Easter meals recap

We managed to take photos of breakfast, but no such luck when it was dinner time.

Breakfast came from Pioneer Woman show on Food Network.  Eggs cooked in potato nest with an awesome fruit salad.  I added triple berry muffins to the menu instead of having toast with the eggs.  Everything was a hit - the whole family thought it was delicious!

Dinner we enjoyed a turkey breast, stuffed artichokes and asparagus and roasted potatoes.  Everything turned out great!  We didn't plan dessert, although Ellie found it a good time to harvest from her Easter basket!!

Happy Easter!

Easter morning, of course Ellie was up early!  It was about 5:45am when she climbed into our bed.  I was able to convince her to stay put until about 6:20.  At that point all bets were off.  She wanted downstairs!  So off we went.

She didn't ask to open the candy first, but she was eager to open and sort through her packs of baseball cards.  Happy Easter to her, she got a Derek Jeter in the very first pack she opened!

Easter morning in the books ... off to make coffee!

Basket of goodies!

Excited for her new movie, Rise of the Guardians.

"What else is in here??"

Colored Easter Eggs

Easter Egg Hunt

The Corn Crib was the sight, and what a sight it was, for the Easter Egg Hunt today.  It was bedlam on so many levels.  And yet, Ellie had fun.  She got six eggs in all filled with candy.  She loved the challenge and was happy with what she got to take away!

The kids were called up by age:  2 and under, 3 and 4 year olds, 5 through 7 year old and 8 through 10 year olds.  Kids, parents, strollers, mass chaos trying to get kids to stop crying when they didn't get an egg, or got run over my other over-eager kids diving for eggs.  What a sight!

Awaiting her turn to get in line for 5-7 year olds

Mad dash for eggs!!

Bedlam!  You can see Ellie on the right in the purple vest.

Ellie and her Daddy!

Happy with her bag of goodies!

So proud of her great attitude and for having fun!

Remembering My Roots

Saratoga 150: The family bakery, by Jude Fricano

Thursday, March 28, 2013 by: Tracy Ormsbee

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Growing up in Saratoga Springs, my family owned a bakery which supplied the rolls during several summers to the kitchen at the track.  I recall the summer of 1982 making early deliveries during misty mornings as the horses exercised and the crew readied the track for the upcoming racing day. It was with great pride I felt to be part of such a place.  The entire place was filled with anticipation of the day to begin.

Saratoga Race Course was the backdrop for the first date with my now husband as well.  On August 18, 2001, Bill and I were re-introduced by a mutual friend, which changed the course of both our lives.  I recall the picnic area full of his friends and family with plenty of coolers and a spread of food to enjoy.  That same location became the spot we migrated to summer after summer to enjoy the horses and fun atmosphere.

We’ve now been married over a decade, and living in the mid-west with our 7-year-old daughter.  We continue to plan a vacation around how to fit a Saratoga Race Course weekend into our summer.  I still miss the excitement of the town multiplying in residents and the energy that fills the air.

Jude Fricano
Bloomington, IL
(formerly of Saratoga Springs)

THE BACKSTORY

I saw an article yesterday in the Times Union online asking for stories to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Saratoga Race Course.  You know I can't resist submitting something, so I shot off a quick email thinking that sometime during the meet the stories would appear.  Wasn't I surprised when a friend of my brother's sent him the link on Facebook, and he sent it to my mother .. that my story appeared the same day I submitted it!!

Here's the link to the actual story online.  And, no, I have no idea if it will make the printed paper.  I'm just happy to see it 'published' here!

Link to Times Union article

Girl Time Fun - The Croods!

Huge display in the theatre lobby

That's a big popcorn and soda for a little girl!

Look Mom, no cavities!!!

Today Ellie had a dentist appointment which meant she was going to miss a field trip with Clubhouse during her Spring Break activities!

So I took the day off .. worked from home in the morning and then off we went to find adventure!  As you can see from the photo, the dentist appointment went off without a hitch.  And no cavities!

Then to lunch at Meatheads, one of Ellie's favorite places to lunch.

And the matinee of The Croods!  Think Flintstones, but 2013.  It was wonderful.  A big bag of popcorn, a huge soda and the afternoon together - the only thing missing was her Daddy!  What a great day together!

The beauty of the (upcoming) season!

Couldn't resist these irises from Fresh Market on Monday!  Even Ellie commented this morning that even more had opened overnight.  Yes, they are a sign of the beauty of spring is soon to arrive!

What a difference a day makes!

Yesterday we enjoyed the warm sunshine in Chicago and today Normal is anything but normal!  Hence the reason we cut our trip short and headed home.  For the adventure of the snow!!

Happy to be in the snow!

Spinning around

Going down the hill (driveway!) laying down

She just loves the snow!

Chicago Weekend

After celebrating Ellie's 7th birthday at home on Friday night with pizza and ice cream cake, phone calls from family and lots of presents ... we headed to Chicago early Sunday morning.  First stop was the Museum of Science and Industry.  We loved so many of the exhibits including the Weather experiments and the major Ball Bounce!

From the museum we were off to check into our hotel and find a good place for lunch.  Our room was actually a suite on the 44th floor of the Marriott on N Michigan Ave.  Corner room with floor to ceiling windows overlooking Lake Michigan!  Ellie thought it was the coolest place ever!

We lunched at Giordano's for Chicago-style pizza!  It was a wonderful 3 block walk to get there.  An hour wait for a table, but you put  your order in when you put your name in so when you're seated your pizza is just moments away!  Ellie entertained herself at the bar with her iPad watching a movie while Bill and I watched the VCU v. Michigan with a couple from Richmond, VA!

After a wonderful lunch with plenty of leftovers we made our way back to the hotel for some pool time!  Ellie's favorite part ... but I think I've said that before.  Get dressed again and head to American Girl Place!  Two stories of dolls, clothes, accessories and lots of girls!!!  What an experience.  She had decided this is where she would spend her birthday money from Papa, Grammy and Uncle Pat.  Such a good decision .. and so much to choose from!

After another walk back to the hotel and it was time for a 30 minute nap before dinner.  And then the fun starts.  We put our name in for a table and Grand Lux Cafe, which was another hour wait and found a high-top table in the bar area.  The postings on Facebook from friends in Bloomington were warning of the 10 inches of snow we were to get overnight ... so Bill and I made an Executive Decision ... pack it in.  Skip dinner, check out of the hotel and head home by 8pm on Saturday night.

Although Ellie was disappointed at first, once we were packed and she was in the car already in her pj's with her movie and cold pizza leftovers and root beer for the ride home - she was just fine.  She slept like a log the last hour in the car and then quickly again once in her bed.

What a terrific day in Chicago we had!  We made a promise on the way  home we'd do it again really soon!

John Deere tire!  On the Farm exhibit.

Say Cheese!  Dairy section of On the Farm.

Who's really the American Girl here?  Ellie or Saige!

Escalator to American Girl heaven!  Such excitement!

Science and Industry Museum

Daddy and Ellie in the Tractor

Shirley Temple for the guest of honor waiting for a table at lunch!

Clean plate and the cherry from her drink!

Full-size LEGO Friends in the LEGO store

Enjoying the sunshine walking on Michigan Avenue

Such a big bed for a little girl!

Size of the room!  Talk about Magnificent ....

View from the room on the 44th floor.

Birthday Celebration

We celebrated Ellie's birthday night with pizza, ice cream cake and lots of presents from family.  She just loved the celebration and the phone calls!

Presents!

From Aunt Maureen .. she tried it on immediately!

What could be in this big box, Aunt Mimi??

from Aunt Lisa -  Justin Beiber cds!!!  All smiles from Ellie!

from Aunt Mimi - American Girl hair stylist chair

Barbie from France from Grammy - just like she wanted!

Ice cream cake - Mint Chocolate Chip - her favorite!

Blowing out that big number "7"

Happy Birthday Ellie!

The celebration has already begun .... I brought lunch to Ellie's school and ate with her class in the cafeteria .. which she thought was pretty cool!  She wanted me to stay for outdoor recess, but I told her the kids wouldn't like it if I hogged a swing on the playground!  So tonight is pizza for dinner with birthday cake, presents and calls from family to mark this grand occasion.

Taking time to remember when this grown-up seven-year-old wasn't such a big girl.  And how very much we have to be thankful for!!

Ellie - age 2

Grove Elementary Family Fun Day

One of Grove's fundraisers is their annual Family Fun Day.  In order to pull it off, the entire event requires a lot of donations and volunteers ... and families showing up to participate.  Last year was mass chaos for me, yet this year we mastered the territory quickly and staked out a spot early in the gym to wait for the announcement of all the prizes.  Silent Auction, BIG Basket Ticket Raffle, Kid's Game Ticket Prize Raffle and the grand prize of the iPad!  We had lots of fun and are glad we participated again this year!  Ellie waits so patiently each year to hear her name called or our name on the big screen for the BIG Basket ticket raffle drawing ... and this year we won a basket!

Snow Day Basket - games, sleds, cocoa, UNO, Snow Brick maker, hats & gloves!

Shooting baskets for tickets to put into the drawing for prizes!

Getting a GLITTER Tatoo

Pink and Black Panda tattoo

Waiting in line to play a game - see all the people??