So, it figures that while on my last 2 weeks of an exercise program...in which I began because I have a fear of actually looking older than my age in my baby sister's wedding as I"m walking down the aisle in a, albeit beautiful, dress made more for those in the twenty-something range...
(hello run-on sentence)
THAT, I would blow out my knee...
Now, when I say blow out my knee, I don't necessarily mean "blew it out"...I don't really know what that means...however, I will tell you that along with my "normal" cracking & snapping joints, I now have the melodic sound of grinding as I walk, climb stairs or sit down & cross my legs...
it's just a tad irritating (and painful)...
Therefore, Insanity has been put on the back shelf and I've begun eating a regime of green smoothies, oatmeal and the occasional half tub of cookie dough (because we all know that sugar has to be good for something otherwise God wouldn't have made it)
It's also that time of year where I get antsy and want to do projects...(as if that's different from any other time of year..)
I've been working on my photography blog (I actually paid to have some work done for me to get a whole new hosted site, BIG step for me!)...however, I've been waiting a bit for that to actually happen, so I'm trying to find other things to occupy my time...
So, I've been stalking goodreads.com and slurpin' down books like a white chocolate mocha (which actually sounds REALLY good right about now...it would go well with my dish of cookie dough:)
Did I happen to mention that our THREE year project of finishing the basement has finally gotten under way again? yep...we're just getting finished up with the mudding and taping and then I'll get to go balistic on all my ideas from pinterest...
(oh, and when I say "we", I actually mean the guys we had come in and "fix" the "uniquely un-level" walls...I think it bugs Italian Stallion, but I told him that it gives it character, not to mention that it saved us money:)
Here and there I've been sewing, drawing, writing, shopping for clothes that my girls keep outgrowing, scrapbooking, reading, and attempting to keep the main floor of our house clutter free (that continues to be a work in progress)...and have we discussed Downton Abbey?
No?
Oh my...you must first understand that I'm not a TV watcher...I don't really watch anything...not even the news (much to my husband's chagrin, as he has to inform of the days events...and pretty much the nation's events as I sound completely incompetent when I try to engage in conversations with others)
I read a few blogs, but really, I don't watch a lot of anything...
Enter DOWNTON ABBEY...
Although I do believe I would never have survived the era of outdoor bathrooms, non-electric washing machines and candles for light, I do adore the fashion and simplicity...I think I just like to stare at the pretty dresses and hair styles of the time. With every TV show, there are some episodes that have storylines that I think they just threw in there to make it "politically-correct" and really aren't my taste at all, but on the whole, compared to everything else that is out there, this show is just lovely! For those that haven't seen it, you can get yourselves caught up at www.simplyjune.org and watch it all there...
The author of that blog (June), has another series that she recommends (again, a PBS/British program) called "Calling the Midwife"...I'm a little intrigued, so I might be checking that out whilst D.A. decides how they're going to fix the mess they've created with killing off some of my favorite characters:( but, I'm okay as long as they all keep talking with a British accent:)
That's it for now...I need to find my "groove" again with writing, so I beg that you bear with me as I locate my "voice"...amidst my everyday life...
sincerely,
me
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Sunday, February 24, 2013
A little change...
I really do love to write...
My brain is swimming with thoughts and emotions and lists and memories and...wait, a minute, did I start the dishwasher?...
Where was I?
Yes, well...I love to write...but I also get distracted and I kinda get bored sometimes...
Which is probably why I seem to have a million "projects" going on at my house at any given time...
However, this blog has been on the backburner for awhile lately...
I've been a little busy with:
listening to sermons
reading books
CTPhotoMemories sessions
Logo designs & just plain playing on photoshop
housework
homework (helping the girls)
volunteering at the school
packing for a vacation
keeping people healthy
working out
did I say packing for vacation??? you did NOT hear that ;)
balancing the budget (as in OUR's obviously NOT our nation's)
watching Downton Abbey (be still my heart)
homeschooling Lil' Munchkin
searching for ideas for the almost finished basement
drinking Tea...LOTS of tea
making green smoothies
trying to come up with different dinners to prepare
goin' on dates with my Italian Stallion
that's just "some" of the stuff that I've let occupy my time rather than blogging...
Just wanted to let you know where I was:) I'll stop in periodically, as I get a chance...Little Munchkin will start regular school in the fall...it will be at that point that I will most likely have an identity crisis and/or head off on some shopping sprees or get lost in Barnes & Noble, but I have a few months until then, and therefore, I"m doing my best to just enjoy the time we have...
Hope you all are doing well in this FREEZING cold tundra of the midwest...
See you soon...
My brain is swimming with thoughts and emotions and lists and memories and...wait, a minute, did I start the dishwasher?...
Where was I?
Yes, well...I love to write...but I also get distracted and I kinda get bored sometimes...
Which is probably why I seem to have a million "projects" going on at my house at any given time...
However, this blog has been on the backburner for awhile lately...
I've been a little busy with:
listening to sermons
reading books
CTPhotoMemories sessions
Logo designs & just plain playing on photoshop
housework
homework (helping the girls)
volunteering at the school
packing for a vacation
keeping people healthy
working out
did I say packing for vacation??? you did NOT hear that ;)
balancing the budget (as in OUR's obviously NOT our nation's)
watching Downton Abbey (be still my heart)
homeschooling Lil' Munchkin
searching for ideas for the almost finished basement
drinking Tea...LOTS of tea
making green smoothies
trying to come up with different dinners to prepare
goin' on dates with my Italian Stallion
that's just "some" of the stuff that I've let occupy my time rather than blogging...
Just wanted to let you know where I was:) I'll stop in periodically, as I get a chance...Little Munchkin will start regular school in the fall...it will be at that point that I will most likely have an identity crisis and/or head off on some shopping sprees or get lost in Barnes & Noble, but I have a few months until then, and therefore, I"m doing my best to just enjoy the time we have...
Hope you all are doing well in this FREEZING cold tundra of the midwest...
See you soon...
Sunday, January 27, 2013
I have a pimple on my EAR LOBE...
seriously...ON my EAR LOBE...
What in the world?
My forehead resembles a mine field of pot holes left from WWI...
and that's being kind...
I'm not sure what causes this outbreak every other year or so...usually right around the same time of year, and usually it coincides with me trying to work out...
Maybe I should take that as hint... WORKOUTS = BREAKOUTS
I don't understand why exactly...I start to eat healthier foods, I wash my face day and night...I've now started to use a medication on my red, blotched T zone because to be honest, these large, mountainous craters are painful!
I'd like to know why they felt the need to cross over to my ear lobes however...were there just not enough dots to connect from my chin to my temples? Come on now!!!
I thought I was too old for this sort of thing...I was gearing up for dealing with these little "inconveniences" with my tween in the coming years...not ME standing in front of a mirror trying to decide whether to (lord forbid) stick an actual pin in to pop it and rid me of the misery or to wait it out another day and refrain from going within a 2 inch radius around the area!!! BLEH...
Fun topics for a Sunday night huh?
In other news...
a friend turned me on to a supposed "miracle" brush, called The Wet Brush in order to deal with the tangles that seem to infest Peanut's hair...
oh the joys of discussing "girl beauty" this evening...
I purchased it tonight and so far, so good...it doesn't necessarily take away all whining, but it does make the detangling go a bit faster and therefore results in fewer tears...
I will take that anyday of the week and TWICE on Sunday:)
This is just what my life tends to look like here of late...and I just thought I'd be kind enough to share that with you:)
In fact...here are some more tidbits in case you were just BEYOND curious as to what "life with Mamarazzi" might look like at this time of year...so here it goes..
IT LOOKS LIKE...
...holding onto the jiggle, that is my muffin top, while doing the Heismann during Insanity workouts just so it doesn't produce anymore stretch marks than what is already there:)
...doing mounds of laundry daily, only to get distracted while piles load up on the couch so that I can grab a quick chapter read from whatever book happens to be laying around the house. ( I do not struggle with relaxation, that's for sure:)
...listening to really great sermons from Mark Driscoll about Real Marriage
...tucking 3 little girls in at night AT LEAST 5 times because: "i need some water, i forgot some homework, don't forget to wake me up early, i'm hungry, i'm having bad dreams, i think my foot hurts..."
...drinking Teavana Tea and pretending I'm a complete Tea snob whilst I walk out to the bus stop in my pajamas.
...spending hours on the computer after everyone is in bed trying to create the PERFECT 2012 scrapbook for my family and having to start over almost every other night because I can't make up my mind about size or page layouts...oh the joys of being a perfectionist in areas that don't really make much sense???? UGH
...watching basketball games played by Peanut and being so proud that she has found something that is hers alone (not to mention, I actually understand the sport a bit, seeing as I actually played in highschool...which is more than I can say about my understanding about ANY other sport out there)
...saying DROP and NO BITE at least 102938472039457 times a day to my sweet puppy whom we've decided is now able to roam more areas of the house...perhaps that was a mistake this early in the process...hmmmm????
...buying stock in chapstick because lord have mercy, this constant change in weather and the licking of the lips is causing every girl in this household to have swollen lips!!!
...curling up with a big blanket, and reading books to Little Munchkin AND having her read books back to me because she FINALLY feels like learning to read "might" be fun...although, "I like it MUCH better when YOU read to me, Mommy!"
...drinking green smoothies and actually LIKING them!
...watching episodes of Downton Abbey and wishing I could visit England and have tea with Kate or Pippa...Teavana Tea of course:)
Life is good...it's never boring, that's for sure...
Hope you have a great week!!!
What in the world?
My forehead resembles a mine field of pot holes left from WWI...
and that's being kind...
I'm not sure what causes this outbreak every other year or so...usually right around the same time of year, and usually it coincides with me trying to work out...
Maybe I should take that as hint... WORKOUTS = BREAKOUTS
I don't understand why exactly...I start to eat healthier foods, I wash my face day and night...I've now started to use a medication on my red, blotched T zone because to be honest, these large, mountainous craters are painful!
I'd like to know why they felt the need to cross over to my ear lobes however...were there just not enough dots to connect from my chin to my temples? Come on now!!!
I thought I was too old for this sort of thing...I was gearing up for dealing with these little "inconveniences" with my tween in the coming years...not ME standing in front of a mirror trying to decide whether to (lord forbid) stick an actual pin in to pop it and rid me of the misery or to wait it out another day and refrain from going within a 2 inch radius around the area!!! BLEH...
Fun topics for a Sunday night huh?
In other news...
a friend turned me on to a supposed "miracle" brush, called The Wet Brush in order to deal with the tangles that seem to infest Peanut's hair...
oh the joys of discussing "girl beauty" this evening...
I purchased it tonight and so far, so good...it doesn't necessarily take away all whining, but it does make the detangling go a bit faster and therefore results in fewer tears...
I will take that anyday of the week and TWICE on Sunday:)
This is just what my life tends to look like here of late...and I just thought I'd be kind enough to share that with you:)
In fact...here are some more tidbits in case you were just BEYOND curious as to what "life with Mamarazzi" might look like at this time of year...so here it goes..
IT LOOKS LIKE...
...holding onto the jiggle, that is my muffin top, while doing the Heismann during Insanity workouts just so it doesn't produce anymore stretch marks than what is already there:)
...doing mounds of laundry daily, only to get distracted while piles load up on the couch so that I can grab a quick chapter read from whatever book happens to be laying around the house. ( I do not struggle with relaxation, that's for sure:)
...listening to really great sermons from Mark Driscoll about Real Marriage
...tucking 3 little girls in at night AT LEAST 5 times because: "i need some water, i forgot some homework, don't forget to wake me up early, i'm hungry, i'm having bad dreams, i think my foot hurts..."
...drinking Teavana Tea and pretending I'm a complete Tea snob whilst I walk out to the bus stop in my pajamas.
...spending hours on the computer after everyone is in bed trying to create the PERFECT 2012 scrapbook for my family and having to start over almost every other night because I can't make up my mind about size or page layouts...oh the joys of being a perfectionist in areas that don't really make much sense???? UGH
...watching basketball games played by Peanut and being so proud that she has found something that is hers alone (not to mention, I actually understand the sport a bit, seeing as I actually played in highschool...which is more than I can say about my understanding about ANY other sport out there)
...saying DROP and NO BITE at least 102938472039457 times a day to my sweet puppy whom we've decided is now able to roam more areas of the house...perhaps that was a mistake this early in the process...hmmmm????
...buying stock in chapstick because lord have mercy, this constant change in weather and the licking of the lips is causing every girl in this household to have swollen lips!!!
...curling up with a big blanket, and reading books to Little Munchkin AND having her read books back to me because she FINALLY feels like learning to read "might" be fun...although, "I like it MUCH better when YOU read to me, Mommy!"
...drinking green smoothies and actually LIKING them!
...watching episodes of Downton Abbey and wishing I could visit England and have tea with Kate or Pippa...Teavana Tea of course:)
Life is good...it's never boring, that's for sure...
Hope you have a great week!!!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
SEEING more clearly...
Our lives are the sum
Of each moment and interaction.
Each day we work, eat, laugh, teach, play, read, remember…
And work at it all again the next day.
Within seemingly small moments we find opportunity
To build relationships, develop character, find joy
For the price of our time.
Life’s most essential possibilities are realized at home.
Where we share, teach, grow, learn, serve, give
Our best without praise or fanfare.
Because every effort, every moment matters
In the development of a person.
Nothing is really routine.
To all who see the everyday.
I know that I shared Ann Voskamp's video last year...
Both of these combined seem to encapsulate what I really want this year...and here it is only 2.5 weeks into the new year and I'm struggling in my moment by moment...
I get so distracted...so pulled off course...
my lack of time management skills...NO...that's not it...it's my lack of SEEING what's truly important and what I feel necessary to CHECK OFF MY LIST!!!
When will I get it right?
And then I stop...
and I remember the One who is control of ALL of my moments... and I am utterly thankful for His grace...
I wonder if He rolls His eyes when I realize yet again that the attraction of facebook pulled me away, yet again, from finishing a song with Little Munchkin...or the distraction of housework yanked me away from spending time with a friend...
Thankful that He doesn't give up on me...even if I sometimes give up on myself...
I soooo want to SEE more clearly!!!
Monday, January 14, 2013
Not much of anything...
I woke with quite the ambition this morning...
I woke up fresh, alive, ready to tackle the day...
Okay...so I'm lying...I NEVER wake up fresh, alive and ready to tackle the day...it's more like I lay in bed with one eye open and one foot on the floor WILLING my body to roll just enough to balance myself off the edge...
today was no different...
But, we did get much accomplished, which is quite the task when the girlies are off of school and Mommy is going through the "moody blues" because she can't seem to keep her mind focused on one thing (WHICH, if you read my previous posts, was my WHOLE new year's resolution...oh how far we fall, in just a matter of a few days)
Accomplish we did however...by golly! I got those girlies workin'...got myself a regular work camp goin' on over here...
Which basically means that I set the timer for one hour and told them that we were cleaning for just 60 minutes and then we could have treats:)
yippee
I woke up fresh, alive, ready to tackle the day...
Okay...so I'm lying...I NEVER wake up fresh, alive and ready to tackle the day...it's more like I lay in bed with one eye open and one foot on the floor WILLING my body to roll just enough to balance myself off the edge...
today was no different...
But, we did get much accomplished, which is quite the task when the girlies are off of school and Mommy is going through the "moody blues" because she can't seem to keep her mind focused on one thing (WHICH, if you read my previous posts, was my WHOLE new year's resolution...oh how far we fall, in just a matter of a few days)
Accomplish we did however...by golly! I got those girlies workin'...got myself a regular work camp goin' on over here...
Which basically means that I set the timer for one hour and told them that we were cleaning for just 60 minutes and then we could have treats:)
yippee
We made our lists and were off and running...(while Mommy completely copped out and followed them around with her camera so she could document the fact that they were IN FACT working)
This all took place after the girls did a little "insanity" work out with me...I'm going to chalk it up to "muscle weighs more than fat", the fact that I've gained 5 lbs since day 1 of Insanity...it is now day 16...and though I feel better, have a bit more energy and can actually SUCK IN the muffin top with a tad more ease, I've decided that the scale is just not my friend and we're going to part ways for awhile...maybe until June...
In other WONDERFUL news...the acne that I had as a teenager did not feel that it tortured me enough back then and has decided to invade my forehead with such tenacity that I think I might cry...
bored to tears yet?
I know...my life is THRILLING...is it not?
Lives that ARE thrilling can be found in my new found television love of Downton Abbey...
I don't really watch TV...not much at all...and movies outside the realm of Pride & Prejudice and possibly Les Miserables (once it comes to our $5 theater) don't really hold my attention...I"m more of a "blog-reader, facebook stalker, book reader" type person..
But, someone last year brought my attention to this sweet drama...and seeing as I love all things English (did I mention that I long to see Great Britian one day..along with my Scotland & Ireland heritage homes?) Anyhoo...I got seasons 1 and 2 from the library last year and watched them all in about a week's time...and season 3 has just begun here in the states....
It makes me wish MY name was Pippa, instead of my sweet puppy:) Or maybe Anna (she's my favorite character)
Anyway, that's life right now on the homefront...we surprised our girls with some exciting news that I will definitely be sharing in the future (and no I'm not pregnant)
I hope to be able to spend a bit more time blogging in the future...I miss writing...
Here's to hoping for a fresh morning tomorrow:)
Sunday, January 6, 2013
One Word: SEE
Every new year people make resolutions...
I am not exempt...
there are a gazillion things that I wish I could RESOLVE to do...
I want to blog more, exercise, lose weight, eat right, spend more time in the flower bed, keep my house clean, keep up with laundry, read more professional books, practice more photography...
Nearly everything that I've ever "resolved" to do has involved ACTING on something...
And to be completely honest...I get burned out...
I've always been a person who has had to "do more"..."be the best"...I've always expected more out of myself than what I probably should have...
Don't get me wrong...I don't think it's wrong to try...to strive to be good at something...
The trouble is, at least for me, that in my striving, in my climbing to the top...I often forget WHO I am along the way...I know that sounds cliche', but let me explain...
I've always DONE and ACTED out of different motivations...I have called it "challenging myself" or "setting expectations" or "people pleasing" or "a competitive nature"... It's this intrisic desire to "check it off"...to proclaim to the world that I've accomplished something...it started in elementary school and continued until about mid way through my freshman year in college when I finally burnt out...although it still comes back in spurts...it usually happens when I "feel" like I"m not MORE...(more of what, I don't know...but it's usually when I don't feel content with myself or things around me)
Again, I'm not saying that I don't think it's good to try...(I practice continually with photography and I've recently started exercising again)...It's when "motivations" take hold of me...take ALL my focus and energy...it's when those THINGS that are seemingly "good things" to IMPROVE me, start to overpower me...and my whole BEING feels compelled to accomplish the task...sometimes at the expense of time with family and even sleep...and my contentedness with myself & who I was made to be is then marred with the lack of a certain accomplishment or disappointment...
One of my BFFs directed me again to a different concept with regards to resolutions...I've heard of it before, but have never explored it...
until this year...
It's called ONE WORD...
You choose one word that you resolve to use during the year...it can be anything you choose..but, I'm assuming it should be something that, when you look at the word, it strikes an inner nerve and spurs you on to BE...
This "BEing" is what strikes me...I've always associated myself with what I have accomplished...and when I think about that picture, it's a lie...I'm NOT just the cullmination of whatever I have set my mind to conquer...
I was created in the image of a God that made me unique...purely for His pleasure...with a purpose that He set out for me...
All this to say...My ONE WORD for this year is SEE...
Jesus is always saying, "Come and See" ~John 1:39
We are called to "See the wonders..." ~Ps 66:5
I want to "See his face..." ~Ps. 17:5
As I'm navigating through this life...through the endless loads of laundry...through the photo sessions of beautiful people...through the homework at the kitchen table...through the preparing of meals and packing lunches...through the sweat & effort of exercise...
I want to SEE...
...my girls' hearts
...my husband's needs
...more of God
...how God sees me
...situations for what they are and not what I make them out to be in my head
...deeper to the soul of a person and not just the outside
...good, when bad is all around
...the personalities and relationships of the people I encounter
...beauty, when my mood tells me otherwise
...clearly and not through whatever "glasses" I've put on b/c of my past experiences
This is my New Year's Resolution...
My hope is that in my SEEing this year, my heart will draw closer to Him...that my vision will change and become closer to what He sees...and in turn, it will allow me to offer more grace not only to others, but to myself as well:)
I am not exempt...
there are a gazillion things that I wish I could RESOLVE to do...
I want to blog more, exercise, lose weight, eat right, spend more time in the flower bed, keep my house clean, keep up with laundry, read more professional books, practice more photography...
Nearly everything that I've ever "resolved" to do has involved ACTING on something...
And to be completely honest...I get burned out...
I've always been a person who has had to "do more"..."be the best"...I've always expected more out of myself than what I probably should have...
Don't get me wrong...I don't think it's wrong to try...to strive to be good at something...
The trouble is, at least for me, that in my striving, in my climbing to the top...I often forget WHO I am along the way...I know that sounds cliche', but let me explain...
I've always DONE and ACTED out of different motivations...I have called it "challenging myself" or "setting expectations" or "people pleasing" or "a competitive nature"... It's this intrisic desire to "check it off"...to proclaim to the world that I've accomplished something...it started in elementary school and continued until about mid way through my freshman year in college when I finally burnt out...although it still comes back in spurts...it usually happens when I "feel" like I"m not MORE...(more of what, I don't know...but it's usually when I don't feel content with myself or things around me)
Again, I'm not saying that I don't think it's good to try...(I practice continually with photography and I've recently started exercising again)...It's when "motivations" take hold of me...take ALL my focus and energy...it's when those THINGS that are seemingly "good things" to IMPROVE me, start to overpower me...and my whole BEING feels compelled to accomplish the task...sometimes at the expense of time with family and even sleep...and my contentedness with myself & who I was made to be is then marred with the lack of a certain accomplishment or disappointment...
One of my BFFs directed me again to a different concept with regards to resolutions...I've heard of it before, but have never explored it...
until this year...
It's called ONE WORD...
You choose one word that you resolve to use during the year...it can be anything you choose..but, I'm assuming it should be something that, when you look at the word, it strikes an inner nerve and spurs you on to BE...
This "BEing" is what strikes me...I've always associated myself with what I have accomplished...and when I think about that picture, it's a lie...I'm NOT just the cullmination of whatever I have set my mind to conquer...
I was created in the image of a God that made me unique...purely for His pleasure...with a purpose that He set out for me...
All this to say...My ONE WORD for this year is SEE...
Jesus is always saying, "Come and See" ~John 1:39
We are called to "See the wonders..." ~Ps 66:5
I want to "See his face..." ~Ps. 17:5
As I'm navigating through this life...through the endless loads of laundry...through the photo sessions of beautiful people...through the homework at the kitchen table...through the preparing of meals and packing lunches...through the sweat & effort of exercise...
I want to SEE...
...my girls' hearts
...my husband's needs
...more of God
...how God sees me
...situations for what they are and not what I make them out to be in my head
...deeper to the soul of a person and not just the outside
...good, when bad is all around
...the personalities and relationships of the people I encounter
...beauty, when my mood tells me otherwise
...clearly and not through whatever "glasses" I've put on b/c of my past experiences
This is my New Year's Resolution...
My hope is that in my SEEing this year, my heart will draw closer to Him...that my vision will change and become closer to what He sees...and in turn, it will allow me to offer more grace not only to others, but to myself as well:)
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Chicago Trip 2012
The first time I went to Chicago during the Christmas season was when we had just found out we were pregnant with little Munchkin...
To be honest, I couldn't really understand how I'd find much "joy" out of going to the Windy City in the middle of almost freezing temperatures to walk long distances and shop in stores where we weren't going to buy much because, duh, we were having another baby...all the while I was still throwing up every morning..
I couldn't have been more wrong...
It started out as a one time trip, to something that we have tried to continue every other year or so...and I have thoroughly enjoyed it every time!
We went one year with my brother and his family...that time my sister in law got to enjoy the pleasures of walking Michigan Ave whilst waddling along at 7 months pregnant with TWINS:)
The last time we went was a huge American Girl experience...
Which brings us to this year...Italian Stallion decided that it was a good year to go and got us all psyched up for our 2012 adventure! We got the girls out of school because we don't let school get in the way of a quality education (wink, wink)...We started on the road around 7am on Sunday and Daddy wanted to push through until lunchtime...
It should have struck me odd that we stopped at mcDonalds, because we never go there...but, after 5 hours straight in the car, I wasn't complaining and neither were the girls...we piled out, ordered some chicken nuggets & fries and stretched our legs. Little did I know that Italian Stallion was strategically placing us in this particular restaurant...for no sooner had we ordered and sat down to inhale some fast food, than WHO should walk through the door???
HELLO...my BFF and her family...YIPPEE...
I had somewhat of a "blonde" moment when I said, "Oh my goodness, honey, look, they are having lunch at the same McDonalds as us in the middle of Indiana!!!"...Italian Stallion kinda looked at me for a minute...giving me the look of" "okay, now, let that process a minute...keep comin'..." And then I realized, "Oh wait a minute...THEY are going to Chicago too...wait...they are coming WITH US to Chicago...!!!"
Needless to say, Sara and I were jumping around hugging and squealing to the point that the whole restaurant wanted to know what was with the crazy commotion with a couple of almost 40 year old women and their gaggle of girls??? ((I do want to point out here that regardless of our age, my dear friend was TOTALLY HIT ON while we were out to dinner that very evening out on the town...but, I"ll get to that later))
Apparantly my dear I.S. and G had been in cahoots for about 3 months planning this trip...I'm still not sure how they kept it a secret from Sara or myself...because really, she and I had been talking and texting quite a bit in the weeks leading up to Chicago...
But, pull it off they did...and I couldn't have been more excited!!!
Italian Stallion got us rooms side by side at the Residence Inn downtown Chicago...we were provided fantastic breakfasts and delicious dinners...and swimming on the top floor,(the 27th to be exact) proved to be, once again, a highlight of our experience! I would highly recommend this hotel if you are ever in town:)
We did the usuals...shopping along Michigan Ave., pizza at Giordanos, chocolately treats at Ghiradelli's, American Girl & LEGO stores, looking at the christmas windows of Macy's down by the river...
But, the highlight for me this year, was getting to see the "bean" at Millenium Park and then ICE SKATING with all my girls...
We also added a trip to John Hancock Observatory...
The girls were exhausted by the time we made daddy walk all the way back to the hotel to get our car while we stayed inside the Hershey store eating brownies so that we didn't have to be in the cold headed out of the city.
It was a wonderful Christmas surprise...so thankful that Italian Stallion knows me so well...knows that I so enjoying spending time with close friends...that he values relationships and making memories! He totally got somebrownie CAKE points this weekend!!!
I'll post more pictures on a facebook album for the fam:) So head on over there to "hear" more of the story:)
To be honest, I couldn't really understand how I'd find much "joy" out of going to the Windy City in the middle of almost freezing temperatures to walk long distances and shop in stores where we weren't going to buy much because, duh, we were having another baby...all the while I was still throwing up every morning..
I couldn't have been more wrong...
It started out as a one time trip, to something that we have tried to continue every other year or so...and I have thoroughly enjoyed it every time!
We went one year with my brother and his family...that time my sister in law got to enjoy the pleasures of walking Michigan Ave whilst waddling along at 7 months pregnant with TWINS:)
The last time we went was a huge American Girl experience...
Which brings us to this year...Italian Stallion decided that it was a good year to go and got us all psyched up for our 2012 adventure! We got the girls out of school because we don't let school get in the way of a quality education (wink, wink)...We started on the road around 7am on Sunday and Daddy wanted to push through until lunchtime...
It should have struck me odd that we stopped at mcDonalds, because we never go there...but, after 5 hours straight in the car, I wasn't complaining and neither were the girls...we piled out, ordered some chicken nuggets & fries and stretched our legs. Little did I know that Italian Stallion was strategically placing us in this particular restaurant...for no sooner had we ordered and sat down to inhale some fast food, than WHO should walk through the door???
HELLO...my BFF and her family...YIPPEE...
I had somewhat of a "blonde" moment when I said, "Oh my goodness, honey, look, they are having lunch at the same McDonalds as us in the middle of Indiana!!!"...Italian Stallion kinda looked at me for a minute...giving me the look of" "okay, now, let that process a minute...keep comin'..." And then I realized, "Oh wait a minute...THEY are going to Chicago too...wait...they are coming WITH US to Chicago...!!!"
Needless to say, Sara and I were jumping around hugging and squealing to the point that the whole restaurant wanted to know what was with the crazy commotion with a couple of almost 40 year old women and their gaggle of girls??? ((I do want to point out here that regardless of our age, my dear friend was TOTALLY HIT ON while we were out to dinner that very evening out on the town...but, I"ll get to that later))
Apparantly my dear I.S. and G had been in cahoots for about 3 months planning this trip...I'm still not sure how they kept it a secret from Sara or myself...because really, she and I had been talking and texting quite a bit in the weeks leading up to Chicago...
But, pull it off they did...and I couldn't have been more excited!!!
Italian Stallion got us rooms side by side at the Residence Inn downtown Chicago...we were provided fantastic breakfasts and delicious dinners...and swimming on the top floor,(the 27th to be exact) proved to be, once again, a highlight of our experience! I would highly recommend this hotel if you are ever in town:)
We did the usuals...shopping along Michigan Ave., pizza at Giordanos, chocolately treats at Ghiradelli's, American Girl & LEGO stores, looking at the christmas windows of Macy's down by the river...
But, the highlight for me this year, was getting to see the "bean" at Millenium Park and then ICE SKATING with all my girls...
We also added a trip to John Hancock Observatory...
The girls were exhausted by the time we
It was a wonderful Christmas surprise...so thankful that Italian Stallion knows me so well...knows that I so enjoying spending time with close friends...that he values relationships and making memories! He totally got some
I'll post more pictures on a facebook album for the fam:) So head on over there to "hear" more of the story:)
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