Sweet Home Chicago

Sunday, February 27, 2011

We've Got Talent

Well, at least my co-workers and I do.

Friday night, my school network had their annual talent show. Each school sends two student acts, plus a faculty act. Being a team player.... I volunteered to be a part of the faculty act. We did a variety type act with speaking and dancing. Basically our theme was patriotism because my school is known as the Veterans Memorial Campus. So, our speaking parts told the history of our mascot (the wildcat)... not the animal, but the 81st Infantry from WWII. Then three of my colleagues did a tap dance to "The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B", and then the rest of us did a military type dance to the White Stripes "Seven Nation Army".

We had practice after school a few times each week since the beginning of January, so needless to say.... we were kind of dedicated. haha

I was pretty impressed with the talent some of the kids and teachers had! Our biggest competition was from the network's newest school. Their music teacher and a few others took Justin Bieber's "Baby" and re-wrote all of the lyrics to be about their school.... it was really good... and really funny!

But, they ended up getting 3rd place.... and WE WON!!! Ahhhh!! haha I think we won because our act was a little educational, school spirited, and we had about 15 faculty members in it (they like that). On top of that, one of our student acts won as well! My school cleaned up pretty well that night. We had a lot of fun!! (Sorry I don't have any picts yet, I fully expect to get an e-mail with several attached here soon.)

Here in a few minutes I'm heading to LaPorte for my cousin's baby shower. Kaitlyn was born about 2 months ago, but we decided to do it afterwards so everyone can meet her. I'm excited b/c I haven't been able to see her yet, and my mom is always bragging about how often she sees her. haha

Speaking of babies though... I seriously know about 11 babies that are going to be born this year! Craziness! But, the most recent was our dear friend Rachael (who lives in Texas) she just gave birth to her son Noah. We are soooo excited for them. AND... Rox is about to go any day now, we are so pumped to meet baby Nora! Brandy is due in June, Alex's cousin is due in July, Ellen is due in Sept.... I'm on baby overload! haha But, its fun and I haven't ever really been around a lot of babies, other than the 32 I'm with all day, but that's a little different-so I'm excited!

Well, I'm off to the shower. Hope everyone enjoys the last few days of February. Spring is on its way... soon I hope!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

UPDATE!

My school network just cancelled school for the rest of the week! This is pure craziness!! And so begins my looong weekend! :) Not going to complain.... haha

Surviving the Blizzard of 2011

Surviving is the key word there because its still not over! For the first time since 1999 CPS (Chicago Public Schools) cancelled school today... wahoo! I have no idea how I was going to get there.... train it I guess, but that would have been AWFUL. My school let us know first thing yesterday morning that school would be cancelled today, so planning ahead I brought home with me some extra grading to keep me occupied.

Last night they let us leave a little early, 3:00. So I headed out right away on my usual path of Lake Shore Drive. Things were going pretty well until I got to the Field Museum, then it slowed down quite a bit. We crawled the entire way, until I got right around the two sharp curves (my exit is about 1/4 of mile from there) and then it was a STAND STILL. At this point I had been in the car for a little over 2 hours. I finally made it into the exit lane and it was slow. It took me about an hour and a half to get from those sharp curves to home. Alex was watching the news and communicating to me what was going on. Basically, cars couldn't make it up a hill on LSD and were sliding backward, causing the stand still. I finally made it home after a 3 1/2 hour drive. (Usually it takes me 30 min.) About an hour after I got home they officially closed down LSD. I am sooooooo thankful they let us leave at 3:00, if it would have been our usual time of 4:00, I would have slept in my car on the road. The road still isn't open and they are towing all of the cars that were stranded last night.

However, my wonderful hubby was preparing for this. He called me just as I was exiting and said he was getting ready to pack a bag (food, blankets, etc) so he could walk and meet up with me as I was stranded on the road, he knew I wouldn't want to leave my car. haha Awwww! Luckily, it didn't get to that. It continued to snow all night, and this is what we woke up to this morning.

I think we might be here for a while.

My car is 2nd front the right in the first row.

In other news.... we went back a few times this month for exciting events. First was Rox and Baby Nora's shower. Below are some pictures of that.

Lindsey and her baby Adeline. Poor Adeline was not feeling so well this day and tuckered out on mom. :) How precious!

Mama Rox!

The Standeford's first baby... Jersey. She is such a good pup!

We made it back the week after the shower for the Purdue vs. Michigan State game with two of our friends from Chicago that went to State.

Way to make us proud Boilers!

And.... before all of our hopes and dreams were crushed the view of a more pleasant drive down Lake Shore.

The next round of snow has just begun. I hope everyone is staying warm and inside out there. Alex made the trip to work late this morning, but he had a fairly easy commute since the trains are running pretty good today. Hopefully, he takes off early this afternoon.

February sure knows how to make an entrance!

Monday, January 10, 2011

NYE in NYC and other fun

Our trip to Connecticut/ New York was great, quick, but still great. It was so nice getting to see my long lost pal Meredith and getting to spend some actual time with her!

We got in to Connecticut Thursday (Dec. 30) night. Friday, we drove to Stamford (where we stayed) and caught the train into the city. We spent a lot of time walking around and getting ourselves oriented. We had lunch a Carnegie Deli (biggest sandwiches I have ever seen, I would most def go back), then walked by Central Park, and made our way to the area where the concert was. We stopped by a bar called McGee's, which for those of you who are tv people, like myself, is the bar in "How I Met Your Mother"... well its "based" off of this bar. They had pictures of the cast, but honestly I didn't think it looked much like it.... disappointing.

Saturday, Alex and I came back to the city earlier to meet up with my cousin Adriane and her boyfriend Kevin for brunch. Adriane is a New Yorker, so I definitely wanted to meet up her while we were there. We went to a cute place in her neighborhood that had a great brunch.

Later that afternoon we met back up with Mere and Miles to take a double decker bus tour of the city. It was unseasonably warm that weekend (lucked out!) so we rode on the upper level. It was really neat. We got to see different areas of the city we otherwise would not have seen. We rode by the Empire State Building, Madison Square Garden, Little Italy, and Ground Zero. It was a good time- Alex and I are already talking about wanting to go back for a longer amount of time- so we can see and do it all!

But, now its back to work mode. :( The first week back went well, I think everyone was pretty exhausted. We took a field trip to the Shedd on Friday, the kids had a great time and I was again... exhausted! haha

This past weekend we had "game night" with the Stinson's and then traveled to LaPorte Sunday for Kirsten's 4th birthday party. It was a princess theme and she was dressed up as Snow White- too cute!

We're really looking forward to this coming weekend because we'll be heading back home for the Standeford's baby shower and then we are going to Plainfield to spend some more time with them. We haven't seen them since October and I am dying to see that preggo belly in person! Two more months... ahh I can't believe it!!

Also, speaking of babies BRANDY IS PREGNANT!!!! WAHOO!! By two besties are both preggo.... oh man! She's due in June (and finds out if its a boy or girl later this month). We are so excited for her and Kyle!!

And last, but definitely not least... my cousin's baby Kaitlyn Virginia was born last Wednesday, January 5. I haven't met her yet, but have seen lots and lots of picts (thank you Facebook). She is sooo tiny, lots of hair, and without a doubt adorable! We haven't had a baby in the family for awhile, so she will be getting lots and lots of attention! I hope to make a stop by their house when we're back this weekend.

Wo- long blog, sorry guys! Enjoy the picts below!