Playing Catch-Up Part 2

Cooking in the log cabin

 January

Splashing in the water table

This past January, Broch and I decided that we would do a weekend away in Chicago with Tessa.  We didn't get each other much for Christmas because in all honesty we didn't need anything, and we are trying to watch our budget and pay off debt.  So, since we didn't do much for Christmas we decided a night away in the city would be our gift to our family.  It got us out of my parents house, and it gave us something to do just the Gerling clan.  I found a great deal thru hotwire.com.  Actually, I usually book all of our overnight stays through them because we have gotten some really amazing deals.  Anyway, we were staying right downtown on a Saturday night for less than $100.  You can't go wrong with that.

Merida

We left Saturday morning and headed for the Children's Museum at Navy Pier.  We were lucky enough to check-in early and just take a cab over.  Tessa had so much fun.  I don't think there is a museum out there that she doesn't just love.  While we were there, we walked around the rest of the inside of Navy Pier.  In lieu of getting anything from the museum, Tessa opted to create her first Build a Bear.  Thanks to daddy, Tessa was able to create a princess bear and dressed her like Merida from the movie Brave.  Tessa loves that movie and has already announced that is what she wants to be for Halloween.  (Although it is a bit early to be thinking about Halloween, the planner in me was a little proud :) ).

Tessa as Frosty

That night we took a cab over to The Cheesecake Factory before calling it a night.  The following day we went to Shedd Aquarium.  Tessa really enjoyed the dolphin show, but she was a little scared of the sea lions.  She called them "dandy lions".  It was a nice trip.  If you ask Tessa she will tell you that her favorite part was the cab ride - lol!

February

Tessa's 1st rose from Daddy

February was pretty low key for us.  We don't do a whole lot for Valentine's Day.  Tessa had a party at her school.  She came home with a TON more than just Valentines.  I guess the ol' store bought Valentines are just not enough anymore.  Just one more reminder that I need to step up my game.

Along with Valentine's Day came the first real snowfall of the year.  This is the first year that Tessa has been able to actually play in the snow.  Last year, there just wasn't enough of it, and the year before she was too little.  To say she loved the snow would be an understatement.  Tessa was out making snow angels and snowmen any change she could.  She was also a big fan of throwing snowballs - especially at grandma and mommy.

March

This March was a big month for us.  First we moved out of my parents house and into a rental townhouse in La Salle.  We really appreciate that my parents let us stay at their house for as long as they did, but it was time to get some space of our own.  We were really lucky to find this place.  It isn't perfect, but it also isn't forever.  It is good for now though.  It allows us to have our own space and still pay off our debt and save money for our forever house.  Tessa really likes it, and I  am sure it will grow on Broch and I the longer we are here.  Here is a link with some pictures - our new place.

Broch and Tessa
before the dance

Tessa ready to dance
the night away.

This month was another first for Tessa.  Tessa and Broch went to their first Daddy-Daughter Dance at the Mendota Civic Center.  Tessa was SO excited about it.  When we bought her dress from Target, she probably told 10 different people, "Hey, you know what.  I'm going to da daddy daughter dance."  It was pretty cute.  Tessa had a blast; Broch was worn out.  There were over 400 people there, and of course Tessa was one of the younger ones.  From what Broch said, she was all over the place - dancing, jumping, trying to hang with the big girls, sliding on the floor, and screaming.  Broch's biggest issue was trying to keep an eye on the her as she "partied".

The weekend before Easter, Tessa went to an Easter Egg Hunt at the Elks in Oglesby.  She had a great time...until the Easter Bunny showed up.  Then she was a nervous wreck.  I assured her that he wasn't going to come by her unless she said it was okay.  We were able to make through the egg hunt and even wave good.  She assures me that "maybe I will like him when I'm grown up".  We shall see.

Easter weekend we spent in Bloomington with Gigi.  The Easter Bunny came to our house on Saturday morning before heading down to Gigi's.  He exchanged Tessa's beautifully decorated and slightly cracked eggs for a basket of goodies and 10 filled plastic eggs that he hid in the living room.  He even left her a note.  Inside her basket were flashcards, a kite, preschool workbooks, a movie, hair ties, and a leapster game.  She loved finding all the eggs and playing with her toys.

Together again

Once we got to Gigi's we headed to Lincoln to see Grandmother.  We hadn't seen her since Christmas.  It was so nice to see her.  Saturday night we were able to catch up with the Kitzman girls.  Tessa really misses seeing Cora every week at gym.  She reminded me three days in a row to call Julie to see if she could play with Cora.  Luckily they were free and the girls were able to reunite.  Tessa is really excited about the idea of getting together with them again this summer for some fun day trips.

Tessa and Gigi

Easter Sunday we went to church with Gigi.  The weather was great, and Tessa was really well behaved at church.  I was worried because she is so use to going to children's church.  She even went up for the children's sermon and loudly answered all of pastor's questions.  She did great!  After church we came home and had a fantastic meal before meeting up with Chrissy and Allen for dessert.  We hadn't seen them since Christmas either, so it was nice to catch up with them as well.

Since the weather was so nice, we were able to fly Tessa's new Cinderella kite.  She loved it!  It was the first, but definitely not the last time that we fly it.  She thought it was so fun how it "danced" in the air.

Well, that wraps up all of my monthly overviews.  I'm really hoping to keep up with the blog on a more regular basis now that it is caught up and not such a daunting task.  Fingers crossed!

Tessa and Bubba