Cubs Convention and a Night in the City

One of the Christmas gifts to Rob from the kids and I were tickets to the Chicago Cubs Convention. With the tickets, I also booked a night's stay at the hotel where it was being held (The Sheraton in the city). I thought it would be a fun little family getaway. Saturday morning, we packed up the car and drove to the city. It wasn't as great of an experience that I had hoped for, but the kids still had fun.

When we arrived we parked valet and left all of our luggage with the bell hop as we left the car. (In retrospect, we should have just taken everything ourselves, but they insisted it would be delivered right up to our room). We checked in at the front desk and provided the ticket for our luggage and requested it be sent up to our room, along with a pack-and-play crib for Mason. After a half hour it still hadn't arrived so we left the room and went to go check out the convention in the hotel. (The bell hop had our stroller, so we figured we'd just carry Mason). We walked around the convention for awhile and it was pretty cool, but Leah had zero interest and must have asked when we were going to the pool about 20 times. They did have a section just for kids with a balloon maker, face painter, charactature artist and other kids stuff. After an hour and a half we went back up to our room to find out that our belongings still had not made it to the room. We called down to the lobby to check on it. They said it should be right up. The pack-and-play arrived in about 30 minutes. After an hour passed, our luggage still had not yet been delivered. At that point, we didn’t want to wait any longer so we dragged the whole family to the lobby. We checked in with the concierge and she directed us to the woman at the bell hop desk. After searching for 10 minutes they finally located our luggage. It was sitting all alone in the valet luggage closet. The woman at the bell hop desk explained that the front desk never provided the ticket to them so it was never delivered (it is disappointing because we also called directly to check on it and no one could figure this out). The woman at the bell hop was very pleasant and apologized. She did give us a voucher for free breakfast in the morning, which was appreciated. Rob ventured back to the convention while I hung out with the kids in the room. It was much more enjoyable to explore it kid-free. 

Later that night we had dinner plans at Gino's East and we went down to valet to get our car. After waiting for 30 minutes they informed us they could not locate our car. What!?? They scrambled trying to locate it. We waited another 25 minutes before they found our car and brought it down. It turns out the tickets got mixed up with another vehicle and they had brought someone else’s car to the area. If you are asking customers to spend $60 for valet, you better ensure there are not these types of mix-ups. The manager comped our valet and apologized for the inconvenience. We ended up getting to Gino's East so late (because we waited more than an hour for our car) that there was now a huge line out the door. There's no way the kids would survive the wait in the cold weather. We drove around for a little while debating on where to go before stopping at Timothy O'Toole's for dinner. After we finished eating, we went back to the hotel and took the kids to the pool for awhile. Leah had been dying to go swimming! Of course, it was packed with kids. We swam for almost an hour before going back to the room. By now it was almost 8:30 pm, so I got the kids ready for bed. The Cubs Convention was open until 10:00 pm, so Rob went back down again to see what else was going on. 

Then the next morning, we went down to the restaurant for our complimentary breakfast. It was pretty good. Afterwards, we called ahead (just as we were checking out) to valet so our car would be ready when we got down there to head home. When we got there we waited at least 20 minutes and then spoke to the manager. It turns out they could not locate our car AGAIN! He put 5 guys on it to find it and I had to provide a description of my car. The one manager we dealt with was very unprofessional and was yelling at his guys to get on it (in front of the other customers). They were all running around like chickens with their heads cut off in the parking garage to find our car. In total, we waited almost an hour again. The Sheraton's valet system is a mess!!! They apologized extensively but this is unacceptable. I can understand if this happened once, but it happened twice in a 14 hour period. Seriously, I thought it was a joke when they informed us they couldn’t locate our car again. If it happened twice to us in a short time, how many other customers is this happening to? We were traveling with a 1 year old and 3 year old so you can imagine that it was not fun waiting around. I was pretty ticked.

Overall, we spent less than 20 hours at the Sheraton, but we spent a total of 5 hours of “just waiting.” Waiting for our luggage and waiting for our car (twice). Options that are supposed to offer convenience made our overall experience very disappointing. The Cubs Convention was neat, but I am not sure I'd do it again. (Or at least maybe leave the kids at home). The kids enjoyed the pool and Leah loved being in a hotel. I'd love to do another night in the city once the weather is nicer outside. There would have been more options for us to do. Oh well....it was still a fun night away with the kids.

2013 Recap - Ready for 2014!

We had a nice low-key New Year’s Eve celebrating with a few of our friends and all of the kids. It was perfect. We didn’t quite make it until midnight, but that is ok. Both kids slept in today until 9:00 am! This morning we went out for our traditional New Year’s Day breakfast (because of course, my diet starts tomorrow – ha!).

 

2013 was quite a year, but I am ready to bring on 2014! The year was busy with its ups and downs, highs and lows, many accomplishments, milestones and memories. Both of my kids had big years and I couldn’t be more proud of them. My two little blessings are what have kept me going all year! They are my world and I am so thankful for them. My sweet Leah turned 3 years old in February and started preschool (which she loves). I think 2013 has been the one to show the biggest changes in her. She’s gone from a toddler to a real kid (I am a little sad about it). She has really come out of her shell and her personality has blossomed. She makes me laugh all day with the things that come out of her mouth. She is wise beyond her years. She has recently started telling me knock-knock jokes and she thinks they are so funny. She is a cuddle bug and I LOVE it. During the year, Leah has learned to write her name, ride a big girl bike and has become just much more self-sufficient all around. She loves being a momma’s helper and is such a great big sister. She loves Mase more than anything. Leah is finally sleeping in her own bed in her own room by herself. Leah surprises me on a regular basis. She had her first ER visit in August, which scared her mommy to death. She had to get 3 stitches and she was one tough cookie. I think it was harder on me than it was on her. Leah had her first dentist appointment this year too. I was dreading the appointment, but once again, she surprised me and handled it like a champ. She actually enjoyed it. Leah loves to play board games and can be pretty competitive. She's been in gymnastics all year and really enjoys it. Over the year, she’s kept her friends and made some new ones too. Leah has grown into a polite, caring and smart little girl. There is so much more I could say about her and all the things she has done this year to make me proud. 

Now onto Mason. Where do I start with Mason? He essentially is the complete opposite of Leah and keeps me on my toes every day. Mason turned one in July and we had a big barnyard birthday party for him, with ponies and a petting zoo. He can be characterized as a typical boy. He is a curious, loud, adventurous, fearless little guy. He can be whiny and challenging, but at the end of the day – I wouldn’t trade him for the world! Mase hit many milestones this year. He started crawling around 8 months, but didn’t walk until he was 14 months old. He is quite the talker and does have a pretty extensive vocabulary. He repeats everything you say. Although other people may not be able to understand him, I know what he is saying and what he wants. He loves to be silly and chases his sister all around the house. I think Mase is going to be into sports. He’ll watch football/hockey/baseball on the TV and will play with any type of ball. We took the kids to their first Bulls game a few months ago and he was pretty into it. Mason had his first haircut a few weeks ago too, he is starting to look like such a little boy. He wants to be much more independent then he is actually ready for (i.e he wants to charge down the stairs….but he doesn’t know how to do it safely yet, he wants to play board games but annoys his sister when he destroys the pieces). Mason is more reserved on his affection for his momma (although he is getting much better). He is not the snuggle bug that his sister is, but I take whatever I can get from him. He is a great sleeper and consistently sleeps 11-12 hours each night. Mason is my special little man and I can’t wait to see what 2014 holds for him. He makes me smile at least 50 times a day.

For me, it’s been a hectic and challenging year and I’ve just been working hard to balance it all. Being a full-time working mom definitely comes with its challenges. I’m stretched in so many different directions on a regular basis, I am constantly shifting gears (I am not complaining). I crossed over to the world of owning a mini-van. Earlier this year, I traded in my Jeep for a brand new Chrysler Town and Country. Honestly, I actually love it. It has helped make my life easier. Also, I was promoted at work in August and I have taken on a new exciting role with a much larger span and scope of responsibilities. I am very fortunate for all of the opportunities I’ve come across and the faith my leadership has in me. I am doing my best to be a good mom, wife, friend, daughter, sister, and whatever hat I need to wear at any moment. I didn’t quite accomplish all of my resolutions I set for 2013, but I did do a pretty good job with most of them. Instead of setting resolutions for 2014, I am really just going to focus on making myself better, taking time for me, being the best mom I can be to my angels, treat others how I want to be treated, nurture the relationships that are important to me and not take myself so seriously. Yes, I have goals and things that I want to accomplish but by doing all of those things, I know I’ll be able to succeed in 2014!Overall, I’ve learned from all of my experiences this year (good and bad, personally, professionally and everything in between). Each experience I’ve faced has helped shape the person I am today.

- I've learned that I am strong. So much stronger than I ever thought I was.
- I’ve learned that hard work does pay off.
- I’ve learned that I do need to take time for ME.
- I’ve learned that I don’t give myself enough credit for everything I have on my plate between home, work and everything else that demands my attention.
- I’ve learned a lot about my values and morals and use them to guide me down this path of life.
- I’ve learned that even though my mom has been gone for almost 3 years, she is still very much with me every day.
- I've learned that forgiveness is not for the weak, that it's an attribute of the strong.
- I've learned that sometimes people are not who you think they are. And that certain people will come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.
- I’ve learned that some friends really are family that you choose. I’ve been very fortunate to have a few rock-solid friendships, which I cherish.
- I’ve learned to focus more on my blessings than my burdens.  
- I've learned that I'm still a work in progress. That there is always room for improvement, and that I'm nowhere near perfect.

I hope everyone has a great 2014! You are in charge and it is all what you make it.

Holiday Time Off with the Kids

I was on vacation the whole week of Christmas and I wanted to take advantage of my time home with the kids! After the holiday hustle and bustle of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we didn't really have any set plans. I've been wanting to take Leah to see the movie 'Frozen.' So on Thursday, we headed out to the movies. This would be Mason's first movie and I was pretty nervous as to how he would do. As I predicted, he lasted about half way through before coming antsy-pants. The theater was packed and he started being a little booger. Popcorn and other treats only went so far, so Rob had to take him out to the lobby a few times so he could release some of his energy.  Overall, the movie was super cute and Leah really enjoyed it. I love that Leah likes going to the movies. Afterwards, we went out for pizza before heading home.

Mason's first time at the movies!

Leah with her 'Frozen' Princess Anna doll from Auntie Amy

On Friday, we had plans with friends to go check out Ball Factory in Naperville. What a fun place for kids! Leah had a blast running around (I kept Mason at home). We'll definitely go back and I'd bring Mase with next time. After the morning fun, we packed up all the kids and went to McDonald's for lunch. We pretty much took over McDonald's - there were 11 kids altogether. Leah loved it! Thanks Melissa, Annette and Kim for a fun time! When we got home, Leah said she wanted to go do more fun things. We rested for a bit, but thought it might be fun to go bowling. Leah has been one time before and always talks about it when we pass the bowling alley. We only bowled one game because it is not fun when you have a one and a half year old with you! Mason, of course didn't bowl, but he wanted to have his freedom. He is a 'bolter' so there was a lot of chasing him around. Not so fun. Leah enjoyed herself though. After our one game, we went over to the gaming area. Leah played a handful of games. Her favorite is air hockey. We played two games and she beat me both times! She was not happy when it was time to go home (she was definitely tired from her busy day).

Once Saturday rolled around, it was unseasonably warm - almost 60 degrees. We thought it would be a great idea to hit up the zoo for the Zoo Lights. (Apparently everyone and their mother also had the same idea too)! I renewed our membership online and decided to grab an early dinner before hitting the zoo. The whole area around the zoo was so chaotic. Traffic was barely moving and it was just a mess. It took us almost an hour to pull into the zoo, get through the parking line and actually park. There were a few times we considered turning around, but Leah kept reminding us how much she wanted to go the zoo. Once we parked and went inside, the craziness continued. It was just a cluster of people. We brought the wagon for the kids and it was hard to maneuver it around because it was so tight. To be honest, I totally did not think it was worth it. It was dark, you could not really see any animals. Most animals were sleeping or just not viewable. Even though it warmed up, it was still chilly. The trees and light decorations were nice, but it was not worth the trip out there. We stayed for about two hours and I think the highlight of our outing was riding the carousel at the end. We will not be doing this again next year.

 Loads of fun at the zoo!

 That's better!

Starting to have more fun!

Sunday was a completely lazy day and we didn't leave the house! Before I knew it, my time off had come to an end and it was back to work on Monday! Boo. I sure loved spending my time off with my kiddos!!

Christmas Day 2013

After everyone left on Christmas Eve, I put the kids in their Christmas jammies. We put in a movie and relaxed for the night. I was hoping the kids would go to bed early because I was tired myself! Around 8:00 pm, we started to get the milk and cookies ready to leave out for Santa.

 Ready for Santa to come!

 Milk and cookies are all ready to go!

 Mason is excited for Christmas!

They sure do love each other!

Luckily, everyone went to bed pretty easy. On Christmas morning, Leah did wake up much earlier than usual (around 6:30 am). She claimed that she didn't sleep all night and was listening for Santa, but never heard him. She wasn't feeling too confident that he came. We went and got Mason out of bed and went downstairs to see if he had come. 

Santa CAME!!!!

Leah was super excited and noticed right away that Santa brought her a 'big' bike! A 'big' bike was at the top of her list! Her eyes then wandered over to her new art desk!! She loved it. Leah likes everything arts and crafts. Her new desk came with markers, crayons, colored pencils, paint, stamps and lots of paper.  She was in heaven!

 A big bike.....YES!

Her cool new art desk!

Leah ripped through her presents and was over the top excited about everything she opened. It made me so happy seeing how happy she was. She would take a few breaks and help Mason open his presents. Mason didn't really have any interest in opening the presents. He was more interested in eating the leftover cookies that Santa didn't finish eating!

 Sneaking a cookie!

 Those look yummy!

 

 Still has his cookies!

 Such a happy guy! :)

 Mase got a big wheel and bouncing tigger!

And a Batman car!

Merry Christmas Everyone! Ha!

We stayed in our PJ's almost the entire day. We didn't have any plans until the late afternoon. Leah and Mason had a great time playing with all of their new toys. Mom was able to sneak in a little nap too! We snacked on leftovers for lunch and were pretty lazy. Finally, later on we all got up and got ourselves ready. We were heading over to Rob's sister Amy's house for dessert. There we spent time with his Mom, Grandma and a few of his siblings and their kids. It was nice to see everyone. 

 Me and little man!

Rumchatta Shots!

Christmas Eve

This year, we were hosting Christmas Eve for my family at our house. In years past, it has usually just been us, my dad and my brother's family. This year, I was so excited that my cousin Kevin and his wife Dianna (who live in Michigan), my Aunt and Uncle, cousin Michelle and her family were all able to join us too! We used to always all spend Christmas together, but as we've gotten older and expanded our families, it has been more difficult to do. It was great to have everyone here! I planned to keep the meal more on the casual side. I wanted to it be pretty simple. I made Italian Beef and shredded BBQ chicken for sandwiches, mostacolli, salad, mashed potatoes and a few other sides. Everything turned out good! It was a great afternoon and I loved spending time with my family. Like always, it went by so quick!

 Me and my sweet girl

 Brother and sister love!

 Such a cheese ball!

 Me and my dad

 Leah loved her Hello Kitty alarm clock!

 My cousin and her family - Jim, Michelle, Liberty and Kenadie

 Papa, Mase and Leah

 BFF's

 She was SOOO excited for this movie. We've already watched it 5 times!

 KZ and JZ

 Kevin and Mase Man

 Baby Alyssa, Grandpa and A-Belle

 Jeff and Sarah

 Kevin and Dianna

 Aunt Diane and Uncle Jim

Rob and Masers