Outdoor Fun!

So it has been a crazy year so far.  I can't believe it is almost JUNE!  I promised earlier that I would get everyone caught up so here goes!  The first of many catching up blogs!
 
We were very spoiled in March and Riley got to spend a lot of time outside, which he loved!  One of this favorite things to do outside is play with Bailee & Dougie.  They live across the street.  Between our busy schedule and their busy schedule they don't play together very often, but when they do...look out!  :)


Enjoying the nice weather!  I can't help taking so many pictures of him playing....he makes me smile!


Helping Daddy landscape!  Riley had so much fun with this.  He hasn't really ever played in the dirt before.  He can sometimes be weird with being dirty so I wasn't sure he would like this very much, but boy did he prove me wrong!  See for yourself....

Playing on his playground.  We bought this for him last year at a garage sale and he still loves it! 

 Hope you enjoyed seeing some of what we are up to when it is nice out!

Where's the camera?

It has been a long time since I have posted a blog.  We lost our camera and I didn't have any pictures!  After about three weeks of looking for it, we broke down and bought a new one.....and 3.5 hours later we found our old one....go figure!  I am busy getting ready to head to Georgia with Riley to see Amber, Jason, and Colt!  Once we return from that all three of us are making a short trip to Chicago and then Kyle and I are off to Vegas!  April has flown by already!  I promise to update on what you have missed with pictures once we return from Vegas....at the beginning of May!

Happy April!

Tara

Mini-Vacation

This past week Kyle, Riley and I had a chance to go on a mini-vacation.  Riley was such a trooper because it was a jam-packed 36 hours!  We first headed out to run some errands and then headed up to Schaumburg to visit Legoland.  It wasn't as exciting as we were expecting, but Riley did enjoy riding the "train". 

The disappointment didn't last long because we were off to Chick-Fil-A for dinner!  They had a play place so after we ate Riley got to go in with the kids and play.  I think he went down the slide about 1,000 times!  Then we were off to check into our hotel.  We decided to get a hotel room for the night so Riley could go swimming. He is such a little fish and will be swimming before we know it!

The next morning we were off to take Riley to his first (official) movie!  We took him when he was 2 months old, but that doesn't really count.  He did amazing and sat quietly through the whole movie!

Hopefully we have as much fun on the next mini-vacation as we did on this one!

Tara

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

I have a friend (Stephanie Tierney) from high school that is doing the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer this year.   The walk is on June 6th and she is raising money to "help provide access to care for those that most need it, fund educational programs, and accelerate research into new treatments and potential cures." 

This is an event that I would like to someday do myself.  For now I will settle for supporting someone who is helping to fight this battle.  Please donate, for everyone who has battled breast cancer, everyone who has a family member or friend who has battled breast cancer, and everyone who has lost someone to breast cancer. Every little bit helps!

For everyone who knows what my mom went through with her fight with breast cancer to everyone who knows what my Dad, sister, and I went through with her fight with breast cancer.  Please help with a donation so some day we can find a cure so no one else has to experience what we have.

Here is a link to her page if you would like to donate!

http://info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR/Walk/Chicago?px=6308471&pg=personal&fr_id=2171

Thanks so much!

Tara

Typical Winter Day

For those of you who wonder what a stay at home mom does with a 2 year old in the winter...here ya go!



"Read Car Book"




"Play with Maddy"



"Make a Mess



Play cars/trains

Learn to read

We are so excited for the weather to start warming up!  It is time for this little boy to play outside!

Tara



Chicken Lasagna

If you know me, then you know I don't like hamburger meat in anything!  With that being said, for the first 5 years of Kyle and I's marriage we did not eat spaghetti or lasagna.  One day I told Kyle I would make spaghetti if he wanted and I could just leave some sauce without meat for me.  To my surprise, he said he didn't need meat in his either!!  Now we hvae spaghetti ALL the time....what a cheap meal when you don't need meat in it!  And then I came across a recipe for Chicken Lasagna.  Chicken?  In Lasagna?  YUP!  It is so yummy! 

This is probably one of my new favorite dishes!  I even think it is fantastic leftover....and I DON'T eat leftovers (I get that from my mom!).

Try it!

Tara

Riley's 2nd Hockey Game

In February, Riley got to attend his second hockey game.  He seemes to like them...he even started to yell for them when they scored!  At this stadium they have a train that runs on the concourse, which made Riley super excited!  He ended up riding the train twice thanks to his generous Daddy!  I am sure many more hockey games are in his future!