#teammcd

Well, world... we did it!  J and I tied the knot on November 17 on a perfect day, in our favorite city, surrounded by (most of) our closest family and friends.  It was, without a doubt, the best day of my life.  Everything was absolutely as I envisioned it, if not better.  I know that not everyone gets to say that about their wedding day, so I am truly grateful to everyone who helped us pull off our dream day on a budget!

We don't have our professional photos back yet (we expect them sometime after Christmas), but here is a sneak peek from my sister.  Our nephew/ringbearer was having a bit of a moment here, as you can tell.

More photos to come in January.  We have a busy few weeks ahead-- the end of the semester is upon me here at work.  We are heading to Virginia for the holidays, back in Chicago for one day and then flying to Ireland on December 29 for our honeymoon.  We'll be spending 10 days on the Emerald Isle, and we are so excited!

31 days, 31 ways...

Holy cow.  Today is October 17.  Do you know what that means?  Do you?  DO YOU?

We are getting married in 31 days.  Exactly 4 weeks from this Saturday.  YES.  

That means I have 4 weekends left to prepare.  This is blowing my mind-- I put off wedding planning for so long, then went into overdrive this summer, and now I am kind of floating until November 17.

Don't get me wrong-- I have some things left to do like get my hair cut and colored, remind J to buy the groomsman gifts, get our marriage license, send programs to be printed... but mostly, I am DONE.  To be honest, this wedding planning has been a little stressful, but I think my "the end result is the same" attitude has been of monumental importance to my mental health.  I am so pleased that J and I have fought only once about wedding-related issues.  I take that as a good indicator that I haven't been a bridezilla!

Anyway, I'm so excited for the day to get here.  I'm thrilled to be able to share our wedding with our closest family and friends and really can't wait to get on with our marriage after the big party!  I've been feeling like such a lucky lady lately.  I like it.

Shameless self-promotion

Hello, readers!

Alright, it's  been a busy summer.  Planning a wedding in my downtime from work has kept me a busy bee!  I'm pleased to say that things have been fairly smooth, however.  We're just around 3 months out from the big day and I feel like 80% of the work is done.  From here to November 17, we have some little details (playlist, gifts, etc) to take care of, but everything else is in place!  Thanks to all our family and friends for their support and advice throughout our planning whirlwind.

There is one thing I could use your help with, blogosphere buddies.  We entered a contest through Angie's List at the end of July and are currently in the running to win $2,000 for our wedding.  Voting takes just two clicks, and you aren't asked to register or install anything.  All you have to do is click here and vote for us.  Your daily clicks will help us on the way to fluffing up our wedding a bit-- we've been terribly frugal thus far, and the extra money will really help!

Please feel free to share this on your blog, facebook, twitter, etc.  Voting is open daily through August 15, so there are six more days to get the word out!

we're famous!

I'm so excited to tell you all that our engagement session was featured on The Pretty Pear Bride blog today!  I submitted some photos back in March after receiving them from Rachel, our photographer.  I kind of forgot about it until I received an email this morning telling me to check out the site because our story would be featured today!

Check out the blog (great resources for my fellow plus-size brides out there) by clicking on the photo above, and let me know what you think.  How neat is that?!

photographic memories.

Before you ask, no, we still have no wedding plans.  Things for us have been crazy lately.  We are waiting on word regarding J's financial aid for fall 2012 before making a decision on where and when to get married, at this point.  We had started to toss some ideas around but realized we might have to make some dramatic changes if J will be in college come fall-- we'd obviously have very few dates to choose from around the academic calendar, and we'd not have much money to contribute ourselves to the wedding if we had to continue on as a single-income family.  So, stay tuned.  Hopefully in the next 4-6 weeks, we'll know more!

One wedding-related task we DID manage to do was have our engagement photos taken.  We were excited to work with the very talented Rachel of Rachel G Photography for our shoot.  The weather was amazing, as it has been here in Chicago for most of the winter.  Though it was mid-February, the skies were sunny and the temperatures were in the 40s.  We managed to do most of our shoot outside, which allowed us to incorporate Chicago into the pictures-- exactly what we wanted!

Can I just say that I absolutely LOVE the way they turned out?  As a plus-size bride, I was intensely worried that I just wouldn't stack up to the gorgeousness of all of the other shoots I've seen.  I obsessed over my clothes and hair for weeks, trying to find the right look to showcase my best assets AND finding things that were in the same color palettes for both J and me.  In the end, I returned 90% of what I bought and ended up wearing things I've had for awhile.  Our pictures are perfectly us; laughing and in love.  We tried hard to be serious in some photos, but it's just not who we are, and that's ok!

We received over 350 pictures back from Rachel, far too many to post here.  Instead, I'll leave you with a few of my favorites from the session.  All photo credits to Rachel G Photography.  Please do not share without permission.

Set 1: Downtown Chicago-- Chicago River, Merchandise Mart, Kedzie Bridge.

Set 2: Wrigley Field

Set 3: Downtown Chicago-- Lightology

my valentine.

I know this is probably totally uncool on a potentially embarrassing level, but oh well.

Happy Valentine's Day, all.  I thought I'd share one of the things that makes my day on a consistent basis: waking up to this scene.

My Valentine, fast asleep, snuggled with my stuffed animal (and a few of his own).  

Thank you for being the love of my life, J.  You're the best thing that ever happened to me.  I can't wait to marry you!

eleven.

I am fortunate to know many great folks, both online and offline.  Sometimes, I get to know them in both arenas!  Alex at Moving on in Chicago is part of almost all of my worlds-- I used to be her supervisor, now I'm a colleague, she's always been a friend, and she blogs.  Earlier, Alex tagged me in a little exercise to get my blogging juices flowing.  Here goes!

Eleven.

1. Post these rules.

2. You must post 11 random things about yourself.

3. Answer the questions set for you in their post.

4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.

5. Go to their blog and tell them that you've tagged them.

11 Random Things:

1. I hate scary movies. I won't watch them and don't care how great they supposedly are.  My imagination often gets the best of me and I can't handle the nightmares and paranoia for days afterwards.
2. I own more clothes than I could ever possibly wear.  This runs in my family-- overstuffed closets are a Gray family trait!
3. My middle name is my maternal grandmother's middle name.  My sister's middle name is my paternal grandmother's middle name.  My nephew's middle name is my dad's middle name.  I love this tradition and plan to continue it when we have children.
4. I've never been more overwhelmed with emotion than the first time I saw my nephew, rolling down the hallway in an incubator just minutes after he was born.
5. I could watch reruns of Friends and Sex and the City on a loop forever.  I never get tired of either of those shows.
6. I've been told for years that I am intimidating.  It's an odd statement to me, because while I may be good at faking confidence, I'd say that in actuality, I am fairly insecure.
7. I am saddened by the fact that I have lived in Chicago for over 5 years and I've only been visited twice by my parents and once by my sister.  None of my best friends have ever visited me, either.  It frustrates me to be the one to always bear the financial burden of maintaining personal visits.
8. My dream vacation would take me to Ireland, Scotland, Italy and Greece.  Ireland and Scotland to research my family heritage, Italy for the food, and Greece for the history and beaches.
9. I hate being alone.  It's gotten worse since moving in with Jeremy.  I can't stand spending time in my house by myself.
10. I am a perfectionist with very little patience.  This is why crafting and I don't get along.
11. I'm totally a night person.  My ideal schedule would be sleeping 12am-9am and working 1030am-7pm.  I always feel tired when waking up early, no matter if I've gotten tons of sleep or not.

And now, 11 questions from Alex:

1. What is your favorite dinner meal?  Ribeye steak (cooked medium), twice baked potato, roasted asparagus, chocolate lava cake.  Please note I have never made this at home, LOL.
2. What is your favorite sports team and WHY?  The Chicago Cubs.  Though I've only lived here for 5 years, I am actually a lifelong fan!  My dad and I watched games together during the Mark Grace-Ryne Sandberg era since WGN is a nationwide channel.  The Cubs were a staple of my house growing up, so the Northsiders have always had a special place in my heart!
3. What did you always want to be when you grew up (or when you grow up?)  From the age of 6, I knew I wanted to be a nurse.  I always loved helping out anyone in my family when they were sick or in need of help.  However, after 1.5 years in nursing school (when it came to cadaver dissection), I realized I was way too squeamish for the job.  Thankfully, I finally found a way to use my caring skills otherwise!
4. If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?  My grandmother, Addie Gray.  Grandma Gray passed away when I was 12, and I feel like I didn't get to know her well at all.  I have so many questions about her life and our family.
5. What is one question you wish you could ask our President?  I would ask President Obama what his true feelings on the place of higher education in our country are.  The topic is all encompassing-- it touches finance, employment, education and policy, all in one.
6. Do you subscribe to any magazines? If so, what?  Yes.  Rachael Ray and Marie Claire.  Only because I got them for $5/each for the year.
7. What is your favorite moment in the last year?  Getting engaged!
8. What article of clothing could you not live without?  Good bras.  Being a well-endowed lady, having my boobs supported is non-negotiable.
9. What is one thing you want to accomplish in the next year?  I'd love to get our wedding completely planned, if not over with!  Getting married is not at all about the party for me, so it's a hugely daunting idea to think about planning a wedding.
10. What is the most daring thing you have ever done?  Moving 1000 miles away from my family and friends to Chicago in 2006.
11. What is one thing you miss the most from your past?  I miss being a student.  I've always loved school and miss it dearly.

My 11 Questions:

1. What is your favorite scent?
2. If you could relive one day in your life (without making any changes to it), what day would you choose?
3. Where would you like to retire?
4. What is one TV show you cannot stand, and why?
5. If you had to give up one sense (taste, smell, sight, hearing, touch), what would it be and why?
6. What is one word that you use too much?
7. Tell me one tradition your family participates in that you love.
8. What is your favorite season, and why?
9. Name something about your life that scares you, or makes you feel uncomfortable.
10. What is your favorite sport, and why?
11. Where would you travel on your ideal vacation?

Tag, you're it:

Anyone who has time!  Ellen and Amy are moms with new babies.  Stacy has a wildly successful food blog.  My sister, Pam, is uber busy with my cute nephew and work.  Sarah is juggling work, school and volunteerism.  So really, any of y'all who have a spare moment to humor me, go for it!

an offer i couldn't refuse.

For all those who've begged for the story via email, facebook and twitter, here you go.  I'm not big on sharing major personal details, but this seems to be one of those situations where NOT telling the story lends itself to more questions than just biting the bullet!


Quite honestly, we've been talking about getting married since a few weeks into our relationship.  However, we've been through a lot in the last few years that prohibited the timing or funding supporting the idea of getting engaged.  Admittedly, I had grown impatient with our situation; living together for 2.5 years and sharing so much, it felt weird to not be on the official path to marriage.  Turning 30 this year, I had a little bit of a heart palpitation thinking about not being married or a mother.  Old-fashioned and unhip, I know... but I waited 27 years to find this man and I've waited even longer to be a mom!


I had always told J I hated two types of proposals: ones that take place in public and ones that take place on holidays (apologies to those who like those situations).  Over Thanksgiving, J and I discussed getting engaged within the next few months.  As I looked at the calendar in December, I noticed that two of my most hated proposal possibilities were on the horizon; we were attending a Chicago Blackhawks game mid-month and would then be visiting my family in Virginia for Christmas.


The Blackhawks game came and went without a proposal.  We exchanged our personal gifts to each other on December 21, a little different than in years past, so that we didn't have to transport extra stuff with us on the drive.  As we left for Virginia on December 22, I joking asked J if he had a ring with him for Christmas.  His poker face didn't reveal much, and I thought we might make it past the holiday without being engaged.  It was a melancholy feeling.  


On Christmas morning, I woke up and began cooking for our family dinner.  In the early afternoon, I showered and got dressed as Jeremy made Christmas phone calls to his family and friends.  As I finished getting ready, Jeremy approached me and pulled out a shiny silver box.  He opened it to reveal a gorgeous ring, put an arm around my waist and popped the question!  At first I was shocked-- the first word out of my mouth was "REALLY?!"  However, I caught myself and realized what was happening.  Without hesitation, I said yes and he put the ring on my finger.  We spent the rest of the day telling family and friends our news (my mom's reaction was priceless) and enjoying Christmas with my family.


It's been a little over two weeks since he asked, and things are in a holding pattern.  I'm thrilled to be engaged but very impatient.  As a big planner, I am frustrated that we are waiting on other details to fall into place before exploring wedding ideas ourselves.  It's hard to not at least have a date or location tied down-- I think once we get into making some headway on those decisions, things will really feel real.  That, and when we have to start spending money, of course...

oh me, oh my.

Remember what I last wrote about things slowing down soon?

Well, there ain't no rest for the wicked.  I should have known better than to show my cards like that!

The last six weeks have been... crazmazing?  I just made that word up, because I don't have one that accurately describes life at the moment.

J is still unemployed, but I am so incredibly proud to announce that he was accepted into Columbia College Chicago just before the holidays.  It has been a longtime dream of his to work in the radio communications field, and he intends to pursue a degree in both production and talent at Columbia.  Right now, we are anxiously awaiting a financial aid package that will either make or break this dream for the time being!

I was very lucrative in my job search at the end of November and had a few great phone interviews.  Thus far, one of them has resulted in an on-campus visit that I am very excited about.  Next week, I will be traveling to North Carolina for a two day interview for a position that really matches my next desired career step.  I have also recently moved into a new position on my current campus that I'm very excited about, and I do love Chicago... it will really come down to gut instinct, I guess!

Of course, if I am fortunate enough to be offered the position in North Carolina, we will have some hard decisions ahead.  I am extremely supportive and encouraging of J's desire to further his education.  However, I also feel that the opportunity to move on in my career is something that can't be tossed aside flippantly.  There are other things to consider in the equation as well, such as finances, location and whatnot that weigh heavily in the decision.  I have a great/awful feeling though, that we will both get what we want (J =  a full ride, E = job offer) and someone will end up feeling like they might have missed out.

Further complicating matters, yet extremely exciting, is the fact that we're engaged!  J popped the question on Christmas Day (much to my chagrin... the story will get its own entry soon) and I, of course, said yes.  The funny thing is, things don't feel terribly different.  I mean, I now have this amazing ring on my finger to gaze at all day, but everything else is as wonderful as always.

have you ever seen something so pretty?

Don't get me wrong-- we are excited.  But, not excited in a Monica-from-Friends-I-have-my-entire-wedding-already-planned way.  In actuality, I have found that I have very little desire to plan a wedding.  It seems like so much work and so much money for something to please other people.  What would please me most is being married, not having a party.  I've bought a little more time on the wedding planning at the moment, however, until we figure out where we'll be in the next few months.  It doesn't make much sense to start planning something that might have to change due to moving or a class schedule.  Hopefully in the next month or so, all that will settle out and we can start planning... but really, anyone who finds wedding planning fun or thrilling, hit me up.  Your energy is welcome and appreciated!

With that, 2011 has passed and 2012 is here.  2011 in its entirety was crazmazing, now that I think about it.  We traveled abroad, celebrated big birthdays and anniversaries, dealt with being a one-income family and got engaged!  There was a lot of stress, but a lot of good in there as well.  I hope 2012 brings more positives and I'm committed to doing my best wherever I land and being appreciative for what I have and those around me.

What are you committed to in 2012?

really busy that day.

I think there comes a time in every blog's life where they get tossed aside, forgotten and bypassed for shinier, prettier or more pressing things.  It seems the last 3 months have been this blog's such dormant period.  My apologies-- we've had a bit of a wild ride.

J lost his job at the end of August, the result of an incident with his supervisor that was turned into a scapegoat for company financial mismanagement.  We've been jerked around since then with unemployment.  We were lucky to have the benefit for about six fulls weeks until losing an appeal filed by his former employer two weeks ago.  We are now engaged in litigation, which is exactly the sort of thing you DON'T have money for when you're a one-income family.

It's been an experience, though... on one hand, I have my hilarious, loving boyfriend back, and I cherish that more than anything.  On the other, we are struggling financially, and it is starting to take a toll on me.  I never imagined being the sole provider for our family, and quite honestly, make just enough money to pay the bills and have a little left over for the month.  The bright side of all of this is that we are ok-- we can't live as comfortably as we once did, but we have a place to live, clothes to wear and food to eat.  Others aren't as fortunate, and I am especially cognizant of that at this time of year.  It also gives us a great opportunity to re-evaluate where we are-- J never got to finish college and it looks like this is the perfect time for him to pick back up and get his degree.  As a strong believer in higher education (and an employee of a university), I couldn't be more thrilled for him.

That's the update on our personal struggle for now.  Updates to follow soon regarding our recent trips to Virginia and the Bahamas, my own work-related stress and our plans for the holidays.  Welcome back, readers!

time management.

It's funny that summer is my easiest season at work, but busiest personally.  I think it's a little silly that I haven't updated this blog in nearly two months-- my time management skills are not at their peak in the summer when I actually have time to breathe at work and enjoy myself at home!

It's been a good summer, overall.  I am over the moon with how productive we've been at work-- the amount of things we've accomplished is staggering.  However, it makes me a little apprehensive for the semester to begin.  The days of quiet focus fly out the window in exchange for deafening chaos.  I've been in this field for almost 10 years now, and it still takes some adjustment every August!

We've been super busy at home as well.  Jeremy's football schedule rules the roost once games start in June-- every Saturday is all but devoted to the love of the game.  We sleep in, eat lunch by 1pm so J has enough time to digest before playing, and he's off to the field by 330.  I hang out at home or run errands and head to the game by 7, and by the time it's all over and we've grabbed (hopefully a celebratory) dinner, it's 11pm!  This season, the Lions are doing pretty well.  Hopefully their momentum will carry them to a playoff season again, just as in previous years.

Beyond football, we've spent a lot of time with friends.  There's a lot going on all around-- new babies, big moves, birthdays and more!  The next baby to arrive, however, is the most exciting for me.  Ellen and Andy's little boy will be here within the next three weeks!  I can't wait to meet little man.  As sad as it was for Ellen to leave at the beginning of July, I am so grateful for technology that allows me to text/call/IM her every day.

I was able to go home for a week in mid-July.  Time just flew by, as I had scheduled myself pretty much down to the minute before I even landed in Virginia.  I spent time with my favorite little boy, my parents and sister, traveled to Richmond and Charlottesville to catch up with great friends and even squeezed in a mini-trip to the Outer Banks (one of my favorite places on earth).  It was much-needed away time, but also... enlightening.  As I get older and my parents age, I do miss my family.  However, it was a big lesson to learn that my parents might not necessarily realize that I have aged as they have-- it's hard to be treated like a child when you're 30!

I'll lay this lengthy review to rest for tonight with a(nother) promise to update more often again.  I suppose now that busy time is setting in at work, my blogging skills will revive as well?

introverted introspection.

Watching me at work, you might not know that most personal interactions, especially with groups, make me extremely anxious.  I tend to hide my discomfort well, a combination of great public speaking classes and forced personality changes when on the clock.

Those who do know me both in and outside of the office understand-- I'd much rather spend a day with one or two close friends, chatting and enjoying a quiet place than experiencing the sensory overload of a crowded, loud space.  I'm an introvert at my core-- a trait I think comes partially from my shy father and homebody mother.

This being said, I was too excited to see this article posted in my friend Ellen's google reader the other day.  Finally, a primer for helping people understand me!  It's so odd to be around extroverts all the time (my field tends to be chock full of 'em) who don't understand why I may sometimes come across as cold or boring.

In the case of Jeremy, the conversation is generally more "OMG WHY WOULDN'T I WANT TO GO TO A DAY LONG CONCERT AND THEN GO TO A PARTY AFTERWARDS?!"  It's hard being in a relationship with an extrovert-- J craves social interaction, has a lot of friends and always has something on the agenda.  I, however, am simply exhausted when even thinking about some of the things we have on deck sometimes.  It takes a lot of out of me to be talkative around people I don't know and to force interactions-- I  hate that this makes me come across as a bitch sometimes, but it's who I am.  If you don't believe me, pay special attention to Myth #10 in the article I posted above.

So, dear reader, are you an introvert or extrovert?  What do you find the hardest to deal with when interacting with "the other type"?

bundle of joy.

Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of honoring my very best Chicago friend, Ellen, with a baby shower!  Ellen and her husband, Andy, are expecting their first child in early September (Jeremy hopes that the baby will arrive on his birthday).  I am super excited for them to become parents, but admittedly, terribly sad-- Ellen and Andy are moving about 500 miles away to eastern Ohio in three weeks, as Andy embarks on his career as a college professor.  Such is life in academia, I suppose.  We have to go where the jobs are!

The shower was a lot of fun to plan-- it is rare that I get to plan an event for myself to enjoy!  I was fortunate enough to have two co-planners in two of Ellen's close friends, Anna and Gwen.  Each of us filled kind of a unique niche in the planning genre, so it was a great way to divide labor, creativity and funding!

We held the shower on the campus of Loyola University Chicago, in a little hidden gem of a room, the Mundelein Center Greenhouse.  Overlooking Lake Michigan, the Greenhouse was the perfect location-- sunny, breezy and easily configured for different seating arrangements.

This view faces east over Lake Michigan.  I LOVE the round balloons that Anna found!

Ellen is a very crafty lady, so we chose some activities that focused on her interests.  Gwen purchased a shadow box and craft supplies, and we allowed guests to spend some time crafting a memento for the box.  Anna also supplied an instant camera and scrapbook, where guests could take photos and write a note to the family.  We strayed from the cheesy games in favor of another Ellen favorite-- trivia!  It was a fun, interactive way to enjoy the shower.  

Since the shower was held in mid-afternoon, we served light snacks like veggies, hummus, chips, salsa, fruit skewers, cupcakes and sparkling limeaide.  The cupcakes were delicious-- I wish I could say I made them myself, but I  have to admit they came from The Fresh Market , one of my favorite stores!  

The banner reads "IT IS YOUR SHOWER" - bonus points if you can name what TV show it was inspired by!

After the games and obligatory gift-opening, we spent some time talking and mingling.  The afternoon ended with the best part of any event-- the favors!  We hadn't really thought much about favors until a week before the shower, and were admittedly strapped for ideas.  I love the way that a local cupcake boutique, more, packages their goods, and suggested the idea to Anna and Gwen.  We took the idea and ran with it, since we already were ordering cupcakes for dessert.  I absolutely adore the way they turned out-- Anna designed the labels and Gwen found the perfect ribbon to complement the idea.

Takeaway boxes, labels, ribbon and cupcake - total cost around $2.50 per favor!

The idea for this shower was that simplicity and the guest of honor's personality should dictate the event.  We were inspired by countless items in Ellen's google reader, which helped frame some of what we did.  I definitely recommend soliciting the help of friends when planning an event like this-- it made things much less stressful and costly, and it helped to have others to rely on!

Most of all, I was so happy to be able to share the day with Ellen.  Friends in a big city are quite hard to make, and Ellen has always been there for me.  I am sad that she'll soon be so far away, but I am so happy to be a part of her life!  I can't wait to meet her baby boy soon and enjoy all that is to come for their family.

cruisin' along.

About a month ago, you might recall that I posted about the search for our next vacation.  While our requirements were stiff, we finally found a winner a few weeks ago, and I forgot to share!

In late October we will be sailing east from Miami aboard the Norwegian Sky!  Our trip includes four nights on the ship, with three full-day stops in Freeport, Grand Stirrup Cay and Nassau.  I am still a little apprehensive about cruising, but I chose this route specifically because it allows us to be off the ship for at least 10 hours a day, if we choose to do so, and includes no full days at sea.  I am terribly worried about getting seasick, and figured the option that allowed us as much land time as possible was the best idea!  Although we were in the Bahamas in February, this sailing will allow us to see two new islands and we'll get to spend the day in Nassau doing a few things we didn't have time for before.

Immediately prior to sailing, we will be in Richmond, VA (where I went to college!) for the wedding of a dear college friend and his partner.  We'll fly to Miami on Monday morning, board the ship and enjoy the Caribbean until Friday.  We are debating whether to stay in Miami Friday night or return to Chicago-- while extending vacation is never an unwelcome idea, we are trying to be budget-conscious, so returning to Chicago might be the better idea.

Speaking of budgeting, we got a GREAT deal on the cruise thanks to a lot of price comparisons and bargain hunting.  We spent under $600 for the cruise total, in an oceanview cabin for 4 nights, with all meals included.  We even scored some on-board credits, 2 bottles of wine and a few other freebies that will come in handy!  That shakes out to under $150 a day for lodging and meals-- we would definitely exceed that on our own had we booked a strictly land vacation.  While I know we'll spend some money on at least on excursion and some alcohol, I feel really good about our adventure so far!

This summer will be light on travel for us.  I do plan to go home to Virginia for a week in late July or early August, but beyond that, we'll be staycationing here in Chicago-- enjoying friends, festivals and all the fun this city can offer.  What travel plans do you have for the summer, friends?

(in)famous words.

One of the best parts about being in a relationship is laughter, and the ability to laugh with someone.  It definitely helps to share the same sense of humor as your mate-- something Jeremy and I have quite in common.

But sometimes instead of laughing with someone, we get to laugh at them.  This, too, is one of the unspoken greatnesses of being in a relationship!

Sometimes, J says things that are... amazing.  Regardless of context, intention or audience, little gems of hilarity occasionally spill forth into the world and are permanently imprinted into our repertoire.  This past weekend blessed us with two such statements:

"How could I possibly poop without my iPod?"


"Where did you see a billboard for 4000 wieners?"

My friend and colleague, Alex, has taken this idea to another level by creating a twitter account for her partner's one-liners.  For now, I'll keep Jeremy's deep thoughts here on my blog... I never know when I'll need to refer back for a good giggle!

catch me if you can.

When life gets overwhelming, my blogging skills are some of the first to go out the window.  Last night as I was getting in bed, I realized it had been a long time since I sat down to write-- and looking at the archive, it's been almost a month!

The last few weeks have been as busy, if not busier, than expected.  The semester ended quietly for me at work, something I am thankful for.  The second weekend in May, Jeremy and I were both able to travel and spend some time apart.  I went home to Virginia for the first time in five months, and J headed west to Reno for a weekend with bowling friends to the USBC Championships.

My time in Virginia was short, as usual, but well-spent.  I got to spend a lot of time with my precious nephew, who is now talking up a storm.  It was such a treat to see the huge developmental leaps and bounds he's made since Christmas, but also bittersweet-- my little buddy is growing up!

Memorial Day weekend was our turn to travel together-- something I always look forward to, because we get along so perfectly when relaxed and experiencing new things together!  As some of you may know, one of Jeremy's lifelong goals is to visit every major league baseball stadium, a dream I fully support, as it allows us to see a lot of the country (and one day, Toronto!) and to enjoy one of America's great past-times.  In early May, I did my best bargain hunting and surprised J with club level seats and VIP passes to see the Detroit Tigers play the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, May 28.  

On Saturday morning, we headed west, stopping early in our trip to spend a little cash at the outlet mall in Michigan City.  We made it to Detroit around 7pm, dropped our bags in the hotel and hopped in the car again, heading across the border into Canada.  No real reason for the adventure, other than to say I've been to Canada and to test our luck at the Caesar's in Windsor.  We came out a little ahead of the gambling game, had a late night dinner, and then went back to our hotel in the US (not without apprehension, as I have an irrational fear that I am going to be stuck in a foreign country for some strange reason).  

Sunday, we headed downtown to Comerica Park around 11am-- Jeremy likes to fully experience every ballpark, and we generally like to make it early enough for batting practice.  We were in the park by 11:30am and watched some warmups before walking around.  The park was pretty awesome-- very family friendly, including a carousel and ferris wheel!  Our seats were on the club level of the upper deck, right above home plate, giving us a great view of the action.  Unfortunately, it was SO HOT on Sunday that we only lasted about 3 innings in our seats before taking a trip to the Tiger Club, the park's private dining room.  I was lucky to grab a pass for $5 from eBay, and it was well worth it!  We got a table right next to the window and enjoyed the glorious air conditioning and great food (priced just the same as the vendors on the concourses, though I was expecting it to be much more expensive) through the eighth inning.  We spent the last inning walking around, exploring more and eventually seat "squatting" on the 100 level through the end of the game.  All in all, it was a great day at the ballpark and we very much enjoyed the Tigers atmosphere.

Sunday after the game, we explored Detroit's casino scene (sidenote: we're not heavy gamblers, we just like to visit and get whatever freebies we can!) and ordered pizza to our hotel for dinner.  We slept a fantastic 11 hours and woke up refreshed on Monday morning.  We left Detroit around 1:30pm on our way back to Chicago, stopping a few times along the way.  

The coming weeks are already jam packed with lots to do-- J's wisdom tooth extraction, I'm throwing a baby shower for my dear friend Ellen, a wedding, Cubs game, pig roast, first birthday party, and then it's the Fourth of July already, whew.  Time sure does fly when you're having fun, y'all!

the travel bug.

The travel bug is biting again...

Almost immediately upon arriving back from our February trip to the Bahamas, J and I were vacation dreaming of where and when our next adventure would be.  Thoughts of faraway places swirled through my head-- Mexico, Ireland, Italy, Hawaii.  The biggest obstacle we have to traveling is money.  Finding somewhere we are excited about visiting AND that we can afford is always the kicker.  I even tossed in some more affordable locales like New Orleans, Charleston/Savannah and the Grand Canyon.  Problem is, nothing has so far met my criteria:

• Affordable 
• Includes one of the following: meals, excursions or airfare
• Fits within a 5 night period
• Has exciting things to do, see and explore

We also are limited to traveling the week of October 23-30.  We are traveling to Virginia October 21 for a wedding and would leave on vacation afterwards, since we'll already be out of state and since we have some airline credits we need to use up.

Right now, I think we are leaning towards a cruise to the Bahamas or Mexico.  We're not super sold on the idea of returning to the Bahamas again, only for the fact that we'd like to see a new place.  However, I'm not going to turn my nose up at the idea of a sunny tropical beach if the alternative is nothing!

Has anyone out there ever cruised before?  Carnival seems to have the most reasonable rates and their ships look pretty fun, but the reviews are hit or miss-- a phrase I've seen repeated is " floating trailer park", which is not exactly the vibe I'm seeking.  Royal Caribbean and Norwegian are our other two options.  We'd like to do a 4-5 day trip, but I could be open to a longer trip if affordable.  

Also, if you've cruised before, any tips for those of us who might turn a little green out on the blue sea?  I didn't get sick in the Bahamas, but I mainly closed my eyes and sat very still on our boat trips.  I won't have that option for a straight week, obviously, and don't want to spend the entire trip zapped out on Dramamine, either!

the blog is back in town.

April is finally starting to come to a close, and with it, the majority of our largest events on campus are finishing up.  I have to say, while April is always stressful here, having two energized, motivated and team-oriented staff members made it feel like a breeze in comparison to years past.

Just as we descend the peak at work, the summer social scene starts to heat up for me and J.  Here's what we've got to look forward to in the next two months, so far:

• May 1: Sunday BBQ with friends
• May 7: Jeremy's Godson's First Communion
• May 8: Baseball game @ US Cellular Field
• May 12-16: Erin home to Virginia, Jeremy to Reno for USBC
• May 19: White Sox game (staff outing with our beaus!)
• May 20: J gets his wisdom teeth removed
• May 24: Cubs game
• June 18: Wedding
• June 19: Cubs game (vs Yankees!)
  

I think that leaves us 2 or 3 weekends unscheduled right now, but I also know there will be a birthday party thrown in there somewhere, as well as some family time with J's dad.  I also can't forget to mention that J's football season starts up at the end of June, thereby sucking away every Saturday from our time together.  Practice is already going on every Tuesday and Thursday, as well as bowling on Fridays.  That means we see each other twice a week and on weekends.  If we didn't live together, I'm not really sure when we'd get together anymore!

Any tips for balancing busy couples schedules?  I try not to get upset over our reduced time together, but the truth is that it's hard to go from seeing each other all the time to 4 times a week.  Add into that the fact that we are both often stressed out, cranky or just plain tired when we are home together, and it can seem like forever some months before we have a really good day together.  How do you squeeze the most out of your time together to make it more meaningful?

true to title.

In my line of work, August-September and March-April are my busiest times of the year.  This year has been no exception-- I've been out of my mind busy for the last few weeks.  Last week alone, there were three after-work banquets and a major weekend event.  I'm grateful to have such a supportive and competent staff-- everything went off without a hitch!

Things really start to slow down around here in another week or so.  I can't promise I'll be updating again regularly until we hit our downturn, but in the meantime, here's a picture of my staff and our significant others from this weekend's formal event!

agony of defeat.

VCU's run in the NCAA tournament came to an abrupt ending on Saturday night.  After playing some extremely impressive basketball over the last few weeks, the Butler game was a complete meltdown.  Whether due to fatigue, biased refs or simple bad luck, the road ended.

The Final Four party was a success-- about 20 Chicagoland VCU alumni showed up, and about 8 of my friends.  Everyone enjoyed snacks, pizza and the drink special.  I even got to see one of my favorite people from my time working in the Student Commons at VCU, what a treat!

Opening Day at Wrigley Field was also Friday.  This marks my third year of attending the home opener (obviously, a Jeremy-driven activity!), and the weather was typical-- cold and rainy!  Temperatures in the 40s all day with a steady drizzle.  Adding to the dreary mood was the fact that Jeremy wasn't feeling well and the Cubs lost.  Booooo!

The rest of our weekend was consumed with sleeping and laundry.  We slept for 11 hours on Saturday night-- which felt amazing!  I wish I had that chance more often, especially in preparation for the next few weeks at work.

Speaking of, I'm completely overwhelmed right now.  April is always our busiest time, and this year seems even more stressful than ever.  I'm trying to take it one day at a time, but that's hard when every day is jam-packed, including the weekends!  After the end of April, though, things significantly calm down.  I'm soooo looking forward to that day.

Jeremy has football practice tonight, so I will be home alone.  I really struggle to be alone sometimes-- not that it isn't relaxing, but I'm just so bored by myself!  I'm also an extremely light sleeper, so I tend to stay up until J gets home, which is sometimes almost midnight.  It's a vicious cycle-- I look forward to him coming home, and then I get mad that I'm up late and am subsequently tired and cranky the next day.  It is a good exercise for me, though, because I do need to understand everything doesn't work around my schedule all the time.  I also am admittedly jealous that J has hobbies and friends here in Chicago, something I lack.  It's hard to have a partner who lives in their hometown-- all his close friends and family are always nearby, but mine are 1000 miles away.  I look forward to the day when we are on more even territory!