The Clubhouse

Amanda, Andrea, and I braved the weather warnings and ventured to The Clubhouse on Saturday at Oakbrook. We have been there once before for our Christmas dinner, and thought it would be fun to venture there again. It's very rare that I get to see these two lovely ladies at one time, so I was looking forward to it, rain or shine, or slushy, rainy, snowy coldness. We had dinner, drinks, and did our Christmas exchange!

Can't wait to see them again!

Merry Christmas!!!

Our New Toy

So we shoveled our driveway one time, one week ago, and quickly started looking for a snow blower soon after. One stage, two stage, electric start, big, little.. blah blah blah...

And alas, here it is, our new toy... our Snow Thrower!

Adam is warming up with the boys following the first go around!!!

.my KINDA town.

Isn't Chicago just beautiful?

View from the women's bathroom on top of the John Hancock Building.

Adam and Morgen's Birthday

December 5th was Adam and Morgen's 29th Birthday... and it was a special one!

Morgen came all the way from Alaska to surprise Adam. After months of lies, and scheming on November 30th, I secretly picked up Morgen from the airport, drove her back to our house with minutes to spare before Adam got home. Adam came in the garage door, Morgen went out the back door and around the house. 10 minutes later the doorbell rang... "Who could that be, Adam??" The above picture is minutes after the big reveal!

If you have seen the video footage, you know that Adam's first question was "Do you wanna go bowling!!!?" So funny... of course we went bowling!

Why Hello Bean, and Merry Christmas!

Hancock Christmas Tree

We checked something off my personal bucket list!!!

Having a drink in the Signature room in the Hancock Building!!!

The 95th floor to be exact.

We had a small snow storm and found out our little pup Lucas loves loves loves the snow!!!!

And on Sunday we traveled to Milwaukee to meet up with the "Serks" family! So So fun!!!

Bears WIN!!!

All in all a successful trip.

MORGEN COME BACK!!!

1st Christmas in Our New Home

25 Reasons I am Thankful this Year

1. I am thankful that my mom is CANCER FREE. Lymph nodes, colon, liver, and all.

2. I am thankful that all of my girlfriends have found some pretty awesome boyfriends to call their husbands. As I reflect on all the men my friends have chosen to become their better halves, I smile.

3. I am thankful for Lucas, who jumps 4 feet in the air into my arms every time I come home. And I am also thankful for Charlie, who tries to jump that high!

4. I am thankful that football is not year long.

5. I am thankful for my husband who I think about all the time when we are apart, and stare at in adoration when we are together.

6. I am thankful that I have a good job in a good hospital with good people.

7. I am thankful when a patient goes out of their way to thank me for doing what I do.

8. I am thankful for 5 girls who live across the country that I speak to on an almost daily basis. The Flossers keep me grounded, and keep me happy.

9. I am thankful for the people who choose to be in our Armed Forces to help protect and stand up for our country.

10. I am equally thankful to their families.

11. I am thankful for my dad... and the funny things he says... "I don't know what it is, when I see a pen I have to have it!" -he is a pen stealing fool.

12. I am thankful we can put hot food on the table on a daily basis, and are able to splurge on a steak every now and then.

13. I am thankful for Massage Envy, which I have been sucked into and love.

14. I am thankful for old people. Their stories and their faces enlighten me.

15. I am thankful that my friend Stephanie is okay. I don't know what happened exactly, but I know she is off a ventilator and on her way to recovery in the hospital right now.

16. I am thankful for my health. I take it too much for granted, and really need to start treating my body better.

17. I am thankful that my mom and dad have such great, amazing friends. It's always nice to hear when they have dinner or vacation plans with them.

18. I am thankful for my brothers and sisters, in-laws, half, and step, but all the same!!!

19. I am thankful that thru modern technology I am able to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, and reconnect with people I have lost touch with.

20. I am thankful that I have a place to go to on Thanksgiving Day.

21. I am thankful for my friends, whom I don't get to see a whole lot, but when I do, it was like I just saw them yesterday.

22. I am thankful that I am 98 percent done Christmas shopping!

23. I am thankful that I am able to donate my time, my blood, and my money to those who need it most.

24. I am thankful for surprises and the joy that they bring.

25. I am thankful to be a homeowner to a beautiful new home.

Most of all I am thankful for every breathe God chooses to give me. And every person He allows me to spend my life with!

It's a Boy thing

Upon baking some cookies last Sunday, I couldn't help but giggle at my husband. Here he is playing Madden on his PS3 with his best friend Scott. Apparently, you can get connected online somehow and they can play against each other states apart. Now, you ask, why did I laugh... well, you can't see this but Adam has a blue tooth in his ear and he is talking to Scott as they play. Observing this was just hilarious. How different my conversations are with my friends. As the game got heated and curse words were shouted, trash talking each other, and nearly jumping off the couch every few seconds, Adam would get very serious, and ask... "hey, how's your mom doing?" Although I couldn't hear what Scott was saying, I could hear the silence as Adam listened intently to the answer Scott gave. Okay, now some more shouting and flipping out about how this team is better than that team, Adam would answer, "oh she is good, she's out of the hospital, cancer free. They think she has some heart problems, so they are doing testing." Apparently, Scott had asked about my mother. This went on for an hour. And I thought it was just the cutest thing! As a woman, it was pretty entertaining to hear how they were conversing. Just the same as my friends and I would, but in a boy kinda way.

Beth Visits

Beth made a quick pit stop at our home last Friday. She was here for business, and spent the night at our house, leaving Chicago Saturday morning. Adam knows Beth from back in his Hyatt days. We went out to dinner at Claim Jumper. The visit was too short, but she promised she would be back!

complaints.

Things Today That I Find Annoying...

1. Today, I spent $32.47 on 10.6 gallons of gas. What the.... I remember when it only cost 15 dollars to fill my whole tank.

2. The lady at the mall wouldn't clean my wedding band on Sunday due to 2 loose stones. Ummm, I have been married 1.5 years, and my stones are loose and wearing down. So glad Bailey Banks and Biddle is out of business now and I CAN NOT use the warranty Adam paid extra for.

3. If one more person asks me if I want a baby, I think I am going to pinch them super hard under the inside of their arm... this includes you random lady at Kohls, who just because I smile at your kid, doesn't mean you can ask, don't you want one just like him?

4. Back to price changes... today I also spent $79.80 on postage stamps, half for everyday use and half for Christmas cards!!!! Puh-leese. 44 cents to send a greeting is outrageous.

5. The boys had their hair cuts today, and while giving the usual speech to them about how they need to be careful Charlie doesn't attack them they let me know that earlier, they had a puppy, a Shepard mix who was placed in a brown bag and left at the side of the road. I mean come on people. Bring the dog to a shelter at least. I can not believe people have this in them to do to a living creature. They deserve a special place at the side of the road if you ask me.

ok, done.

Harvest Fest 2010

November 6th was the annual Harvest Fest my sister and brother in law put on at their home in Rochelle. It is an afternoon of food, fellowship, bingo, and a hayride.

She prepared 40lbs...yes, 40lbs of meat for chili. She also had chicken noodle soup, and tons of desserts. Basically, they invite everyone they know, and this has been their tradition for the past 10 years or so.

This was Adam's first Harvest Fest and he was excited, asking this poor woman 101 questions about horses... how much do they weigh? are they girls or boys? are they brother and sister? what do they eat?

My favorite part was holding baby Jeremiah. He is covering his face and camera shy for Adam and I, but not here below for Uncle Jordan!

After the sun went down, it was my goal to try and win at Bingo... but wouldn't you know it, 27 years on this Earth and still no win. The candy was plentiful though.

CW is 7, I think!

October 15th, Adam and I have had Charlie for 1 whole year! It's hard to believe our 5 lb. wonder has been in our lives for one year already. I never thought I could love another 4 legged creature so soon after Rascal died. And here I am, in love. Neither Charlie or Lucas will ever replace Rascal, nor any other dog, but they bring such a joy to my life.

Charlie has such a strong little spirit about him. He simply fell into our laps and made us smile and for that I am grateful.

Our Florida dog brings us sunshine every single day!

Happy Birthday Charlie... whenever your real birthday is we do not know, but we will celebrate the day we crossed paths this day!

Grow!!!

Don't mean to brag, but I have a total of 9 blooms now.

Just saying.

Graduation Day

LUCAS: Self Portrait

Sunday October 17th, Lucas graduated from Puppy School at PetSmart.

He really excelled thru out this 8 week class, behaving like a gentleman in class, and in class only. Really though, if we didn't have crazy Charlie at home teaching him all the wrong things, I think we would have a perfectly behaved dog.

Visiting his cat friends.

Lucas' Puppy Class.

Lucas with his cap and tassel!

Outside with his certificate!

Lucas can now, sit, lay, do puppy push ups, roll over, stay, and come when called.

Wowwee!

5 GUYS

How good do these burgers look? Mine is above nice and neat... Adam's is below nice and messy!!! This weekend we also made a stop at Five Guys. The best burger place EVER! Adam introduced me to this fine establishment when we first started dating. It was a must go to every time I traveled to Virginia... it was only a matter of time before it came to the Chi.

Made for each other!

Oh dear!

An artistic photo of Adam's hand reaching for the fries.

Goebberts

This past Saturday we risked our lives and went to Goebberts Pumpkin Farm. It was a beautiful day, and when you pair a beautiful fall day with 2 weeks before Halloween... you get a crazy swarm of people, overpriced pumpkins, and a whole lot of chaos.

Who cares!?

It was fun, and I got to show Adam where I picked pumpkins when I was little.

Don't Cinderella and Prince Charming look a little angry with each other?

Isn't that just something how a pumpkin grows?

The land mark of Goebberts!

Birthday Wishes for Lucas

Happy Birthday Lucas!!!!

Lucas turned 1 on October 4th!

Puppy no more!!!

Loukie Poo my cockapoo celebrated his birthday with being allowed to run around the house with this inside tube of wrapping paper and not getting yelled at, dog food from a can, a new toy, and a big pat on the head!!!

Brownies were eaten by his proud owners!

Welcome Jeremiah Marshall

October 1st, 2010 my great nephew came into this world.

He is the precious product of my nephew Jeremy and his girlfriend Kim.

They are young parents, but they have a lot of support from their families. They will be great. Jeremiah Marshall will be loved.

He puts a smile on all of our faces.

October 3rd, was their baby shower. As Jeremiah wasn't supposed to arrive til October 10th, he was able to attend.

Here's Jeremiah with his Great Busia.

What a sweet sweet 2 day old bitty baby.

And here they are the proud parents...

pictured at Rachael and Ryan's wedding.

"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart."

-Jeremiah 1:5