin

Wyatt getting into the groove of painting

Video of Z & W painting. Wyatt doesn't yet get that you have to clean off the brush btwn paint colors.

Soon after the painting, it was time for the boys to take a nap. Poppi exercised, Shayna and MeMa went to the store, and Art just relaxed. Boys up then it's trick-or-treat time! We thought that Wyatt would really hate the costume, but, though he complained while getting it on, he had no issues once he was set.


Here is a movie of us preparing to take a picture. I accidentally gave the camera to Poppi in movie mode instead of picture mode. Art was resigned to wear the soccer ball mask because I loaned out our good costumes to a couple that was going to a costume party. So next year I can be a Hershey's kiss again, and Art can be his fav 70s cop.

Zachary - cowboy marshal - trick-or-treating

Zachary w/ his trusty steed

Wyatt is a cutie as a duck!

Little Duck! Wyatt TOTALLY got the concept of trick-or-treating. In fact, he repeatedly tried to go back for seconds and thirds of candy. He loved putting candy into his bucket and carrying that bucket around! Everyone let him come back for move b/c it was too cute watching a little duck being a glutton.

Seriously, can you get much cuter than this - waddling, real waddling!!

Poppi, Wyatt, and???? MeMa! MeMa took over the task of wearing the soccer ball head after Art got too hot.

Both boys were suffering from a cold, so we made sure that Wyatt was carried a bunch so he would not wear out too soon.

Zach and Wyatt in their costumes. LOVE the cute hand-holding!

Chicago Counts Family Halloween picture - a bit later in the evening, after Art had given the soccer ball mask to MeMa. I was pretty impressed at how long the boys went. We started at Keeney & Judson, walked all the way to Kedzie & Judson on one side, back down the other all the way to Judson & South, then along Judson back to Keeney. Took us 1.5 -2 hours. I finally left to go get dinner going, and let the rest of them keep at it. However, the boys were getting cold and tired, so it wasn't too much longer b/f everyone was home again.

Fun family outing!!