Our 17th Wedding Anniversary

We celebrated a day early this year because Eddie was on-call on our anniversary.   He asked if he should trade his call with one of his partners, but I assured him it's alright... that we could celebrate it on the 14th instead.   So on the 14th of December we went out to celebrate at The Old Spaghetti Factory.  We have been going to the Old Spaghetti Factory for our wedding anniversary every year.  It's our place, we love it!  Kids love it!  We all leave happy.  

The Happy Couple... few years wiser

Lizzy & Rachel

All the kids... don't the boys look so excited?

Obligatory family photo

So after we celebrate we get home, kids get washed up and while getting ready for bed Lizzy fell and hurt her arm.  We ace-bandaged her arm, put some ice on, gave her some ibuprofen and told her to go to bed.  So what did I do on our anniversary?  In the morning her hand was so swollen I had to take her into the ER to get her arm checked. Fortunately she did not have a fracture, however she still has a bad sprain.   Eddie was not too busy this morning so I got to spend few moments with my hubby on our anniversary, in the Hospital ER.  

Eddie keeping Lizzy company

this look says it all... sorry mom & dad!

I guess it was a busy weekend after all...

I'm sure by now you all have guessed correctly that my brother was in town, again, to take pictures of our kids.  Yes, we had our plate full of activities/events to be at but this past weekend was a bit different... more special.  It was my brother's Birthday!  He chose to spend it with his nieces/nephews.  We are so grateful to have such a wonderful uncle!  

Yes, we had a soccer tournament & a gymnastics championship to go to this weekend, but it all had to wait until our piano recitals were done.  It was to be our boys' last piano recital.  With their demanding schedule it has become too difficult to keep up with the piano.  

Mrs. Ward and all her piano students

and then after the piano recital we went to grab some sweet treats!

Saturday evening we treated our Birthday Boy to a Chicago-style Pizzaria...

Chicago Fire

girls...

kids with their uncle

Rachel & Chris

Jeff & Lizzy

I think we found ourselves another favorite pizza joint

"Other" sporting event last weekend...

AP Flames - Soccerfest 2008 

Well, our weekend was full... as usual.  Rachel also participated in a soccer tournament.  They played very well despite the fact that the weather was just miserably cold... I don't think it ever got above 40F, with a blanket of fog that never lifted.  Oh well... such is life.

parents on the sideline... trying to stay warm

Rachel with her teammates...

she just adores all of them

Coach Pablo before the game

girls trying to keep warm in between games

Rachel & Asha, one of her best friend

lining up to warm up for a game

go Rachel go...

coach Tom & Pablo during half-time

Rachel could outrun most girls

shaking hand with the opponent

They won 2 games, lost 1, and tied 1...

all in all... it was a good day.

More pictures from last weekend's Gymnastic Championship.

Rachel getting ready to warm up... 

with the help of her teammate Polina, who came to cheer Rachel on

Coach Svetlana giving last minute instruction to Rachel

 last minute touch up...

 Uncle James & Auntie Linda also came to cheer Rachel on

warming up...

march in

introduction of individual athletes

getting ready for the floor exercise...

beginning her floor exercise routine...

vault...

warming up on bars while teammates look on

(Polina & Tanya with "Pozsar's" warm-up on)

beam routine

Rachel placed 5th on the Vault

7th on the bars...

and 4th on the floor exercise... along with another gymnast

with teammates Polina & Tanya who came out to cheer Rachel on

with her coach Svetlana and Level 4 teammates

with Lizzy & Aunt Linda

(who's that funny looking lady in the background?)

with mom & dad

 Rachel showing off her loot of the season

quite a collection of hardware

not bad for her first year...