Hooper's Store

Grandma and Grandpa Texas and Aunt Sam left today. We went to Curio Cafe for brunch before they left for the craziest airport in the U.S. on the second craziest air-travel day of the year. As I have said before, and will continue to say, I love the Curio Cafe. Grandma and Grandpa Texas have been there several times -- Grandma Texas even went once with her friend without kids! When we walked into a full restaurant and I immediately recognized 6 kids and 3 sets of parents, Grandpa Texas commented that he expected Elmo and Oscar the Grouch to walk in at any moment. He meant it as a compliment to Claudia and Lucy; that they've created a neighborhood eatery with good food and good ambiance, where everyone ends up at one point or another.

After we said our good-byes, The Girl and I dropped the boys off at home and headed out to Oak Park, to attend a Leslie B. show. Grandma Naperville introduced me to Leslie B. last year.  It's like Chinese artisan/Etsy with lots of one-of-a-kind stone necklaces, pashminas, scarves, etc. The Girl behaved beautifully in the car and at the party, staying close to me and serving as my fashion advisor.

Pet Store

Perhaps it's because I don't have any pets, but I never think of going to the pet store with the kids. It is almost better than the aquarium -- no crowds and no entrance fee -- for The Tot. He loved looking at the wall of fish, mice, birds, and hamsters at Pet Supplies Plus when we went this evening to pick up guppy food for our new fish.

Closer to Home

I had a very full day yesterday. While The Boy was at school, The Girl, The Baby, and I met our friends Cheryl and Amelia at the Curio Cafe for coffee/breakfast. I love that place. They are so nice and accommodating of small children, and the food is really good. I had the pretzel bun with housemade strawberry cream cheese, while The Girl got the kiddie pancakes and The Baby had an egg and toast. He squawked up a storm when I didn't give him enough of my coffee. Afterwards, we walked around the block and the next block over, letting the babies (Amelia is 2 weeks older than The Baby) explore a bit. The Girl wanted to hold Amelia's hand, but she asserted that she was a "big" kid too and could walk alone.

Afterwards, we went back home so that The Baby could take a nap. The Girl did an art project; I started laundry (it's neverending in this house). Then we went to Home Depot for a replacement set of Allen wrenches, and to pick up The Boy from school. After fetching The Boy, we made amazingly good time down to Lincoln Park, to get our hair cut at Snippets. I got my hair cut, too. Total cost for 3 cuts and tip? $80. A bit pricy for a kid cut, but not bad for a bill that includes an adult's shampoo, cut, and style as well. And we all got lollipops for being good in the stylists' chair.

Grandma and Grandpa come to visit

My parents came into town this weekend on a whirlwind trip to attend an elegant wedding in Andersonville and squeeze in a visit with their three grandchildren. Unfortunately for them, they heard the most dreaded sentence uttered by any pilot flying in North America: "There's weather in Chicago," on Friday and were 6 hours late flying into O'Hare.

By the time they drove here from their Evanston hotel on Saturday, my kids were stuck to the ceiling in joyful anticipation of a visit from Grandma and Grandpa Texas. Grandpa Texas, who has been working long hours on a power project in Connecticut, arrived, turned on opera on NPR, and promptly fell into dozing on the couch. The Baby took a nap. The Dad and The Boy spent some quality time together playing games and doing puzzles. And I took The Girl and Grandma with me to buy $4 worth of secondhand treasures at the Mayfair Presbyterian Church rummage sale. Then we all had a cuppa, and Grandma and Grandpa returned to their hotel to get ready for the wedding.

They came back again on Sunday, and we took them to meet Grandma and Grandpa Naperville at the Curio Cafe for brunch. It was very good, as usual. And, at just under $100 for 6 adult entrees, 3 kid meals, 8 cups of coffee and tea, and tip, a good value as well. For perhaps the second or third time in my life, I have become enough of a "regular" at the Curio Cafe that they recognize me as such, and know the names of my children, if not my name. I've never particularly felt like a regular anywhere, even when I went to Farley's in Potrero Hill on a weekly basis, so it's a nice feeling to have someone recognize me. Despite what this person may think, I am all for supporting businesses and organizations in my immediate community and its surrounding area.

After brunch, we headed back to our house for a bit before G&G had to catch their plane. Grandpa came with The Dad, The Baby, and I to look at a couple of expensive open houses in our neighborhood, while Grandma made tea for the kids and gave The Girl her birthday presents (2 Strasburg Children dresses, one of which is pink; she is in love!).