is allowing the dog on the bed or allowing the dog to get a pedicure such a bad thing if it keeps both the dog and the busy body 5 year old quiet and occupied?
the girls got their faces painted as "cat" hearts for the Awana Valentines Day party.
traffic. bad drivers. pollution. unfriendly people... gotta love chicago... home sweet home.
you'll never guess who's a really good skier on his first day on the slopes? the kid's a natural.
nothin' like a wisconsin country jamboree to spend a saturday afternoon. yee haawww!
Here is his recognition on the wrestling blog:
Wheaton North Tournament Wrap-up
We had a really nice showing at last week's tournament. Many of the wrestlers are showing vast improvements. The hard work in wrestling room is starting to pay off. 1st place finishers included 6 year old Payton Dalessandro, 9 year old Sam Correa, 12 year old Adrian Salinas, and 13 year old Mike Kozyra. Great job to all who participated. For all but one of our wrestlers, this weekend is a weekend off. Enjoy parents!! This weekend is the famed IKWF Kid's Open in Peoria. We typically only invite our top wrestlers since one of the stipulations is that there is to be no coaching allowed, so the wrestlers are completely on their own on the mat. We'll send our good wishes and luck with 9 year old Jake Stiles as he competes in the Open.
Payton is the weather man for his class this week and has to write a weather report each day and read it to the class in the morning.
Since today is Groundhog's Day, here are a few facts and a bit of history about the weather predicting Groundhog.
As for our family, we will be eating beef stew (not really sure if there is a correlation, but it sounds warm and cozy to kick off another 6 weeks of winter), make groundhog cupcakes and maybe make a groundhog craft.
Groundhog Day: A History, And 5 Facts You Didn't Know
Groundhog Day is held on Feb. 2, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every year, and you might be wondering how a groundhog landed the job of predicting the weather.
If you're unfamiliar with the tradition, it goes like this: If the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, sees his shadow, we're stuck with six more weeks of winter. If he doesn't see his shadow, we luck out with an early spring.
The tradition dates back to 1887, and though the origins are unclear, it is said to have originated from ancient European weather lore in which a badger or sacred bear predicts the weather, rather than a groundhog. It also has religious origins, as it shares similarities with Candlemas Day, which is also on Feb. 2. According to an old English song, "If Candlemas be fair and bright,/ Come, Winter, have another flight."
Punxsutawney Phil has definitely adapted to the times. He can now text you his Tuesday weather prediction. Just text "Groundhog" to 247365 on Groundhog Day.
States without groundhogs are taking matters into their own hands by choosing their own weather predictor. Texas, for example, chose its state mammal, an armadillo,
to predict the weather for their first "Armadillo Day." Only time will tell whether the groundhog or the armadillo is the true prognosticator.
Here are five facts you probably didn't know about Groundhog Day:
1. Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow 97 times, has not seen it 15 times, and nine years are unaccounted for.
2. The National Climatic Data Center reportedly stated that Phil's prediction's have been correct 39 percent of the time. This number is in conflict with Phil's club, which states he's been right 100 percent of the time.
3. According to the funny website groundhog.org, there's a legend that during Prohibition, Phil threatened to impose 60 weeks of winter on the community if he wasn't allowed a drink.
4. In the years following the release of Groundhog Day, a 1993 film starring Bill Murray, crowds numbering as high as 30,000 have visited Gobbler's Knob, a tiny hill in Punxsutawney where the ceremony takes place.
5. Though groundhogs typically live only six to eight years, Groundhog Day lore suggests that Phil drinks a magic elixir every summer, which gives him seven more years of life.
For more fun:
Click here to see the official groundhog day site.
until I turned on the light in the kitchen. 
Then she did this:
