Easter In Chicago!!!

Our annual trip to Chicago for Easter always begins with an overnight stay in Madison, WI, for some hotel living and swimming! I don't know what it is about hotels, but both the kids absolutely LOVE staying in them! (are they really Jason's children???) From running down the long hallways screaming at the top of their lungs, to jumping on the beds (cuz lets face it, I'd rather have them jump on the beds in the hotel than at home...in fact, it is highly encouraged!) followed by endless vending machine runs, can you really blame them??!!

And let's not forget the BEST part of all....SWIMMING!!!

This year we stayed at a hotel with a waterpark that the kids couldn't get enough of...I think this will be our place to stay from now on!

They just can't wait to get to the pool!!!

There goes Cale down the first of three water slides...the second smallest and therefore, not really worth going down many times!

Looks like he's having fun nonetheless!
Slide number two...a bit bigger...a bit faster..(hence the blurry pic) a bit more smiles...
I couldnt get a good pic of him going down the biggest slide cuz it just kept coming out all blurry (

My little princess, working up the courage to go down her little itty bitty slide...I think she must have climbed up and down these stairs at least 20 times before even thinking about the possibility of going down the slide!

TA DAH!!!! (No slide yet...just steps! But that is quite the accomplishment!)

Oh Yes!!! Here....She...GOES!!!
(She was in motion as I took this picture, so if you blink, you may just miss her!)

Winding down for the night...all that sliding (or stair climbing) can make a girl hungry!

Cuddling in the bed before heading down for dinner....What's on the menu tonight? Pizza!!
The kids enjoyed another hour of swimming in the morning before we headed off to Chicago. Next stop...lunch!

What's on the menu for today?

Burger King!!!

The next day in Chicago, we had a busy day planned. Daddy and all the older boys spent the entire day golfing...they left at like 6:30 am to meet for breakfast before tee time. So that left me and kids to have a fun day with Grandma T and Auntie Debs at the Children's Museum. While waiting for them to come pick us up, we thought we'd get outside and kick the ball around for a bit since it was so beatiful out....Cale took one swift kick and knocked Keegyn clean down with a ball straight to her forehead....so kick ball was done!

OUR DAY AT THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

Cale actually has impeccable timing....he actually got that golf ball to fall into rotating bucket down at the bottom on his first try, like it was a piece of cake.

Of course when I try it, i run out of golf balls before I make it in the bucket!

Keegyn loved driving this police car...We all had to climb in the back as she drove so "the bad guys won't get you!"

Grocery Shopping

I've never eaten such a wonderful lunch in my entire life! Cale made me his own "specialty" of a peanut butter and cheese sandwich topped off with a triple decker ice cream cone!

MMMMM...Yummy!!

;)

Fireman Cale

STOP! WHERE'S THE FIRE???!!!

Next stop...the painting wall....Cale actually spent a lot more time at this place last year than he did this year...He actually grew quite bored of it after just writing his name and was ready to move on...

...Keegyn, on the other hand, could have stayed for hours!

Once the boys finally made it home from golfing, Jason and Cale spent some time together hitting some baseballs.

Look at that ball go...Watch out, Dad!!!

It was getting late, so we finally got started on the Easter egg decorating...Grandma T was really into it this year!

HAPPY EASTER!!!

What in the world did the Easter Bunny bring???!!!!

The Easter Bunny found us....even at Great Grandpa Chief's...all the way in Chicago!!

Not only did he find us...he also brought Keegyn some fun new accessories...Dora bracelets and a fancy ring!

Oh, and did I mention, he also brought TONS of candy!

But Cale's FAVORITE gift from the Easter Bunny this year was NOT candy...it was his trusy bow and arrow!

He's actually a really good shot!

Pretty Keegyn in her pretty Easter dress!

And our Chicago trip wouldn't be complete without one last birthday celebration for our little man!

Happy Birthday, again, Cale!!!!

Birthday Party Number Two!!!

We celebrated with family the day after the birthday party with his friends. It was a busy weekend with A LOT of presents!

I bought him the Star Wars T-shirt specifically for his friend party, but he loved it so much, he had to wear it to this party too!!!

Because of course...the theme is still

STAR WARS!!!

(cupcakes this time)

Mikayla got some use out of the birthday crown!

I thought Cale looked so cute in it and he didn't want to wear it...so I told him that whoever was wearing the crown was the one who could open the presents!

That crown went on REAL fast....and didn't come off till every last present was opened!!!

...Boxing Gloves...

"Oh Man!! I'm soooooooo embarrassed!!!"

CALE TURNS FIVE!!!!!

I can hardley believe my little man is now FIVE years old!!!! I don't know where the past five years have gone!!

This was Cale's first "friend" birthday party and he was soooooooo excited! Eight of his little buddies were able to make it to the Chuck E Cheese festivities and Cale couldn't believe "how many friends I have!" As the rsvps started coming in, I would let Cale know each time....only two of his friends weren't able to make it, so each time I told him someone else was coming he smiled his little side/half smile...trying not to let on how excited he really was...trying to "stay cool." But actually, he was thrilled!

Here is the Birthday Boy...waiting for his friends to arrive! And, mind you, this was the ONLY time he wore his crown....he did not want his friends to see him wearing it!!!

Time for PIZZA!!!!

Jason was actually really nervous for Cale's party...he didn't think having eight little boys running around Chuck E Cheese was going to be any part of fun! He was actually most nervous about the possibility of having to bring someone to the bathroom!!! Seriously, of all things! But that's "classic Jason" for you!

Despite the fact that there were 10 other parties going on at the same time, it really wasn't as chaotic as you would think!

Here the boys are having a yelling competition with the party at the table next to them

(they won by a long shot!)

Cale absolutely LOVES video games...obviously! However, he could care less if he ever saw Chuck E again! He was scared to death of "that chunky mouse!" So, we let his friends have all the fun with Chuck.....and Cale was just fine with that!

Time for CAKE!!

And the theme this year.....

STAR WARS!!!

(The little action heros on top of the cake had light sabers that lit up and they were a huge hit with all the boys...so much so, that one of his little buddies popped them in his goody bag...never to be seen again!)

Time for PRESENTS!!!!

I absolutely LOVE this picture...the looks on all their faces are just priceless...like "whoa...I've never seen such a cool present!"

So sweet!