VEGAS BOUND!

I am going to Vegas tomorrow evening to meet up with my best friend Jennifer who has business there this week. I can't believe that I am actually leaving town alone! I know I am going to miss my babies like crazy though! I have a hard time not being with them. The kids will be taken care of btwn my parents (mom & D are taking D, Auggie & Tia and my Dad & Deb are taking Adeline, X & O). Rick will have some or all of the kids Saturday. I return late Saturday night. I am so excited about this trip. We are staying at The Paris hotel and we have some fun things planned.

Wednesday

-Paris spa for massages & parafin treatments.

-going to see Mystère by Cirque du Soleil.

-My brother Eric is driving in from LA to hang out with us

Thursday

-hanging out with my brother

-going to see Blue Man group

-My brother drives back home :(

Friday

Thought about hiking in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area http://www.americansouthwest.net/nevada/red_rock_canyon/nca.html

but we now think we will drive to see the Hoover Dam if the construction traffic isn't too bad.

Saturday

-I am spending the day with my friend Ruick and coming back home to see my babies.

D'Angelo, Augustine and Adeline left for Michigan yesterday with Grandma Debbie, Grandpa Andy & Josh. They are spending the weekend in a cabin at Owasippe Scout Reservation. They had a great time there last year and were very excited to be going again. The kids were also excited that UPS dropped their new water bottles just before we got them loaded into the car to leave!
What am I doing with just 3 kids? Well, last night after they were asleep I went scrapbooking for a few hours at my friend Fran's house and I am going to go back over there later this afternoon once Rick gets home from work. I am working on an alphabet book for D'Angelo right now. I have decided to start doing everything clean, simple and easy so that I can actually start accomplishing some finished books. My goal is to have D's ABC book complete when I leave Fran's tonight. I'll let you all know how that goes!

Adeline's waterbottle

Here are my bathtime helpers on Thursday morning.

The big kids had a playgroup at their friend Lucy's house Tuesday morning. Little Miss Piggytails!



Monday we made our first trip of 2008 to Brookfield zoo.

http://www.czs.org/czs/Brookfield/Zoo-Home

Thanks to Gaga & Poppy for going with us.

Inside the Hamill Family Play Zoo the kids were able to touch a Madagascar hissing cockroach.

TIA at 8 weeks

Lollypops are Yummy!

On Tuesday April 29th we ventured downtown to the Daley Center to make our appearance in Adoption Court! Everything went very well. We are hopeful that the judge's ambitious goal of being finalized on June 11th will happen. We will keep you posted. It has been a long road to get here and we are so happy. I can't wait to have our boys legally ours forever!

Metra will get you there on time and save the headaches of traffic during construction season.

They have been served! The sheriff officially served the boys and presented each of them a badge.

Marshall Fields State Street lunch
D'Angelo eats noodles

Auggie does too

Chasing sky rats AKA pigeons

The boys and their much anticipated lollypop from the judge.

View from the 17th floor looking down at Daley Plaza



Tuesday was such a long day and the boys did very well . We took the 9:30 train, walked to Daley center, Lunch at Fields (Macy's), back to Daley center where we were the last family called to appear during the 1:30 call, walked back to train station to catch the 4:45. D'Angelo had a bit of a meltdown as we prepared to get off the train. He cried loudly that he didn't want to get off the train. He wanted to stay on the train with the people. It was so out of charecter for him to behave that way. He cried all the way back to the parking garage until he fell asleep in the car. Once home we thought we were okay. Until he woke up that is. Yep, he woke up and started right back into the crying about wanting to go back to the train. At that point we were worried because we were preparing to leave within the hour to go to his family awards night at AWANA. Thankfully he did a 180-got happy and we were able to take him to his last night of AWANA. Thanks to the leaders who did a nice job preparing the kids for the celebration.

They sang a few songs including

I'm in the Lord's Army

(to the tune of 'The Old Grey Mare') Actions are in blue!

I may never march in the Infantry, (march)

Ride in the cavalry, (pretend you're riding a horse)

Shoot the artillery. (clap hands together)

I may never zoom o'er the enemy, (spread arms out and pretend to be a plane)

But I'm in the Lord's Army. (point one finger up to God)

I'm in the Lord's Army, (yes, sir!) (salute)

I'm in the Lord's Army, (yes, sir!)

I may never march in the Infantry,Ride in the cavalry,Shoot the artillery.

I may never zoom o'er the enemy,But I'm in the Lord's Army, (yes, sir!)

This post is for all my friends who are wondering what Nibbles looks like inside.

Wednesday morning we headed over to a new spot close to our house, http://www.nibblesplaycafe.com/ to meet some friends of ours. I knew a few people who had already visited the cafe and enjoyed their time there so I was willing to check it out. It seemed like a great concept-a cafe where the kids can safely play while moms are able to chat. I had all 6 kids with me and I was very happy with our visit. The kids didn't want to leave when it was time which is always a good sign. They truly enjoyed themselves. If cost were no issue we would go often.

We went on a tour to the Buffalo Grove Fire Dept. with a group of our friends. The kids thought it was very cool to get into the firetruck. I had taken D'Angelo once before about 6 months ago, but this was the first time Adeline & Auggie got to go.