Mikey...My Favorite Grandson...

I love my Mikey! He is so much like his mother in temperment but he sure looks like Michael. I must add that I am delighted he has his mother's temperment. She is kind and compassionate - both excellent qualities.

Mikey played T-Ball last year and football. He was very good at both but you can tell he LOVES football. He does well in school and is very considerate to everyone but Ella...just kidding! For a while he had a sign on his bedroom door...No gurls can come in. Ella has become a bit squeamish about sleeping alone so Mikey lets her come in and sleep in his double bed. One day he confided in me - telling me he thought Ella had issues (his words not mine). Quite funny coming from a 6 year old about his 4 year old sister.

He is very sweet with Sofia but there are times when he has just had enough of the gurls!

He loves all things WII and I have contributed to his enjoyment of computer games. He and I play Zelda together though it is for an older age group.

Mikey is all things wonderful and 500% boy! I have been blessed with truly fantastic grandchildren!

Plating...not to be confused with skating!

Maddie could keep me in stories forever. I wish I had time when my children were growing up to keep a blog about their comings and goings. But then again we didn't have the internet when my kids were growing up...
So...Matt and Rhea flew to Southern California last week to attend Allison's Bat Mitzvah. Maddie had school so we stayed here and it was business as usual. I decided I would go home early every night I could so I could spend more time with Madds. Last Wednesday night I walked in about 4:30 p.m. - to everyone's surprise. Yes...I mean everyone's surprise. Maddie had a gaggle of girlie girls at the house...Sam, Emily (Maddie's partner in most crimes), Yugoda, Carrie and Jaylynn. On the table were a stack of nice white glass plates. The girls decided to take a walk around the block before I was going to take them to church. My last words as they departed..."I'm not sure what you are doing with those dishes but DO NOT throw those dishes. Put them in the trash before you get yourself into trouble." Yeppers...famous last words!
So I am cleaning up - doing a bit of laundry and I get a phone call from Jaylynn's mother - asking me to go to the high school because the police are holding the girls. It seems the girls decided to use the plates as skates. They broke glass all over the school parking lot with their antics. The police made them pick up all the glass. The principal of the school asked the kids involved to meet him on Saturday morning to clean up the grounds of the school.
Madalynn was quite upset because her friends did not confess and own their misdeeds. Perhaps she will find the lesson in this and understand she must make her choices without influence from her friends.
Anywho...she was restricted to the house for the weekend and had to do copious amount of chores! And that is another story!!!

March Madness

I can't believe it is already March 12, 2009! They say time flies when you are having fun but I think it really works both ways 'cuz I'm not having fun but time is sure a flying!

The weather has been so unpredictable. It rained all day Saturday and most of Sunday. We had this really great weather going on and yesterday I walked out in the morning and scooted back in to grab a coat! It went from 62 degrees on Tuesday to 18 degrees on Wednesday. Today is quite cold as well.

I got my car washed this morning and watched the water beading on the window shield. It reminded me of my first winter experiences last year. The funniest was the day I rushed out to go to work - now most know if it has snowed there is no rush to work because you must spend a minimum of 15 minutes prepping the vehicle and getting it all warm and cozy. This particular day I had stuff all over my wind shield so I took out my bottle of water and poured it over the windshield to clean it off. The water turned the window into an ice shield. What a mess to try and scrape off. I needed a chisel and hammer.

This year I was pretty much down with the program. I get out there and shovel the driveway (when Matt isn't around), pry the frozen doors open, start the car with all the defrosters going, and finally I scrape the snow and ice off... The order is somewhat crucial.

I know I am babbling on but I wanted to make sure I got something posted and in all likely hood I will edit this again and add a picture but I need more time...Got any?

All Right, Already!

Okay... So it snowed on Saturday, February 21, 2009. We got between 2-3 inches of the white stuff. And it snowed on and off all day long - during Ella's birthday party. On Wednesday it warmed up to 50 degrees and all the snow was gone.

Yesterday was the winner...it thundered, lightening and RAIN!!! I had a Board meeting last night and driving home was a thrill with the sky lighting up, the torrential downpour and the newly formed rivers that we normally call streets.

At 10:30 p.m. last night I received a call from a Board member - one of my buildings with a subterranean garage was flooding. Oh, Joy! So much for getting a good night's sleep.

There is water everywhere. Everyone says the past two years Chicago has had the worst weather in many, many years! As I drove home last night I thought about Noah...at what point did he know it was time to build the ark?

A Bit of This and That...

Just wanted to catch up a bit today...

Tuesday evening we were eating dinner and Rhea mentioned that she, Matt and Maddie were invited to attend Allison's (Rhea's cousin) Bat Mitzvah in Los Angeles. We discussed the invitation and possibilities of everyone traveling to Los Angeles for the event. Matt piped up and asked everyone..."What do you wear to a Bat Mitzvah?" Madalynn didn't skip a beat before she responded..."A Turban!" We laughed long and hard...I think she meant a Yamaka.

Ella just turned five years old! Her birthday party is tomorrow and we are all attending and helping out! Rhea and I called last Friday on her birthday and sang Happy Birthday to her. As soon as we finished Ella exclaimed..."Well, gosh! I wasn't expecting that!"

Kids do say the funniest things!

It has been a busy couple of weeks with work and Madalynn! I am trying to catch up before our next winter storm...tonight! Can you believe it we are expecting 6-8 inches of snow sometime late tonight and into tomorrow? I am delighted that I do not need to go anywhere this weekend except Ella's b-day party!

Well, I need to get back to my tasks so I will bid you farewell for the time being!

Well, all you groovy people...stay warm!

Maddie Madds

I could write for days about Madalynn but instead I will share a story today...

I arrived home late last night after a grueling Board meeting. Rhea shared a 'Madalynn' experience. We have had a difficult time convincing Maddie that she can live without a phone in her ear 24/7. Rhea took the phones last night into the laundry room, along with Maddie's other prize possesions (her hair straightener and digital camera). She locked her self in the laundry room, took a bunch of pictures of herself with Maddie's camera - and of course - locked Madalynn out. I didn't ask but I am fairly sure Rhea didn't use the hair straightener.

Maddie waited about 30 minutes and then knocked on the bathroom door and handed Rhea a telephone - yes, the telephone was Rhea's. She had forgotten to pull her telephone out of her purse. When Maddie handed Rhea her phone guess who was on the other line...Rhea's mother. Maddie called Rhea's mother to report her 'immature' behavior and to let her know that Rhea's behavior was bordering on abuse. Well, when I heard this I was horrified at first and then I began to laugh and couldn't stop!

Maddie is one cheeky bird! But you got to love her!

Ice, Ice, Baby!

We have had icicles on the drip edge of our roof for almost two weeks. It is great fun to watch the evolutionary journey of an icicle on a day to day basis. I guess icicles must live with the philosophy.."Here today, gone tomorrow."

Consider this...the gutters are full of ice and very heavy.

Also...on any day that it has a bit of warmth the icicles melt a tiny bit on to the concrete stoop. The stoop is extremely dangerous and my greatest enemy at the moment. I have tried jumping across the stoop but found my world upside down (should have taken a picture from that perspective but I was busy trying to sooth my bruised ego).

I love Chicago...I don't love the snow and ice.