Moving Day

When we woke up the next morning, it was official...finally here...no turning back...moving day!!

The kids had a blast playing in the boxes...I was actually surprised it took them this long to figure out the joy of playing in the empty boxes that have been around the house for weeks.

We had several friends come over to help and to say goodbye. Riley and Conor had donuts and juice on the middle of the empty living room floor before playing and running around inside and out, upstairs and in the basement with Madelyn, Noah and Owen (not pictured).

Next door neighbor, Amber, who has been a playmate since they were very young.

One last picture in front of the house...on the front porch where we spent plenty a warm, sunny afternoon over the past few years.Adam left a little ahead of us to attend one more NIU Huskies home football game while we finished the final touches of cleaning once we were all packed, so he missed the final photo shoot.The truck all packed up and ready to go

So Adam drove the minivan, packed to the roof, to the game and then to MN afterwards. Dad drove the giant rental truck, while I drove the car with the kids in back and a television as my front seat companion. We tried to stay together as much as we could but I got delayed when I had to stop three times in a matter of 2 miles for a Conor-potty-break on the side of the road, then a Mommy-potty-break and gas, then ANOTHER Conor-potty-break! It took us a while to catch up to Dad after that, but he could only go so fast in the big truck, so we met in time for dinner not long before we were in Minnesota. I had great music, good companions in my backseat, and beautiful scenery. What a pretty time of year to drive that route, the leaves were changing to brilliant oranges, yellows, and reds, and there was a very calming, peaceful sunset. Just happened to have the camera on the seat next to me.

One of the many benefits of moving closer to family...lots of help unloading the truck!! Grandma, Grandpa, Leah, Andy, Laura, Nick and Carmen were all over on Sunday to enjoy lunch, a Vikings game, and help us unload the truck so it went pretty quick. Conor tried to help keep everyone cool with his water blaster squirt gun!

Ready to return the rental truck

And we are home....the newest residents of Minnesota.

Last full day in Illinois

My final day at work was Sept 21 and after work, my boss hosted a very nice going away party at a local restaurant called The Claddagh (how fitting). Many people showed up and I received some very nice gifts. Who would've thought?!--I wasn't expecting gifts and didn't even consider that I may receive some...people were so generous and thoughtful, I got some really nice jewelry, a designer bag, some gift cards, and a few inside joke gifts and nice cards. I was most honored by the presence of people who were able to make it and the flattering comments they spoke. I will miss the people that I worked with and am so thankful for the friends and experiences there. I was a sappy mess that night!!

The next day, Thursday, was spent finishing packing up the house. The kids were surprised to see all the boxes packed when they got home from daycare. Then Adam and I dropped the kids off for a play date (babysitting) while we had a date night getting a couples massage using up a gift certificate he had given me for our anniversary (it was actually a couple years old and I had used part of it, but there was still plenty left I didn't want to waste). We then picked up my dad from the Metra station after his bus trip from MN to help us move, ask him later about his adventures :) We packed a little more and so the kids were even more surprised to see all the boxes in the morning, but they found a way to turn on their favorite cartoon and still watch part of it before their last day of "school".

They had a great last day. I sent a camera to get pictures with them and their friends and Conor's class even made him a really great giant going away card that they all signed with their handprints. It was sweet. He is now trying to maintain them as penpals and send letters and pictures back and forth.

We did some final packing and Dad, Adam and I loaded up the big 24-foot rental truck as much as we could that day. When it was time to pick up the kids, we took a break and went for one last dinner at Gino's East Pizza to get a deep dish Chicago-style pizza. We came home and got to have a mini-family movie night sitting on the floor with blankets and pillows, watching on the computer.

Last night sleeping in our house in Illinois (we tried to let them sleep in the same room like a sleepover, but they were distracting each other too much and getting a little crabby)...

Last Going Away Party 9/18

Our final going away party was with our dear friends, the Clarks and the Torios. We already have a trip planned in November to Wisconsin Dells, but it was still very hard to say goodbye.

Jessica, Erin, and Kristine--call us coworkers, colleagues, fellow PAs, whatever...we call ourselves a triangle of best friends :)
Smiley Riley
Jessica and the little ones (Riley, Noah, and Owen)
Best friends Conor and Madelyn
All the kiddos...don't we wish we really could cage them up like this sometimes?

Meeting Izzy

Our friends got a new puppy so they came over to show her off before we moved away. Riley wanted nothing to do with her, and Conor wasn't quite sure at first but warmed up eventually. She was awfully cute and very well behaved. Thanks, Julie and Tyler, for bringing Izzy by so we could meet her.

Apple Holler 9/17

One of my friends from PA school moved back from Texas to Wisconsin earlier this summer and we hadn't found a chance to meet up yet so since our time was limited of being within a couple hours' driving distance, we decided to hook up at this great Apple Orchard on the border of Illinois and Wisconsin called Apple Holler. Apparently, everyone else in a 100-mile radius knew about it too. It was very busy, but the kids had a blast.

Riley playing in the kid-size maze.

Coming down the giant slide, Riley actually got stuck and needed help getting all the way down, but she still came out smiling.

Conor riding the go-kart. He also got stuck and needed a little push to get around the track in the pedal cart.

I love his smile in this one

Nikki and I--my how times have changed...from studying anatomy and pharmacology to chasing our kids around for some fall fun

Conor, Riley and Emma (Caleb didn't want to be in the picture)

I love this series of pictures going through the corn maze...First they look like they are ready to go have some fun. Then, the big brothers are trying to tell the little sisters which way to go--but they both are thinking a different direction is the right way--and the little sisters are just waiting to follow. And finally, they are laughing about it while the sisters are looking at them, wondering what they are getting themselves into.

My little sheep

Riding the train

We enjoyed some homemade apple donuts and apple cider...only the cinnamon and sugar remain as evidence on chins and cheeks

Lucky for me, it was about an hour drive home, so the kids had a chance to take some good naps to recover from all their fun

Spectacular Six Going Away Party 9/16

Another one of our going away parties was with our dear friends from church, a group of couples most of who initially met about 5 years ago. There were 5 couples who met when Adam was going to RCIA classes to become Catholic, so we were the Fabulous Five for several years, until another couple moved to town and were a perfect match to expand our group, hence the new name. Ever since we first realized how close we had become, we have had "game nights" quarterly on average, each with a theme for food (Thanksgiving in March, soup night, Caribbean night, Mexican night, appetizer night, etc.) and entertainment ranging from board games to scavenger hunts to pool parties to Minute-To-Win-It to Pictionary and so on. Once kids came along they were always invited (but sometimes it is nice to have a night out without them too). We always have so much fun, great conversation, laughing, and good fellowship.

So in following the history of our gatherings, our going away party had a theme as well, of course: Minnesota night. That meant everyone brought a hotdish (no, not a casserole, a hotdish) and/or a "pan of bars" (or pannabars). I wore my Minnesota sweatshirt and we all sported our best Minnesota accents throughout the night. Man, we will miss these folks!

Conor and one of his best friends, Elizabeth, making funny faces....
...and showing how much they love each other. (Both have said they are going to get married someday.)

Danny and Alana (both kids were asleep)

Tim and Lisa (they didn't bring their 6 kids)

Kip and Janice

Tom and Carol

Turk and Kari

Even Father "Swavik" (short for a long Polish name no one can pronounce) showed up
Riley and Alana
Erin and Carol
Kari, Alana, Katherine, and Turk
Tim, Lisa, and Riley (reviewing some old pics of Conor's baptism on Janice's IPAD)
Conor and Janice
Danny, Tom, and Adam