July 2021 via May 2022

 

Neko being Neko. Quite the kitty.

Emmerson and I did that snapchat streak for about a week and then failed.

First downtown excursion on the fixie. 

Selfie in front of the Grant Park fountain.  

Emmerson nailed it ... on her third try. Actually, she is a good driver - actually that is a false statement; no teenagers are good drivers. The first time, she did not pull over when an ambulance was approaching her in the opposite lane of traffic - no one in her lane pulled over. The second time, she stopped behind a line of cars at a stop sign but was positioned in the zebra stripes on the road in front of a fire department. The doors to the fire trucks was open and apparently it is a road rule that the zebra lines are off limits if the fire truck doors are open!! So strike two. Third time, no randomness and she did fine. And then proceeded to total my car .... really ....

June 2021 via May 2022

Crumbl cookies I think? I am trying to read the name of the place thru the box. It was one of these social media trending places. We had nothing else to do on this summer day so ventured up to Schaumburg to partake in the experience. They were some quite fabulous cookies.

Girls having at it.

Social media instilled line.

Grilling with the girls!

They were doing those art things where you scratch away the black stuff to create and image. Ada not real impressed with her creation. 

Emmerson is actually quite the drawer but always downplays it and doesn't do it that much. But she's got some talent!

April May 2021 via May 2022

 

NT Graduation. I attended as a senior advisor. It was held at Soldier Field due to the pandemic. One positive that came out of corona. It was pretty awesome to be on the 30 yard line on Soldier Field.

Staging area inside the stadium.

Ada graduation from junior high - pretty low key thanks to the pandemic. 

Bizarro sunburn compliments of ill prepared field day at school and covid mask. 

What a fresh, 14 year old child looks like.

Neko hiding. 

I went to get my emission checked during a free period at school and on the way home ran across this Jollie Bee in Skokie!

January and February Random 2021 via January 2022

 

Ada baked and decorated a celebratory birthday cake for Emmerson!

This was a Covid birthday so limited celebrations but Teegan did manage to get a festive balloon creation into Emmerson's room.

Skiing was tricky during Covid. I brought Emmerson and Charlotte to Cascade one Saturday, went to buy tickets and was informed that you could only purchase tickets online! No other choice other than to abandon our ski plans and indulge in a diner breakfast instead. Alpine was on a first come first serve situation. I got their early, waited in line for about 30 minutes and did manage to score a ticket. They actually had to go to people still waiting in line and tell them that they had reached the limit and could sell no more tickets for the day. 

Birthday kicks.

Kitties getting in on the birthday haul.

Quite the kitties.

Ada hosting a birthday get together for one of her friends in the attic of the garage. Technically out of doors so passed covid protocol .... 

Knife Sharpening Fellow

Knife sharpening guys came up in a conversation this morning at work so I made this post. Knife sharpening guy in Elmhurst from a few summers ago. He was a bit surly - as he should be being an elderly fellow out sharpening knives. I asked why he was doing it figuring it was out of nostalgia or something and he said "to make money"!

 

December 2020 Christmas and New Years via Jan 2022

 Covid Christmas was alright but certainly put a damper on the New Years festivities. I took the girls down town where we got a hotel room hoping to stumble upon some sort of festivities. During the day we hit up the Water Tower mall and the girls gorged on Sugar Shack shakes, which were ridiculous. We ordered up some deep dish for take away and watched a movie. At midnight we did go for a stroll and it was ghost townish. The most celebratory thing we saw was a fellow parked in a Walgreens lot crankin music and dancing on the hood of his SUV with his elementary age daughter. We were appropriately impressed. And that was about it!

Ada's first ski adventure - Alpine Valley

Representing! She got hassled in the parking lot for her NT affiliation. We get it in our mini buses as well when we take NT Ski trips. Poor NT .... 

Getting after it!

Quite the kitty is that Neko kun. 

Neko!!

New kicks for Christmas.

Ada preparing to venture off on some sort of elfin journey.

Emmerson messing with Po.

Shake Shack mutant shakes. 

Reminds of the teen girl in Uncle Buck - no attitude there!! "Can we go now, please!" "Where?" "Anywhere but here" "OK and your welcome for your 18$ mutant shake that you will barely eat."

Shopping haul from Water Tower - looks like some Ragstore bag .... 

Walgreen's New Year stroll.

November 2020 Thanksgiving via Jan 2022

 The Thanksgiving them we chose for this year was international fare. Turkey enchilada's giving a nod to not only American thanksgiving but to a central American staple - turkey - not the enchilada; stuffing, mashed potato's, pot stickers, and pumpkin pie. The video probably won't work but it is of Ada sharing an overview of the dishes. 

Ada having a leftover turkey sandwich with fixins. One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving food is making random sandwiches with all the leftovers - trying to pass on this passion to the next generation and it seems like she is taker.

Mark and I go on walks - actually we refer to them as hikes, which is kind of funny - at St. James farm - the old McCormick of the reaper fame - estate turned forest preserve. It is really a very nice outdoor venue  for a hike! The weather put on a morning display for our hiking pleasure.

Fall of 2020 Random via January 2022

 Trying to get caught up with posts here - bit awkward. This was the beginning of full on remote learning after the bizarre winter/spring when the corona first emerged and schools scrambled to figure out how to continue. And still scrambling two years later ....

How the kittens responded to quarantine.

We got into the avocado toast trend - our go to - topped with fried egg.

Emmerson got the Travis Scott (I think that's right??) McDonald's meal. Quite the head of hair on that child.

Winner - well done Mr. Scott.

Ada's remote learning set - up. Remote on line zoom; watching Grey's Anatomy; and of course texting.

She crushed the remote learning insanity.

Emmerson not so much - poor child.

And my hybrid three ring circus .... remote learner cubes and .... 

..... in person class!

Lovely Indian summer day at Mitsuwa Japanese mall. The food court was shut down so we picnicked in the parking lot.

First spit test

Ada eating some sort of sandwich creation. 

Apparently a good eat - whatever it was. Sporting her go to attire - she has quite the collection of hoodies.