Venetian Opera Night in Chicago

We went to the Venetian Night Gala at Millenium Park in Chicago this past Saturday night. The gala featured Rossini, Puccini, Verdi, Gounod, and Donizetti. We had a picnic and listened to the beautiful music.

Abby, Sammy and friend Elijah laying on Charles enjoying the music

Abby being cozy with Daddy


Jessica and son Elijah along with Abby and Sammy admiring their reflection in the giant shiny bean.

Taking pictures of our reflection in the giant shiny bean


City in the background of the shiny bean

After the concert we played in the fountain of one thousand faces of the people of Chicago while the fireworks were going off in the background.

Charles and Sammy getting all wet. Sammy was soaked!

Big hug for Elijah

Little Sammy's Three Year Old Birthday

We celebrated Sammy's birthay this past week. Her biggest present was a doll house that her and Abby were so excited about. We decorated the house with tons of crate paper and bought her loads of presents. The following day we had a little friend birthday party at the park with butterfly cupcakes for everyone. Her friends could make as big of a mess as they wanted since it wasn't at my house! Sammy felt so special and seemed to have a nice time.

Here is the pathetic cake I decorated for our little family party. She wanted a chocolate rainbow cake with glitter frosting (that is why you can't see the rainbow so well). It was a pretty easy request.

Happy Birthday little Boodgy! You are growing up too fast!

Two Great Movie Recommendations

When word reaches two elderly best friends, that someone in their tiny Irish village of Tulaigh Mhór (Tullymore) has won the Irish National Lottery's Lotto game, they go to great lengths to find the winner so they can share the wealth. After a chicken-dinner plot to narrow down their list of suspects, they pay a midnight visit to the only absentee: Ned Devine. They find Ned in his home, still holding the ticket in his hand, a smile on his face and dead of shock. Jackie is later convinced by a dream that the deceased Ned wants to share the winnings with his friends, as he has no family to claim the ticket.

A young FBI employee assigned to work undercover as a clerk to Robert Hanssen, a senior agent. Hanssen has been recalled to FBI headquarters. Hanssen has been recalled to FBI headquarters ostensibly to head up a new division specializing in Information Assurance.

Initially, Hanssen insists on a strict formality between the two men but eventually, Hanssen becomes a friend and mentor to the young FBI agent and takes a personal interest in him and his wife Juliana, who is suspicious of Hanssen and resents his intrusions.

O'Neill finds no evidence of Hanssen leading a secret double life and develops a growing respect for his boss, so he confronts his handler in the undercover assignment, who admits that Hanssen is suspected of spying for the Soviet Union and Russia for years and being responsible for the deaths of agents working for the United States. He learns that FBI Director Louis Freeh is personally leading the investigation.

Note: The movie is based on the true story of Robert Hanssen, an FBI agent convicted of spying for the Soviet Union and later Russia for more than two decades, and Eric O'Neill, who worked as his assistant and helped bring about his downfall. O'Neill served as a consultant on the film.

Distracted Driving

I guess after living in New York City and London where cell phone talking is against the law, I have developed strong views on the issue. This is an issue I would go to the legislature in every state to try and get passed. I feel that strong about it. I think talking on a cell phone (even hands-free talking) while driving is bad and very distracting but I am flabbergasted that people would actually text on their phone while driving. It is so dangerous and this article finally confirms everything I have thought for a while now. Take a look. Tell me what you think.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/technology/19distracted.html?hp

Trip to Utah

We have not been in the states for the 4th of July in a very long time and this year as an extra bonus not only were we in the states but we were in Utah with our families. We got to watch our first 4th of July parade in six years. The girls had a great time picking up all the candy, hanging out with cousins and enjoying the carnival and breakfast.


Waiting for the parade to start with Grandma and Grandpa and cousin Megan

watching the parade

Sparkly Toes - The girls got their first pedicure which included sparkly painted toe nails. They went around showing everyone and STILL are showing everyone we see or meet.

Sammy excited to see the finished product

Abby relaxing and enjoying her pedicure

Wow! Look at that sparkle

I also got treated to sparkly toes. Here is our finished beautifully, sparkling toes.

Out for hamburgers with Grandma Lori, Dan, Patrice and Harrison

Celebrating Uncle Paul's birthday in Park City

Enjoying lunch outside in Park City

Being cozy with Uncle Paul

Loving Grandma Lori

Posing with Auntie Cindy (however, this is not Abby and Sammy in this picture - they are Hermione and Permelia when they are with Auntie Cindy and they love their special names)

Loving Great Grandpa Vuyk....

and who can forget loves for Great Grandma Vuyk

Happy Birthday Daddy on July 15th. We celebrated by decorating a sign which we posted on the front door and then hung up tons of crate paper as Daddy walked in the door. Trapping him in the entry way, so he had to burst through the crate paper like Hulk Hogan. The girls were sooo excited. They helped decorate the cake and even wrapped his presents all by themselves.



That's all!

(Note: We also hung out a lot with my parents but somehow did not get any pictures of them with the girls. We had a great time with them though and we are all looking forward to their visit in August.)

Trapped

So being the moron that I am, I left a bowl of fruit sitting out on the kitchen counter while we were in Utah this past week. We came home to what feels like a house full of fruit flies that I have tried without success to get rid of. They are constantly swarming in my kitchen around my face and the things I am putting in my mouth. I thought after throwing out the fruit and dead flowers and wiping down the whole kitchen that they would go away. Not so. I still wake up to them each morning and get more and more irritated by them. I must be very vigilant about any of them landing in my cereal bowl or swimming in my drink. It has been three days. Why are they still alive? I googled "How to kill a fruit fly" online last night and set about making a trap for these pesky little flies. The site said to place some skinless fruit in a bowl and cover with saran wrap. Then poke holes in the top so that the flies can smell the fruit and will fight their way in to partake of the succulent rotting treat. The best part is is that they become trapped and can't find their way out. Brilliant!

I put the "trap" on the counter and went to bed. Charles came home late that night and removed the fruit to the refrigerator thinking I had been careless and cleaned the whole entire kitchen but left out this lonely half eaten peach neatly covered with saran wrap. I made him turn around and go right back downstairs to return it to its proper breeding ground. I then dreamed about fruit flies all night. I dreamed of making other incredibly brilliant traps as well as killing the flies with windex and sucking them up with the vacuum hose. I woke in the morning excited to see if my trap worked. Sure enough, there were several little flies trapped inside, much to my delight with several more on top desperately trying to figure out how to get in and partake of that tempting fruity delight, not knowing they will never see the outside world again! After Charles realized what my fruit covered bowl was for, he stated that he was afraid to get on my bad side for fear I would leave a piece of steak coverered with a thin layer of saran wrap poked with holes on his pillow. That might turn out to be an interesting experiment... Well, if anything I can add fruit flies to my list of pesky annoyances right after tapping birds!

The Gig's Up, The Secret is Out

The gig is up, the secret is out - we are pregnant! I am due at the end of September/first of October. We are having GIRL number THREE. We hope she is another blondie to add to our collection. We kept it a secret for so long in order to surprise Charles' sister Bethy who came for a visit last week and is also pregnant (her first). It was definitely worth the wait to see the look on her face of sheer confusion!

We went to Lincoln Park Zoo in the heart of Chicago while Bethy was here

The lion at Lincoln Park Zoo taking a nap in the sun.

Abby was excited to see the monkeys.