Monkeying Around

While I was enjoying my girls weekend & daddy was on a work trip, the girls "monkeyed around" with Papa Will & Nana Marci.   It looks like they enjoyed a fun-filled weekend too!!! Thanks Papa & Nana :)

Salute

Next up, we enjoyed Saturday wine tasting with lunch & an amazing vineyard view.  And then back to Becky's to cheers our weekend at her beautiful beach & backyard overlooking the lake.

Old Friends

Look who was hanging out in Times Square...some of the girls favorite friends. So I just had to get my picture taken with them :)

Girls Weekend

First stop...NYC Times Square.  I haven't been to NYC since before the girls were born & I was working at Jones Lang LaSalle.  What a great way to start a "Girls Weekend" with my friend Becky. I sure hope NYC is ready for us :) Let the fun begin...

Just One Of The Guys

Josie was all smiles when I volunteered at lunch today.  I'm not sure if she was excited because I was in the cafeteria or if it was because she got to sit next to her buddy Connor Gibbs.  He's not pictured but is sitting on her left :) And to my surprise she was sitting at the ALL BOYS table & loving every minute of it too.  This one may be trouble in years ahead :)  But for now, she's so darn cute!!! And she says she sits at "the boys" table every day too because she likes too!!!

Mommy's Promotion

Well I guess I must be doing things right as now in addition to taking care of Josie's baby while she's at school, she also has me taking care of her dog too. She told me to follow the same rules as Baby & NOT to leave the door open as she may get out of the house. And of course, she has it all set up for me on the couch.   Never a dull moment with this little girl & her expanding family.  

Knee Highs

It's the second day of fall & the girls are sporting their new knee highs & cardigan sweaters for school.  Good morning Fall!!! :)

Build Your Own Taco

Thank you Chipolte for a fun-filled Sunday family dinner.  At the Cultivate Festival the girls each got a coupon for a free meal. So tonight we "cashed in" on their "Build Your Own Taco Meal"  They picked out all their own toppings & then built or as Gracie likes to say "designed" their own taco.  A great way to end our weekend & I didn't have too cook either :) It was a win win for all of us!!!

Josie's Sleep Under

Gracie was invited to another fun-filled sleep-under tonight with her 2nd grade friends . And luckily, Josie got invited to one too.  Thanks to our good friends Mandy, Ellie & Sloane & their cute little cousins too for including Josie in a fun girls movie night at their house.

Surprise X 2

Today I surprised Gracie by being the first Art Volunteer for her class.  I was able to get the first spot again..yay for me!!! And she was very surprised as on the way to school she kept asking me who I thought would be the first mommy to volunteer this year...the most popular volunteer spot too :)  Ooohhh how I loved the smile on her face when she walked into the classroom & she saw me there :)

Happy Birthday + One Month

Gracie has a very special bond with her first grade teacher from last year Ms. Chertack.  Since Ms. Chertack wasn't able to come to her birthday party, she asked if we could get together for a special Rothleutner Girls Tea Party.  So we invited her to our house for a Tea Party as we have a special new tea set that we have been anxiously awaiting to use on our friends.  Thanks Nana Shirley :) So fun that Ms. Chertack was the first "friend" to use the special "friend" tea cup. After school, the girls & I went shopping for the perfect tea party snacks & of course the right tea to serve too.  Of course, they picked PINK!!! :)  And the girls wore their favorite princess dresses too. A very good time was had by all & Josie's Baby even joined in on the fun.  I wonder what fun outing we'll do with Ms. Chertack next?!?!?

All About Brady

It's time to celebrate my littlest nephew's 4th Birthday.  He's just too cute, isn't he :) Happy Happy Birthday Brady!!!

Cheering on our favorite QB

Next up, we enjoyed watching our favorite quarterback Mitch in action at his football game.  And they won 18-0 too.  Way to go Mitch, so proud of you. And maybe you'll take after Uncle Bob!!! :)  And the cute cousins enjoyed cheering him on too :)  Adorable!!!

Strollers In The Front 5k

Team Rothleutner & Team Peterson ran our first 5K race together today with our old Stroller Fitness Class in the Strollers In The Front 5K Race.  It was so fun to re-group with friends that we met when out oldest girls were babies :) Well it rained the entire time but we still had a good time & finished the race.  The kids didn't mind the rain either & they enjoyed the after party singing & dancing to one of their favorites, Mr. Singer.  Next year, the kids will run the Kids Dash too.  What a great way to start our Sunday morning!!!

Tea Time

Thanks Nana Shirley!!! The rest of our birthday tea set arrived today.  We absolutely love it!!! :) Who's ready to join us for a Tea Party :) We can't wait to have a tea party with you when you visit us in October.

Here she goes again :)

For weeks all she has talked about was getting married & today she walks into the kitchen & announces that she is having a baby.  As you can see by the bulge under her dress :)  She isn't sure if she is having a boy or a girl but she really wants a girl. And she just really wants to be a mommy!!!  Her preschool teacher from last year is having twins & she thinks that may be neat too. Ohh our little Josie :)

Josie's Baby Part 2 :)

Hmm...I guess she wants me to feed her baby today?!?!  I didn't see this cute set-up on the couch before we left this morning but this does explain why on the walk to school she kept telling me when to feed her baby & what she likes to eat. At least she makes it very easy for me, right??? :)   I guess she doesn't realize that I raised two little girls who were very close in age.  Kris jokes that this is how organized I was when we first starting having babysitters :) Too funny but maybe she just likes to be organized like her mommy!!! :)

Josie & Connor

A few weeks ago Josie told me she didn't know who she was going to marry.  I told her that she had plenty of time to decide.  In which she replied "But I already have a list mommy!!!"  Her list consisted of 5 boys...3 Connors, Jake & Bennett.  She even named a few boys who she took off of her list.  And I wondered "How long was her list???" In recent weeks, she has continued to talk about which of the 5 boys will be the one she will marry.  Although she doesn't plan on moving out of our house as she wants to live with us forever.  Last week, she announced that she had made her choice.  So with much anticipation, we all waited to hear her big news. Very decisively, she announced that Connor Gibbs was the one she chose.  And that was that & her decision was made. She continues to come home & talk about him every day.  She especially likes to tell me what he has for lunch as she likes to sit by him :) His mom, Kate, has told me that Connor comes home & talks about Josie too.  And at the park after school, we overheard his older sister & Gracie say as they giggled "Let's go talk about their relationship."  Tonight at the Fall Welcome for school, Josie's teacher took me & Kate aside & said she had a really cute picture to show us. And there it was....Connor & Josie holding hands as they walked to the park to play.  Awe how adorable! I'm going to enjoy this moment as I know it won't be long before she thinks that boys have cooties. But for now, it's so darn cute! And some fun stories to share with her when she is older too.

Surprise Reader!!!

Surprise Josie!!!   I've been the first surprise guest library reader 2 years in a row :)  And she was very surprised to see me too. After sitting on my lap while I read to her class, she picked out 2 books for us to take home.   It's always so fun to hear what the little ones say when you are volunteering at school.  I especially liked it when her buddy Jack yelled out "Yay, it's Josie's mom, she so nice!!!" :)

Skorts!!!

Loving school uniforms!!! Today it's a skort kind of day!!! :)

Gymoboree

And they are off to school in their matching gym uniforms :)

Oue Little Foodie

Although she may be picky, she wants to make sure the rest of us eat something tasty today :) So look who's in charge of our next food choice.  What's up next Josie...tacos, gorditas or rice bowls.  It all sounds good to me so you can't steer us wrong :) Yummy!!!

Kids Zone

Enjoying making art smocks for school in the kids zone. And they enjoyed free hot dogs, yogurt & milk too.  Gotta love the kids zone :)

Cultivate Festival

Greetings from the Cultivate Chicago Festival sponsored by one of our favorite restaurants Chipolte :) This festival raises the awareness of the importance of buying locally raised foods.  So all of the food & beverage venders are from the Midwest.  We certainly enjoyed many mexican favorites & speciality brews too. And the girls enjoyed learning fun-facts from some of the specialty vendors. Our favorites were avocados & tabasco sauce as pictured here in front of the pepper plant.  Another fun-filled Saturday in Chicago :)

Josie's Baby

Josie gives me specific instructions every day on how to take of her "baby" while she is at school.  When baby needs her diaper changed, how often baby needs to eat, what baby likes to eat, when baby needs to nap & so on & so forth. Today my responsibility was to make sure that I read baby the library book that Josie brought home from school yesterday. It's a good thing that she had it all set up for me on the couch or I may have forgotten this very important responsibility :)  Looks like I still do have a little baby at home!!!

Grade School Sisters

Big Sister Gracie is so excited for Josie & is loving giving her little sister all kinds of advice too as they walk into school :)

And Here She Comes

Oh my, look at that sweet smile at pick-up.  It looks like a very successful first day!!! And she was excited to see mommy too :)

Kindergarten Here She Comes

The first day of school!!! I hope Kindergarten is ready for you as I know you are ready for Kindergarten :)  You sang"I'm so excited, I'm so excited!!!" the whole way there. And we are so excited for you!!!

Josie's Preschool Days

Tomorrow our little Josie starts Kindergarten.  Really Kindergarten?!?!?  Oh my, how time sure does fly by.  I still remember her first day of preschool in September 2011 as she had just turned 3 years old.  I remember wondering if she was ready for the world of school & if I was ready for her to join the world of school too.  Well she is my little baby girl, right :)  She did great on her first day & smiled & waved to me from the drop-off line.  As for me, I cried the whole way out of the parking lot as she walked into school.  Then came day 2 & she cried every Tuesday & Thursday for 6 weeks straight!!! Oh yes, she cried every Tuesday & Thursday for 6 weeks straight & it broke my heart. Then finally by week 7, we turned a corner & she really liked school & she was excited to go too. Which brings us to tomorrow & another big milestone for both of us. Josie the world of Kindergarten awaits you...best of luck Josie!! :)

Labor Day

Relaxing to a backyard Barbie Labor Day Pool Party!!! :)

Awe...Chicago Skyline

Relaxing to the Chicago Skyline...it doesn't get any better than this :)

North Pond

Enjoying the Labor Day weekend picnicking at one of our favorite places...North Pond!!! And our fish Lila is here too :)