Easter

www.nolanpchak.blogspot.com The kids woke up to a trail of eggs leading to their baskets. Nolan was very vocal, shouting "yeah, basket!" Reagan found her basket in the barnyard and that is where she took up camp to check out all her loot. Sporting gardening gloves. Yes, Mommy is putting them to work this summer! Nolan's "Oh, no. My mess" pose. Reagan is getting some molars and was not her usual self, but Uncle John seemed to turn that around, but it was Nolan that had the most fun. I haven't heard him giggle for that long ever. Hanging with Uncle Sam & Aunt Deb. Food was abundant and wonderful, wine plentiful, and our moms and best friends to share it with. A perfect day. Uncle John, Aunt Jan, Nonny Linda, Bill Grammy, Reagan, Grandpa Fred Grandma P, Reagan, Grammy

We're hunting.....

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EGGS! EGGS! AND MORE EGGS!

Today while Reagan and Nolan napped the Easter Bunny paid an early visit so they could go out and have an egg hunt in the yard. Reagan was very interested. Nolan was interested for about 2 seconds until he saw a stick.....or wanted to climb the tree. Yep, all boy.

Egg (and stick) hunt #1

After picking up some eggs, we headed over to Mema's house for dinner and another egg hunt with my cousins and their families. Being an only child can make for lonely holidays, but I am lucky that is not the case for me. I am treated as just another wacky sibling there and my kids enjoyed hanging with their cousins. A special appearance was made by the cutest bunny I have ever seen!

Egg hunt #2

Checking out the haul @ egg hunt #2

Cousin Sadie

My kids favorite part of the night.... getting new toothbrushes in their Easter loot! My dentist would be proud.

Wishing you a Happy Easter from the Pchak4!

More Eggs Please

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The day started off as Chief Wahoo Day (don't ask how the game turned out, it is still in rain delay as I type this) and ended with coloring Easter eggs. In between there was a shopping trip to BJ's, Marc's, 2nd birthday invitations assembled & mailed, and dinner at Trader Jacks. Phew.

The egg coloring went pretty well until some (well, all) of the purple dye got spilled on Reagan's high chair and on Reagan. They were wearing old oversized t-shirts, but she will be sporting some purplish legs for a few days. Some of the dye got on her high chair and on our hard wood floor despite having plastic down. To some a big deal. To me, not so much. To me those stains (and as minuscule as they are, I bet I'm the only one that can even find them) are memories. From now on I'll look at that floor and think of Easter 2009 when my son had such a good time playing in the green dye that he looked like the incredible hulk....as did Uncle Sam who helped him and got pretty splashed up in the process. He would tell Uncle Sam "more eggs" and Uncle Sam would take the egg out of the cup and Nolan would put it right back in and stir it up with his wax crayon. Laughing the whole time. They had a good time. That is what being a kid is about. Those stains are what will make this house our children's home. One I want them to have so much fun in. Messes and all. Reagan got four eggs done before the accident. The first couple she thought she needed to lick when they came out of the dye. Once she was wet and sensing some irritation on Daddy's part, she was done. When she was offered to have Grammy give her a bath, she took it. She will have her fun when she gets to put stickers on the eggs. Into each life a little purple egg dye must fall........ Reagan's steps of egg dying....dip, then suck. Yuck.

Nolan's steps of egg dying. Dip, watch, dip again, stir, dip. WOW!

Ladies & Gentlemen, Your Next American Idol

She really gets going at the 20sec mark and then again around 50 sec! Complete with sound effects at the end and a few dance moves by Nolan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu8r8Wo4Dok

Chili Day

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Written on Friday 4/3/09 Yesterday we told the kids it was “Chili Day” when they woke up and Nolan said, “Yeah, it’s cold.” Could he be any cuter?

On to the cook-off……

Ok. Bill didn’t win a trophy at the chili cook-off last night. That is a mute point. (Or is it moo?)

He doesn’t need a trophy to tell him he is an awesome cook. We already know that and the politics of the event played a role in the outcome.

However, he got something better.

He got compliments, some made directly to him, some written on the food forum we post on by strangers, some overheard by myself and friends, and one on TV. They were from people in the food biz and some not. Every one of them said basically the same thing.

Damn good chili. Damn good cook in general.

Those are far better than any piece of kitsch he could have received.

He is good enough to have his own restaurant. Would we have the stamina to be in that business at this point in our lives? Probably not. We should have done it 10 years ago. I'm just tired watching Jonathon & Amelia open The Greenhouse Tavern. I can't imagine actually doing it!

But how awesome is it to hear from people that they get it?

I’m so happy for him. Makes my eyes tear up with pride.... or maybe that is just from the peppers.

Back On-line

Today, Monday, is the first day I've been able to access the blog since Friday.

I had several posts written and lost one, have the others in Word. Just need to find time to post them.

But first I need some coffee.

Our Chili Poppin' Daddy

www.nolanpchak.blogspot.com Four years ago a discussion took place on the food and wine forum Bill and I participate on involving a local chef who's son has autism and the fact that there wasn't a big fundraising event for the Greater Cleveland Society For Autism. I don't remember the specifics, but the Chili Cook-Off for Autism was born from that discussion. The first year was small(ish), maybe 250-300 people crammed in a room at Great Lakes Brewing Company. It found a larger home at the Terrace Club inside Jacob's Field (I mean, Progressive Field....well, I really don't, it will always be The Jake to me) and has been chugging along for the past three years with attendance tripling. Bill has participated in and won several titles for the event. Last year being the biggest he brought home; Best of Show. It's a really nice trophy, glass with a big honkin' chili pepper on it. Hopefully he will bring home another one tomorrow to complete the set! He's got it shined up and ready to go. We are proud of him, not just for winning, but for participating in such a worthwhile event. If you happen to be free tomorrow, Thursday, evening please consider coming down to the Jake for some chili. I know times are tough and our wallets are pinched, but tickets are only $20 and it supports a great cause, plus you'll get to see me....as in me, alone....no kids in tow. I might actually be able to hold a conversation with you!! 6-9pm. Oh yeah, there will also be lots of other chilis there.....some amateur and some made by our awesome local chefs. There are also silent auctions and that sort of stuff too. Lots of good prizes :) Hope to see you there!! For details: http://www.asgc.org/

Hippity Hoppity, No Way!

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Grammy wanted to take the kids for pictures with the Easter Bunny so we headed to the mall pretty early today. Little did we know that the bunny is a late riser so we had some time to kill.

There was the train to ride.

And the display inside the train tracks to explore (the guy running the train told them to go play with the stuff, I didn't!)

Finally the playground.

Then it was time to go see Peter Cottontail......or not. Nolan tried to hide behind Grammy's leg while Reagan shared her goldfish with the bunny.

After the ordeal we headed to Chick-a-yeah for lunch. There was a set of 4-year old twin girls named River & Sky, at the Chick-a-yeah playground. Every time their Grandpa called River's name, Reagan would yell "Chargrin* River!" Ah the joys of having a smart and vocal almost 2 year old! LOL

*for those not in the know, that is the river closest to our house that we cross on a daily basis.

Sick, Again

www.nolanpchak.blogspot.com The sickness has me again, hopefully I'm the only one in the house to get it. I'm tired of coughing, as is everyone around the house. Reagan thought it was hysterical to walk around fake coughing and yelling "like Mommy" last night.

As the kids approach their 2nd birthday they are becoming every bit of what I imagined a two year old to be. They are funny, smart, and thoughtful and then the next minute they are hitting and kicking each other or yelling "Me do it myself!" They communicate well so that frustration is taken out of the mix. It is just the frustration of not being able to do all the things they want to, or fighting with each other over toys. Honestly, there are days where I feel like I need a white and black stripped shirt, because all I do is put kids in time out or give them warnings about going in time out, or yell SHARE! Such is life with two spirited 2-year olds.

The other night, we were doing our usual bedtime routine. They get blasted into bed by being held above their bed and yelling 3-2-1 "blast off" and down they go, then we sing Twinkle, Twinkle with glow in the dark stars and finally a quick prayer that Grammy taught them. She has been saying it to them on days she happens to be over for bedtime. It took them about 3 weeks before they started repeating it. Now they know the whole thing. We just give them the first word or two to each line and off they go. Usually they end with a resounding AMEN, but a couple of nights ago Nolan was feeling spunky and ended our night time prayer with a yodel. (My mom also sings a song to them that ends with a yo-lah-ha-hee so he just combined the too. )It was so funny.

This one is for Deb. She loves Nolan's little teeth. Yes, he needs a haircut.....again!

Grammy brought them a treat of french fries and we had to split the drink carrier so they each got 2 cups.

Reagan playing with a new favorite toy, Megablocks. I love the way she is sitting.

Pucker up, here comes a kiss from Nolan.

Little CAVS fans

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We are not huge basketball fans in our house.....not that we don't want to see the CAVS do well, we just don't pay that much attention until playoff time. Therefore the kids didn't have any CAVS gear until I hit a kids nearly-new sale in Parma last weekend.

$2 for two shirts.

GO MOMMY! GO CAVS!

and a kiss for brother.....

From High Upon The Rooftop.....Twice

www.nolanpchak.blogspot.com The Pchaks got bejeweled and dressed in green for the St. Patricks Day Parade in downtown Cleveland on one of the nicest March 17th's on record.

The kids were pumped to enjoy some "street frites" from the soon-to-be open Greenhouse Tavern and so were Mommy & Daddy. We have been jonesin' for fries fried in duck fat for several months, done only the way Chef Sawyer can. The Sawyer family from the roof of the Greenhouse Tavern. Reagan all decked out and ready to party! We loaded the kids into the double-wide stroller and were enjoying our first bite of frites when a familiar face, Kathy walked up to say hi.

Mind you, we made NO plans with anyone because our plans came together at the last minute and with the kids in tow you just never know what will happen so best to just kind of free-style the afternoon.

Statue of Frites

After two cones of frites and mayo and another unplanned run in with Laura Borris, we headed toward the parade. The kids really enjoyed the ride and seeing all the crazy drunks people. We scoped out a spot in the sun and waited. and waited. and waited.

The kids were doing OK, but wanted out, so we let them venture out of the stroller however, they do NOT like being on Mommy & Daddy's shoulders and wanted to play around the stroller. This way fine until they realized they could fit in between people legs and weave and bob their way away from Mom & Dad. At that point, we stumbled across Bill's friend (and the most Irish guy I know) Terry O'Brien.

Who, much to my relief, had rented a room on the 12 floor of the hotel we were standing in front of......and it had a balcony.......facing the parade route! Up we went. Much easier to contain them to a balcony then the corner of 8th & Superior!

They marched on the balcony along to the bands and watched (for the most part...as much as almost 2 year olds can) the parade.

Reagan & Karen O'Brien

I told Terry that when he checks out of that room, he needs to rent it in advance for next year! Huge living area, wet bar, and the balcony. Score!

It was interesting being on the "other side of the street" from the stumbling drunks. I actually got to see the parade this time. I enjoyed it through my kids eyes, as I do so much these days. Yeah, it was fun to stomp down the hill into the flats years ago, wearing leprechaun mask on our face, but this was fun too.

(1999- Bev, Chris, Shelley & John)

A different kind of drunk, if you will. Drunk on living life with 2 22-month olds! Ah, motherhood has turned me into a sap!

Top O'The Morning To Ya!

http://www.nolanpchak.blogspot.com/ We are getting the kids dressed and ready to go downtown to the parade and have some Greenhouse Tavern street frites to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. I also got some camera equipment last night that will allow me to take my new camera out in public.... like a strap and a case, so pictures will be o'plenty! Until then, enjoy our leprechauns from last year.

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!! BE SAFE