First UT Basketball Game

Kaylee went to her first UT Basketball Game last Saturday and got to see the Longhorns beat the Aggies! In true UT fashion, Kaylee went to Pre-Game at Scholtz's. It was the whole May Clan, classic Texas vs. Aggie rivalry. Kaylee thoroughly enjoyed herself at the game. She was clapping, pointing to the court, and kept putting her hands up for "Touchdown"....she will learn! She lasted to the 2nd Half with 8 minutes to go, which was awesome for a 7pm game including pre-party. (Much improvement compared to the Cubs Game over the summer!) She passed out in the car in record time, before we had her buckled up in the carseat. What a trooper!

My Husband, The Hombrewer

Yesterday was Eric's first day at Austin's Hombrew Store. And has everyone could imagine he loved it! Who wouldn't like talking about beer all day? Before everyone starts wondering about his part-time job, he took it with all of AMAT's forced shutdowns, not to mention to perfect his craft. Shutdown Recap: Was off for 4 Wks for Christmas, Worked 3 Wks, Off 2 Wks, Work 4 Wks, and Off 1 Wk....also some unannounced shutdowns over the summer. So, needless to say that is alot of time off and almost no more vacation days left. He is very excited about and even got a free beer at a local Pub since he now works there. He is a part of the inner circle. He will only work on the weekends and I believe you will hear us talking about starting a Microbrewery in the near future. Until then....

Our Little Helper

Little Miss Kaylee has become quite the little helper, such a Montessori Kiddo. She is definitely is the first born and has that natural born leader written all over her.

Here are a couple of examples of our little helper:

1. She sorts and puts the silverware (minus the knives) in the dishwasher. One by one.
2. She helps sweeps and uses her dust pan. She even takes dirt out of the flower pots, puts it on the floor, and then sweeps.
3. She throws all the trash and things that aren't trash in the trashcan.
4. She puts her dirty clothes in the hamper.
5. She helps fold laundry by putting all the socks on Mommy's foot.
6. She gets her shoes before going outside and boy does she try hard to get them on. Almost there!
7. She took Daddy's Debit Card and walked all the way to the front of the house to try to put it back his wallet. (We didn't even ask her! It was funny!)
8. For any spills (intentional or non-intentional), she will get the towel in the kitchen, wipe the spill, and put the towel back.
9. She will bring you your cell phone when it rings without asking. But then will continue to push random buttons.
10. Puts the Muffin Cups in the Muffin Pan. Over and Over again. You might have 3 on your Muffin.

Ba Ba Ba Dance

The short window between Kaylee feeling better and before the parents got sick, we went outside for Kaylee to show off her Ba Ba Ba Dance. We think it is her version of singing, because she does while dancing and she changes octaves while saying it. She also loves to go in circles, but then falls down because she gets too dizzy. It is funny. Kaylee isn't as energetic as usual since she was sick, but you can tell she wanted to play.

All My Single Ladies

This one is for Becky....

Kaylee loves to dance and what not to dance to but Beyonce's smash hit "All My Single Ladies"! Just kidding....this happen to be on TV one morning and we decided to tape Kaylee somewhat dancing.

PS. I just showed Kaylee the video and she died laughing. I've never seen her respond like that before to anything!

Christmas Pictures

Pictures from Christmas Morning in San Antonio, Trail of Lights in Austin, Christmas in El Paso/New Mexico....

One of the Perks of having Kids

You get sick when they do! Yes, Kaylee came home Thursday thorwing up. She never ran a fever, but we checked in with Dr. G. He said she had a virus, but no need for antibotics just lots and lots of fluids. By the end of the day, she was feeling much better. Friday night we hung out as a family in the backyard playing....celebrating Kaylee feeling better. (I have some cute videos and will hope to post later.) All of the sudden I wasn't feeling to good, so I as off to bed early. At 2am, I found myself running to the bathroom to throw up. And again at 3 and 5. Eric was being super supportive until 6am when it hit him! We spent all day Saturday alternating throwing up, sleeping, and entertaining Kaylee. It was not fun. We both hadn't been that sick since we were kids. Thank goodness Kaylee was content playing by herself and we let her watch Seasme Street, Dora, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse over and over. What a treat since she really doesn't watch much TV. We debated about getting a babysitter, but were too scared that she would pass the bug. Especially since we got word my dad got hit by the bug, after stopping by on Thrusday night. Sorry Papa! Luckily, Lindsey stopped by with so much needed fluids to get us through the day. Anyhow, we survived. It must have been a 24 hour bug, becuase we all feel much better now. Just one of the many perks of having kiddos! :)

Why Kaylee is cute....

1. While being tickled she pushes you away, but once you stop she pulls your hand back to tickle her some more.
2. She attempts to tickle your feet, which entails her touching your feet while she laughs.
3. She now dances with her hands in the air while swaying back and forth.
4. She like to put her forehead next to yours and laugh. However, she just head-butts you.
5. She loves to dip food into anything Mommy & Daddy does. ie. Chips & Salsa, Jalapeno Ranch, Goat Cheese with Jalapeno & Artichokes. Lets just say Kaylee will like spicy foods after 3 years old.
6. She is at the age of hiding and running while screaming and laughing. It is so funny. We can play run around the couch for a long time. She loves to sneak up on people. She is absolutely adorable.
7. Mwah! Kaylee loves to gives hugs, but hasn't quite figured out how to give kisses. BUT, she does know how to make the sound Mmmmwahhh! Melts my heart.....

Till next time....

2008 to 2009

I got to pat myself on the back for 2008. Inspired by Oprah's phenomenon "The Secret", Eric and I made a list of goals/resolutions last year. We checked all of them off, but 1 and half. Amongst the very long list.....drink more water (a soda is a treat now), new car, sell truck/boat, read more (now in book club), take vitamins (needs some work), new jobs, and Kaylee's Baptism (work in progress). I think, emphasis think, our main goal for 2009 is to prepare to move. Whether within Austin or else where, we are wanting to move out of the house. With the economy this bad, we have to play our cards right, hence why I think that is our goal. We've been to doing so major research and will hope for the best.

December Recap

Things have been rather busy in December, it was a quite a roller-coaster with ups and downs. I'm going to ramble now. I survive my first Christmas and End of the Quarter at work....lets just say it was busy to say the least. Eric survived another lay-off at work, which was a relieve. However, it was hard to keep spirits up with so many people that we knew that did get affected. (Not to mention the timing.) I spent a great 26th Birthday week with a Spa Day and Shopping with Lucy and then Becky flew in from Florida for the weekend. However, the my actual birthday was pretty rough.....I guess Birthday aren't what they used to be! In the middle of everything, I got news that a very dear friend of mine's mother passed away. It has been rather hard, since her mother was so wonderful and a great lady. And now that I am a mother, the mother and daughter relationship hits me a little hard. Being super busy, a Christmas Tree didn't make it up this year, which was probably best with K. However, we did make it to Trail of Lights (K has been every year! jk!) and I did get a Christmas Card, which made me happy. On the other hand....my co-worker welcomed a new baby girl, I got spend some time with some old SA friends, and Kaylee was cuter than ever on Christmas morning. We spent Christmas Eve as usual at Mimi's house and then at my folks house on Christmas Day. The May Kids' Santa Gift was Rock Band for the Wii and well, that is what we did ALL Christmas Day. Kaylee played her Tambourine. It was awesome. My Grandma & Reuben stopped by and my Grandma is a ultimate Rockstar after a Hip & Knee Replacement. She looked great! Then, we were off to El Paso for the Ernst Family Christmas. Kaylee did great on the plane and she enjoyed looking at the people at the airport. Boy to you make lots of friends when you have kids! Kaylee enjoyed her time with Ernst Clan and Hercules during her visit. We went wine tasting in New Mexico.....I got to revisit Exit 89 where Becky & I got stranded years ago from our trip from CA to TX. Eric and I came across a random Nambe Outlet store, which is the sliver platters we collect....and we got one 60% off! (Raise the roof). We ate lots and lots of good food, thanks to Glen and Julia. And now we are back to Austin! That pretty much sums December up...in a nutshell! (Note: I guess I say that alot, people make fun). Hope everyone enjoyed the holidays! :)

Happy Anniversary Folks!

Oh, my parents! They are celebrating their 33rd Wedding Anniversary today! (Note: 33 years...3+3=6 and 2009-the 3rd=6) My parents has been an inspiration to me.....they still can stand each other after so long! Just kidding, they have acted the same way since I could remember. I would catch them hugging or kissing in the hallway (gross) or their bickering will instantly turn in to laughter. As my father would say, they are ying and yang. I find my parents entertaining and funny and I don't see them getting boring anytime soon. Happy 33rd Anniversary!

Christmas Card Mishaps

Hopefully by now you have received our Christmas Card. I was very excited about them, but really didn't have time to really proof read them. So there were a couple of typos, which I think came out pretty funny when you think about it.

1. "Merry Christmas and have a h Year" - Obviously, "Have a Happy New Year"
2. "Keep hope with us at our blog" - I meant to say "Keep up with us"

I crack myself up....trying to do it all. Hope you enjoyed the card!

Hold the Avocado

On Saturday, we went to Central Market to pick up a few things. Since it was Saturday there was several samples....yum! One guy was rolling sushi, so of course we got a sample of that. And of course, Kaylee wanted whatever we were having. She devoured the California Roll, but spit out the avocado had threw it on the floor. She doesn't like avocados, we continue to try. The Sushi Guy asked how she liked, we told him what happened, and we continued to shop. Then, all the sudden, he come running behinds us with a sushi roll minus the avocado especially for Kaylee. It was so nice and hilarious. Kaylee loved it!

Easy Party Food

Last Weekend, someone made these Oreo Truffles and they are something else! I made them for a Pot Luck today. I love super easy, but super good recipes. This recipe was the talk of the party. Then, my grandmother forward my mother who forward me the Rolo Pecan Candies. They look easy and good. Thought I would share, since these are not my usual Christmas goodies that I make.

Oreo Truffles
1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

1. MIX 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls.
2. DIP balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in tightly covered container at room temperature and saved for another use.) Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.
3.REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.
4. NOTE: I did White and Milk Chocolate for the Truffles and then topped them with Red & Green Sprinkles.

Rolo Pecan Carmel Candies Link : http://thepartyworks.com/article.php/articles_id/697

Snow in Austin?

Yes, it is true....it snowed last night in Austin! This will be the 4th time in my life that it has snowed in Texas. In 1985, San Antonio had the big snowstorm where we actually got to build a snowman. I was 3 and don't remember. My freshman year of college in 2001 there was light snow. We all ran out of our dorms and "played" in it. Then Valentine's Day in 2004, snow covered the ground. Eric and I had scheduled our Hot Air Balloon Ride. Although it warmed up and was such a gorgeous day, we couldn't go due to the wet ground. That was the beginning of the 3 year escapade to go on the ride. Below are the pictures of our house.....Northerners don't laugh....this is snow for Texas. This isn't an ice storm....trust me it is snow!

Jam Packed Weekend

We had a pretty eventful weekend. After Eric headed to work Saturday morning, we met Greg & Emily, visiting for cold Chicago, for lunch at Chuy's. Then, we were off to Clare's 2nd Birthday Party. Kaylee had lots of fun and was mixing in well as one of the "kids". She isn't a baby anymore! Afterwards, Eric and I were off to a Christmas Party....no kids allowed. It was great to have a parents night out, although every talked kids! But the white elephant gift exchange was so much fun.....I hadn't laugh that hard in awhile. My folks watched Kaylee, but she never woke up from her late afternoon nap! That is when until we got home...she woke up, played for awhile, and then went back to sleep. Totally off schedule, but everything worked out! Sunday Morning was nice, since Eric and I got to sit down and eat breakfast while Kaylee was sleeping. Then, we reorganize our kitchen cabinets, since we had couple serving platter mishaps in our pantry. :( In the afternoon, I had a Book Club Meeting for "How to Talk So Kids Will Listen& Listen So Kids Will Talk". I really enjoyed the book and recommended it to anyone, you could use the information from any age. They have little comic strips in the book to give examples. It is really great. Then, we went to the groceries store as a family. Kaylee is starting to really enjoy places know....all the people and action around. Came home and made Meatloaf with Scalloped Potatoes....talk about comfort food! And that my friends was the weekend. Productive, Fun, and Jam Packed.

Elf Yourself - Courtesy of Becky G

Becky made this video especially for me. I was crying I was laughing so hard. The googles on Kaylee make the video. You are too much Becky!

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/jzSQW1eqEZKvIUtsVpDt

Kaylee's New Table

Over the weekend, we purchase a table...Kaylee size. It is sooo cute and she loves it. We should have gotten 3 chairs, because we've eaten dinner there every night. This is also a good time to point out that Kaylee loves to clean. Today's school report said she would prentend to spray a bottle on the countertop and wipe it with a towel. She spills her Cheerios and she picks them up, she spills her agua and wipes it up.....she loves to clean. I'm very proud. So, we got her a broom and dustpan for Christmas! Never thought I would buy that as a gift for my kid, but it will make one happy kiddo! Kaylee is showing off her new table in the picture below. You can also see Kaylee's personality coming out, first smiling, then serious, and then silly. On another note, Eric and I were happy to find a LARGE vase for all are corks, however when we put our corks in it filled up quickly. It will be overflowing in a couple months!

Kaylee's and Kristen's New Obsessions

Kaylee's New Obsession is - DUCKS! That is her new favorite word. She walks around the house, rides in the car, lays down, repeating "duck, duck, duck!" It is very cute, but a bit repetitive. She has been walking around with her rubber duckie and her red block with a duck on it. She is very protective of these objects, not letting us hold them. She saids "aqua" and now she calls every person "da da". Never in a million years would I think our daughter's first words would be "aqua" and "duck". What ever happened to "ma ma", "da da" or "ball"?

Kristen's New Obsession is - WINE! No surprise there, but I found 2 wineries I'm very fond of and I thought I would share.

d'Arenberg - Australia: http://www.darenberg.com.au/home
Known for their Dead Arm Shiraz, which is their higher end stuff, but definitely worth it for a special occasion. I've had the following, which are in the $20 range. I haven't found anything I didn't like....perfect for the holidays!

2005 d'Arry's Original
2006 The Footbolt
2006 The Dead Arm
2007 The Hermit Crab




Luigi Bosca - Argentina: http://www.luigibosca.com.ar/2007/v8/en/index.html

Recommended from my personal wine assistant, Lucy. The girl knows wine and knows what Eric & I like. She never fails. Everything we've had from them is very good. Also in the $20 range. They also have their lower end La Linda, which is a good value. Try the Torrentes. One day when I'm a high roller, I hope to try their Icono 2005....$100+. I said ONE day. lol.

Go Around the Room and Tell What You Are Thankful For

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday. This year we celebrated with the May side (My Dad's side) at my Aunt & Uncle's house outside of Bastrop. Surprisingly, we didn't take any pictures. Anyhow, every year my Dad makes go around the room and tell what we are thankful for....some are real and some are funny. So I decide to share mine...

The real ones.....

1. My Man - Eric is the poster child for Husband & Father of the Year. I can go on and on about him. But just know he does about everything for me and Kaylee and never asks for anything in return. I am very thankful.
2. Miss Kaylee - No matter how frustrated, stressed out, or just down, Miss Kaylee can bring a smile to my face. She makes me rush home everyday and makes me excited to wake up in the morning. I'm very fortunate to have a little smiling face everyday.
3. My Family - We have a quite a big family when you consider Eric & I are both from a families of 4 kids. I've always liked big families because of the dynamic of everyone's unique personality that they bring to the table. I'm very fortunate for my relationships with each one and so very lucky that I can always call on anyone in a pickle. I need to make a shout out to my mom, who every Thanksgiving/Holidays puts up with our shenanigans. We all make outlandish food requests and she manages to do it all for us. She is a pro super mom.
4. Health - I've been pretty health conscience over the years, but after being pregnant I've really focused on a healthy lifestyle. You may look good, but that doesn't mean a healthy heart. With that, I'm so very fortunate that all my loved ones are healthy. And little Kaylee's kidney is just doing fine. So, very thankful.
5. Jobs The economy is the worst it has been in my life. I don't know what is going to happen in the near future, but at this moment I'm very thankful that Eric and I have jobs. And I'm so proud of Eric for finishing his MBA when he did. :)

The not-so-real ones....

1. Pre-peeled Garlic - My must-have in the fridge for 2008. We use sooo much garlic in our cooking that I was getting annoyed with peeling garlic and I'm not a fan of anything in can, which left HEB's pre-peeled garlic. It is fast and flavorful....everything I love.
2. Upper Crust Bakery - This has been with me through the years....college, bridal showers, baby showers, birthday parties. It is my happy place. If you haven't been there, go there.
3. iCal - I couldn't live without my iCal. I've synced my whole life to it. I used to go with the flow, but over the years I've been forced to plan more and more. It makes me happy that it is all there in one place.
4. Cheesy Girlie Movie - I just watched Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. It was cheesy, it was girlie, I love it. There is nothing better than a total chick flick. Can't wait to take Kaylee when she is older, so I can used that has an excuse to go see High School Musical 8.
5. My friends that make me spend money - Yes, I'm thankful that whenever I with Becky or Lucy they make me spend money. You ask, why is that good? I feel it is good to go splurge every once in awhile, life is too short, buy yourself something nice. I don't do it by myself anymore, but I can't say no when I with them. Retail Therapy is great and has been very effective over the years. I recommend it.

2 Peas in a Pod

Today Eric & I watched Kaylee's friend Blake, who will melt your heart with his dimples. Watching the 2 play together is absolutely adorable, they both love "agua", bananas, and playing peek-a-boo. At one point, Kaylee had fun stuffing all her toys in her wagon, then Blake would move it to the next room, so they could unload it....everywhere. What a team?!? Blake did awesome, however Miss Kaylee did not like sharing Mom & Dad or her favorite toys with him. She does well at school and at others' houses, but hasn't had to share much of her stuff at her home. Every time we would give any attention to Blake, Kaylee would come running. And who knew that a red block with a duck on it and a black pen were her prize possessions? We had never seen this side of Kaylee, but not surprised too much since like every kid goes through it. A little insight for what to expect if we have a 2nd kiddo. Anyways, I'm so happy that Blake and Kaylee are good friends...they are 2 Peas in a Pod.

Sunday Morning with the Ernst Family

Here are a couple of videos of Kaylee walking and lots of her personality! Just in the past week, she has gotten so good at walking. In the videos, she getting a bit hyper, so there are a couple funny falls. She also goes to Eric, becuase he has "agua". The girl that loves water...hates baths...go figure. The last video is really funny, becuase Kaylee freaks out everytime she sees the picture of her friend Blake on the Fridge.

It is beginning to look alot like Christmas...

After a having a blast at Blake's 1st Birthday Party, we headed down to Macy's Christmas Tree Lighting. We couldn't believe how crowded it was, but American Idol Winner Jordin Sparks and Dan Dyer were playing....so lots of teeny boppers! Luckily since my parents have an apartment at The Domain, we were able to park in the "Residents Only" Parking. Thank goodness. We stopped by Joe DiMaggio's for some drinks and apps and then watched the lighting of the tree and pretty exciting fireworks show. I wasn't expecting much of a show from a mall! Surprisingly, the fireworks didn't scared Miss K at all. She pointed to them and was saying "pow...pow...pow". It was very great. We couldn't get a cute picture in front of the tree....Kaylee was very exhausted after such a big day, but she was a total trooper! But still after going to bed late, she always seems to manage to wake up at 7am on the dot!

Kaylee's Website

I just finished Kaylee's Website and will take it down at the end of the month. Please make last comments, because I will ordering a keepsake CD for her baby book. I can't believe how much she has grown!!! Thank you all for visiting!

http://www.babyjellybeans.com/web/do/site/home?ID=266406

We got a walker....Kaylee!

This week.....Kaylee started walking! She walks with her hands in the air and it is hilarious! She can't contain herself with happiness....you can tell she is proud of herself. She will start to lose balance, stop, regroup, and then off again. She will be making laps around the house, before you know it. We still haven't gotten a video of her, but hope to get one soon!

Top Chef

Last night, Eric and I had a cook-off. We are funny....we've been planning to do this since Sunday. This all started when I looked at our freezer to find several proteins that we need to use up. I love making dinner using the food we have in the fridge. You get to be creative and work with what you got! So, this lead to our Stuffed Pepper Cook-off. I haven't had one of these in a LONG time and I guess it was one of Eric's favorite growing up. He made it the traditional way with beef, rice, tomato sauce, and spices in a green bell pepper topped with feta. I took the Southwestern approach (no surprise there) with beef (used spices kind of like taco meat), corn, black beans, rotel, and cheese in a green bell pepper topped with panko. And the winner is......Kristen! Yep, Eric folded and gave me the win. It came down to his needed a little more ump and mine was packed with flavor. Although I feel his has more potential to be better next time. I really wished someone could have seen us, because we were very competitive and secretive. It was very humorous. I think watching Top Chef (our fave) has contributed to this as well. We get so excited watching it!

And we just don't stop.....

I've been a bit behind on the blog, because we've been so busy!! It just doesn't stop...I should say WE don't stop. This past weekend, we had a top secret mission on Saturday morning and will reveal at a later date. Then, we were off to San Antonio. One of my close High School friends had a Graduation Party. He FINALLY (j/k) graduated from George Washington in DC! It was great to see some old friends and teachers. Some I don't think I've since HS Graduation! It was weird to say I was "Married with a 1 year old" over and over. Not so much the married part....but to say I have a "1 year old". When did Kaylee grow up so fast! She isn't a "baby" or a "newborn", but a "1 year old"! It is crazy. On Sunday, Eric slept all day while Kaylee was having way too much fun at the May Grandparents' House. She was squealing with delight non-stop and boy did she get smitten with Uncle T! On our way back to Austin, we stopped at our favorite Pottery Barn Outlet in San Marcos. It is huge with things you don't really NEED. So we bought sale fall decor, peppermint swirl dessert plates and tray, more mixing bowls, lamp shades, cake dome, and a Kids' Party book. Talk about some useless odds and ends! But we are very happy with our purchases! This week should be somewhat calmer than the past couple of weeks.....then the holidays are approaching!

Kaylee's 1st Birthday Extravaganza

It has taken me some time to recover from an exciting birthday weekend, sorry for the delay. Kaylee (& parents) had a wonderful 1st Birthday. On her actual birthday, she went to school for the morning where they had a traditional Montessori Birthday. I brought her favorite Apple Cinnamon Muffins and of course she gobbled those down. Then, we spent the rest of the day playing outside and waiting for Eric to come home. We stopped by at a Happy Hour to see Uncle Greg & Aunt Emily, what else would an one year old want to do on their birthday?!? Then the rest of Eric's family stopped by the house for a minute and then we were off to bed. Saturday was the big day. Several family members came in town for the party. We couldn't be more fortunate! The party was just a good 'ol backyard bash. The kiddos played with the new toys (that the Engineers put together), we drank Eric's new fabulous homebrew, ate mini cheeseburgers & salmon burgers, and then went to down on the cake. I was very proud of my Giant Cupcake Cake...I thought it was the perfect 1st Birthday Cake! Kaylee and all the kids were in a great mood the whole time and played hard.....she was out by 6pm. Overall, it was a wonderful day! Unfortunately, Kaylee wasn't feeling well the next day, but is doing much better. However, when kids are sick, parents are sick. So, Eric and I haven't been feeling the best. The "not too bad, but not too good" feeling.

A year ago.....

A year ago today was a pivotal day in Ernst family, it was the day we went to the hospital to prepare to deliver Kaylee. I remember getting out of the car, Eric had his hands full of our luggage and I was gripping on to my pillow. We still manage to hold hands very tight as we walked to the ER door. The night had this unusual calmness to it, just like the calm before the storm. And sure enough Kaylee has been the perfect storm. I can't believe Kaylee will be 1 tomorrow, nor can I believe Eric and I have been parents for a year. Parenthood has been much more than we could ever imagine plus some. Not only is it amazing to watch your child grow, but it has been amazing experience that has made Eric and I grow as a couple and individuals. Kaylee is a spitting image of use, the good and the bad, so she has made us better people because of that. While being new parents, this year has been a loaded with life changes, Eric graduating with his MBA, China Trip, Family Trip to the Midwest, My new job, and not to mention now a new President. It really is a year we won't forget. I can't wait to see what the future has for us, but can honestly say November 6, 2007 will always have a place in my heart as the day of the beginning of it all. (Plus it was the 6th...I could never forget that!)

Tough Loss

We had a Texas vs. Texas Tech Party last night...and what a game?!? It was a very tough loss for UT, but we had a great time with everyone. Eric made spicy and not-so-spicy chili and I made Longhorn and Texas shaped cookies. And of course...there was beer. Kaylee had fun seeing and sort of playing with the other kiddos. Eric hooked a 2nd TV on our outside patio for people to watch in the super nice weather. It was great. So, congratulations to Melissa, Kelly, and all the other Tortilla Throwing Raiders. This game is always my favorite game of the season...until next time.

TINKER BELL

Kaylee was Tinker Bell for her First Halloween! Although she didn't like me putting on a frilly green costume at first, it grew on her and she was absolutely ADORABLE. Her school threw a Fall Festival, which was fun to see all the kids dressed up. It was wonderful. Kaylee had her fortune read, won at the Cake Walk, and found a toy ghost in the haystack. She soon grew exhausted and past out on our 3 minute car ride home. We didn't make it out Trick-or-Treating, but it overall was a very special first Halloween.

Agua

Kaylee favorite word is......AGUA! A couple of months ago, the teachers at school believed she was saying agua and we would hear it every once in awhile. Now, all she saids is agua! Her other words are dada, mama, and dagdag (dog). She has also become a pro on sign language. She has been doing the "milk" sign for awhile and now she does the "more" sign. It is great. She doesn't do the actual sign for when she is tired, but by rubbing her eyes, going to her crib, and finding her bunny....we get the sign. lol.

French Fries

On Wednesday Night, we went to one of my favorite Pubs, the Flyer Saucer. It has a great outdoor patio and the weather has been amazing! Kaylee was doing great, but definitely at the age of wanting to constantly moving around. A bit exhausting on our end. Anyways, we had ordered Burgers (I got the Hippie Veggie...yum) and Fries. Kaylee now wants whatever we eat. Kaylee watched Eric devoured his fries and since I didn't eat much of mine, she persistently tried to get one. We finally gave in....every parent chooses their battles....not my proudest moment. So, when she was going to put the fry in her mouth, she stopped...... to dip it in the ketchup and then ate it! Ok, now that was funny. It just goes to show how MUCH your kids watch your every move. It just forces us to be better people, eat healthy foods, and lead by example. And yes, Kaylee liked the French Fries and....ketchup!

Pooh Strong

I have some sad news...Dave Andrew Madden, also know as "Pooh", lost his battle of Osteosarcoma this past weekend. He was scheduled for a bone marrow transplant when his health worsen last week. He was a close friend of one of my closest friends. And from what I hear, he was an amazing person with a great sense of humor. Please keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. The family plans to start a non-profit and please visit his website: http://www.poohstrong.com/index.php.

Pumpkin Patch 2008

Aunt Melissa took pictures of us last weekend at a Pumpkin Patch. Unfortunately, Kaylee was too busy looking at the other kids that we didn't get many smiling pics. But of course they are still cute!

BUSY Weekend

Friday Night, Kaylee and I left to San Antonio to hang out with Lindsey and Kelly, who was visiting home from Vermont. If you want to see gorgeous pictures, go to her Blog The Nelson's. It is definitely on our list to places to visit. Anyhow, we kicked it like the good old days at my folks' house. It was great having Girl Time!



Saturday, Eric went to the amazing UT vs. OSU game! He had a blast! Texas holds the #1 spot and we can't wait for the Texas Tech game this coming Saturday! Meanwhile, Kaylee and I dropped by Lucy's nephew's (Sebastian) birthday party. Kaylee loved seeing all the kids run around. Then, my parents watched Kaylee Saturday night while I drove back to get ready for the big race!



Sunday, Eric and I left to Dallas for the Muddy Buddy Race at 3AM! Yes, we know we are crazy. We needed to get there at 6AM to pick up our registration packet. We got to Cedar Hills State Park right on time and it was pitch black, but we got to watch an amazing sunrise. First, there was the costume contest which in itself was worth going....McObama (McCain & Obama), Clowns, Men in Black, Kilt Wearing Men, 80s, etc. Then, the race started at 8AM. We were very anxious considering we woke up a 2:30am. The race was just about 6.5 miles consisting of 5 legs with an obstacle in between each leg. You rotate the legs with your Buddy, so I ran/bike/ran/bike/ran and Eric bike/ran/bike/ran/bike. The obstacles were rock climbing, cargo nets, balance beams, and climbing through an A frame. These looked fun until you start doing them and realize how tired you are! Then at the end you go in the Mud Pit together, which you have to crawl under ropes...so you get DIRTY! It was so much FUN! We finished in 59 minutes, which we couldn't be happier. We ran the whole time, with the exceptions of a couple killer hills. And with starting my new job, we haven't been working out/training for the past 3 weeks. We really had a great time and plan to do the race again! The picture was taken AFTER we rinsed off. I will post more when we get them from the race organization.

Pottery Barn Mission

About a month ago, I broke a piece to one of my favorite platters we got for our wedding. I finally got around to calling Pottery Barn to see if I could order a replacement. After an HOUR on the phone, they informed me that the platter is discontinued but the Austin store may have one on clearance. I went down to the store and waited for about 30 minutes to find out they didn't have it. But I insisted them to help me...this is my favorite platter! They waited on the phone with the other location and SURE enough they had 6 in the stock room that they weren't even aware that they had!!! And the best part is they were $15.97!!! I placed an order for 2, so I could secure the purchase. Then, I went down to the mall last night with my dad to pick them up and my dad bought 2...for Christmas gifts! How cool is that! The other 2 went to the employees you got their discount on top of the clearance price and they very excited that I made them look for them! Everyone came out a winner!

Hasta La Vista, Kaylee

Today was a big day for Kaylee, well, more for me. She waved goodbye to me when I dropped her off at school! She made eye contact and wave goodbye. Our little girl is growing up and we've seen some major changes this last week. Her attitude and personality isn't so "needy". She is becoming much more independent and definitely expressing herself. She has started to think baths are the worst thing ever and becoming fussy when she is tired. Although these things are more frustrating as a parent, Kaylee is growing opinions of her likes and dislikes. On the more positive side, her little sense of humor is so cute. She points and laughs at everything all day. It brightens my day in a heartbeat.

I like your brown shirt with that thing on it....

We were out and about Saturday running errands. Eric and I were of course sporting our UT pride by wearing shirts. Keep in mind, everyone in Austin is wearing Burnt Orange on game days. Anyways...a woman walks by us and said "I like your brown shirt with that thing on it." That THING was a LONGHORN! Really, who doesn't know what the longhorn sign is??? You are in AUSTIN, the small school down the road is only #1. We were extremely disappointment.

How Cute Is This???

This has to be one of the cutest pictures ever! Kaylee had her first "semi-sleepover" on Friday night with her oldest friend Blake. They started at HMS within a couple of weeks...Kaylee being the 1st kid and Blake being the 2nd. It was the two of them for awhile and they both moving up to the next class together. Blake's folks were nice enough to watch Kaylee while Eric and I went to a wedding. It worked out extremely well. I guess when we left Kaylee started to cry, but then Blake started to rub her back like "It's okay, these are my folks that I was telling you about". Very cute. Since it was a Friday, they both past out pretty early. As for the wedding, it was one of Eric's MBA Group Member whom I've become friends with.....2 years in a MBA group....you become friends! It was a very lovely wedding and I really couldn't be happier for the couple. I thoroughly enjoyed myself with food, drinks, and dancing to my favorite wedding songs. We both enjoyed catching up with other people from the MBA program. It is so nice to everyone in a much less stressful time in our lives. People looked rested! :)

Daddy Dressed Me - Jerry Garcia T, Purple Cords, Pink Crocs

Red River Shootout

What a game?!? We can't believe Texas pulled out the win and now are ranked #1! How exciting! We got a tough schedule...Missouri, OSU, and my favorite game...Texas Tech!

Long Week

As you know, this past week was my first week at Apple! And I'm beat. I really enjoy the Apple culture and I think it is a great fit. The people are smart and witting and I'm excited about the actual job. It was a lot of information for the training, so I'm a bit brain-dead. But that is what happens when you start a new gig. Highlights of the week were: Having dinner with Greg & Melissa Tuesday, Apple Corporate Olympics (games, food, beer, it was awesome!), and some big wig Cali Apple guys took my us out for a Happy Hour on Thursday. It was a fun, busy, information overloaded week.

The 7 Worst Things Good Parents Do

I went to Book Club today, which is at Kaylee's school. We are reading parenting books and then discuss, which I find to be very valuable. Last month's book was "How to Raise an Amazing Child: The Montessori Way." I haven't read it, but the book has several photos and looks to be a good reference or guide. I did read this month's book, "The 7 Worst Things Good Parents Do" and thought I would share the 7 things.

Remember they are the Worst..
1. Baby your child
2. Put your marriage last
3. Push your child into too many activities
4. Ignore your emotional or spiritual life
5. Be your child's best friend
6. Fail to give your child structure
7. Expect your child to fulfill your dreams

1st Urgent Care Visit

We woke Saturday morning to find Kaylee covered in bites! We counted 17 bites all over her face (eyes, ear, forehead) and a couple on her ankles. They didn't seem to bother at all, but we decided to call our doctor. They were shocked to hear so many, so we went in. And they concurred that they were indeed bites. We had started to second guess ourselves there for a moment. They sent us home and said to give her a little Bendryal. Unfortunately, I believe I gave her the sweet smell that mosquitoes love. The doctor believe she got the bites 24 hours prior, but we cleaned all her sheets and clothes anyways. The bites swelled a little, but are no longer an issue. Texas is not the best place to avoid mosquitoes, so we are sending OFF to school and talked to the school about the issue. They have a regular guy that sprays, so we will come from there. All in all, not the worst thing to be going to the Urgent Care for.

Breakfast with a Fork

Sunday Morning we introduced Scrambled Eggs and Turkey Sausage to Kaylee. It is in effort for us to all eat the same foods, except for the spicy stuff. We were so excited to see her facial expressions when she was going to first eat her breakfast, which are always entertaining, but she picked up her fork and fed herself first. Our excitement turned to "She used the fork, she used the fork!" It was pretty neat. Our growing girl...

TGIF

Friday was "TGIF" day. It was my last day at work, which was short and sweet. Came in, trained a little, exit interview, long goodbyes, and out by lunch. Side Note: I received a very nice gift from the Singapore people have been training for the past 2 months. Moving on...Eric and I left at lunch to pick up my new car! Yes, I bought a 2008 Toyota Rav4. No, it isn't my dream car, but I was proud of myself to buy a new car. For the record, it is black and with tan leather interior. We haven't yet said goodbye to the truck, but I will inform my attached friends as soon as it is gone. Teardrop. Then, we were off to some yummy sandwiches at Jimmy John's and to Tiffany's Treats to pick up some cookies. The cookies were for the teachers at Kaylee's school, because we were meeting them for a conference. We got to her school and Kaylee is so funny when we are there, because she has this proud attitude going on. Like...yes, MY parents are...time to show off. We had a great meeting with and they are going to move Kaylee up to the Hummingbird class. We are very excited for her transition and can't say enough good things about her school. After an eventful day, we met some co-workers for a Happy Hour and called it a day. All in all, end of era at AMAT, new car, Kaylee changing classes, and new job on Monday. TGIF! (Just wished they still played Full House on ABC)

Apple Suprise

This morning when I got out of the car to walk to my building for work, I dropped my whole wheat mini bagel with onion cream cheese and it proceeded to roll away. I thought this was kind of funny considering how far it went. I chased and picked it up to find that I got cream cheese under my finger nails. I walked to my cubie and I opened a drawer to try to find a napkin and there was a big brown bag with several apple stickers (yes, stickers) on it! All my co-workers were like "that was fast"...it would have taken me the whole day to come across that if it wasn't for the bagel rolling. What a nice suprise! Inside the bag was Apple Martini mix, Apple Vodka, and a bottle wine named "Falling Star". It was awesome. My co-workers are ALL guys and ALL engineers....and these guys did something so cute, thoughtful, and homemade. To think of the Apple motif as I'm off to Apple was great and then they purposely picked out the "Falling Star" wine...because I'm their falling star! (tear) It was really great. All my co-workers, past and present, have really been so nice to me. My old group took me out yesterday to Pappadeaux and then my new group took me to Texas Land and Cattle today. I've recieved several emails and phone calls wishing me good luck and some asking to hook them up when I'm there. (which is funny too) And...I found out that Apple is setting up my desk, because an old AMAT employee saw my name and ask where I was coming from and put together that I'm Eric's wife! She contacted Eric to ask him about me, so I already have one "friend". Not to mention a small list of people that has been given to me over the past week. And one more thing...I got a phone call with one of the girls I interviewed with and she wanted to let me know all the mother and family benefits...a Mom-to-Mom talk. I thought that was totally going out of her way and so nice. I think the Apple gig will be a very good thing, as Martha Stewart would say.

Shopping, Football, Party...A Great Saturday

The Ernst family had a wonderful Saturday. First, we went to the Round Rock Outlets for a family shopping affair, which was much needed. Kaylee is growing out of EVERYTHING and with the weather becoming cooler, she desperately needed new clothes. It is a bit odd to hold up LONG 18 Month Old clothes....we are like surely these are too big for her...nope Kaylee is that long. And we bought her a pair of shoes...she even got fitted...you guess it a whopping size 5. Yes, she is a big girl. We also got her Halloween costume, wait for it....TINKERBELL! I thought we would have gone more traditional with a pumpkin, ladybug, etc, but when we saw Tinkerbell we thought of Kaylee with her blonde hair and blue eyes. I think she will be adorable. Eric had some luck finding a great belt and a couple of Polos to replace his old ones. As for me, I hit the jackpot and found several "work" tops and some much needed work-out gear. It was very cute that we had a morning family shopping trip...Starbucks and all. Then, we went home where Eric had arranged 2 TVs side by side to watch the UT and Purdue Game together. UT played awesome, whereas Purdue fell short. And we won't mention the Florida game, Becky. Aunt Lindsey stopped by to play with Kaylee, who really only wanted to play with empty water bottles. Then, I spent a wonderful night with a group of girls for Sara's Bachelorette Party. And I finally got to make it to Mulberry, which is a wine bar downtown that one of Eric's MBA classmates opened. It was great Saturday!

Apple Gig

It is official...I've accepted a position with Apple! I start October 6th and my official title is Supply Demand Execution Planner. I put in my 2 weeks yesterday and it was great to "stick it to the man". Just kidding. I feel bad to leave and will miss several friends, but everyone is happy for me. I signed my offer today and they personalized the Apple Icon Header in PINK for me. How cool is that?!? The offices are about the same distance from AMAT just the other direction. Not to mention the offices are VERY laid back, I'm talking people wear shorts. Very Austinite. I'm going to miss carpooling with Eric, but I very excited about the new gig.

A Love Hate Relationship

I'm on the see-saw of love and hate for Bikram Yoga. Bikram Yoga is a 90 minute class with 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises, but get this....in a room that is heated to 105F and 40% humidity!!! My sister-in-law (Melissa) and I signed up for a month package last week, since she broke her foot and is limited to little exercise. You have to be HYDRATED before you go...or else you will be miserable and you really don't drink much during it. Bikram Yoga is totally different then my regular Hatha Yoga. I can't say I enjoy myself sweating profusely for 90 minutes with limited water and I'm usually hating it my the end of class. HOWEVER, when I wake up the next morning I feel great! Like you just got a massage or something! So you can see how this is a love hate relationship. But I can't decide if I really enjoy it or if it is worth it. With my regular yoga, I look forward to my practice and feel stretched, strong, and empowered after class. And I really can't say the same with Bikram. But I will say it is nice to sweat out ALL (plus some) of your toxins every once in awhile. And another note, I do find it somewhat entertaining to look over to Melissa with a huge boot cast on while she is trying to do a pose dripping sweat! It reminds me that she has it harder than me, so I can't complain. I still have a couple of weeks to make my judgement.

Friday Night Lights

This weekend we went to San Antonio to watch my lil brother's (Tyler) football game. I was a bit nervous, because the game started at 7:30pm and that is usually Kaylee's bedtime. Not only that, but when we were at the Cubs game she didn't like the abrupt cheering. But Kaylee slept the whole drive down to SA and was pumped up for the game! And.... she loved it! The school band kept her going, she was waving her pom pom, and she loved looking at the people. She was clapping the whole time and danced along with the halftime show. We stayed with 5 minutes left in the game...about 10pm. When we got to the car, she clapped when she saw her car seat and immediately went to asleep. My little brother's team Churchill lost to Reagan, but it was to my Alma Mater. (I had gone to both schools, so I was in a win/win situation.) After the loss, all the parents said Kaylee was the highlight of the game! We all had a great time, especially since Eric hadn't been to a High School football game, well, since he was in High School. Oh..I almost forgot...we got to see Kaylee's ad in the program! And she was wearing her Churchill outfit that Uncle Tyler gave me when I found out I was having a girl!

Wine Thief

Last Wednesday, Eric and I decided to have a "date" once Kaylee went to bed. This "date" wasn't a night out or anything extravagant, rather it was just us eating a normal grilled chicken dinner but outside on our patio. The weather has been amazing...Texas Falls our my favorite! And...when we call our time together a "date" we don't allow any interruptions and it makes things well, more fun. But we did have one minor interruption before our "date"...a wine thief. Eric was choosing a bottle of wine from our BOTTOM shelf (aka the good stuff) when out of no where a wine thief came along. See the pictures for yourself. And please note, this may looked staged, but I assure you it wasn't. I had been playing with the thief and her hood, before she darted off to the kitchen.

Missed the Mark...twice

Last night, I went out with one of my good old friends for a girls night out. We went to Jasper's (Gourmet Backyard Cuisine) for dinner, which has been on the top of my lists of places to go for awhile now. The Chefs won on Iron Chef, their ribs are the "Bon Appetit's Top 3 in America", and has been written up in SOOO many magazines. I was excited! We start off with crab cakes and they were good, but needed more flavor. Then, we shared Texas Peach Barbecued Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon Cream Corn and their famous Ribs with Aged Gouda Mac & Cheese. Don't get me wrong everything was good...it just wasn't WOW and especially for the HIGH dollar price. The descriptions sounded amazing and the food didn't live up to them. I was bummed, but had a blast with my girlfriend and well of course WINE makes everything better! After dinner we were off to see "The Women" with Meg Ryan. I was again excited and again disappointed. It was sooo boring! And after wine, a late boring movie wasn't the answer for me. I'm pretty sure I dozed off several times. But guess you can't win them all...at least I was with good company.

Proud Parents

Today was a big day for little Kaylee. First, she finally started to use her walker and has been all over the house today. She has been cruising from one piece of furniture to the other and although she uses the school's walker, she hadn't used the one at home. And she did today! Then, we were playing around and I put her down standing and she stood by herself for several seconds. Usually when she lets go she freaks out and plops to the floor...a whole second. Today was definitely several seconds! Next, she has been becoming very observant. She knows what button to push to start the music on one of her new Fisher Price toys. Usually she would just push all the buttons, now she specifically knows which one. And boy, she likes to push it over and over again. And she has started to kiss her dolls, which is pretty funny since her kiss is a open mouth slobber kiss. Finally, the girl can dance! I give myself credit on this one since I love to play my ipod and dance with her...I started at 2 months! Now she pushes her toys to play music and then dances. Sometimes it looks like "The Night at the Roxbury" dance or she will wave her hands in the air or just move to the music. It is awesome. It is amazing to watch her grow and we definitely proud parents!

Fisher Price Playdate!

Today was the day! It was so much fun! Fisher Price had sent 4 "big" toys, 10 party favors, gift bags, and coupons. We had bagels, fruit parfaits, and mini muffins. We had 5 little ones checking all the toys out and playing. I think our first playdate was a success and Fisher Price was so nice to do this all for us! Now Kaylee gets to keep all the toys! She has been passed out for the past 2 hours...she must have been playing hard!

No love from Hurricane Ike

Zero. Zero rain that is. Austin has gotten nothing from Ike thus far. We are fortunate we didn't get a beating like Houston area got, but being soo close we thought we would get something. We've been clued to the TV and couldn't believe the size of Ike, weather is truly unbelievable. And yes, our family from Angleton had evacuated to San Antonio on Wednesday. Thank you for those you asked. I do have to smile when I hear the name Ike, since I went to Eisenhower Middle School. I have shirts and pins that say "Ike Pride". It is rather humorous to me. However I was shocked when I went to HEB on Thursday night to pick up a "few" items and there was NO stock of anything. I managed to find a case of water on a random shelf which I was happy about and got the last loaf of wheat bread on the shelf. Not to mention I waited 40 minutes to check out! It was insane...I never thought so many people would freak out and prepare how much as they did in Austin. But I guess better safe than sorry. My hearts do go out to the Houston residents who now how to go back home and see possible damage. I hope it all works out.

Finally a Relaxing Weekend...in Austin.

After my cookie run, we headed out past Elgin to see my Aunt & Uncle's new house they built. They have lived in Mobile, Alabama until the past 3 years, give or take some. They were my only family members that lived outside Texas, so it is great having them back! Their beautiful house sits on some gorgeous land....very quiet, very relaxing. We took Kaylee swimming and she did very well remembering how to kick and kind of blow bubbles. She got to play with my cousin's adorable 20 month old Piper. Piper kept saying "Baby Play, Baby Play". It was very cute. We loaded up on fajitas and a couple of margaritas and visited with the rest of the fam. Kaylee was exhausted and went right asleep on the car ride home. We thought she was done for the day, but boy did she get her second wind when we got home. She was laughing and playing like crazy and we just ate it all up! We finally had to call it quits, because we knew she was tired and sure enough not a peep after left the room. Getting a good night rest, we woke up early to go running on Town Lake. This is one of my favorite things to do in Austin and I used to walk around when Kaylee was a baby, who know what I mean when she was a baby baby (newborn!). We get there right at 8am and it seems like the whole city of Austin had the same idea! But once we got going the people seemed to thin out. Kaylee was having a grand old time waving to the people going the opposite direction and then randomly clapping. I would run next to her and she would put her hand out for me to give a high five. I loved it! We ran 3.2 miles just under 30 minutes and I felt great. Muddy Buddy Training has started. We came home and I made Apple Cinnamon Bran muffins that we quickly learned Kaylee loves!!! We couldn't stop her. We will give a little piece of whatever we were eating and when I gave her a little of the muffin she attacked me and took my muffin! I had to get another muffin, but it was funny and of course adorable! We ran some family errands (Sears, Toys R Us, Target) and now are enjoying our Sunday afternoon. Soon we put some Chicken and Pineapple on the grill for one of the May's classic Chicken Hawaiian Salad. Yum... We have been having a blast going out of town, but boy is it nice to have a relaxing family weekend at home.

A Wonderful Saturday Morning

I have been very excited about the Grand Opening of Tiff's Treats right by our house on 183. Tiff's Treats is a cookie delivery store that started on the UT Campus and Tiff was a UT Business Grad. They are soooo good...taste just like you mother's homemade cookies. This place was like the devil and probably contribute to many students' Freshman 15! Anyways, their Grand Opening was this Saturday. The were selling a dozen cookies for, get this, TWO DOLLARS! All of the proceeds are going to Make-A-Wish Foundation for the cutest little girl Jordyn. Her wish was her family to go to Disney World. I arrived promptly at 9am and I guess several people at this idea...the line was soooo long! I thought it would go pretty fast, but Tiff's will only put out the freshest cookies. So..I waited TWO HOURS! Yes, I could have given up, but I couldn't stop thinking of Jordyn and her family. That is what kept me there for 2 hours and of course I made new friends in the line! I bought 5 dozen and another 5 dozen for my new friend in front of me. There was 10 dozen limit and he was buying them for his firm. But then I discovered I won some of their door prizes! I won a $10 Gift Card to Quiznos and $25 to Uchi Sushi! I was so excited! They ended up selling 1800 dozen cookies and are able to send the family to Disney World! Gift Cards, Cheap Great Warm Cookies, and helping fulfill a little girl's dream! Not too shabby for a Saturday morning!

http://www.cookiedelivery.com/austin/

We have to give a shout out to the last birthday of our chaotic August family birthdays. Greg rounds out the group with September 2nd! Happy Birthday! I think we celebrated well with him over the weekend, hopefully he has enough gusto to bust out one night! We hope you have a wonderful day!

Parents Gone Wild Weekend in Chicago

It has been a while since I last blogged (not sure if anyone reads it in the first place), but I have been recovering from our Parents Gone Wild Weekend in Chicago. Our first time away from little Miss Kaylee, who stayed with my parents in San Antonio. They said she did great and she got to visit with the extended family, which was good for her. I believe my parents had fun too, since my Dad called Tuesday saying she missed her. It is hard not too, since she is so sweet! As for our Parent Getaway, we had a blast! Eric's brother and wife, Greg and Emily, were excellent tour guides. We spent Friday night in Lincoln Park at the neighborhood bars and then some much needed late night Lou Malnati's deep dish pizza. Saturday...we slept in! That is what we were looking forward to the most, since that doesn't happen anymore! Then, we had BIG lunch at a Pub Cafe with Eric's Dad & Julia. Afterwards we went to the Shed Aquarium, which is always fun to see. They had Eric's friend the Komodo Dragon. We spent Saturday night at this insane UT bar in Lincoln Park to watch the game. I could NOT believe how many UT people were there! It was great! Then, we had so much needed late night Lou Malnati's deep dish pizza...again. Sunday was our big Wrigley Rooftop party. It was unlimited food and drinks so....we had fun to say the least. Eric and I then had a nice Italian dinner by ourselves, which was great. Although the Italian food there is sooo good and sooo rich, we both took a couple bites and we were done. We tried to keep the leftovers, but were able to sneak it a bite or two before we left. Afterwards, we met with my BFF Lucy and Shannon who were also in town and well...we lived it up. It was a fun weekend and we just love Chicago...especially when the weather was as perfect as it was over the weekend. We did well with being away from Kaylee, although I felt the pilot could have gone a bit faster on the way home! We definitely had a great time!