Our January Chicago trip

We were in Chicago over Martin Luther King weekend. It was cold. That's the short and long of the trip. We stayed inside at our family's house for pretty much the entire weekend. I ventured into the city on Sunday to attend Logan Square Ward and see some old friends. Chad ventured in with his brother Vance on Tuesday to partake of his all time favorite restaurant -- Chicken Hut (don't ask, just nod and smile). The vacation was really an opportunity for Grant to get to know his counsins. His brother has three kids, his youngest being just 3 months older than Grant. They don't get along so well but Grant liked his older sister Brookie and played well with her. For part of the time, Chad's sister and her family came for a visit from Michigan. They have 4 kids, two teenagers and two that are 2 and 4. It was pure chaos but fun. Grant didn't quite know what to do with all the kids and was overwhelmed when everyone was together but each night he had an opportunity to play with just two counsins at a time and he had a great time. I finished a 600 page book and did pretty much nothing else. Chad is about the same as me. He was able to stay up into the wee hours of the morning watching weird and ridiculous movies with this brother.
Here are some photos of our trip. Of course, they're really just Grant because who else gets pictures taken when he's around?

(Grant, aka Elton John Jr with his counsins Brookie and Ellie)

(Grant reconstructing the Ho Chi Minh trail with Jenga blocks - this was his own creation with no assistance provided)

(Grant and his arch rival cousin Vance - sharing is hard when you're only 1)

Chad is back in Chicago now after a trip to Erie, PA and Milwaukee, WI for residency interviews. We didn't know the interview schedule when we made the MLK plans or we would have economized a little better. I guess you can't put a price on family though. He's back on Saturday then off again next weekend for his last two interviews. He'll be home for a week after that then up to Flagstaff for his 6 week rotation up there.

At this moment, we are having new tile installed in our kitchen/dining room and entry way/half bath areas. they have been here since about 9 AM and likely won't leave until about 10 PM tonight. My poor dogs have been locked outside all day and they are going nuts...so much barking I can't take much more. The tile looks great though, much better than our cheap vinyl.

Our cute boy

Grant is getting more mischevious and more intuitive. He rediscovered the dog door earlier this week. What follows is the result of is discovery. Of course, while these photos were being taken he may or may not have been actually somewhat crying for help but being the good and forethinking mother that I am I couldn't pass up the photo op before rescuing our son.



Grant is obsessed with my sunglasses but also breaks them so I pulled his out and it has solved the problem.

A couple of days ago, grant grabbed his bike helmet, which he has never worn and went straight to his tricycle to ride. I have no idea where he learned that helmets and bikes go together but he did. Yesterday, he did it again, so I took time before our errand running to let him ride his tricylcle. Here is the next Lance Armstrong. He can actually almost peddle by himself. My back can't wait until he can.

Our New Years

Our New Years was really uneventful and honestly one of my least favorite holidays. I am too old to stay up until midnight anymore. I fell asleep at 10:30 on New Years Eve. Chad had to wake me up and guilt trip me to get me out of bed for the ball drop. I was able to fly home from SLC rather than drive home and it was pure bliss. Of course, Grant came with me. My sister Shelli took me to Tucson and stayed through New Years Eve. She watched Grant while I worked on Friday. I guess I have to put some hours in at the office. My other sister Kristen flew in from Seattle, where she was visiting my parents, on the Friday before New Years. Chad and his sister Brooke arrived at about the same time. My brother David came down to share the holiday as well. We had quite a full house. We did baking and played our new game Scene it. I am terrible by the way. Chad, Brooke and Shelli are the ones to have on your team. On Sunday we had fondue, a Mellen tradition for Christmas Eve that had to be pushed to New Years Eve because of poor ventilation in Chad's mom's condo. I love fondue though and it is quite the interactive family activity. Chad took Brooke to Kartchner Kaverns and me and my sisters made a trip to Target and In-N-Out. We had a mini-dance party that stemmed from watching the movie Hairspray. Grant had an opportunity to display his new moves. He is quite the dancer but prefers rap and hip hop to other things. He is truly his father's son.
It was also time to take down Christmas. Upon our return from SLC our poor, ignored tree was nothing more than brown, dried up needles and honestly a very bad fire hazard. I spent Saturday undecorating the tree and putting away all of the ornaments. My sister's helped me clean the house too. It was my plan to do it before they arrived but that never happened. Grant also enjoyed helping clean up Christmas. He particularly enjoyed the lights.