2023 - Our Year In Review

Well, hello there.  By now, you've received our holiday card, spotted the url on the back and decided to come check out what's doin' on here.  Before, I get into the Year In Review, I'd like to acknowledge one item and call attention to an omission on our (giant) card.   First, they can't all be 'bangers' as the kids say.   Our Griswold-inspired Paris card last year that was art directed, costumed and created by Nat is pretty hard to beat.  This year, we stuck with the full-family photo on the front, but in a much less funny way.  And, second, the omission.   I was told (by leadership) that there "wasn't room" - on the back of the card - to offer our kind regards to those who celebrate Festivus.  That oversight has been made right with the amended corrected back-side of our card you can see below:

Now, on to the 2023 Year in Review for the Parrillos.

Milestones and Birthdays

We have, somehow, a teenager (8th grade), an 11-year-old (6th grade) and 9-year-old.   They're amazing kids that are growing up all together too fast.  Here they are on their first day of school this Fall:

Eloise's birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks (so no photo...yet), but we celebrated Sadie this Summer and Frankie this Fall:

This Spring, Frankie celebrated his First Communion at St. Mary's of Gostyn. He was surrounded by family and love (and the Kentucky Derby) while wearing his brand new suit.

Travel and Visits

For Spring Break, we returned to a place we've enjoyed in the past:  Blue Mountain Beach, Florida.  The house was *just right*, the beach was *just right*, the ice cream was *just right* and the pickleball (with friends!!) was *just right*.  Of course, both down-and-back, we stopped at Buc-ees and woof'd down tacos, treats and nuggets.

Also in Spring, Nat and Eloise snuck down to Walt Disney World with some good friends and ran a couple of races.  Eloise made sure to cross the finish line just a little/bit in front of her mom.  Spoiler Alert:  this wouldn't be the last time the Parrillos were in a theme park in 2023.

This Summer marked my ten-year anniversary at Edelman.  That meant that I was granted a sabbatical that took us to Cape Cod and New York City.  We were fortunate to be joined by Noonie on the Cape - where we visited old friends, ate a bunch of lobstah'.  The kids walked the Brewster Flats, played Monopoly with Noonie and walked to the Brewster General Store each morning to buy penny candy.  In NYC (first time for the kids), we walked from 83rd and 3rd down to 25th and 7th.  And everywhere in-between.  We also took in The Cursed Child - a life-altering experience for Eloise.   Frankie discovered and lead us all to a couple of hot spots - including the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory.

At the end of the Summer, we gathered with the full Moran clan in Southern California where we (of course) spent some time at Disneyland, visited the new Super Nintendo World, had plenty of pool time and the kids were able to meet their new cousin (another girl!!).

Work and Such

All that travel with the family lead to a new career for Natalie:  as a certified travel consultant with The Magic For Less Travel.  The reviews from her clients are coming in and you are probably NOT surprised to find out that she's incredible at it - professional, detailed and of course...smart.  

Are you thinking of booking a trip to Disney World or Universal Studios?  Or a cruise to the Carribean?  Or a European River Cruise?  Or just about any travel you want to do in 2024.  Reach out to Nat to find out how she can help.  You can keep up with her at her Skipper Natalie Travel Instagram handle or via her Magic For Less Page.

Activities and Experiences

All of our kids are readers.  Everybody says that.  But, we really mean it.  Eloise and Sadie and Frankie all went to meet their favorite authors this year.  Eloise was able to meet Dana Schwartz and Frankie hung out with Nathan Hale.   

Fall was full of family.  And Halloween.  And pumpkins. And, even a little Taylor Swift.  While, we didn't get to the actual concerts, doesn't mean the Swifites in our house were shut out.  

We went camping as a family - for the very first time - to Kettle Moraine up in Wisconsin.  Thankfully, we were with some good friends who are experienced campers.  It rained on us, but that won't keep us from going back.  

Speaking of camping, the girls did their annual week-long stays at Camp Tecumseh in Indiana this Summer.   Although it is hard to say goodbye to them when we drop them off, the photos sure help smooth over those feelings.  This place is special and our kids are fortunate for the experience.  Horseback riding to friendship bracelet making.  And everything in between. 

In September, we went down to Champaign to watch our favorites: The Fighting Illini. They might have lost to Penn State, but we still had fun. The kids were able to get down on the field and we all were amazed by the size of these athletes. I was able to show the kids one of the team photos that I'm in that is hung in Memorial Stadium. And, of course, we had to give our warm regards to the Greatest College Football Player Ever (there's no debate): Red Grange.

Eloise continued to lead from the front.  She always wants to 'go one more time around' in the tube up in Twin Lakes.  Country sourdough loafs were churned out by the dozen this year.  At school,  her continued academic focus was felt all across the Junior High - particularly by her preferred peer set (the teachers).  And, she overcame her life-long phobia of Santa.  (She even sat *right* next to him this year.  

Sadie kept on swimming.  And loving it.  She also was the only Parrillo under the age of 21 to actually run and finish the entire course of the Downers Grove Turkey Trot this year on Thanksgiving.  I'm pretty proud that she also was elected as Student Council President for Whittier School this year.  

Frankie spent the spring playing little league baseball. Caught some fish up in Twin Lakes, rode his soapbox car in the neighborhood derby and went as Dick Butkus - in his Illini Jersey #50 - not his Bears 51 Jersey - for Halloween. How awesome is that. Earlier this Spring, Frankie and I attended his first-ever Long Snapping Camp up in Rosemont. Gotta get on the Earl Woods/Richard Williams program if we expect Frankie to make that Big Ten Roster down in Champaign as a long snapper, right? (A Dad can dream, can't he???)

Everybody is into the theater in our house.  Sadie took a star turn in High School Musical the Musical The Series The Musical.  Eloise was a Zombie baker in The Adams Family.  And just this week, Frankie made his debut as "Security Guard #2" in Elf Jr. 

And, of course, they spent some time with their older, Parrillo cousins.  

You made it this far?  Holy cow. 

Your reward? How about a peek at the Original Trader Joe's. Store #1. Nat and I stopped by there in California this Fall:

Here's to an even better 2024.

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