Our First Anniversary!

Over the weekend Griffin and I celebrated our first anniversary downtown Chicago.  It was the perfect weekend.   Our hotel was well located and the weather was absolutely beautiful.  We had drinks outside on a rooftop, got pedicures, walked everywhere, took an architectural boat tour, went to the top of the Sears Tower, and ate at some amazing restaurants.    

Saturday night we finally got to eat at Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder!   It is a restaurant that had a spot on a Travel Channel episode on pizza about 3 years ago.   Ever since we saw it we have wanted to try it for ourselves.   This weekend we finally went and it was delicious!   They make a pizza pot pie which is different from any pizza we have tried before.   The wait was about an hour and a half - but it was well worth it!

We really enjoyed the boat tour as well.   We learned details and history about the buildings in Chicago that we never knew.   And the trip to the top of the Sears Tower was incredible!   I am not usually scared of heights but stepping out onto the plexi-glass box hanging from the 103rd story of the Sears Tower was scary.   And when the 7 year old boy next to me start jumping up and down - it was more than I could handle.   :)

Griffin and I have always had fun anniversaries - but this first one as a married couple was definitely my favorite.

Walking along the riverwalk

Behind Griffin are the Wrigley and Tribune buildings.  Both are beautiful but the Tribune Tower is one of Griffin's favorites

The famous Pizza Pot Pie (they serve it upside down)

Sunday brunch right on Michigan Avenue at the Grand Lux Cafe

Sears Tower from the river - if you look close enough you can see the plexi-glass ledges

Great shot of the double bridge (cars below & train on top)

O'Briens - one of the restaurants along the river walk that we ate at on Saturday

The boat tour went along the river and then out on to Lake Michigan

The view from Lake Michigan

On our way into the Sears Tower

A shot of Griffin's view looking down on to Wacker

Griffin stood on one ledge and I stood on the other (there are 3 and they are building a 4th).  We love this picture.   Really shows how amazing these ledges are - and scary!

A Fun Visit

Two weekends ago Meredith and the boys came to visit us in Milwaukee - it was such a fun weekend.   Those two boys are so cute and Griffin and I were excited to finally have a good chunk of time with them.   We went to the Betty Brinn Children's Museum and could have played there for hours!  The boys loved it all and we were so impressed with the different activities they could play.  We also got to play lots of "tennis" in the driveway with Jack and go to the park on Sunday.   Saturday night was great too - after the boys went to bed Griffin made the three of us margaritas and we watched a movie.  The perfect way to end a hectic day with two active boys at a children's museum.   :)

I wish they could have stayed longer - it was hard to say goodbye - but I am sure they'll come back soon for another visit.

Meredith has some good pictures from the weekend on her blog too:

http://mcguffage.blogspot.com/2009/08/road-trip-with-boys.html

Griffin spinning Jack in a tube at the museum

Jack fixing a tire at the museum

Jack checking under the hood now - he even added window washer fluid!

Matt working as a teller at the bank

Matt picking apples at the museum

We took the boys to Cranky Al's for donuts (and coffee for Meredith!) - Matt enjoying his big, glazed donut.   It took him awhile but he eventually finished it.

Jack always wanted to hold Griffin's hand when he crossed the street.    (I didn't get to hold his hand, but I did get to read him a couple books before bed time!)

Trying to take a picture with the boys - Matt didn't want to though

Matt jumping in front of the second picture - love that scrunchy face!

Finally a nice picture - but sadly no Matt.  Next time we'll get the 4 of us.

IrishFest!

This weekend was also IrishFest - and I am pretty sure someone told me it was the largest IrishFest in the world (including Ireland)!   It spanned the entire SummerFest Fairgrounds and had tons of food, music, shops and cultural stations.   It was amazing.   

It was funny how many people I spotted that looked like one of my uncles, cousins or distant relative.   I could easily spot who was Irish by that measure.

Griffin and me in front of the IrishFest entrance

Me taking a picture with an Irishman wearing a shirt that read "I (shamrock) Kathleen".   The woman on the left is his wife - Kathleen.   :)

Wisconsin State Fair

This past Saturday my parents came to visit.  It was their first time to see our new house and it was their first time to go to the State Fair.   We had a great day!    We saw horses, huge cows, huge pigs and ate lots of great Fair food.   My favorite was the kettle corn popcorn but Griffin and my Dad loved the State Fair Cream Puffs.  They are legendary at the State Fair.  We waited in a LONG line to get them but it was completely worth it.   

We ended the day with pizza at our favorite pizza place - Balistreri's.    It was a great day and I was sad that my parents didn't stay longer, but I am sure they will be up sometime soon again for a visit.

Griffin and my Dad with their enormous Cream Puffs

The Cream Puffs got messy quick

Me enjoying the hammock swing for sale - State Fair hosted a huge expo of all sorts of items for purchase.  The big seller seemed to be the wonder Mop.  I liked my hammock swing

Griffin's Ankle

Unbeknownst to Griffin - he was injured pretty badly at his soccer game last week.  He isn't really sure how it happened, but there is a purple and blue ankle to show for it.    He has a hematoma (blood tumor) about 3 inches above his ankle where he must have gotten kicked.  Then he has a badly bruised inside ankle.    This picture is about 2 days after the injury.   Sadly, over a week later the ankle stills looks as bad (just a little less purple).

Hopefully he'll be able to play soccer again soon.

Jack's 4th Birthday Party

Two weekends ago Griffin and I drove to Chicago to celebrate my nephew Jack's 4th birthday.  It was a great party!    There was good food, friends and family, and lots of kiddos running around everywhere.  I can't believe Jack is already 4 years old - he is growing up so fast!  This year was fun to watch him enjoy his birthday.  He understood more what the day meant and he definitely understood the presents.  :)

Instead of cake Meredith made cupcakes for Jack's birthday.   They were delicious and a big hit with the kids.

Jack listening to everyone sing "Happy Birthday"

Jack and his friend Hayden

Matt enjoying the frosting on his cupcake

me and Grandpa

The kids running around, screaming and attacking Terry

Matt playing some T-Ball

Matt making a mess in the wet sand box

Jack and Lauren wearing their White Sox shirts (the theme for the party).

Great Weekend!

The weekend of July 25th was a great one!   I am just sad that I don't have any pictures to show for it.   Saturday we went to the Air & Water Show downtown Milwaukee.   It was a beautiful day outside and watching those Thunderbirds fly by was absolutely incredible.

Saturday night we went to the Coldplay concert.   Griffin and I both agreed that it was the best concert we had ever been to!   We've seen Coldplay in concert before - but this show was the best!  At first we were disappointed to see that our seats were so far off to the side of the stage, but we quickly realized that our seats would turn out to be phenomenal later on in the show.   Coldplay had set up a small side stage just 5 seats to our right and they perform a couple songs right in front of us!   It was incredible!  

Then on Sunday we had the chance to spend time with some dear friends of ours and their 11-week old little girl.  We wish we had more time with them but we are definitely grateful for the time that we did get to spend together.   Hopefully we'll be able to make it out to Boston for a visit with them some time soon.