Adventure to Chicagoland!

It's been a while. Sorry about that. These days, we all work off our phones to post, and this blogging platform just doesn't seem to play well when you have to upload photos or video.  We have to do it the "old-fashion" way, upload to a computer and then post.

Anyway…I took a number of photos from our recent trip to Northern Illinois. Volo, Illinois, to be precise, where we stayed in a lovely A-frame cabin (AirBnB) on Brandenburg Lake, and met with good friends, the children of good friends, and family on Jennifer's side.  It was a long drive, but it was so great to see everyone. Here are some of the photos I took, Jen may have others she may want to add.

Our A-frame cabin in Volo! 

Seriously, what would we have done without Uncle Mike!

Dash, first time manning the oars.

Again, Uncle Mike, so great with Dash and Hugo...
here and below, with Dash, exploring the shallows of Brandenburg Lake.

Found a fresh-water clam!

With Uncle Steve, Aunt Molly, and Uncle Mike. :)

Overnights on the road...we always hit the pool!

We stopped at Fun Central in central PA on the way home...
Dash hit the jackpot for tickets on one of the games: 1000 tickets!

Funtopia

Winding down Spring break here in NYC.  Jen had to work today but set us up to go to Funtopia...you play the games, win lots of tickets, redeem for plastic toys...like the "spy" glasses you see in some of the photo below.

Happy Easter...

Thank you for the goodies Grandma!

Photo share from this Winter

Just sharing some photos from my phone.  Most of these made it to Facebook. 😀

Been a while...

Sorry, it's been a while since I last posted to the blog.  Part of the issue is that Blogger uploading isn't exactly mobile-friendly; it's difficult to get content from the phones on to the blog.  It's far easier just to upload it to Facebook. But, since I have the time and I don't seem to be sleeping, and I should be sleeping, I figure I will upload this video from Hugo's recent Spring performance at his school. It is mostly just a dance routine. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas

A few from Christmas Eve and this morning. It's all about the boys! 🎅🎄⛄😀

Picture share

More images taken in the past couple of weeks...

A visit with Santa!

We've been busy, but we got a visit with Santa at a kids party at our local Czech beer garden! 🎅

And a few more...

At the White House, October 2016

Americans!!!  Even though Hugo strongly disliked "George Washington DC."

Halloween 2016

Yoga practice.

New York Cosmos game with Dash — Hamstead NY

Hugo at McDonalds — November 2016

Hugo and Dash after bad haircuts — still happy

Hiding Hugo

A few recent photos

Train into the city.

Walking the High Line, NYC — November 2016

Hugo and his dominos.

Dash and Uncle Mike, and dominoes.

The boys with Uncle Mike and LoLo!

Casio keyboard practice.

Dash tries on Hugo's turkey hat.

Visiting Ben Moss and Dartmouth — In front of Dartmouth Hall

Hugo at Gene, Jocelyn, and Justus'

Hugo's Halloween Party dance

(Video Link)

This was a great unexpected surprise for mom.  I went to volunteer at Hugo's school party and basically ignored him (Spiderman) so he wouldn't beg me to go home early (his usual trick).  Turns out he ignored me too because he had a performance to do!   I didn't know it was coming but noticed he was laying on the ground like a corpse and then the "Monster Mash" song started playing.  Hugo's class was the only one to dance.  This is a school of mostly classes of 6 kids, his is the only 8, so you'll notice the kids are older/taller.

More about the school and why it looks like a prison yard:
This Autism-only public school is located in a series of trailers behind a traditional brick school.  Each trailer contains a classroom.  The trailers are tightly fenced in.  There are cargo containers used as storage.  You either love this idea or hate it.  It is definitely not pretty, but each trailer is very much a home to the class.  

Halloween can be a really difficult holiday for Hugo.  His senses are overwhelmed.  But different this year is how he observed others having fun and pushed through his anxiety to join in.