The Parrillo Family

Look at those smiles!  Took almost two years, but we're on our way!  That's the signage for the demolition and excavation of our new house that is getting underway this week. On the lot we bought back in July of this year . We're excited, but I think the more appropriate feeling is one of relief.  That we have a plan!

Like most Americans, on Tuesday, we went to the polls.  And like we have done in the past (see here for all of our 'voting as a family posts '), we went as a family.  This time a family of five.  And Nat made sure she brought her two girls. Our polling place gives the kids their own special ballots and the girls worked together to fill it out. And Natalie wanted to try to help make history, so she enlisted Eloise to help her cast her ballot.  This is Ellie's hand darkening in the circle. And both girls helped insert the ballots into the counting machine.  Kinda neat!   You can see Frankie on the far right on this one below.  He was taking it all in!  This was his fourth time at the polls!  Just two, but he's been there four times!   November 2014 , April 2015 , the primaries this year and just yesterday. And then we waited. Ellie got her 'game face' and 'game shirt' on. And we even set up a little war room. ...

Eloise (and just about everybody else!) has fallen in love with Grammy and Grandad's tree swing up in Wisconsin that has a pretty great view of Lake Elizabeth.  Natalie and Eloise went out there early one morning as the sun was coming up and enjoyed it together. There's a long line of "swing" blog posts here on the family blog .  This one might be the best!

Over the weekend, we packed up the van and went with the kids cousins and Aunt Sharon, Aunt Linda and Uncle Shaun down to Champaign to take in the Fighting Illini football game against the Michigan State Spartans.   We've been down there for football before.   Here's a post from 2013 when we all went down to enjoy the game .   Here's the time in 2012 when we drove down for the Spring game .  And even took Eloise to Homecoming back in 2010 before she turned one. But, this was the first time for Frankie.  And that made this trip special and a lot of fun.   Above at the top, you'll see Frank dressed in his best orange and blue jumper meeting Red Grange.  The University has a student dressed up in an old-timey football outfit standing in the "Grange Grove" to pose for photos.   Kinda neat!  Frankie liked him, but was shy.  After getting into the stadium, we went to a little pre-game party in what they call the "Legacy Loung...

We're a divided house.  I'm a White Sox fan.  Nat is a die hard Cubs fan.  And with the Cubs being the best team in baseball and not just being in the World Series but also winning it, the excitement has been contagious with our kids.  Just look at the three of them wearing their Cubs gear.  Nat was so happy to share this fun experience with them.   Ellie stayed up late on a couple of games to take it all in.  And the song "Go Cubs Go" was being sung all around the house.  Even Frankie sings it! But, Nat's excitement wasn't just about the Cubs winning, it was about having Grampy see *his* team, the Cubs, who he's watched for 90 years finally win the whole thing.  So, Nat and Aunt Sisi and Grammy along with SD went out to get Grampy Ray a "W Flag" to fly at his house in the South Suburbs. Here's SD and her Great Grampy 'Flying the W'! And here's SD with Grammy and her dad out front of his house.  How happy was he that...

Wouldn't want to roll with anybody else.  These four are pretty amazing. We had some photos taken of our family earlier this fall and some of them turned out pretty cute! The last time we took family photos was last summer in New York . Even little Lizzie made it in one!  Who knows....maybe you'll be seeing these on the Christmas card this year??

Here's all three kids in their costumes joined by Noonie who took them out trick-or-treating.  Also, all three of their jack-o-lanterns, too!  Ellie's is the big one behind Frankie.  Sadie's is the one with the crown in front on the right and Frank's is behind that one with three weird eyes. Sadie was Zuma - a character from Paw Patrol. Frankie was Marshall - another character from Paw Patrol. Eloise was a Ghostbuster.  For real!  Her costume was awesome and she even had a proton pack backpack. While the girls did some early trick-or-treating, Frankie hung out with me and handed out candy to the neighbors.  He loved it.  And even had a prime spot to take it all in right next to the door. I took the girls out later at night to hit up even more houses in our neighborhood and we had a blast.  Ellie loved getting a lollipop all dressed up like a ghost! Here's the post showing Halloween and Trick-or-Treating last year in 2015 . ...