The Parrillo Family

Over the weekend, we did a first:  took the boat out and tried to fish in the deeper water.  Both girls seemed to enjoy it despite the fact that we didn't catch a thing.  We ended up heading back to the dock and fished off the pier where SD caught 8 pan fish of various types in a row!

For a weekend in early August, we were fortunate enough to gather most of the Parrillo family up in Twin Lakes for a 'right before back to school' get-together.  The girls had fun hanging with their older cousins and Nat and I loved being able to spend time with my sisters, my parents and Equation Boy/Man.  It was a low-key affair, but was so nice to be able to be together up there and we're grateful for the Morans for making it happen! The first night of the weekend included a makeup session/party with the girls applying makeup to themselves and the older cousins.  The older girls were good sports.   And we spent a lot of time out on the water in the boat.  The Big Beef wanted to be in the captain's seat the whole day. Here's the girls posing with their cousin who just came back from being abroad for two years. With Papa's big tube, we were able to get three little ones and the Goozer on the tube together.  Eloise an...

With the weather warming up that means the water in Lake Elizabeth is warming up too.  And the kids love spending time out on the lake - especially on the Lily Pad (that they call the "Yoga Mat") that Granddad bought for the lake.  Sadie is the bravest of the bunch and spends time on the Pad but also just out there swimming. Eloise takes Nat's SUP out for a spin, but also has a lot of fun on the Pad. Lizzie got her first exposure to the water when we threw her in.  She started to get her sea legs, but doesn't fill out the life jacket as well as our dear Maisy did.  Another way that Lizzie "is no Maisy"!?!? And, we also got out on the town a bit.  The kids love this pirate guy outside the Sandbar restaurant.  I love their onion rings.  We both win. I took the kids to Walmart to buy some fishing gear and Frankie noticed Chicago Alderman Ed Burke and his taxpayer-funded security shopping for kayaks.  If you know your corrupt Chicago...

We spent some time up in Twin Lakes with Grammy and Granddad recently and while the lake was still frozen (mostly) the weather was awesome, so the girls had a lot of fun 'fishing' off the pier for ice chunks.  You can see them in the photo laying down on the little partial dock that extends over the lake.  And Lizzie - our puppy - had fun being outside after a long winter of being coop'd up. Frankie got outside to take in the sunrises each morning and loved when Nat dressed him up 'like a Jedi'.  He kept saying "I'm a Jedi" when he had his 'cloak' on him.  Too cute. This was our first time out on Lake Elizabeth since last fall when we posted this photo of Eloise on the swing . Everyone is dreaming of summer days up there on the lake and this past weekend was a really nice hint of what is to come!

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!