Pat and Renee's Wedding Day

On August 21st, 2010 my cousin Patrick tied the knot with Renee in Hayward, Wisconsin. Adam and I left at 4 a.m. that morning... by 7 a.m we finished ham sandwiches, Twizzlers, muffins, 5 hour energy drinks, and were chugging along. We made it there about 10:30 and rested just a bit before the 1:30 ceremony.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day outside. They could not have asked for better weather. I was privileged to get a glimpse of the bride pre-ceremony, she looked beautiful. I don't have one bad word to say about Renee. She seems to me to have a heart of gold. I think they are a perfect match and am so glad to call her a cousin now!

Hannah, my cousin, and I obviously have the same taste in fashion.

So happy I got this picture of the bride and groom after the cake cutting!!!

Cousins all around!

No matter where you turned there was stuffed animal somewhere. They wouldn't stop looking at me. ewww.

Me and Aunt Jean... mother of the groom. She seemed to glow the entire day!!!

Congratulations Pat and Renee!

May you have much love and health all the rest of your years!

.school daze.

Today was the first day of school here. I was awakened by screaming kids excited for their first important day. It was so cute. I walked the pups just so that I could be a part of the action. Funny how the first day brings the parents together along with the kids. Moms were talking to other moms. Dads talking to other dads. Dogs on leashes seeing their little co-owners off to school. Pictures being taken in the newest outfit and backpacks. I couldn't help but be reminiscent about all my first days and how exciting it was to meet the teacher and see all my friends again.

It makes me think about the choices I have made with regards to my career path. Teaching was always at the top of my list of things I wanted to do. Luckily, a big chunk of nursing is exactly that... teaching. But it's not the same. To teach a child to read, to add 2 numbers, to write their name, to be there the first time it clicks, and so much more has to be one of the most rewarding things one can do. I give it up to today's teachers who juggle so much more than they have too. Overpopulated class rooms, depletion of supplies, demanding parents, and kids who aren't always sweethearts.

Cheers to them and to the new school year!

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.

~Henry Brooks Adams

Cheesecake Reunion

Yesterday night Vicki, Alisa, Jessica, and I got together at Cheesecake Factory for dinner.

We hadn't seen Jessica in over 5 years at least, and we were saying good bye to Vicki as she travels back to Hawaii. It was a night of reminiscing and catching up.

Oddly enough, Alisa and I wore pretty much the same thing.

Cackling and Laughing

Look Look Look!!!!!!!!!!!

Katie, my roommate roommate, came to visit from the college program last Friday! I call her that, because out of the 6 total girls in the one apartment, her and I shared a room. I was nearly jumping out of my skin in anticipation when I was at the airport picking her up... we laughed and cackled til the minute I drove her to her work event on Sunday!!!

Her only request while being in the Chicagoland area... Portillos. Adam and I happily obliged.

Here's Katie with Lucas. He loves her.

This is before I drove Katie away to the real reason she came to Chicago.

Work.

Who cares, I had a shopping partner, a bowling partner, and my roommate roommate back for 2 days!

Happy 6-0!

Uncle Zip and Auntie Fran turn 60 years old this month. They married in August and both their birthdays fall in the month as well. So, Troy and Lisa and Keith and Ericka, my cousins threw them a surprise party!

It's always fun seeing family.

Adam and I ruled the school at Bags, for the most part... and a good time was had by all.

There was enough food to feed an army which is what always happens when you put Polish people with Italians. Fine by me.

So a very big Happy Birthday Uncle Zip and Aunt Fran!!!

Enjoy Enjoy Enjoy!

Gagapalooza

Lollapalooza Weekend in Chicago was August 6th-8th. Katie got 2 VIP tickets and chose to give them to me... in turn I chose to bring Amanda to the big event. BASICALLY, we went for one and only ONE reason, and it was to see LaDy GaGa! Now, I wouldn't call myself a huge Gaga fan but I was super pumped to see her. Lolla is really not my kind of venue. I much rather have a seat and air conditioning and the use of flush toilets... rather than standing in a muddy field surrounded by hot, drunk, cigarette/pot smoking people. But I couldn't pass up this opportunity of course.

When we first got there we made our way backstage. This was super exciting as I have never been backstage to anything before. There was alcohol and food, and wouldn't you know it, bathrooms, clean ones!!! We saw Gaga's wigs get wheeled by, as well as her wardrobe. Even though most of the show she is prancing around in her underwear. We put on our puppy dog faces and stood with the body guards trying to get a glimpse of her, and hoping they'd take some pity on us and introduce us to her. That did not happen, but we did get to see her thru a small opening of a door. It counts. And she was normal as could be which was interesting to see. We got to see all of her back up dancers, and a lot of men that looked like women and lot of women that looked like men.

There was really no particular area for us VIP'ers to stand. Apparently we were not as VIP as others because we didn't get to the super front and center... but that's ok. After multiple attempts to try and sneak in front and center, a guy with a mullet kept kicking us out. We ended up going back into the crowd of 80,000 or so and stood far left of the stage. As I fended off all the drunks, getting beer spilled on me every time I turned around... Amanda was a dancing fool. I danced to the songs I knew.

"Less time being wasted... more GAGA." -Amanda-

She played for 2 hours. And it was amazing. People tend to have mixed feelings about Gaga. You love her or you hate her. I think she is brilliant. She's young and she's smart and she makes a lot of money screaming out words that don't make much sense, but people pay to see. Yes, she's strange. But who cares if you remember her. She is very much into Equal Rights for everyone... and Jesus loves everyone... and people made fun of me in high school... but look at me now... Why she has a bleeding crucifix on stage still baffles me, it's all positive, until that point... I can see why people can be turned off by that. I was. But then she played Poker Face and I forgot about it.

Some quotes of the night from the lady that made me chuckle:

"Hello, my little monsters... I'm LADDDDDYYYY GAGGGGGGAAAAA!!!

"Hi Dad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" "Look, I'm famous DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Dance, mother f*ckers, DANCE!!!"

"I know you all know this little sing a long!" -and then she sang Telephone... so excited!

"I love Tommy because Tommy loves American girls... and I also love Tommy because Tommy loves American boyyyyyyyysssssssss!"

"Jesus is pretty popular... he might actually be those most popular man there ever was!

We had a great time though... and we thank Katie for Paloozing us.... We were so happy attending the Monster Ball!!!