Aunty Gail and Kenji, Elgin, IL
On Saturday we went to Doug and Noako’s for their annual Labor Day barbecue. Everything was delicious, of course, and it was fun to see everyone. We also had a surprise retirement party for Aunty Gail, who after many years of running an accounting firm, finally sold out and retired as of about a month ago.
Tags:barbecue·doug·elgin·gail·kenji·labor day·naoko·retirement
Tommy :: Elgin, IL
Tommy, Mitch, Chris, Ali, Miku :: Elgin, IL
Cory & Danny :: Elgin, IL
After our visit in Maine and then heading down to Boston, we flew back to Chicago. I was home one day and then I went to Wisconsin for four days. I have a ton of photos from that trip, but in an effort to get back on a current time line, I’m going to skip a head a little and then circle back.
So, when I returned from Wisconsin Dallas’ brother Jordan, Jordan’s girlfriend Liz, and Dallas’ sister Caroline were staying at our place. Dallas’ parents were also in town, but staying in the suburbs. I swear this was the most stressful week of the entire Summer of Rachelle because then after Labor Day weekend I started work at Roundarch this past Tuesday!
On Saturday we went to Dallas’ cousin Doug’s house in Elgin for a barbecue. Doug and Naoko host a barbecue over Labor Day weekend every year. Starting last year Dallas and I have hosted a Labor Day weekend barbecue too. This year we hosted everyone at our house on Sunday. More on that in a bit. These photos are from the barbecue in Elgin.
Tommy is starting to get so big and look like a little boy, more than a baby. I thought this same thing when I saw Quinn yesterday and the day before. Time flies! Tommy is going to be a big brother in a few months so I’m sure he’ll look really big then! As usual, Naoko had loads and loads of delicious appetizers: mini pigs in a blanket, taquitos, pork shumai, a cheese platter, chips, guacamole, cheesy spinach dip, everything. For dinner we had beef, vegetable and chicken shish kebab, salad. Everything delicious. I was kind of eagerly awaiting dessert because Naoko always has something different and fabulous. This time she made flan. It was great. Naoko is a hard act to follow, which is what we had to do the following day!
Tags:ali·barbecue·caroline·chris·cory·dallas·danny·doug·elgin·grill·jordan·labor day·miku·mitch·naoko·pigs in a blanket·pork shumai·shish kebab·summer of rachelle·taquitos·tommy
Joey, Doug, Jordan, Dallas, Cory, Matt :: Elgin, IL
Smoked Salmon :: Elgin, IL
Grillin’ George :: Elgin, IL
Vincent & Dallas :: Elgin, IL
Kalbi Rib Bones :: Elgin, IL
Dallas :: Elgin, IL
Shoes in the Entryway :: Elgin, IL
On Sunday we went out to Elgin for Doug & Naoko’s annual BBQ. This year they had grilled mahi mahi fish tacos and kalbi ribs. Yum! Dallas brother, Jordan, and his dad, George, are both in town visiting from Seattle and North Carolina. Jordan actually came here right from a 2-week jaunt in Alaska for work, so he had lots of smoked Copper River salmon. He said that it was just caught like last week and that a son of his coworker had done it all himself. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it, but it was really good. Much sweeter than I’d expected.
Tags:alaska·bbq·cooking and baking·cory·dallas·doug·elgin·george·grill·joey·jordan·kalbi·mahi mahi·matt·naoko·salmon·shoes·tacos·vince
Superbowl, Elgin, IL
Enough Bread for Just a FEW Italian Beef Sandwiches, Elgin, IL
Yesterday for the Superbowl we went to Doug & Naoko’s house to watch the big game on the gajillion-inch flat screen like we did last year. No better way to watch football, right? Also, like last year, Marietta brought Italian beef and the fixin’s from her family’s restaurant. So good. I was disappointed that the Seahawks didn’t win. I still have an affection for Mike Holmgren from his Packers days, but it wasn’t really that big of a deal.
» 2005 Superbowl
» 2004 Superbowl
» 2003 Superbowl
» 2002 Superbowl
Tags:doug·elgin·football·marietta·mike holmgren·naoko·Sports·superbowl
Matt, Vincent & Naoko :: Elgin, IL
Joey, Kim, Dallas, Sal :: Heather
Kim & Sal’s Daughter, Claire
Rachelle, Cory, Heather, Kim, Claire, Naoko, Miko, Lori
Back: Cory, Naoko, Doug, Joey, Kim, Jeff, Sal, Claire, Vincent, Matt
Middle: Miko, Dallas, Lori, Danny, Darren, Jennifer
Front: Rachelle, Heather
This holiday weekend we went from party to party around the Chicago and Milwaukee suburbs to visit with family and friends, exchange gifts, and eat a ton of food. (Thanks to Dallas’ Auntie Laura for letting us borrow her car for the weekend so we didn’t have to rent a car or figure out how to get everywhere via public transportation!)
Friday night we were at Doug & Naoko’s holiday party in Elgin. Noako cooked a lot of really good food, including some wonton soup, sushi, and some kind of crab puffs. I don’t know what was in the crab puffs but they were so good. We had a gift exchange and got to spend a time with friends & family. Those were the high points. The low point: The boys were in the garage playing some made up football game (Danny got a football in the gift exchange). Basically in the game you had to catch the ball and if you didn’t catch it you had to drink a whole beer. Well, something happened out there and Sal rammed into Doug’s car and now there’s 2 dents in it. Sal’s a good-sized guy, but I was wondering – if Doug’s car can be dented by a person, how do you think it’d do in an actuall car accident?
Tags:christmas·claire·cory·dallas·danny·darren·doug·elgin·heather·jeff·jen·joey·kim·lori·matt·miko·naoko·sal·vincent