Baby Katelyn

Love this chubby face:) Proud Auntie Kristy :)

My best friend, Jen and her husband Lee had a baby girl on Monday. Her name is Katelyn Marie and is just beautiful. I am so excited for them to embark on this awesome journey! I was so excited that she decided to come early so that I could be here to meet her and not away on vacation. I can't wait to go snuggle some more with her this week and give her parents a break:)

"Happy Christmas" as Payton says:)

Putting up the Christmas Tree & Visiting Santa

Payton & Santa Telling him what he wants for Christmas
Waiting for Santa to open the door

Helping Daddy put the star on top

Hanging ornaments

Every year Christmas gets more fun with Payton! He is totally into everything this year from setting up the tree, eating his chocolate every day, writing Santa a list and looking at Christmas lights. He was so excited to go see Santa and ask him if he got his Christmas list so we headed out there today to find out:) Payton LOVED Santa this year and got right on his lap. When Santa asked him what he wanted he said all he wanted was Batman stuff. He also made sure to ask him if he got his list or not and of course he had! We spent tonight riding around looking at Christmas lights in our pajamas. We ran into the Naperville Trolley at one of the houses and decided to follow it on it's tour of the lights. It was perfect because we got to see all the cool houses without paying the price to ride:)

New Neighbors

We were lucky enough to have two families that we knew buy the only two houses on our street. Not only is it fun for us adults to know each other but both families have boys Payton's age. In fact all of the kids are boys!

Hanging out on the couch (Payton, Chase, Ryan, Tyler & Luke)

Having a dance party!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Love,

Payton

Family Pictures With the Chudzicks

Halloween 2009

Going to get candy Payton and Emma

This Halloween the Chudzicks joined us at our house. Payton and Emma had a blast trick-or-treating and made it for over an hour, even in the cold. Poor Payton looks like an overweight Batman because I convinced him that if he wore his coat under his costume it would look like he had muscles:) Ha, he believed me and loved his new muscles!! Anyways, after trick-or-treating we went in for pizza and of course, candy! The kids loved dumping out their buckets and seeing all the candy they got.

Halloween Happening

Bowling for candy Posing with his favorite character, Diego!!
Payton and Chase

This morning, after Payton snapped out of his moody funk we decided to put up our Christmas lights. Yeah, I know it's early but every year we say we should have done our lights when it was nice out so this year we actually did:) After getting the lights up, we went downtown Naperville with our neighbors and playgroup friends, Jessica and Sara and their kids. The city has a time for the kids to trick-or-treat at participating stores and then down by the beach they have a big Halloween party with games, jumpy houses, Radio Disney and characters to meet. Payton, Chase, & Paige had a great time getting candy and going in the jumpy houses. I have learned my lesson and for the sake of Payton's preschool teachers decided not to give him candy today:) He is now taking a nap which is going on 3 1/2 hours!

Pumpkin Carving Party

Posing with his "scary" pumpkin Everyone carving away
Payton helping Daddy

All the pumpkins lit up

On Saturday night we went next door for our neighbor's annual pumpkin carving party. We always have a great time and are so appreciative for all that they do for us. Payton loves going and comes home spoiled rotten! This year Payton wanted to carve his pumpkin with a scary face! The kids had a great time playing and Payton found a new friend in Sophie, the neighbor's granddaughter. We had all kinds of yummy treats and then went home and crashed! I think Payton ate too much junk that night because on Sunday he woke up complaining his tummy hurt and then was in the worst mood ever Sunday morning, probably from a sugar hangover!! Anyways, we did have a great time and are looking forward to next year!

Safety Town

Showing his muscles

Posing with Curious George

The family at Safety Town

Payton with Nana and Papa

Trick-or-treating at Safety Town

Posing with the bear

On Saturday we went to Safety Town in Naperville to do some early trick-or-treating. It was the first time we had gone and it was so much fun. They talk to the kids about safe trick-or-treating and then let them go to each house to practice. Payton was so excited and I swear didn't stop moving the whole time we were there. My parents joined us and my Dad was excited to maybe be part of it next year by handing out candy. We were in and out in maybe 45 minutes, which was good because it was freezing out!! You may have noticed a few pictures of Payton with different characters, which is so out of character for him. We may have turned a corner with his fear of people dressed as characters, which is great since we are going to Disney in December:) He was so proud of himself for going up to them and kept saying how brave he was:)

Pumpkin Patches and Volleyball

Tricia, Payton, Ava & Chase Tricia, Ava, Payton & Jordan
Payton, Jovani, Chase, Tricia & Jordan

Chase & Payton

Ava, Nolan, Payton, Jordan, Chase & Luke

Jolie, Emmett & Payton

Payton on the motorcycle

Jolie & Emmett in the car

In the witch's mouth

This weekend was full of pumpkin patches and fun with family and friends. On Friday night Payton and Graham spent the evening cheering on the Kendall Elementary staff in our first ever elementary school staff volleyball tournament. We had 9 players and were hoping to at least play one game that night and ended up playing three matches and lost in the semi finals. Unfortunately, after not playing for 9 years, my arms are pretty beat up and I can barely walk today:) We had a great time though and it felt good to play again!

Saturday we spent the day with my family at Sonny Acres in West Chicago. The kids got to ride the rides, drink hot chocolate and pick out pumpkins. We went back to my parents for the afternoon and an early dinner.

Sunday, Payton and I went out with the playgroup to Johannsen's Farm in Bolingbrook. Even though it is a bit expensive, they had a lot for the kids to do. They have a lot of jumpy things, a corn maze, animals to pet, a train to ride, and a huge slide. Payton had a blast and we are thankful that we still hang out with this great group of friends.

Starved Rock

Payton & Daddy
At the beginning of our hike

Love these next few pictures

So handsome:)

Payton & Mommy

Graham, Payton and I went out to Grizzly Jacks near Starved Rock for a quiet weekend away. We have never gone by ourselves and despite how weird it felt to be there alone, we enjoyed the quiet and had a very relaxing weekend. We managed to get in a hike at Starved Rock on Sunday, the only day with decent weather. Payton loves hiking and we were gone for a little over an hour. What a trooper, only pooping out near the end:)