I'm going to be out of town most of the week which means there isn't much on the menu. It also means that I went to the store and stocked up on frozen pizzas for Joe. (He could live on a steady diet of pizza.) All recipes this week are from Real Simple.
I spent the day today with a friend from back "home." Sandi is in town with her husband Dave and baby Chandler. (Dave is here for a conference.) So I picked Sandi up at her hotel and we went to an African restaurant for lunch. It was a first for me so I'm glad I had someone to show me the ropes. (Sandi lived in Africa for a couple years.) It was so nice to see a familiar face and to catch up...And it was fun to try something new. Thanks, Sandi!!
I heard Elie Wiesel speak tonight. He was very soft-spoken, combine that with his accent, and I had trouble hearing at times. But his message was still understood. He spoke about faith, hope and peace. It was good to hear him speak. Even after withstanding so much unthinkable human suffering and pain he still thought the world could be a better place. And that he could contribute to that. And so can we.
One of the many perks of living here are all the many things to do, like book readings. Tonight my dutiful husband and I went downtown to hear Candace Bushnell read an excerpt from her newest book. It was a lot of fun to hear her read and then do a Q&A before signing books. Many of my questions were answered. And, yes, Mr. Big is a real person!
I made a vegetable soup tonight and it turned out great. Below are the ingredients:
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 large zucchini, cut into bite-size pieces
1 large yellow squash, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 pound green beans, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups corn kernels (cut from 2 ears, or frozen)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper
1/4 cup fresh dill sprigs
Combine the broth, cannellini beans, zucchini, yellow squash, green beans, corn, onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat, covered for 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the dill.
My cousin, Terrie (my mom's first-cousin) took me out for a girls' day today. We started out with shopping downtown and then to a French-Vietnamese restaurant for lunch. After lunch we hit more shops in Andersonville, Lakeview and Wicker Park. I'm exhausted...but in a good way!
Monday: leftovers (mini-burgers and couscous salad)
Tuesday: garlicky broiled salmon and tomatoes
Wednesday: vegetable soup and bread
Thursday: chicken with tomatoes and thyme
Friday: leftovers or out
Joe recently told me about a mall in the area that I had no idea existed. (If only I had driven a little bit further down one of the streets I'm on all the time I would have found it.) So Thursday morning I set out to find it and spent a couple hours exploring. It's not a particularly fancy mall but it's at least somewhat comprable to what I'm used to and I found many of the stores I like to visit inside so I'm calling it a success. Call me crazy but it almost gave me such a rush to find it. I think I like to pretend I'm so far from civilization living where we do. And, yes, I realize how ridiculous that may sound to you but sometimes you just want to be within walking distance of a train. (Although this would be the time and place to tell you that we have an amazing Target nearby which is HUGE and you have to take an escalator just to walk inside. Love it.) Anyway, I feel so much better knowing I'm just a few short minutes away from shopping!
Last night we met Joe's dad and Lynn for an improvised Shakespeare show at i.O. It was super funny and I can't believe how talented people are in order to do this kind of thing - wow! The theatre was in Wrigleyville and right around the corner from the stadium. The Cubs just finished playing (this is where I happily add that they were beat by the Cardinals!) so the streets were litered with people and it seemed like one huge party. I'll have to admit, the energy and excitement of it just seemed like so much fun.
This afternoon we are heading to the Museum of Contemporary Art and maybe a movie.
Joe's favorite living private detective author has died. Joe's dream came true when he had dinner with him a few years ago. Our dog, Crumley will live on in his memory.
There's a lot of things you have to get used to when you're newly married. One of them is sharing. I share Joe's laptop in the spare room and, since I have free reign of it most of the day while he's at work, I just leave myself signed into my Google and Blogger accounts. (And since I've never shared a computer before that's just how I roll.) I don't know why but this really bugs Joe because when he goes to use those accounts he always has to sign me out first. He has taken it upon himself to "hijack" my blog twice now this week to teach me a lesson. He has written blogs about how I need to log myself out and another about how much I hate reality television and something about how smart my husband is...okay, okay. I will try to sign out. Geesh. So a word of warning to my readers, if you see anything suspicious it's probably not really from me. Suspicious as in the fact that I will probably never write about how reality television rots my brains. Sigh.
It's probably obvious to anyone who reads my blog that I'm a food person. I love to try new restaurants. Now that I live here, I could eat somewhere new every day and still never run out of places to go. (Although my waistline and wallet would not approve.) Tonight my father-in-law (sounds weird to say that), who is in town for a conference, took us here. Delicious.
We took the L downtown and got off at the nearest stop and walked the rest of the way to the restaurant. I have spent my summer being in flip flops and, for the last couple of weeks, Chucks. Neither would suit my attire tonight so I picked out heels. I opted for a "comfortable" pair. Well apparently a lot has changed. My feet are no longer conditioned the way they once were and heels are now made for sitting but not walking several blocks. By the time we reached the restaurant I had already rubbed blisters on the bottom of both of my feet. Joe says I need to become like the other city women and wear tennis shoes until I reach my destination. I think he's right. Needless to say, we took a cab once we left the restaurant.
In other news, I spend most of my days doing small tasks around the house and running errands. I also spend a great portion of my time, each and every day, job searching and applying for jobs. Not once since I've been here has someone contacted me about a job. It's really starting to get discouraging. I know nothing is wrong with me but it's now starting to get in my head. I haven't been unemployed for this long since I was 16. Sigh.
Want to have some internet fun and waste time? Go here and see what you could have looked like in a yearbook photo from the past. And don't forget to share with your friends.
After evacuating the coast late Wednesday night and moving inland, Kate had baby Everett Michael today. I don't know all of the specifics only that he's here and everyone is doing fine! He's 7lbs 8oz and 19 inches. Please continue to pray for them as they are away from their home and wait out Hurricane Ike.
I am a self-proclaimed cheese addict. But, hey, aren't we all? Meagan even sent me a cookbook for my birthday called, Cheese, Glorious Cheese and I got to eat fondue yesterday. Of course, it wasn't all cheese - we had chocolate, too!
I think I'm still walking around this morning with a full belly. Even as we waited at the bar they had cheese spread and crackers. Immediately I knew this was my kind of place. We started off with a cheese board and the cheese fondue with assorted breads and fruit (and salad) and then moved into the entree. Joe had beef tenderloin and I had an assortment of beef tenderloin, chicken breast, lobster, scallops and shrimp. (Big eater, I know.) Of course there was also an assortment of vegetables for us to cook with our meat in the cooking oil and lots of sauces for us to try. After that we moved into the coffee with chocolate fondue and pound cake/fruit phase. Needless to say, I may not eat today.
It was a great birthday dinner. The best part of the meal was an aged Wisconsin swiss cheese. Pure joy!
Please keep my friend, Kate and her family in your prayers. She is scheduled for a c-section on Friday but it looks like they may be evacuated any time now due to Hurricane Ike. I talked to her today and she seems as prepared as she could possibly be but please pray for the safety of her and her family as well as her baby.
It's hard to believe what a monumental year this has been for me. I became a first-time aunt. Got engaged. Got married. Moved out of state to one of the greatest cities. I left my career to become a stay-at-home-wife. (Okay so that last one is just temporary.) And here I am - thirty-one.
It hasn't all been easy but I'm trying to balance the good times and the bad. And I'm really proud of myself for being brave enough to make all these changes in my life no matter how hard some of them seem. And pretty soon it will be old-hat. I am so glad to be able to share this birthday with Joe, finally in the same city, as his wife.
Tonight we're going here. Also known as one of the most romantic places in the city. (And who wants hot, melty cheese for their birthday? Me! Me!) In a couple of weeks, Dirty Dancing the Musical will be making its US debut here and we will be going as another birthday treat. I can't wait.
Monica and Kamilah.
Alison and me. 
Menus are back; this is my first week of menu planning after taking a hiatus for a couple weeks.
I had the MTV Video Music Awards on tonight when I saw a commercial for Exiled.
Amy: "Ohh. I want to watch that."
Joe: "Honey, you're too old for some of that stuff."
Amy: "I'll never be too old for MTV." (Even I knew I was kidding myself.)
Joe: "MTV's not what it used to be. They should call it CTV." Joe exits the room and I call out after him.
Amy: "Joe, what's CTV?"
Joe: "Child TV."
I've got skills - knife skills. I went to cooking school today to take a knife skills class. I'm not going to tell you I'm a genius in the kitchen or anything but I'm learning and I'm getting better. It's nice to have a new hobby. And Joe and I went to a mall this afternoon to purchase a few needed items with wedding money and I was drooling in Williams Sonoma. Yup, I think I am a full-fledged adult.
Tonight Joe and I grilled steak and potato skewers with grilled caprese salad. (The meal came from a recipe Cristin gave me a couple months ago from this magazine.) Our first co-ed grilling experience turned out well and I am quite proud of myself for the accomplishment. Why? I hate touching raw meat. It might be the reason why I left the disecting of the frog in junior high completely up to my partner. It's definitely the reason why I don't buy whole chickens. And it's also the reason why I buy premade hamburger patties instead of making them myself. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck.
I've been wanting to try this recipe for awhile so when I came home with the beef sirloin I told Joe he would need to cut it up into squares for me for the skewers. Tonight he was busy with the grill and someone needed to cut the meat. I gagged a little but muddled through. (Our amazing new kitchen knives helped!) I wish I could tell you that my fear has vanished but that's likely not going to happen any time soon but hopefully my raw-meat-phobia lessens in time. (I was honestly afraid I wouldn't be able to eat what I'd just prepared but the meal tasted great.)
Below are the instructions for the salad:
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
3 T. Parmeasan, grated
salt and pepper to taste
4 large tomatoes, sliced horizontally into thirds
6 oz. fresh mozzarella cut into 8 slices
Process basil, 1/3 cup oil, vinegar, parmesan, salt and pepper in a food processor until smooth. Coat tomato slices with remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill tomatoes on one side for one minute, then flip (do not flip the tops). Arrange cheese on tomato slices and grill until it begins to melt, 1-2 more minutes. Assemble stacks with two cheese-topped slices and one top. Serve with basil sauce.
Nichole posted a blog the other day posing the question, "how do you make friends?" For some reason, I've been giving that a lot of thought. Maybe it's because the only people I know here, I knew before I moved. And I know I haven't been here too long but the task of meeting new people and making new friends has seemed rather daunting to me lately. In the past, I've always made friends rather easily. Is it possible that the older we get, the harder it is to make new friends?
I've been going to the same church for several weeks now. I know I need to start getting involved in small group. It will be good for me spiritually and it will help me meet people and start making connections. But, honestly, I find the thought of it kind of scary. I want to get involved and meet new people and at the same time, I don't.
I know I didn't build my friendships in Columbia overnight (well, some I did!) so maybe that's why I find the prospect of getting involved/making new connections here so strenuous. I know it's going to take a lot of work. And since my current friendships/past church relationships have been years in the making it's a lot to live up to. I think the question I've been chewing on lately is, "Do I have the energy?" I know, without a doubt, eventually I'll be the outgoing, talkative Amy that my friends know and love but it's just something I've been thinking about. Sooner or later, I will find "the job" and break out of my shell. I want to make this city my own.
Moving on to another subject entirely. Through his work, Joe has access to a great library system. He has told me on several ocassions that if I want a book to just tell him and he'll pick it up for me. So I told him to get me this. He refused. Said something about it hurting his image. Puh-leaze.
I'm not watching 90210. Why? Because it was preempted here by the Cubs. Since when are the Cubs more important than the long-awaited return of 90210? Ridiculous.
The new 90210 starts tonight. Joe and I have a "date" to watch. I hope it doesn't disappoint but I really wanted them to bring Tori back.
Today Joe, Alison and I went to the Botanic Gardens. It was a first for the three of us. Joe packed a perfect picnic lunch for us to eat when we got there. I would have liked to have stayed longer but the sun makes me tired and cranky and we couldn't tell if I was scorched or not. Turns out I wasn't but I looked awfully pink when we were there. The gardens are beautiful and I'd like to see them in every season.
Joe and I hosted our very first guests as a married couple early last week. Joe's dad and stepmom, Lynn were here over night on their way to Indiana. We had a birthday celebration (for his dad whose birthday was that day and for Lynn and me who share the same birthday coming up) over a wonderful dinner. The next morning we had breakfast together at the house before they left.
I am back in Chicago. Joe was waiting for me last night with dinner, wine and a much-needed foot rub. It was so wonderful to see him again after spending a few days apart.
The visitation/memorial for my uncle was such a beautiful tribute to him with more than 600 people in attendance. He obviously touched many lives and will be greatly missed.
Needless to say, after a busy and emotional week, I was exhausted yesterday (and still am) when I got home and slept rather soundly. This afternoon Joe and I went to Hyde Park. He wanted to trade in some cd's at Hyde Park Records and we ran over to Edwardo's for pizza. I'll admit that the "great" Chicago pizza has eluded me thus far. None of it has really been that great to me until today. I think this was the best I've had.
Sadly, my Uncle David (my mom's brother) died suddenly this morning. I will be with my family at some point this week. Please keep us in your prayers.
Joe sent me this article which lists the top ten art films of the summer. I realized even more so when I moved here how lucky I was to previously have the Ragtag. You'd think in a city this big, there'd be lots of places to go and see independant films but really there's only a couple theatres. And for obvious reasons it's not as convenient. In fact, last weekend Joe and I thought about going to see Transsiberian and we couldn't find it playing. I looked it up today and it looks like it's playing in one theatre at only two times. Sad.
Joe and I are going to see Singin' in the Rain tonight at a nearby arts center. Joe has seen it a million times and tonight will be my first time. I'm looking forward to it. Other than that, it's been status quo around here. Watched a dvd last night and patiently waiting out my days here at home. I think now that I'm done unpacking and running around getting things done boredom is setting in a bit.
I just wanted to point out that my friend Cristin is a genius. Check out this cupcake hat and matching mittens that she made. Seriously. Cute.
I went to the store today to do my shopping. I've been spending lots on ingridients lately so my goal was to primarily make meals based on things we already have at home. And I just got finished making brownies (no mix!). Tonight Joe and I are both on our own. I'm going to a yoga class and he's off to teach tai chi.
I haven't had the best luck with my computer lately so I've been avoiding it and not blogging or checking email as regularly. So here's what I've been up to:
Joe and I went to a yoga class last week. It was killer. Seriously hard. I felt like I'd been hit by a bus by the time we left. I think I might go back this week but to a different class...maybe I was overzealous at where I started.
I made a pie! (Thanks, Nichole!)
Friday night we went to see Tropic Thunder.
Yesterday we spent a huge portion of the day cleaning the house. It's nice to have help and I'm finding that there are things Joe likes (laundry!!) and there are things I like (cooking!) so we're both finding where we fit and it seems to be working.
This afternoon we went to Chinatown for lunch and window shopping. Joe bought me a beautiful bracelet.
And I must mention that today I think I found my church. I've been looking around since I got here and have tried a couple churches for the past few Sundays but nothing felt right. So today I ventured out of the area and I felt right at home. I am definitely going back again next Sunday. It was a great feeling.
I've jumped through all the necessary hoops to have a new identity (or last name if you prefer to be less dramatic). In the past two weeks, I've gotten new license plates, new social security card, new driver's license (completed today!), new health insurance - new everything! I'm exhausted. Not to mention all the address changes I've made on my mail. The driver's license experience was much easier than I had anticipated and I only missed one on my written exam which made me feel like a rock star...especially because the question I missed was a trick question about child restraining seats. I think a celebration is in order. How about a latte? Sure, I'd love one.
I had just started dinner last night when Joe called from work and said, "You want to go to a Sox game?" Sure! I hurried through making dinner, we quickly ate and we went to the game. I was excited they were playing the team from my hometown state not known for their reputation as a good team but it still made me feel a little warm and nostalgic. We had a sweet suite complete with an awesome view and free food and drinks. (Who can beat free at a baseball game?) Turned out to be a lovely night. Great weather, great time with Joe. The Sox did win 9-0 which made me actually feel a little bad for the Royals. I think I was worrying about them getting their feelings hurt everytime someone would mess up and the stadium would go wild with cheers. Go figure.
Not that I should admit this but yesterday I didn't leave the house. Nor did I shower or change out of my pajamas. I'm not really sure what I did to keep myself occupied aside from job-searching online. Today Joe urged me to leave the house. And he was right. It's okay to stay in my pajamas sometimes but definitely not a habit that I want to start. Today I got up, showered (yay!) and I left the house to explore the nearby Beverly area. I sat at Starbucks reading for about an hour (where I was the only female without a stroller) and then I walked around. I found a cute little cooking school and a yoga center here that Joe and I are going to try out this week. I also found the cutest little gift store that reminded me of some of my favorite Columbia gift shops. With a morning of adventuring, I can now work on some laundry and housework.
Today Joe and I went to see the documentary, Man on Wire. It was about a man who tightroped between the World Trade Center Twin Towers in 1974. Great film. The tightrope walker was on camera so I knew he was still alive but my heart was racing throughout the film; it made me so nervous!
Afterwards we went to Lincoln Park Zoo for a couple of hours. It was nearby and it's the free zoo here in Chicago. Despite a period with dark clouds and a few sprinkles it remained a beautiful afternoon. I was exhausted by the time we got home. Just woke up from my nap. Now that we've played, we can do the housework that has already seemed to pile up.
Before I moved here and before we got married, Joe and I decided to implement "date night" which would help us make sure we were spending some quality time together each week doing something fun. We also want to spend one time each week doing something to explore the city. Tonight our date night just so happened to also be a way to explore the city. Originally we were going to go to a movie tonight but the movie we want to see is going to be more convenient to see tomorrow along with another adventure we have in mind. For our date tonight we decided to go to Buckingham Fountain. Once it's dark they do a light/music show for twenty minutes each hour. We sat on a bench and did one of the things I like best - we watched other people and we ate ice cream. On the way back to the El we walked around Millennium Park. So there you have it. Our first $20 date in the city.
Joe and I received a really cool gift yesterday to a cooking school here in Chicago. I'm so excited to pick out a fun class for us. Maybe one involving pizza-making. Looks like there are lots of classes I'd like to participate in. This might be my new hobby. (When I get a job and $$.)
Joe took me to see Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 last night. I think he was a little mortified to be one of just a few guys in the place and we were definitely the oldest non-parents but he knew it would get me out of the house and put a smile on my face. I loved the first movie and the sequel didn't disappoint. Great stuff.
Someone is here steam cleaning one of our couches. Very excited about that.
Below are some observations I've made since moving here:
My sweet husband (still feels weird to say that word) brought home a rose and a homemade card tonight to celebrate our one week anniversary. Even though I'm still in a funk about the job rejection, it did make me feel better to have such love and support. I'm going to count myself lucky.
Remember my job interview? The one that I was sure went so well? Well I just received my official rejection letter in the mail today. I'm not going to lie, it stings. I was up late last night searching for other jobs and nothing really appeals to me. Nothing.
Ah the life of a domestic goddess. I'm not used to "not working" a regular, paying job but I'm trying to get in the swing of things around here. Already this morning I've gone to get pictures printed, made a visit to the shoe repair guy and to the dry cleaners. Soon I'll be cleaning the house. Impressed? Yesterday after church shopping, Joe and I went grocery shopping and bought items for the week. We're on a mission to eat at home much more and save some money. Imagine us comparing cheese at the store because I wanted to buy it already shredded (hello, convenience!) and Joe recommended to buy it in the block and shred it ourselves because it's cheaper. Since when do I live this way? Well, apparently, I do now...without further adieu, below is my Menu Plan Monday for the week.
Monday: salsa pork chops and rice
Tuesday: good casserole (recipe below)
Wednesday: pizza and salad
Thursday: leftovers
Friday: going out?
Saturday: BLT sandwiches
Good Casserole
12 ounces egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream or plain nonfat yogurt
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 garlic clove, minced
vegetable oil, as needed
1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place noodles while still warm in a lightly sprayed or oiled 3 to 4 quart casserole and toss with butter. in a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, parsley, salt, and pepper. Spread mixture over the noodles.
In a medium skillet over medium heat, combine beef, onion, and garlic and saute, breaking up meat with a spoon, until meat is browned and vegetables are tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Add a little oil if needed. Stir in tomato sauce and simmer several minutes. Pour over the noodles and top with cheese; do not mix. Bake, covered, until bubbly, about 35 minutes.
This was such a long day of travel. Joe and I would definitely recommend our resort to anyone but it was such a long day yesterday that I think we're just glad to be home and to rest and get caught up on "normal" life. We had breakfast and left the resort at 8:15 am for the ride back to Montego Bay. (It takes about an hour and a half.) Our flight kept getting delayed and we changed gates four times. Finally we made it to Fort Lauderdale. We were supposed to have a five-hour layover in FL and I had mapped out a funky little district for us to go to during our layover but our layover was now only two hours (which was fine) so that didn't happen. We finally arrived back in Illinois sometime after midnight. What a long day! And this was the first time I'd flown since airlines started charging to check luggage and drinks and snacks are no longer complimentary. I don't know if the airline we flew has always been this way or not but it was so "no frills" that it made Southwest look like a luxury airline only for the rich and famous. Sad times.
We went zip lining! Or as you would say in Jamaica, we took the canopy tour. I've always wanted to do this and it was so much fun but also probably the scariest thing I've ever done in my life. I'll admit at first I was terrified but we did a series of nine "jumps" and it kept getting easier. And we were definitely in the jungle; it was so beautiful. Also, our guides were fantastic. They were so much fun. They loved picking on Joe, too. It was such a hot adventure that we had to cool down in the pool as soon as we got back to the resort..JPG)
We went on a shopping excursion in Negril. It was more touristy than I had hoped.
We had breakfast on our balcony (we had a room with an ocean view) and then we hit the beach for awhile before we both had a couples massage in the massage hut on the beach. Now I've watched enough episodes of The Bachelor to know that the couples massage on the beach is where it's at. Dream. Come. True. Aside from the wedding, probably the highlight of my trip. As honeymooners, we received a half hour complimentary massage but we upgraded to a full hour and reserved the massage hut instead of the spa. Totally worth it!! It was so relaxing and peaceful with just a cool breeze coming from the ceiling fan and the sound of the ocean in the background. Later in the day we went kayaking and then took a dip in the pool. 
Giselle came to get us in our room around 3 pm. There were brief showers every afternoon. The only day it didn't rain all week long was the day of our wedding; Hooray for us! Our minister had such a soothing voice and our cake was probably the best cake I've ever had in my life. We had them wrap it up and we ate on it all week. Below are just a few of our photos.
That evening, after the wedding festivities, we had a private candlelit dinner on the beach. It was so romantic! My camera doesn't take good night photos but Joe got a few that I may post later. Our menu was: thai style fish cakes, crunchy garden greens, surf & turf of lobster tail and grilled chicken breast and mousse au chocolat for dessert. Yum!!
(Funny side story. At the end of our picture-taking and videotaping, they had us walk all the way down the beach so they could get a shot of us from behind walking off together...well we were already on the edge of our beach/resort and we had to keep walking...all the way past the nude beach. Maybe you had to be there but it was kind of funny in the moment. We just kept looking straight ahead!)
It's my wedding day! The night before Joe and I exchanged wedding gifts. I agonized over what to get for him and settled on typewriter key cufflinks with his initials. I thought it was the perfect gift. He loves old typewriters and loves to wear cufflinks. Little did I know he already had a pair! Oops. The ones he had (with his initials, too) were yellow and the pair I gave him were black and a little fancier than what he had which was good; he loved them! He gave me a beautiful turqouise necklace and matching earrings. Perfect for me!
After breakfast and walking around on the beach, Joe and I just spent an hour just laying in a hammock. It was so peaceful. A staff member named Melbourne came up to us while we were in the hammock and brough us a coconut from the tree. He cut it open and we drank from the inside of it. Then he sliced it in half and we both got to eat part of it. He said it goes right to your heart!
After our adventure with Melbourne, I went to the spa to have my hair and makeup done. I loved how it turned out but none of their lipstick suited me. Too pink, too brown, too neutral, etc. I sent Joe to get my makeup bag and we went with my Downtown Brown. I couldn't imagine using anything else!
Today we went to a brief orientation for the resort and then we had an appointment to meet with the wedding coordinator, Giselle. Giselle was extremely nice and went over all the details for the following day. We had been avoiding the sun (mostly me!) so that we weren't burned for our photos but we did grease up with lots of sunscreen to enjoy the beach and hot tub for about an hour. Later I got a manicure and pedicure at the spa.
Hello darling! I wore my cover up and big hat while on the beach at all times!
Joe and I on our way to the resort.
Our beautiful scenery.
Joe and I thought we'd post a teaser photo for now until we get back to Chicago this weekend. Enjoy!
Yes, it's my wedding day and I'm posting a comemorative blog. Since Joe is taking a brief nap before dinner, I wanted to check in just to let everyone know that the day went off without a hitch. It has rained the past two afternoons but today it was perfectly nice. At 3 pm today I got married. How cool and crazy is that? I don't know why but I was so nervous beforehand. By the time we got to the ceremony and it started, I was laughing nervously. Fortunately, the giggles went away and I was able to remain calm. Believe it or not - no tears! Beautiful day. Beautiful little ceremony. The entire thing took about 15 minutes. Tomorrow we get to see how our photos and video turned out. Then I'll let you know if I'm sharing them or not! Kidding...Kind of. I'm off to pick up Joe and then we're off to our private, candlelit beach dinner complete with lobster. Cheers!
Joe and I are off for our weddingmoon early in the a.m. I'm currently working on packing and laundry and can't wait to share with you all of our pictures and memories next week when we return. Thanks to everyone for all the well wishes!
P.S. I found my address book! It was lodged up underneath one of the drawers of my coffee table (where I'd checked for it no less than 20 times). Hooray!
1. The kitchen now resembles a kitchen. Same with living room, dinning room, bedroom, bathroom, etc. (Still lots of clutter but at least you can tell what room you're in.)
2. I will be cooking my first meal tonight. With things somewhat in order in the kitchen there are no more excuses. And we're on a budget. One income, two people. Lots of bills. Eating out isn't going to be an option for awhile.
3. I hate unpacking clothes and putting stuff away in the closet. This was one of the perks of Meagan helping me last time. She did a fantastic job organizing my closet. I have managed to procrastinate this one all week and have been sifting through garbage bags to find clothes each day.
4. I haven't watched E! all week. And PerezHilton is all but a distant memory. Sigh.
5. Where is that pesky address book?
Okay, in reality my first meltdown probably happened my first morning here but I've been doing pretty well. Today I had to make the trek to Joliet to get my car licensed. I finally got all my papers together and got in my car and typed the address into my GPS. Nothing. I sat and waited and waited but it was searching for a signal. After a LONG time of nothing I went inside to print out directions online, the old fashioned way. The paper got jammed in the printer and I was so frustrated that I couldn't help but have a minor meltdown. I finally got the printer working, wiped my tears and headed out the door only to notice that the GPS did, indeed, find a signal and was now working. Even with my miracle device, I did manage to make a wrong turn on the way home and headed down a tollway that I didn't need to be on. So $146 (licensing fees) later I am home and relatively unscathed.
The other problem is that I have managed to lose my address book. I have EVERYTHING in my address book and purposely packed it last because I was still writing thank you notes. I have unpacked every possible box that it could be in and it's nowhere to be found. Joe asked if I had all the addresses on the computer. Um, no. That would be too easy. I am a visual person. I like things that I can hold in my hand and I like to write things down. So I may be contacting everyone to ask for addresses.
I spent my day unpacking more stuff. I still haven't touched my clothes but need to get to it soon in time to repack for my trip to Jamaica; our flight leaves at 6 am on Saturday. The AC decided to stop working yesterday afternoon. I kept thinking I was hot and sweaty because I was working so hard. Joe came home and told me to step outside. I did and realized it was several degrees cooler out there. Took most of today to get someone here to fix it. So I have mostly unpacked my posessions drenched with sweat. Not my idea of fun but at least I'm making progress. By the end of tomorrow I hope to feel really good about things. Also the dogs came home from the kennel tonight. I don't think they quite know what to make of all the mess and the new furniture and posessions.
I'm here. I'm alive. Saturday we loaded up the truck and, miraculously, everthing fit. Just barely. (Thanks to Cristin's husband Tom, the packing genius.) A few days earlier, I did get rid of a couple tvs, tv stand and desk and sent a few things home with my parents. If I hadn't done that there may have been serious problems but we were able to make the trip with everything. Thanks again to everyone for helping!
Joe and I cleaned the apartment late Saturday afternoon and then decided to go on one last Columbia date to Ragtag (also the place of our very first date) to see Bigger, Stronger, Faster. I love documentaries and this one was no exception. Even though it's about steriod use (something that would normally not interest me much) I found it completely interesting. Also we went out for Mexican food. It didn't occur to me until later that my "last meal" was also my very first meal when I arrived in Columbia - Mexican. I remember being totally excited but even more scared when Breanne picked me up and we headed out for dinner and celebatory margartias. Oh how much changes and stays the same in eight years!
I had these grand hopes of getting everything put away in record time and spending my day making dinner for Joe and maybe even a pie. (Hey, I am a housewife or housegirlfriend/fiance.) Those expectations were extremely high to say the least. I have unpacked exactly 0 boxes right now. I am cleaning and contemplating and just plain exhausted. More than anything I think I'm in a state of just being overwhelmed. There's so much to do. I did venture out by myself for the first time to go to Target. If anything can put a smile on my face it's Target. Was crazy that I even had to get directions to find Target...but I managed. And it's a fabulous Target complete with a Starbucks inside. It's all about the little victories.
It's definitely been an emotional week but honestly I think I'm handling it much better than I had anticipated. Joe came via bus last night and I was too tired to do much of the work I still needed to do. (I think emotions can be physically draining and I had worked hard this past week.) Today he's off running errands, seeing friends and taking care of a few things for me. Tonight we see The Dark Knight and then we pack up the truck tomorrow. I think I'm just ready to be settled...and I'm ready for Jamaica!
Maybe mistakes are what make our fate...without them what would shape our lives? Maybe if we never veered off course we wouldn't fall in love, have babies, or be who we are. After all, things change, so do cities, people come into your life and they go. But it's comforting to know that the ones you love are always in your heart...and if you're very lucky, a plane ride away.
-Carrie Bradshaw
Burr Oak Tree estimated to be over 300 years old.
Coworkers/friends (Jodi, Lori, Jessica, Keri, me and Sue).
The girls (Rach, Tia, Taina, Meera, Monica and Breanne). Well this is it. One week from now I'll be unemployed in Chicago and unpacking. Yikes! These past five months have flown by.
Today was my last day at my church here. I've been pretty good at keeping myself together. In fact, my tears have been at a minimum this past week and already I've told several people goodbye. (Go me!) Anyone who knows me well knows that I'm a "crier" and that it's something I do rather well so I'm hoping this trend continues during my last week here...hopefully I don't jinx myself. I know I will come back and visit so even though I hate goodbyes I keep trying to keep things in perspective.
I'm still obsessing over my move and whether or not I'll fit everything in my truck. The bigger truck is twice as much money so I'm taking my chances...I won't breathe easy until we are done loading it. I still have a little packing to do. Mostly clothes and linens. I'm starting to feel a little guilty about how many shoes I have. In my defense, I did take two pairs along with a car load of stuff to Goodwill which was a huge deal for me. I hate getting rid of things. I've definitely inherited that gene because it runs in my family. I notice that each time I move I'm getting less and less sentimental. But, yes, I found letters from my girlfriends dating back to college and even my leftover name cards from my high school graduation and copies of cover letters I'd written eight years ago. Sad. I did pitch a lot of things but I am still a Sentimental Sally.
Joe deserves big props for getting his house in order for me. He's been cleaning out the garage, cleaning out closets, removing an eyesore of a desk, etc. He also knows how much I love to take baths and his bath tub drain and spout doesn't really work (it works for showers) so he's getting that fixed this week. I know he's trying to make things nice for me and he's even cleaning out his entire bedroom closet to make way for me. I guess it's fair to say we both have a lot of work to do this week.
Meagan started moving today into a new place. She took time away from her own packing and unpacking to help me pack. That makes her an absolute rock star and a gem of a friend. Thanks, Meagan. With the help of the packing expert I feel like I've actually made a dent and have accomplished something. It's a good feeling.
This is where I need your help. I am renting a Budget truck because it ended up being way cheaper than U-Haul. I have the choice between a 16-foot truck and a 24-foot truck. Nothing in between. I live in a 2-bedroom apartment and the 16-foot truck says it's for 3 to 4 rooms. The 24-foot truck is for 8 rooms. I opted for the 16-foot but I'm starting to second guess myself. I have two beds, couch, large coffee table, small table and four small chairs, very small (tiny) patio table with two chairs, chair and ottoman, rocking chair, dresser, misc. table, antique cabinent, treadmill (which I could take or leave - obviously) and desk. Oh and about 100 boxes of "stuff" and 800 pairs of shoes. Am I okay with the 16-foot truck or should I get something bigger? I don't want to spend the extra money on the truck and more fuel if it's not necessary. Thoughts? Opinions? Advice?
I had lunch with my friend Barb today. I knew ahead of time what salad I was going to order because it always comes with a particularly yummy and buttery roll that I love. Today the roll was absent. When the salad came and the waiter asked if everything looked okay or if we needed anything else I said, "Um, yeah, doesn't the salad usually come with a roll?" He told me that they discontinued the rolls about a month ago due to a quality issue. Huh?
My crazy (and extremely creative) coworkers made quite the card for me - I love it! Don't they know me well? What's even funnier is that at least one of them thought Joe actually had a neck tattoo when they saw it for the first time (fortunately that was just Photoshopped). Enjoy!
Last year during the fourth of July, I'd only been in my apartment for two weeks. After being on vacation and working, I was still getting settled and unpacking. This year, I'm spending the day packing. Blah. I have also been under the weather this week and went to the doctor to find out I have some sort of bacterial infection which has been pretty annoying and I haven' t felt like doing much of anything. The most exciting part of my day, thus far, consisted of watching the annual Nathan's hot dog eating competition on ESPN. And because Kobayashi and Chestnut had to go into a tie-breaking round it was a real nail-biter. Back to packing.
I'm missing my first John Mayer concert tonight. Well the first one that I've purposely missed in MO in the past seven years or so that I've liked him. With my concert buddy still settling in as a new mommy and with all my upcoming moving/wedding expenses, I just couldn't justify it. So I feel a little sad about it but maybe that's just another sacrifice of adulthood. Honestly, it kinda sucks.
Lots of stuff to take care of these days. It's always such a pain to move and change your address 500 times. I'm sure after I get the address changed, I'll be changing my name 500 times on every thing. The stickers on my car are due in July so that is my first order of business once I move - new license plates! Joe says this (license plates, changing my address and name) will give me something to do when I get to Chicago and it will force me to drive around and keep busy. Not to sound pessimistic but I think I'll have enough to keep me busy...like unpacking!
And speaking of my car, I took it in today because it's been making this weird noise for the past month and a half. (And other people have heard the noise so, contrary to popular belief, it's not just me.) Anyway, I take it in and of course they can't hear it. So I'm fully expecting to pick up my car and make the guys drive around with me so I can say, "See! That noise! I told you. Ha." but they are gone to lunch. So I leave in my car for lunch, too. And guess what? No noise. Nada. I went back to work. I don't know whether to be happy or frustrated. Joe thinks maybe my car is in remission but I think it's just playing tricks on me.
I received my cable bill last night for my internet and it was more than twice the cost it usually is with no explanation. It even shows where I paid my bill last month and it was at a different cost. So I called last night and was on hold for over 35 minutes (and once I was even randomly disconnected). Finally I got so frustrated that I hung up for good and called it a night. I called today and got someone right away who was fairly helpful but I was still a little annoyed from last night. She told me that when she hung up to stay on the line and I could take an automated survey about my experience. Satisfaction! Next thing you know I hear the dial tone and she's hung up on me and the survey is not to be. Is it just me or are cable and cell phone companies almost always known for bad customer service?
One month from today I'll be married. It almost doesn't seem possible. I also packed my first box today and am finding things to take to Goodwill. So much to do. The next three weeks will go by quickly.
I was at a stoplight this morning with nothing more on my mind than the latte I was getting ready to stop for when I saw the driver of the van in front of me stick his head out the window and start waving along with the passenger. It was Taylor and Heather. I waved back and was happy to see them. Presumably they were headed out of town for good on their way to their new home in Texas. Strangely enough, I had called on Wednesday afternoon on my way into town from Chicago to see if I could stop by and tell them goodbye. Nobody answered so instead I went to Walmart before heading home. Guess who was at Walmart? I told Heather goodbye inside and went outside to to tell Taylor goodbye. I thought I was tough; I wasn't going to cry. I couldn't get sad about them leaving town since I was leaving, too. But before I knew it, I was crying in the parking lot at Walmart. I felt a little ridiculous so I quickly made my way back to my car. I've never been very good at saying goodbye. In fact, I'm downright bad at it. This is just the first of many goodbyes that will be said over the next few weeks; I'm hoping it gets easier.
I got back from Chicago this afternoon. He's the run down. (I'm sure I could bore you with more but I'll be brief.)
Positives
Negatives
Isn't he absolutely adorable? And I hear he's doing so well he may be coming home tomorrow!
I had dinner last night with Taina and Tia at one of their favorite spots. It was a great way to cap off "Taina Week." (I was dubbing it "Taina Week" because we got to hang several times.) Tia is so smart. She never ceases to amaze me. She was talking politics, the fact that she wanted to be a doctor, driving, etc. She's three! I'm not even kidding. Anyway, here is the super cute picture of her from last night.
I am making a last-minute trip to Chicago this weekend for a job interview that I have early next week. I might be jinxing myself by talking about it but I've never been one for secrecy...anyway, it sounds totally "me" so I really hope it works out! I figure I might as well talk about it; I can use all the prayers and good vibes that I can get.
He's here! Breanne and Dan welcomed Grayson Isaac today at 5:40 a.m. He is 7 lbs 5 oz and 20 1/2 inches long with light colored hair. Grayson will be at Cardinal Glennon for heart surgeries to come in the next few days. Please keep him and his parents in your prayers. Updates can be found at his blog.
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