...And we are all together

When we lived in Westchester, my kids attended preschool there at the local primary school. It was there that I met a few of the moms and became good friends with them. And naturally the kids became good friends too. They would spend hours together, playing at each others' houses, riding bikes, climbing on the swing set, splashing in the pool, playing video games, etc. going to countless birthday parties (who can forget McDonalds, Chuck-e-cheese, Enchanted Castle, etc), not to mention good old-fashioned home parties and get-togethers. My house was always filled with kids, running in and out, running up and down the stairs, playing inside and outside, and having a ball. My frig was always stocked with juicy-juice and milk, and other such necessities, and my shelves are stocked with loads of videos and pictures from those earlier days.Well, good memories like that are never forgotten, and although we moved from there about seven years ago (actually it will be 7 years exactly this coming June 7th), we always kept in touch. Actually, we didn't move that far - only about 7 miles west; but it's just far enough that we don't get to see each other as often as we'd like, with the kids all in different schools now, and with our busy schedules.Last night we got together - all of us - and had a little reunion party. Although the kids keep in contact with each other often through myspace and texting, this was the first time in a while that they got to see each other. I made a lemon cake, and later on in the evening we sang a belated happy birthday to Lisa (15) and Krizia (16), who celebrate their birthdays four days apart. We had pizza, lots of other goodies, and the girls had fun looking through each others' yearbooks! They played some pool, played some video games (I think Guitar Hero and Rock Band were the two popular ones) and had somes laughs. Now that summer is here, we're definitely going to get together more often; the girls are already planning some sleepovers, and trips to the mall, and the boys are definitely looking forward to more fun times coming up!


Matthew, Elizabeth, Krizia, Tony, and Lisa then and now: 1998 - 2008

All day long I'm sitting singing songs for everyone

Well, another Memorial Day has come and gone. This one was particularly beautiful, weather-wise. It was warm, sunny, and just one of those "made to order" type days. I can recall many Memorial Days in the past where the weather was really crummy. I remember my husband Tony out in the yard trying to barbecue in between rain drops. But yesterday was just ideal. We were invited over to my in laws house, and we got there about 2:30-ish. My MIL made a delicious barbecue rib dinner, with sides of baked beans, potato salad, veggies, corn, and olives. Everything was so good! Later we just sat out in the yard and enjoyed the day, while Tony serenaded us with his guitar, and singing some songs that he just learned - or wrote himself. I tell you, that guitar never leaves his side. If he could, he'd take it to school. Of course, drums and drumming are his number one passion, but he can't take his drums with him! ha ha
Later, my MIL made coffee and we had dessert - a big strawberry whipped cream cake, special for my birthday, with 4 candles on it! I'm glad she didn't have enough candles for each year, because I wouldn't want to set the smoke alarms off.... LOL! My inlaws gave me a nice gift - Capri pants and a beautiful top to go with it.
Now today the temperature has dropped about 35 degrees from yesterday! It's windy, cool, and about 46 degrees right now! I love it!

It's my birthday too yeah

Oh what a fun weekend I had! My friends Cindy, Michele and I celebrated at Harrah's in Joliet, IL, which is approximately 30 miles or so from here. We had such a good time. They go quite a bit, but I have never been there before, so it was a first for me. It was a beautiful hotel with a big casino, gorgeous rooms, and great food. We got there about 2:00 p.m. yesterday, and came home today about 2:30 or so. All 3 of us were supposed to stay the whole weekend, but unfortunately Cindy wasn't feel well; she did come for a while though, and stayed for about 4 hours or so. Then Michele and I took her back home. (She lives pretty close to there). She was disappointed that she couldn't stay the whole time, but next time for sure! Cindy got the room for free with the credits she collected on her rewards card, and Michele treated me to a delicious all-you-can-eat buffet dinner and breakfast - with the credits she collected on her rewards card. It was so good! While we were eating, we heard the live band playing in the lounge right outside the door, and they were playing a lot of Beatle songs! We wanted to go there and have a drink after dinner, but it was so crowded.. no seats available. So we just stood and watched them for a while.
Just for signing up for MY rewards card, I got a free t-shirt, and $15! I also got a scratch card (didn't win on that one) and another scratch card this morning - and I won another $15 on that one. It was SO much fun playing the machines! They showed me how to do it, because it was all so foreign to me, and I quickly got the hang of it. There were penny machines, 2 cent, 5 cent, 25 cent and $1 machines. I played the 1, 2 and 5 cent ones only.
When I went to Vegas last year, I didn't play at ALL. I really didn't know how, and Tony didn't either (big-time gamblers, aren't we? haha) so we went to Vegas mostly to see the Beatles "LOVE" show there, and also the Beatlefest that happened to also be going on at the time at the Mirage. Now that I know what I'm doing, I'll have to play a few if I ever go back there!
As for winning, I came home with a little more money than I left with, so that made it even better. I'd win a little, then I'd lose a little, but came out ahead.
This morning we checked out of the hotel, played a little more, and then headed over to Cindy's. There, they surprised me with a nice chocolate cake, and they got me some nice gifts: a gift card for Best Buy to put toward a camera that I want, a Beatle tote bag, and a book. When I got home, Tony and the kids got me a cake too, another chocolate cake (I guess everyone knows I love chocolate!), and more nice gifts: some new tops for summer, and a new pair of gym shoes, something I really needed, since I wear the same pair every day! I was really ready for a new pair! These aren't Reeboks, the brand name is AVIA, and are they comfortable! Even better than my other ones.
So I had a very happy birthday! I wanted to take more pictures, but I didn't think they allowed cameras in the casino, and I didn't want to take a chance. I would've loved to have some of us playing the machines... oh well!

Sitting In The Stand Of The Sports Arena

We had a great day today! We all went to a White Sox game tonight. Tony got the tickets free when he bought all of us new cell phones last January. We got the cell phones from U.S. Cellular, and the White Sox play at U.S. Cellular Field - so I guess that's why. I think this is the first Sox game I've ever gone to! I've been to Wrigley Field a few times to see the Cubs, but I can't recall ever going to see the Sox at U.S. Cellular Field (or Comiskey Park as it used to be called). So this was a first for me and Lisa. It was the second time for Tony and Tony Jr. though. They went together to a Sox game a couple of years ago.
Our seats were way up in the upper level, in right field, but they really weren't bad seats. Besides, I'm certainly not going to complain, considering we got them for nothing! We could see everything perfectly, and it was fun watching all of the things they put on the neon signs during the game. It was a lot of fun! It was a bit chilly, only around 50 degrees, but we just dressed for the weather, and even brought blankets. Some people even had their winter coats, hats, and gloves. A bit strange for the end of May, but again, I'm certainly not going to complain. I love this weather, and even though it felt more like football weather than baseball, I'll take the chilly weather any day over the heat and humidity.
Unfortunately, the Sox lost.... (awww) to the L.A. Angels tonight - with a score of 3-1. But they almost came back in the 9th; at least they had a chance, but just couldn't do it. Oh well, it was just fun being there.
After the game, they had a spectacular fireworks show; it was beautiful, and I liked all the music that was playing with it. It was so pretty and colorful.

I should've known he would win in the end

Well, tonight was the exciting finale of American Idol - and David Cook is the big winner! I thought both of them did an excellent job all season, and it got to the point that I liked both of them. It didn't really matter to me which one won, which made it extra nice, and extra relaxing watching the show. I enjoyed it knowing that whoever won, we got a great new idol. They're both winners anyway. I'm sure David Archeleta will have a huge career ahead of him, and probably have a new CD in the works shortly. And they both got new cars, too! It was fun watching the show. There were a lot of fun moments in it.


But anyway, congratulations David Cook. I guess the best man won! We'll be seeing you on all the talk shows now!

I got blisters on my fingers!

OK, warning here: this is probably going to be a pretty boring post, because I don't have too much to blog about today.. so you can stop reading now if you want - it's mostly going to be an update on my weeds!
My weeds are slowly but surely becoming a thing of the past. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the yard now, and it's really starting to look nice now! (well, the part I did, anyway!) I go out several times a day and pull a few more every time I go out there, so I'm really making some headway. The only thing is, I've got a nice blister on my left hand ring finger, which hurts like crazy whenever I wash my hands. I need to put a bandaid on it. Serves me right for not wearing gardning gloves! Next time I will.



Well, tonight is the big night for American Idol! I can't wait for it. Tonight is the big showdown, and it promises to be a good show! Lisa just returned from the store with some more goodies for tonight. I have potato chips in the house, now she just bought us both a huge Fast Break candy bar. Yay, salt and chocolate - my two favorite snacks. It's been fun watching all season, seeing them dwindle down to the top two. The big finale show will be tomorrow - and I think I know who's going to win! I'm going to make my guess right now. Ready? OK - I'm predicting that DAVID will be the winner! Remember you heard it here first. Sheila ---- OUT.

It's time for tea and meet the wife

Tony (husband) called this morning and said that his parents wanted to meet for lunch today, and asked if I wanted to come too. I only had one little girl here today (the 4-year-old) so I said sure. I don't get the opportunity to go out for lunch that often, so I grab the chance when I can! He picked me up about 12:30, and we met his parents and sister at Denny's. We were still there at 1:30, (when Lisa gets out of school) so I texted her and told her to go ahead and walk home. Later her friend Rachel came over and they went bike riding, and then to Burger King. Chloe enjoyed herself at Denny's; she had the star-shaped chicken nuggets, and chocolate milk, and had fun coloring with the crayons. The restaurant wasn't very busy, which was unusual being it was lunch time. We came to the conclusion that a lot of people are probably not eating out as much nowadays with prices being the way they are. Which reminds me: I posted this picture a while back, I believe it was last year when gas prices began to soar to a new record high. Now it's practically doubled, so it rings true even more so now!

I'm going parading before it's too late!

Every year this time in May, our town has a big parade, called The Lilac Parade. It's named after our town's nickname, The Lilac Village. It's a huge event in our town, and many businesses along our Main Street actually close for a few hours in the afternoon during the parade.
Tony was in the parade today, as part of his high school's marching band. This was his third straight year in the parade (once in 8th grade with the middle school band, and this is his second year with the high school band). He loves it.
The parade was entertaining as usual. I'm glad the weather held out for us! It sounded a little dubious yesterday, when they were predicting showers and possible storms starting right around the noon hour. But no rain! Yay! It was just a little cloudy once in a while, but sometimes sunny too! It was a little chilly, (double sweatshirt weather!) but I LOVE that. I remember sitting at a couple of these parades, slopping on the sunscreen on all of my exposed areas (I burn so DARN easily!) and other times it was SO cold and windy - or started to pour. So today was great!

After the parade, we came home and I waited for Tony's call to come pick him up. The buses took them all back to the HS, where they dropped off their uniforms and they had a cold drink waiting for them. When he called, it was about 4:35, so I picked him up and we went directly over to DG to his school of rock. His class starts at 5:00. We made it with 3 minutes to spare. Lisa and I did our usual Starbuck routine; then we went to Aurelio's and ordered a pizza to bring home. Just as we got back to the car, Tony was coming out and we went home and had our pizza. Now I'm just relaxing and watching "School of Rock" - it's on TV! This movie always makes me laugh.

Doing the garden, digging the weeds.. Who could ask for more?

Yep, that's how I spent a good portion of my day today...pulling weeds! Our back yard is just loaded with them now! Some areas are pretty good actually, but other parts are like a forest of weeds, especially near the back fence. Some of them are almost as tall as Penny! Tony (hubby) started pulling them during the week, and did a few more this morning, then he had to go on a service call to a customer. So I continued. Once I started, I just kept on going (just one more... OK, just one more!)... but finally I had to call it quits because I had to get out of the sun (I burn so darn easily!). But I'd rather pull them than have that chemical stuff squirted on them. It takes a little patience, and it might take me a little while, but I'm determined to get every last one of them!

Then I came in and got ready to go to a party today! One of the little girls I babysit, Stephanie, has a birthday coming up on the 28th of May. Well, her baby sister Brianna was baptized today - so it was a combination Christening party for her, and early 3rd birthday party for Stephanie. What a nice party it was! They had loads of people there - family and friends on both sides of the family, plus lots of their co-workers, neighbors, etc. They had lots and lots of tables set up in the back yard with balloons, and they rented one of those moonwalk things for the kids, and also a ring toss game. They were expecting about 70 people in all, and about 20 of them were kids, so they enjoyed playing outside in that huge yard of theirs! And the FOOD! Wow, I never saw so much food before - everything you can imagine was there. It was such a nice, organized party - you could tell they really thought of every detail and put a lot of work into it!

We were supposed to have another party at our house tonight, but it was postponed a couple of weeks. My friend Ada was going to come over, with her two kids and another friend of Tony and Lisa's from our old neighborhood. Tony, Lisa, Krizia, Matthew, and Elizabeth are old friends that go way back to preschool/kindergarten days, and they don't get to see each other as much since we moved away, so it was going to be like a "reunion" party. But Ada said that she had to go to a graduation today, so we now planned it for Friday, May 30th. Tony and Lisa are really looking

forward to it.

(above: Matthew, Elizabeth, Krizia, Tony and Lisa from 10 years ago! I'll have the "10-year reunion" pic later on when we get together!)

We'd all love to see the plan

Well, summer fest season is almost upon us! I look forward to this time of year, because I get to see my favorite Beatle tribute bands. I just looked over the schedules of where and when they will be playing, and I just made my own schedule. Here's my plan SO far:

Sunday, June 8th - Carol Stream (American English) Tony has a friend that he meets up with there.

Wednesday, June 11th - Bensenville (American English) My husband may even go to this; they're having a classic car night there.

Saturday, June 21st - Lombard! (American English). Now, this one is going to be a little tricky. It happens to be the exact same day that we're having our annual block party! I'm a little torn as to what to do, because we always have a great time at the block party, gathering with all of the neighbors for games, great food, pinatas, etc. But then again, when AE plays in Lombard, they play one of the greatest shows ever. In addition to that, Tony's friend Andrew will be in town that week from Arkansas (he moved there a couple of years ago, but comes here to visit about once a year) and he'll be staying with us. He always enjoys the block party, but he's also a huge Beatles fan, and he loves seeing American English when he gets the chance. Hmm, I may just have to sneak away for a couple of hours that night, since it's so close to my house anyway.

Wednesday, June 25th, LaGrange Park (British Export). Close to where we used to live, and we could stop in to see the grandparents while we're in that area.

Saturday, June 28th - Northlake (American English) I may go to this, not sure yet. It sounds good because there is a fireworks show between sets. The kids always enjoy that.

Saturday, July 12th - Westmont - (American English)

Saturday, July 19th - Wheaton (American English) This one sounds really good! AE will be opening for Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band! (Susie Q, I know you love Gary Sinise! I wish you didn't live in another state; we could go together! I'll take pictures for you! :)

Tuesday, August 5th - Downers Grove - (British Export)

Friday, August 15 - Oak Brook - (Stockwood) These guys are the greatest! They are the youngest Beatles tribute band around, and they are so darn cute! They're REALLY good too, and they do a great show. They won "Battle of the Beatles Bands" for the past two years at Beatlefest in Chicago. Last year we tried to see them in Oak Brook and it was rained out, so I have my fingers crossed for good weather this year.

Saturday, August 23 - Lombard! (Stockwood) Yay! Our Cruise night will be jammed with people that night. Last year, I didn't get to see them in Lombard, because I was at the Beatlefest that night! BUT, my daughter Lisa purposely didn't go to the fest, because she wanted to stay home to see Stockwood. Guess what? Rained out... again. We haven't had much luck with Stockwood and weather, have we?

So, that's my plan for the summer. I know I probably won't make all of these, because things come up, different plans are made, or the weather doesn't want to cooperate! But this is my quest.