A visit from Trent + Loden + 3

[Makai, Lena, Ellyza, Sydney]
Trent and Loden drove up from Kentucky this weekend with all three of their kids to celebrate March Madness…..

 ….. and St. Patrick’s Day! But mostly March Madness.

It blows my mind a little bit to think about how Ellyza is the same age as Makai and they have two additional kids! This was my first time to meet Carter and he is such a roly poly happy nugget!

On Saturday Trent and Loden had lunch plans, so we met up with Jen, Chad, Quinn, Cousin, Kristin, and Jeremiah and Joy later at The Piggery. Makai loves Quinn so much. He’s like his definition of cool! In return Makai does everything Quinn says. This is why they get along!

After lunch, Kristin told us to stay seated and she took Makai and Quinn to Merryman Park around the corner. It was chilly, but sunny and they had a great time.

Quinn was sitting by some green lights and it made it look like he had green hair!

Woody caught himself some pulled pork!

Aunty Kristin won all the kids over by ordering a turtle sundae! [Lena, Kristin, Ellyza, Makai]

The next morning before Trent and Loden left, we met at Commonwealth for brunch. Jill and Brian and Halle were able to join us and Ed too!  [Sydney, Ellyza, Halle, Quinn, Makai]

Trent and Loden had to peel out after eating, but the rest of us hung around a bit. Jill and Brian took Halle, Quinn and Makai to Fellger Park for a while and then to Paciugo for gelato. When we got home we all crashed for hours. So tired! But so much fun to see so many friends over two days!

Dinner at Beatrix with Loden

Loden moved away almost exactly a year ago. This week she was in town for work and we met up for dinner. I hadn’t seen her for a year, so I made sure I could go! Joy, Kristin, Loden and I had some cocktails at The Albert. Then Jill met up with us all at Beatrix. I’d heard a lot about this restaurant and was excited to try it. I didn’t even realize they have three locations! Great food. And so nice to spend time with the ladies and catch up with Loden! We miss them so much since they moved. Makai’s been breaking my heart, telling me about how much he misses Ellyza “SO much, mom!”

Celebrating Halloween 2016

(null)Makai’s class, all dressed up!

FullSizeRender-22Some of Makai’s classmates in the Halloween Parade.

FullSizeRender-24 Ms. Lauren with some of Makai’s classmates.

FullSizeRender-23Makai celebrating with his classmates. 

(null)Makai + Avery.

We celebrated Halloween a few different ways this year. Makai celebrated at school with all of his friends and classmates. There was a Halloween parade outside and then a big party inside. Makai was also invited to Avery’s birthday party, where some of the kids dressed up.

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We also went to the Halloween celebration in Roscoe Village with Loden and Ellyza, Joy, Jeremiah and Lena. Big improvement this year was the addition of a beer tent!

On Halloween day, the neighborhood kids trick or treat. We didn’t go out into the neighborhood, but stayed home to pass out candy. Makai put his costume on and had so much fun seeing all the kids come to the door!

THREE

(null)Makai and his friends Oscar and Ezra

FullSizeRender-14Birthday boy!

(null)Makai with cousins Johnny + Rory

FullSizeRender-17Makai, Oscar, Joy

(null)Cubs Win sign! Quinn, Makai, Halle

FullSizeRender-18Stephanie + Mom

FullSizeRender-13Stephanie, Halle + Jill

(null)Larry, Amanda, Dad, Stephanie, Rachelle, Richard, Makai, Dallas, Jessica, Mom

(null)Makai + Trent

(null)Dallas + Davin

(null)Amanda, Richard, Makai

For Makai’s third birthday, we did a joint party with Trent and Loden, whose daughter Ellyza turned two just days before Makai. We had a joint part last year too, and it turned out great, so why not do it again? This time we chose to have the party at Beat Kitchen, where they have a super cute room you can rent on the second level. The theme of the party was Mickey and Minnie Mouse, since both Makai and Ellyza are obsessed with Micky Mouse Clubhouse.
(null)Makai being silly in the Photo Booth.

(null)Loden + Rachelle

FullSizeRender-6Quinn + Halle

(null)Ellyza + Lena

(null)Ellyza + Lena

(null)Makai + Oscar

(null)Derek Duck

(null)Dylan Goofy

We set up stations around the room. One was a Photo Booth, complete with a backdrop and a ton of props.

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(null)Halle + Quinn

Another station was the Art Studio, where the kids could color and draw.

(null)(null)Lena, Ellyza, Konrad

FullSizeRender-21Makai, Ellyza

FullSizeRender-7Oscar, Makai, Ellyza

Another station was the Music Corner. And right next to it was the Tattoo Parlor.

(null)Brendan, xx, Ellyza, Derek, Oscar, Makai, Ezra, Lena

(null)XX, Ellyza, Derek, Dylan, Makai

FullSizeRender-20Ellyza, Dylan, Oscar, Makai, Lena

(null)Trent + Brian

(null)Quinn + Jen

FullSizeRender-12Makai (+ Halle)

FullSizeRender-15Stephanie + Makai

We had a pinata shaped like Mickey Mouse’s head and instead of morbidly bashing it in, we got the type where each of the kids grabs a string and pulls and one of the strings opens the whole thing up and the candy and toys spill out.

FullSizeRender-10The Boogers

FullSizeRender-9Dylan, Makai, Derek

(null)Makai

(null)Quinn + Halle

On Sundays, the Beat Kitchen hosts a concert for kids. So, after some fun in the room upstairs, we all headed down to listen to a band called The Boogers! The band was so much fun. Like a punk rock kids band. And since it was so close to Halloween, the band kept throwing tons of candy out into the crowd. The kids loved it.

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FullSizeRender-11
IMG_9496Everyone sang Happy Birthday to Ellyza + Makai. 

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FullSizeRender-8Stephanie + Makai

Makai told me for many months before his birthday that he wanted a Mickey Mouse cake and a Micky Mouse candle. Luckily, Kristin was happy to help make this happen. Her cake was awesome and tasted great!

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After the party, we all headed over to Jen and Chad’s new house to watch the Cubs win and to order more than $200 worth of Philly’s Best!

Richard, Chad, Trent, Kristin, Brian, Dallas

And then just a couple photos of Makai Facetiming with his family on Dallas’s side and opening gifts from them!