Cookie Monster "Junior"

Most of you know that one of Dave's favorite nicknames for me is "Cookie Monster," and I'm ashamed to say it's a nickname well earned. You see, I have no self control when it comes to homemade chocolate chip cookies. I'm not proud of it. :) I just can't help myself. I've tweaked my recipe over the years (started with Mom, tweaked during high school slumber parties with my girlfriends Crystal and Shannon, and experted by myself just recently!), and I'm pretty certain MY chocolate chip cookies are the best. Ha!

Even though Andra is Dave's spawn in looks and personality, I think she inherited something from me: my cookie monster gene. She seems to lose a little self control around them too! The other night, she randomly said she wanted a cookie, but I told her we didn't have any (we never keep cookies in the house...that self control problem again). To which she replied, "Stir it up." She was telling me she wanted to BAKE cookies! So bake we did!

I always dreamed of baking in the kitchen with my daughter (my mom taught me how to bake!), and this was really the first time we "baked" together, so it felt really special. I measured most of the ingredients, and she dumped them in the bowl...and loved every minute of it. I think there was an equal amount of flour on the counter as in the bowl, but we sure had fun together.

Helping mommy "stir it up."

Enjoying the greatest pleasure of cookie baking...licking the beaters! Being the selfless mom that I am, I let my two "kids" do the honors. (Um, yes, Pudge comes running when he hears the electric beater. He was licking the beaters long before Andra was born, so I think he has a sense of entitlement!)

I told Dave I thought this was my best batch ever, and I really think they were! It must've been that secret ingredient: having my little girl's help!

Five Years and Counting...

We celebrated our fifth anniversary over the weekend! We decided to go on our first "just the two of us" getaway since Andra's been born. It was only two nights...but the longest both of us have been away from our little gal. I was a little sad to leave her for that long, but it was SO nice to spend some time alone too!

We headed north to Chicago, stayed in a nice hotel, and had some REALLY nice meals. It was truly divine to enjoy a peaceful meal together (that I didn't have to cook!) where we could actually TALK, take our time, and really just focus on each other!

Our first night, we ate at a restaurant called Wildfire, and it was wonderful. We both enjoyed our drinks (maybe a touch too much, but we weren't driving!). Ok...it looks like I'm drinking four martinis, but those are actually mini ones...it was a martini flight...probably the equivalent of two full martinis. :) Dave thought I looked funny with all those drinks in front of me. Well, he looked pretty funny after drinking his beer too! We hardly drink, so we're equally cheap dates.

Dave surprised me on our anniversary night and took me to the top of the Hancock building to watch a fireworks show on Navy Pier. What a guy, right?

Getting to the top of the Hancock building (94th floor!) in the fastest elevator in North America!

Our first day in Chicago was a little rainy and gray, but the second day was gorgeous! Cool, but sunny and beautiful. After sleeping late, we had a delicious brunch and spent the entire day walking it off at Navy Pier and Millennium Park.

We capped off the weekend at our new favorite restaurant: Roy's Hawaiian Fusion. We discovered it on our trip to Orlando last summer when Dave ran the marathon. After falling in love with it in Orlando, we looked for the closest one to home...and it was in Chicago. We immediately decided that's where we'd eat for our anniversary! It was a little sentimental too...the Hawaiian cuisine brings back memories of our Hawaiian honeymoon!

This is where I should write something beautifully poetic about what an incredible husband Dave is, but the truth is, words can't describe him or how blessed I am to have him. I know God made us for each other, literally, and destined us to meet and fall in love. And for that, I'm eternally grateful. I'll always treasure the day I got to say "I do" and make him mine forever.

For Posterity's Sake

Because someday she'll be able to REALLY blow bubbles. But I'll still remember how cute it was when she couldn't. :)

All Aboard the Pumpkin Train!

I know I've mentioned--a lot!--that Andra loves trains. So we love taking her to the transportation museum where she gets to ride a REAL train...but even better, it's a Pumpkin Train! A short train ride takes you to a pumpkin patch with a few other little activities. I'd say Andra enjoyed herself! Her eyes always light up when she sees the "Big Choo."

It was such a beautiful fall morning, I was so glad we'd planned on doing this today.

Chasing down Dad in the maze of hay bales. (Is that what they're called? Hay bales? I don't know. I'm not exactly a country girl. Help me out, Crystal.)

Decorating our pumpkins from the pumpkin patch...

This is Andra talking to the conductor, which was hilarious. She knows that the conductor says "Alllll Aboard!" So here she is telling him "All Bored!" She was fascinated by the conductor today and couldn't take her eyes off of him...I think because he was in full 'uniform,' hat and all. She was a little in awe of him and was so excited when he stopped to chat with us.

It was such a fun day and the perfect way to spend some quality "autumn" time as a family. Really, it doesn't get much better than that for me.

Sweet Perfection

Some days just feel perfect, and today was one of those days. Maybe it's because I absolutely love autumn and I love introducing Andra to new things I know she'll enjoy...but I just felt overwhelmingly content and happy today soaking in a beautiful fall morning with my little gal. I'm so lucky my days off afford me some one-on-one time with her...I feel so blessed.

Once I saw the perfect weather forecast for today, I knew we had to begin our tour of all fall activities within about a 40 mile radius of our house. Hehe. Thanks to one of my mom-friends (thank you, Havilah!!), I'd heard about a nearbly apple orchard I'd never been to and knew we had to make a trip. And so began our perfect fall day together...

They had a great little playground, hay piles to play in, mini corn mazes, which Andra loved...but she kept saying "App-pul Orch!" (apple orchard)...this girl wanted to get down to business.

Andra loves apples, and not surprisingly, loved getting to pick her own apples off the trees in the orchard! It just made me want to go home, put on an apron (which I don't have) and bake an apple pie (which I don't have a recipe for).

Putting our bounty in the basket...

Loading it onto the wagon...

And wheeling it home so Mom can figure out what the heck she's gonna do with about 30 apples because I didn't have the heart to tell her to stop picking. :)

Mmm...the fruits of our labor...

What's a trip to the orchard without a carmel apple?? Andra didn't take a single bite...just licked the carmel off the entire thing. Smart girl. :)

I really feel like I'll always remember today. Just a simple day enjoying the new season (my favorite season!) together, but for some reason, it just felt...perfect.

So this was the first of what will be many fall activities for us I'm sure. Someday, the kids will probably groan when fall arrives, because they'll know Mom gets a little crazy and drags them to every orchard, pumpkin patch and pretty autumn trail in the city. I just can't seem to help myself.

So...Anybody got any good apple recipes?

My Kind of Sunday

Nothing on the calendar. No obligations. Just me, my girl, my hubby...and a perfectly lazy Sunday.

Sharing Dad's pancakes (they both are wearing clothes on their bottom halves. I promise. :) )

Taking time to play in the rain.

Birthday Girl

It's hard to believe...as of 12:27pm on Saturday, our little gal turned two years old. I have to admit that my heart aches a little...TWO sounds so much older than one!...but I wouldn't turn back time even if I could. She's so much fun right now...talking lots, showing more of her personality and becoming more of a little person with each passing day. I'm so proud and so blessed to have a healthy, growing, beautiful little girl...which calls for a party, of course!

So party we did on Saturday. Dave and I gave her a toy drum for her birthday so she can finally put away the Easter basket (since Easter this year, she's been putting the Easter basket around her neck and pretending it's a drum. We decided it was time for a REAL drum!). Needless to say, she took a special liking to her drum, and I think she might have a future in the drumline! Doesn't she have excellent form? :)

"Helping" mom get ready for the big party...but I'm pretty sure drinks are supposed to go in the cooler, not the birthday girl.

Andra also LOVES trains, and has become very attached to any store (ahem...Von Maur) that has a train set on display to play with while Mommy shops. Well, thanks to her Ma and Pa (Grandma & Grandpa), Andra now has her very own train set to play with!

The party theme was Curious George of course, her favorite buddy. Check out the gigantic balloon that her other Grandma and Grandpa got her. It takes helium to a whole new level and will likely last 'til Christmas!

Her Curious George birthday cake that was so cute and oh-so-yummy! (made by the baker who also made our wedding cake!)

"Uncle J" hanging out at the toddler table!

Andra daintily eating her birthday cake. This is as messy as it got, folks. She was quite the little lady.

So that makes it official. It's been exactly two years since a little blonde-hair, blue-eyed angel changed our world forever. We couldn't be luckier.