Starbucks Girls

The Ocean Drink

I've had to limit my kids' Starbucks orders! Ever since last August when they raised the prices of all their drinks, I've said that we will be ordering less. I was a big spender on Starbucks - probably ordering 6 out of 7 days a week. I'm slightly embarrassed to say that I'm one of those with an asterisk by their name on mobile orders as a highly clouted "Reserve" member. Which just means I order(ed) from them way too much. 

Anyway, over the past year, I've really limited myself and my kids to what drinks they order and how often they get them. Austen is not so bad as the boys aren't really into Starbucks and he would never even order this for himself at school. But, the girls! Peyton and Hailey like these fancy drinks that cost at least $7 or $8. Love their texts too where they "politely" ask if I can mobile for them when they are out with friends. Never mind, that they have gift cards that we've given them or other people have as gifts. They don't want to use those. They'd rather use our money to buy their expensive drinks. 

So now they have to be strategic as to when they ask me for a Starbucks. Have they had one already this week and is it too much to ask for the iced blue coconut drink with cold foam or can I get a matcha with almond milk and cold foam. Seriously, these girls are expensive! 

Butterfly Drink

I think I like the Ocean Drink the best

Blue Coconut Lemonade Refresher

Not sure about this one

Happy 250th Birthday, America!

3rd of July Festivities

The 4th of July this year was a big one with the USA celebrating its 250th year of existence! We kicked off the weekend by heading up to Michigan on Thursday evening (after the USA vs. Bosnia World Cup game since Fox was blocked in the Grand Rapids area because of disputes). I should say all of us except for Austen went up Thursday night because he had to work until Friday night. So on Thursday, we got the house put together and food bought and prepped for our usual 4th of July guests. We did get some beach time in though which was nice since it turned out to be a great day. That evening, the storms blew in and with it, 70 mph winds and rain that shattered some of our hanging outside lights and drenched our outside furniture/deck. It may have taken all weekend to dry out from those torrential rains. It was really bad. 

Friday was overcast in the morning and by the time our friends had arrived it was now raining. No problem, we pivoted and watched some World Cup games (in Spanish), played some card games and Mahjong! For dinner, Tom set us up with make your own pizzas. The rain subsided a bit so that South Haven had its fireworks show. We watched from our bluff but you could see the lightning in the distance and hear the thunder rolling in. Luckily, it was a quick walk home for us before the skies opened up again. 

We woke up on Saturday to everything starting to dry out from the overnight rain. We had a great breakfast prepared by our friends and then it was off to the beach to play games and catch up. Luckily, we had a great beach day that day up in Michigan. I heard back home it rained and firework shows were canceled. We left the beach to prepare for more guests coming to dinner at our house that evening. We ate and drank a lot, played games and caught up, watched more fireworks and then the rain came down again late night. 

On Sunday, we woke up to another overcast day but enjoyed a great breakfast before some of our guests left and we ventured on to the pickleball courts for a round of pickleball. We got a few games in before the rains came once again. We all headed home. Our guests left and we cleaned up a little before heading to a dinner reservation we had for the five of us at Clearbrook Grill in Saugatuck. 

We stayed until Monday, so we prepped the house to leave and then headed to play a round of mini golf before heading back to Illinois so we could watch the USA play Belgium that evening. We just barely made it home before the start due to some bad traffic but we made it. Can't say the same about the USA team but it was a fun ride and they showed some promise. They just need a little more depth to the team. 

So glad we got to spend another 4th of July together. It's getting harder with the kids work schedules to find some time to spend up there but at least it's a bit more time than last year! 

Mahjong!

Happy 4th!

Yes, to 250!

Mini Golfers!

 

Grad Parties!

We got to partake in a few extra grad parties this year even though we didn't have a graduate this year. Our nephew, Luke, graduated from high school as well as a few of Austen's former club soccer teammates. 

Grad Party Reunion!

It was so nice celebrating all of them and getting the low down on where they will be attending school next year. It was extra special to be reunited too with our Galaxy (club soccer) family. I really missed those ladies (and their husbands and sons). It was great to see all of them and catch up. The majority of those kids are playing college soccer and all had a great year playing for their teams and saw a lot of playing time as freshman (even our D1 players!). A few, like Austen, went to school for school and are also enjoying their college life without the rigors of soccer training. 

A few of these boys commented on how good it was to be together again and they didn't realize how much they really missed each other. I think they'll be forever bonded by this game and the amount of time spent together - us parents too. In fact, we already have plans for a summer get together in a few weeks. 

I'm now heading into my second year without soccer and I may miss it more this year than last year. Summer is certainly quieter without state cup, regionals and nationals. I love a busy summer! And so does Austen. He's recently commented to us that he likes to be busy and doing something all the time and he certainly is this summer from planning baseball outings, concerts and many golf dates in between his work schedule, he's a kid that grew up on being being busy.  And, I still think he has too much time at college so really hoping he chooses to spend that extra time on the soccer field next year playing club soccer than in the bars or at parties!

Galaxy Moms Reunited

Father's Day 2026

We spent this year's Father's Day in Michigan per usual. Austen, Peyton and I went up early on Friday before the USA's World Cup game which we promptly watched once we arrived and got settled. My brothers and their families met us up there while Tom and Hailey joined us much later that evening after Hailey's hockey practice. 

Friday, we hung out after the game. While the guys played games in the yard, Peyton and I taught my sister in law and niece how to play Mahjong. My brother and sister in law made flank steak on the grill for dinner with homemade chimichurri sauce. After cleaning up dinner, we hung out and caught up before building a fire outside and waiting from Tom and Hailey to arrive.

The Pickleballers @ Root Beer Barrel

On Saturday, it was an early morning of golf for Tom, Austen, Papa and Mike. Others did a run and a walk while the rest of us lounged around and made breakfast (Peyton made her avocado toast and I made the pancakes). After that a few of us headed to Bundes for coffee and then walked into town for shopping at my favorite store, Vintage Charm, and to peruse the Farmer's Market. 

We arrived back home about the same time as the golfers and my other brother and sister in law made some lunch. We then decided it was time to play some pickleball so we drove about 15 minutes to Douglas where they had 8 dedicated courts. We did a few round robins of play for almost 90 minutes before declaring it was time to head to the Root Beer Barrel for some root beer floats. 

After that it was home to hang out before dinner and play some more Mahjong before most of us retired prior to midnight from the long and very full day. 

On Sunday, we woke up to cloudy skies but no rain. Breakfast was made for the Dads and gifts were open. (Tom got a wooden grill cleaner with an old school Sox logo that Austen and I found at his U of I Mom's Weekend. Papa got golf and tickets to a Sox game with us.)  Everyone headed out around noon/1pm and then we decided to play some yard games ourselves before the rain that was coming. We got about two hours in (and Tom did a quick mow of the lawn) before it started coming down. We ate leftovers for dinner and left about 6pm to drive home in the rain. 

I think it was a good Father's Day for all but especially Tom because he got to spend it in his favorite place - Michigan!

Mahjong!

Captain Lou's!

Golf!

Papa and Mike

California Girl

Peyton could've picked any trip or any present for her 16th birthday. It took her awhile to decide as she went round and round with decisions on concerts or an expensive purse or a weekend away. But, after almost six months, she decided that she wanted her gift to be a trip to California to visit her big cousin, Lauren. 

The Work Fit

Lauren is also the middle child of three kids - an older brother and a younger sister. She left for California her freshman year in college and never came back (to live permanently). She's worked her way up in the glamorous world of Hollywood at an entertainment company and Peyton has been interested in her life and job for several years now. Lauren (and her husband Matthew) were gracious enough to invite Peyton out to visit them in California and show her what it means to work at their company and live in LA.

So on a stormy Thursday, Peyton flew out (after an almost three hour delay) and arrived in the land of celebrities and EVs. She knew how to navigate the airport (of course she's a pretty seasoned traveler) as well as was armed with some work attire for the office and "California fits" too. 

They ate at many cool restaurants, went to a beach club, got smoothies at Erewhon and matchas too. Lauren even set up a day of work for Peyton with her meeting the interns and assistants at her company and going to lunch with them as well as putting Peyton to work so she could see what it would really be like to be an intern or an assistant. She loved all of it and all the different people too!

She was so busy and happy that we barely heard from her all weekend! And, when I texted her to make sure she was through security and on time for her flight on Sunday, she responded that she was purposely going to miss it so she could stay in LA longer. Then in true Peyton fashion, once she saw me in baggage claim when she got her flight, she promptly burst into tears. Not because she was happy to see me, but because she already missed California so much. 

I don't know where Peyton will end up in life - in California or in the midwest - but I do think these moments of growing up and learning about yourself away from your parents are essential for every kid. They may not have an opportunity to fly away or a cool cousin to show them their world but navigating and figuring out life without us was a beautiful thing to see for our 16 year old. 

Malibu with Lauren

She's home!

U-S-A!

We made it!

Last weekend, we ventured to Chicago to catch the last friendly between the US and Germany before the start of the World Cup. We had been planning on going to a World Cup game this year but when those ticket prices came out, we decided to do just the friendly game. Those World Cup prices are insane! Even our nosebleed seats for just the friendly cost us almost $1k!

The traffic was also insane. It took us 2.5 hours to get from our home to our seats causing us to miss part of the first half too. We arrived just before the US's goal so that was fun. Stadium was sold out too. We really enjoyed seeing Christian Pulisic play and of course knew more than a few Germany players from watching the Premier League (well, at least Austen and I did). 

What I didn't realize until I was watching the game was how much I really missed watching soccer. With Austen not playing anymore and always watching it, I didn't really see too many soccer games this year. And, until this point, I didn't really miss it. Maybe I did that subconsciously. If I watched more of them maybe I knew I would miss it too much. 

Excited to watch the World Cup starting today! I think I can get my fill of soccer with 104 games to watch over the course of a 6-week period! Hopefully that will last me all year!

Cute 'fit'

Our nosebleed seats that cost us $1k

 

Last Day of School!

6th Grade - Done!

That's a wrap on grades 6th and 10th for Hailey and Peyton, and freshman year of college for Austen. 

They all had a great year overall and handled the many changes in our lives pretty well with Austen heading to college and all of us moving to a new home.  

I was particularly proud of Hailey this year since she was the most resistant to change. She did not want to move and she did not want to go to middle school. But she embraced the change well, made lots of new friends and absolutely loves middle school (what girl says that?). She has friends in our new neighborhood too from her school so she loves how she can go back and forth between her friends in Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills easily walking or riding her bike to meet up with them. She also did a great job in school of managing her assignments, advocating for herself and studying for tests. She transitioned super well and I'm happy that as the last of my three kids, I can say that I never had to be on top of any of them to get their assignments in on time, do their homework or study. They all have exceptional executive functioning skills for which I am grateful!

10th Grade - Complete!

Peyton grew a lot this year as a person especially second semester - once she started driving! Freedom! She's been a little nicer to Hailey as well as definitely more focused on her grades in getting into the college that she wants to attend. She maintained excellent grades all semester and while we don't know all of her final grades just yet, it looks like she is going to have one exceptional semester GPA which is a huge confidence booster for her especially the "A" we know she earned in Honors Trig. She's on track to be part of National Honor Society next year (like Austen) as well as was selected to be a "Link Crew" leader to help orient new kids and freshman at the high school next year. 

Goodbye Bromley Hall/Best Room

And, what can I say about Austen's freshman year at Illinois? It's everything you'd want it to be for your kid who goes off to college. He had the best year. Made so many new friends. Joined a fraternity. Played a little soccer (but lots of other sports too). Studied hard but probably drank harder (sigh). He absolutely loved it. What he didn't love though was the food at his dining hall. He officially lost almost five pounds during his freshman year. Now, he probably has less muscle from not playing as much soccer as he did last year but really who goes away to college and loses weight?!! I'm hoping that next year he joins the club soccer team so he can gain some of that muscle back and stay busy so he doesn't have as much time to go out! Tom said his classes are going to get harder so he definitely won't have as much time next year. Fingers crossed! I like busy Austen! But he did do well in school and is looking forward to living in the fraternity next year with a new roommate (his old roommate and him are still the best of friends after a year at Illinois together but decided to not join a fraternity so he could live in an apartment). 

Onto 7th and 11th grades for Hailey and Peyton, and sophomore year for Austen but first SUMMER!

All cleaned out and ready to go home!