"If you can't say something nice,
don't say anything at all." -Thumper

I snapped this picture at Navy Pier last weekend.  

I tend to find myself with my foot in my mouth very often.  

I found this statue to be very appropriate.  

Saturday in the Chi

 Summer Saturdays in Chicago are my favorite.  There is only so much beautiful weather Chicago can handle, so when it's here, you need to take ADVANTAGE of it.  Last Saturday was Adam's work Summer Picnic.  It was a family oriented event and had a lot of kid friendly activities, along with beer and food for the adults.  Afterward, we decided to head to the lake front and I am so glad we did.  It was nice to stroll along and not have to be anywhere specific at a particular time.

 We walked along the Lake, and up to Navy Pier where we took the  boat tour onto Lake Michigan with the city skyline in the background.

 After our boat ride we went to Millenium Park to catch some of the Grant Park Music Festival.  It's 10 weeks of free music!  You can come and sit and picnic and just enjoy an evening in the heart of it all.

 Before our day was over, we stopped at the Bean of course to snap a fuzzy photo.

Reasons 456, I LOVE SUMMER.

Beatriz & Martin

Bea, one of my friends from work got married on July 22nd!  Her ceremony was downtown, so only a few got to go, but a few of us did make it to the wedding reception too.  Bea and her husband Martin are Mexican so  it was a big fiesta!  It was a great wedding, except for the fact that it was all in Spanish.  We couldn't understand any of the speeches.  At work, Bea is our go-to translator, and we NEEDED her.  Too bad, she was a bit busy.  You could tell how heartfelt all the speeches were though, by the tone and expressions of both Bea and Martin!  

AandE

 See, look, they even had a mariachi band!!!  Which I LOVED.  They were so good!!!

Marianne, Naureen, Mary, Me, Amy, Karen, Anita
A few of the ladies from Endo

 Here is one of their engagement photos... bet you can guess who was the first to sign it!!!

Bea made a beautiful bride.  I tried stealing a picture from Facebook, but it wouldn't work.  This is the best my little camera can do.  She was just gorgeous and I am so happy for her!

Congrats Beatriz and Martin!!!

Happy Anniversary

I have always adored this picture of my grandparents.  Framed in their bedroom, I remember sneaking in just to catch a glance at it.  There is just something about an old wedding photo I absolutely love.  

 Here they are 50 years later, on their wedding anniversary.

I miss them and their quirks a lot, and hope that they are happy in heaven.

Today July 18th, would have been something along the lines of 74 years together.

So Happy Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa!

Guts

I was able to work in the operating room the other day, and could not resist taking a picture of myself in my get-up.  Every now and then we are asked to scope in the OR, usually when the patient is morbidly obese, or so sick, we know we would more than likely have to intubate.  In this case, the patient was having a hernia repair, and we were going to follow looking at her small bowel through an enterescope.  I was in OR heaven.  Briefly, we had a few minutes while we waited on another doctor.  Cue Erica, and her dumb questions... What's this?  Is that fat?  Can you show me stuff?  And the doctor whom I work with often, obliged, showing me the patients liver, appendix, small bowel, large bowel, and stomach.  Talk about better than a text book.  Seriously, it was incredibly fascinating and I will never forget it!

'The human body is the only machine for which there are no spare parts.'~Hermann M. Biggs

Burger Fest Year 2

Burger Fest 2011 on 7/9 was yet another big HIT!  Not as wild and crazy as last year, but FUN none the less.  I had my share of burgers, fabulous side dishes made by Andrea, a round of beer pong, followed by a round of Flip Cup, (WINNER in both areas!!), no applause please, and chit chatting with people I didn't know, and some I did.  

Andrea and I in our party shirts!

I felt sick after eating this entire hamburger.  

We finished the keg again, the only thing missing from Dave is Amanda's sunglasses.

Thanks to Andrea and Dave for hosting another fabulous summer par-tay!!!
Look forward to year #3!

A New Friend

Ok, so I have about had it with wildlife in my backyard these days.  I heard some squeaking coming from my lil' cockapoos mouth the other day, and wouldn't you know it, I look, and a tail is dangling out.  I freaked for about 1/2 a second trying to figure out what I should do.  Lucas ran around in pure delight while I decided my next move.  I caught him, and pried open his mouth, revealing this lil' guy.  

I mean come on... so far we dealt with a possum like creature, snakes, deer, birds, and now this.

He was still alive so I scooped him up and brought him to the back where he scurried away.

We wish him the best!

The Fourth

I did what I love to do on the fourth of July this year.  I played some badminton, I watched some baseball, and I went to see the fireworks.  It was a fun filled day of sun and fun.

Reason #378 I LOVE SUMMER!!!

Look at the funny Harry Carey blow up man in the box.  Love it!  And had to have my picture with it!

Waiting for the fireworks to start!!!

Baby Benjamin

Look at me and Ben!!!

Alyssa and Mike had a baby boy on May 31st.  I was introduced to him last week, and I love him.

Isn't he super precious!?

cOnGrAts to the new parents!