Doug & Naoko’s Labor Day Party


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!