The Parrillo Family

We've posted here on the family blog about model trains before, but they are usually timed to around Christmastime when we break out our 'Christmas Train' .  This year, we set up a train at Papa's house because we didn't have the space to do it ourselves.   The kids had fun running it when we went over there and this was the first year Frankie really got into the whole thing. So, it was no surprise that he gravitated towards his own train when we set up a mini train line on the table this weekend.  He played with it for a while and kept saying "choo choo"... His cousin has a MASSIVE, awesome train table set up in his basement and we played with it a few times.  Ever since, he's been talking about trains.  Until we move to our new house, this little mini setup will have to do.  Once we're in, his train line can expand! Here's a video of Frankie and his train.  If you're reading this in your email and can't see the video below, clic...

It was in early January that I shared photos of the Big Beef getting his first haircut .  He handled it like a pro.  So, this second time, it was easy.  Here above are some photos of Frank settling into the barber chair and getting his hair trimmed up.  We were back last week at the local barber shop in Elmhurst for a Dad-and-Son outing.  I loved it!  I got my haircut, too! Same chair.  Same toys.  Same show on the tv.  And of course, same unlimited lollipops. He did great again!

Back before the holidays on December 20th, I took Frankie to get his FIRST EVER haircut.  And of course, he went with me to the barber shop. Here's a post of Eloise getting her first ever professional haircut at a salon . And here's a post of SD getting her hair cut for the first time ever at the Disney World Magic Kingdom barber shop . And you can see Frankie in this photo above remaining calm and cool.  The unlimited lolli's (as he calls lollipops), the basket of toys next to him, his favorite show of Paw Patrol being up on all the barber shop tv's and the fact that the sole woman barber in the shop was the one doing the cutting might have contributed to his 'chill' attitude. This was an important 'first' for him and for me!  I went to the same barber shop for most of my life - all the way until I moved away from Frankfort.  And it was an important place for me to go with my Dad and Mom (it was right next to the Laundrymat for a while).    Wh...

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. ...

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...

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 . ...

This weekend, we brought most of the family together at our temporary* house (Thanks, Marini's for the house!  We missed them, though!) to celebrate Frankie's second birthday.  The Beef, as I call him, turned two.  And since he's born so close to Halloween, Nat threw a "Monster Mash".  Complete with a huge inflatable Frankenstein out front. Decked out in their Halloween costumes, Frankie was Marshall From Paw Patrol, his sister SD was Ariel from the Little Mermaid and their cousin won the costume contest with the incredibly detailed and imaginative bespoke Dump Truck outfit that Uncle Bill created in his workshop. Everybody liked posing in front of "Frank" with Frank. What a happy boy on the day of his birthday party! The Monster theme extended to the birthday cake.  And some incredible Frankenstein cookies made by Grammy. And we all gathered around and sang the Happy Birthday song to the big guy.  He was so happy with all of hi...

Our boy is growing up.  And fast!  He's learning so much and is smart and mostly kind.  He's the most loving and caring of any of our kids (and they're all lovies!).  Every night, he refuses to go to bed without going around and giving everybody a hug and kiss.   "Sadie hug." "Ellie hug." "Daddy hug."  "Momma hug."   And as part of his hitting the big t-w-o, the place where he's sleeping has changed, too!  He's graduated out of his crib and now is sleeping in his 'big boy bed' every night.   This photo above is taken on his birthday morning where he celebrated with his sisters and had a big scrambled egg breakfast.  Happy Birthday, Beef.  Can't believe you're two! For comparison's sake, here's a post on Eloise's 2nd birthday .  And here's the post when SD turned two .  

One of the annual traditions that Nat has been able to keep up is peach picking during our summer visits to Coloma.  On the trip that we all went on earlier this month -  that included that stop at Lake Michigan and the dunes that I posted here - Nat and her sister also took the kids peach picking.   I posted details and photos from our peach picking adventure last year here .  Pretty remarkable how much our three have grown in that one year.  Frankie was in a carrier!   And here's the post from peach picking in 2014 when Nat was pregnant with the Big Beef and SD was battling a bad case of HF&M.   In 2013, we had a very small Sadie and Eloise who was getting so big .   And here's a post from 2011 when it was just the three of us peach picking .  A few of these photos of Ellie really remind me of big Frank these days! I wasn't there this year, but the photos below tell the story.  The kids and their bestie c...

Earlier this month, Nat and Aunt Sisi took the kids (our three and Sisi's boy) to a visit to Lake Michigan in St. Joseph's Michigan as part of a trip to Coloma. We've been to Silver Beach a few times with the kids in downtown St. Joe's, but there's another place called Tiscornia Park that either my sister Vic or my Mom recommended and the kids loved it.  We don't get to the 'big lake' very often because we spend most of our time on Paw Paw Lake or in the pool. But, this year is special and Nat wanted to take the kids on new experiences. So, off they went.  In addition to getting in the lake, there are dunes! Sadie above is all ready to go.  She has her goggles, her life jacket and even "Mr. Ray" to float on. The Big Beef got in on the action, too. You can see him below.   He likes being in the water, but loves working in the sand.  And mostly destroying sand castles that his sisters make. Brave SD taking on the waves. Ellie...