I've Been a Bad Blogger

So sorry to all of you who check in on us regularly to see what we've been up to. I promise we are still here... I've just been neglecting our little blog.

So, to make the past 2 months short and sweet, here are some bullet points:

• Christmas- We went back to Indiana for the holidays. Like always, it was super busy, but we got to see most of our family and friends as well. I even got to spend some quality time with Brandy and sweet Baby Kayleigh, I miss those girls!
• NYE- We rang in the New Year with our dear friends the Standefords (all 3 of them). A few pictures below.
• Kirsten turns 5! January 7th was Kirsten's (our soon to be niece) birthday. I can't believe she is already 5! When we first met her she was about to turn 2.... its been so neat getting to see her grow into the wonderful little person she is.
• Bulls Game- Alex and I went to our first Bulls game! It was so fun! I've been to 1 Pacers game in the past, but NBA games are really fun! I like that they have a faster pace (last about 2 hours) and there is a lot of entertainment during the entire thing- especially by Benny the Bull.
• Extended Day- When we returned to school about 3 weeks ago we started our extended day schedule. We've added 30 minutes to our school day. This has been a big deal in Chicago because CPS has the shortest school day in the country. Now, I don't work for a CPS school, so our school day was the typical 7 hours (with kids), but they were offering all schools, even charters an incentive to add time to their day... so we took it. It was an adjustment at first, but I'm used to it now. However, when the kids get home I'm sure they are exhausted... I know I am!
• That's about it for us. We really don't have too much going on in the near future, its been nice being able to relax a little more on the weekends and not running around everywhere!

Picture Time!

Visiting the Standefords!

Happy, Happy Birthday!

Bulls Game

Nashville

The Friday after Thanksgiving Alex and I took a short trip down to Nashville with our friends Stacey and Nick. Stacey teaches with me, and Alex has become good friends with her husband, Nick over the three years that we've worked together.

We had a blast checking out different parts of Nashville and spending our evenings at the honky tonks.

It definitely makes me hope these next four years go by quickly so we can HOPEFULLY make a move from the Windy City to the Music City. (Alex has to practice law in Illinois for 5 years to gain recriprocity with other states... aka not have to retake the Bar in another state). So basically, I have a mental countdown going on until we can leave Illinois. #1 on my list of places I would like to move to... Nashville. I like how it is much more easy going, affordable, milder climate, still a drivable distance to Lafayette, and the list goes on...

Here are some pictures from our trip.

Nick got an awesome deal on two rooms at the Indigo. We stayed at one in San Diego too. I highly recommend them... very nice rooms!! Alex and I got a suite.... not sure how that happened, but we'll take it!

Our view

Night #1 at the Cadillac Ranch

Nick was the brave one in our group... karaoke singing and mechanical bull riding! He sang "Queen of My Double Wide Trailer" haha Stacey was touched I'm sure.... :)

Waiting for our tour at Belle Meade Plantation

Our boots!! We love, love, love our boots! Alex has already worn them here in Chicago... and to take the trash out in. The trend will catch on here...

Night #2 at Robert's... the guy behind Stacey was there with his 9 year old son. Low and behold... they are from Chicago and the little boy goes to a school right by Stacey's parents' house! haha Small world!

I know... kids at a honky tonk?? Apparently this is allowed at some of them, we saw kids at quite a few of them.

They were really taking the whole cowboy thing seriously....

Busy Week

This has been quite the week for us! I know I posted about our happenings last weekend (the play and Bears game), but our busy schedules continued....

Monday, Alex and I got to go to an awards banquet for my school network because I was chosen as the teacher of the year at my school. :) Can you believe it? haha I feel super honored to be chosen, especially because I think I work with some amazing teachers! But none the less, I am very appreciative of being recognized for my hard work. The awards banquet was held at the Fairmont Hotel downtown. There was a cocktail hour and dinner. We even got to meet the mayor of Chicago. It was a pretty cool night.

I've been staying late all week at school because of early parent/ teacher conferences and our monthly Family Literacy Night. Then, today I was there again all day (yes, on my Saturday) doing conferences. I have conferences Monday night (b/c Monday during the day we have meetings/ professional development all day), then all day on Tuesday. However, I do get Wednesday off because I went in today.

We are hoping to head home Wednesday for Thanksgiving, but it depends on Alex's work schedule. He may have to do a trial out of our county, so if this happens we'll already be on the road and will just head home right after that. I'm hoping this is the case.

The holidays are always busy for us now that we get to celebrate 2 of everything. We are doing a lunch Thanksgiving with my family, and then we are heading over to Camden to do dinner with Alex's family. I see a lot of laughs and board games in our future! :)

Then, Friday morning we are heading down to Nashville, TN! Yes, one week from right now.... I will be sitting in a honky tonk on Broadway St. wearing my new boots (hopefully), with a rum and coke belting out country tunes! haha Can't wait!! I just need to survive this long week I've had and will continue to have until Tuesday.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Sorry Dad.... the Bears really laid the hammer down on your Lions.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel

That's me getting my award from our "superintendent" type position and our CEO.

November Fun

On the 29th of October I participated in my first 5K.... well sort of.... Each year the school network I work for has a 5K for el dia de los muertos (Day of the Dead). I've volunteered in the past, but this year I walked it with a few of my teacher friends from work. Other than getting up at 5:45 on a Saturday (yay a I got to sleep in 20 minutes!) it was a really good time. The picture below is just some neat decorations they decorated the school yard with.

This past weekend we hosted game night with our friends Stacey and Nick. We always have a blast getting to hang out with the Stinson's. I would say Alex and I are fairly big game people. It all started back in the day with Jake and Rox..... they got us hooked. Then while we lived up in Wrigley with Lucas and Allison we would have frequent euchre battles at Murphy's Bleachers on Monday nights (it used to be wing night). Now, it seems like this is how we spend our family get togethers on the holidays as well. haha I guess there is a good chance that we will be those old people who always show up for the weekly card games. :)
This week our game of choice was Balderdash. Sooo fun, especially if you play with some funny people. The crazy things you can come up with....

My parents are coming up to stay the night with us tomorrow. Mom is on vacation, so they have decided to come and visit. Since Alex and I both have to work Wednesday, it will be short visit, but we'll go out to dinner and chat for the evening.

We have a busy weekend coming up, actually most of them for the rest of the month are like that. This weekend one of my students is participating in a play at a children's theater here in the city, so we are going on Saturday to watch that. Then Sunday, thanks to the Butera family we are going to the Bears/ Lions game at Soldier Field. Very excited about this! I've been to a few pre-season games before, but never to an actual game that counts during the season.

The weekend after all of these fun things is Parent/ Teacher Conferences. I have them Saturday, Monday evening, and Tuesday. Since I am coming in Saturday I get the Wednesday before Thanksgiving off. We'll be home for a quick trip for Turkey Day, but then we are off to Nashville, TN for the rest of that weekend with Stacey and Nick. I'm super pumped about this! I've got my eyes on the buy 1 get 2 free cowboy boot deal. :) Its going to be a weekend full of country music and honky tonks! Awesome!

Like I said, our weekends are looking pretty busy. That always seems to happen this time of year, but I'm looking forward to it all!