Happy 1st Birthday Matt!

Today is my nephew's FIRST birthday! I remember last year getting the phone call from my sister letting me know that Matthew Sean was born.

Matty Matt - Griffin and I love you and wish you many more wonderful birthdays!

Matt in his Dalmatian costume

Grandpa and Grandma 

(Grandma's birthday is tomorrow!)

Matt's first birthday cake

Saturday and Sunday with JACK and MATT!

This weekend Griffin and I drove down to Chicago for a weekend with our niece and nephews.   The first part of the weekend was spent with Sydney and the second part was spent with the boys.  We went to the park with the boys Saturday and Sunday.   They loved playing outside and running everywhere.   Jack carried his "tool box" everywhere, and Griffin and Jack fixed things at the park and at the house.   We had such a great time just the four of us.   It was nice for us to have the boys to ourselves.   We had so much fun!

Sunday was Matt's 1st birthday party.   I have many pictures from the day but will post them on Matt's actual birthday.  

Kathleen, Jack and Matt on the way to the park

precious Matt

Jack excitingly running around the park

Matt enjoying the park

Jack "fixing things" around the house

Friday and Saturday with SYDNEY!

This weekend Griffin and I drove down to Chicago for a weekend with our niece and nephews.   The first part of the weekend was spent with Sydney (and Marcus and Kathy!).   We played around the house all morning and then ventured out to the mall in the afternoon.   Sydney was so cute and so well-behaved.   We stopped for lunch at Panera and she loved her grilled cheese sandwich and yogurt.  She is getting so big!  We were shocked that she can now drink out of a cup with a straw....the days of sippie cups are coming to an end.   She is talking and walking and continually stealing the hearts of everyone she meets.   We were sad to say goodbye but thankfully we get to see her again in 2 weeks!

Sydney loves her uncle Griffin

Sydney playing hide-and-go-seek with her Daddy

Our trip to the mall

Sydney loves her placemat

Sydney and Griffin showing me that they can use a straw

Time Flies When You Are Having Fun.....

I can't believe that this past Tuesday I turned 27!   When did this happen?  Where did the time go?   Sometimes it feels like I just graduated from college - instead of the 4 1/2 years that it has really been.   Unbelievable.  

I have been blessed with many great years and many good birthdays.   Growing up my mom always let us choose our own special birthday dinner - anything we wanted - and that always made the day great.   I miss those days.   I guess it is true that 'time flies when you are having fun'.   

I remember my last birthday very well, because that was the day Griffin proposed!   I can't believe a year has already gone by since that special day.   I remember feeling like the wedding was so far away.   Now it has come and gone and we have many sweet memories to cherish forever.   And I am excited about the many sweet memories that are still to be made in the years to come.

Ricky, Meredith, me and Lauren (many years ago!)

The Neighbor Kiddos

During the day I have been working on getting the house organized and looking for a new job.  Those two things have been keeping me busy, but I have enjoyed many breaks visiting with the neighbor kids.   They've even taught me how to play MarioKart on the Wii system (I am terrible at it).  

Mallory and Mady stopping by the house for a visit.

Michael and Brady riding around in Michael's John Deere Gator.   

A Perfect October Weekend

This weekend Rudy and Paula (Griff's parents) came to visit and we had a great time!   We had the chance to go out to dinner,  bike ride around town, visit a winery in Cedarburg, WI and play a round of golf.    We hadn't seen Rudy and Paula since the wedding, so it was so nice to spend a couple days catching up with them.

The weekend was filled with many picture perfect opportunities - but sadly I never once remembered my camera.   Such a shame!  The trees are breath-taking this time of year.   Their leaves are many shades of red, yellow and orange.   It was like seeing fireworks.

Just before Rudy and Paula left I made sure to grab a quick picture with them for the blog.   :)

Two sets of Ewalds

My Handy Man

It is taking Griffin and I some time to get our house in order now that we've combined our stuff together, but slowly we are getting there.   Over  the weekend we made it our project to organize the guest bedroom closet.   It was a large closet with only one long bar and one long shelf running throughout.....not a great use of the space.    So we tore it out and put in new shelving and bars from Lowe's.   I say "we" since I helped in the beginning, but truthfully it was all Griffin.   And he did a fantastic job!!   

The "before" picture

My handy man

The "after" picture...look at all that useful space!

A Sad Ending....

This week Milwaukee was hit strong with playoff fever.....and so were the Ewalds!   So unbelievable that the Brewer's even made it there in the first place, but even more unbelievable that Griff and I got tickets to game 4.   Our FANTASTIC neighbors (Jim and Jenny) had tickets to both the Packer and Brewer's games today.  So Jim gave us his two Brewer tickets and we were more than happy to take them.

The day started off strong with some tailgating in the morning with friends, but finished weak with a series ending loss for the Brewer's.    It is sad that it is already over for us, but we are really happy to have gotten this far.  Plus, I currently still have the White Sox to root for.   I come from a family of Sox fans (not Cub's)....so having them in the playoffs too is pretty great.

Nick, Mike and Mark tailgating before the game

KJ, Stacy, Christa

Stadium full of "thunder stix"

Griffin and Mitch

The Ewald's first time attending a playoff game....hopefully not the last!