sad

I haven't posted any pictures.

DH took my memory card reader (actually he took the usb to mini-usb cable that I used with my memory card reader) so, no fun pictures.

Which is kind of sad, because this weekend we dressed my parents dog up in her Halloween costume from last year and took tons of super cute pictures.

Poor Copper was so unhappy. She had to be squeezed into a shirt that was too small with a dorky cape attached to it, and THEN to add insult to injury, it came with a little hat that Velcros around her head with a wiggly spider on it.

It cute and mostly hilarious because she can't stand to have it on for more than a few minutes and only allows for us to dress her because it's me, and she doesn't bite me. :)

So...someday soon, I may actually get another cable and I will yet again, post photos like a fiend.
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Walking...It's an Art not a Science

I walk a lot in the city. I walk from the train station to my office or to the bus stop. I walk to pick up lunch, and I walk around Michigan Ave. just to get some air.

Because of this, I get to see a lot of people. How they walk, who they're with, what they're doing that day. It's interesting. When I worked in the Loop, I would always seem to be frustrated about how people couldn't seem to walk at a "normal" pace (which was whatever pace I was at that day).

I've since slowed down a bit and really noticed the people that are around me. Some walk fast, some slow. Some swing their hips a la Marilyn Monroe, and others act like their smushing bugs with each purposeful stomp.

I decided last Friday, that walking is really more of an Art than a Science. The mechanics are all pretty much the same; left, right, left, right, in a forward or backward motion, but the execution is as varied as the people.
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What a weekend!

DH and I are trying to be more social. We tend to be really busy and so when the weekend rolls around we're lucky if our laundry gets done and food gets replenished. Doing things "just for fun" has just been too much work!

But, I have been feeling antsy. I needed social interaction with people, so about a month and a half a go we, along with two other couples, bought tickets to a play. A musical even. Yes. A musical. DH was such a good sport to go to an expensive restaurant for lunch, deal with all the traffic and people downtown on a Saturday and sit through a performance that he wasn't entirely sure about.

The play was called Turn of the Century and it had Jeff Daniels in it (that's how I got DH to buy into it) :) It was really entertaining and reworked a lot of classic bradway showtunes as well as a few modern classics from this decade and last.




All in all it was a really great Saturday spent with some really great friends in a really awesome city.

Now, lest you think that this is all we could muster, we went for broke this weekend. We had a Stake Conference for our Church this weekend so our Sunday meetings went from about 5 hours to about 2. It was a huge blessing, because my mom had invited us for dinner and she made her famous lasagna.

As soon as he heard, DH canceled any plans he had for the afternoon just to be sure we wouldn't miss that cheesy goodness. It was delicious. Mom, you do great lasagna, it's like you lived in Italy for 18 months or something.

After sleeping off the lasagna for most of the afternoon, we met two other couples that night, for a quick game of Settlers of Catan. It's a super fun game.

We had no idea how seriously involved they were though. Frankly, I was shocked at the level of skill shown to me last night. Although one of the players has a "good luck charm" of sorts, as witnessed below...

Yep. That's his wife, being totally embarassed. :) They're super cute together though, don't you think?

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Sailboats. Do they stay in the harbor all winter?

For those of you who are curious. We have like a gazillion sailboats hanging out on the harbor all summer, but we happen to live in the midwest, where it gets cold and windy. The waves get pretty bad in the winter and so sailboat owners have to put their toys away for the season. How do they do this? They're on a gian lake that only leads to other giant lakes in colder weather?

Well, we have the Chicago river. To be honest I don't really know where they go after they get on the river, but frankly, it can't be as interested as when they go along the river. See what I mean.

.

Yup. All the bridges along the Chicago River open up. They stop traffic (generally during rush hour) and have all the sailboats just float on through. To get a better visual, watch Batman Begins and when they are lifting the bridges to isolate The Narrows, they're actually just keeping all those North Siders on their side of the river. :) It's just like that only with boats in the water and no batmobile. or famous people.

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It Rained again today...

Due to popular demand (Okay, MH - this is for you) I am posting a photo of me with my sassy coat and way fun boots. I try to stick my pants in my boots to show them off properly, but these pants are a thicker gabardine and I tend to look like a drag-queen pirate if I do...

Here's a fun photo of DH. He's humoring me and my mad camera skills on a Sunday morning heading to church.

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Concealer

I think I'm finally getting older...beware, scary pictures ahead.

I've always had pretty good skin growing up, so foundation was never really something that I ever used a lot of, and concealer was only used about 2 months of the year during the darkest days of seminary (and that one week right before the HS production of Faustus my junior year).

I took a picture of myself yesterday wearing my awesome green shoes and I looked at my face and thought, jeez...have you heard of make-up? So today, I wore concealer AND pressed powder. Besides the sleepy eyelids, it's shocking how much healthier my skin looks and frankly how much more awake and put together I feel.

In the pictures below, I have the exact same colors on. Seriously. Concealer and Pressed Powder are the only add ons.

(don't mind the creepy red-eye. I'm working with my photographer on that)

So sad. I'm too young to get older...
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My DH, what a guy

So this is why I love my DH. While I am gone at seminary, he gets up and makes me a lunch and packs it in my appropriately girly lunch box. What a guy...


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"Matchy, Matchy, Green Squared"

...Movie quote? Anyone? Come on. It's only like the #10 best chic-flic filmed in Chicago. Still nothing? Okay. It's at the bottom of the post.


I love matching. It's a documented issue. I would rather have ugly and matching than beautiful and mismatched. Thus, when I find something truly beautiful and 'matchy', the sun shines and the world is at peace.

Exhibit A: These truly awe-inspiring green shoes that match my favorite green sweater. I'm part Irish, so I tend to think this emeraldy goodness suits me.

?Return to Me? Come on. David Duchovny, Minnie Driver...Bonnie Hunt? Jim Belushi?

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It rained on Wednesday

I actually really like the rain here in the midwest. For so long I was in Utah where it mostly just spits dirty raindrops over everything causing serious irritation and then gloomy Guses seem to appear out of nowhere.

But not here in Chi-town! We have beautifully torrential rain that would sooner flood your basement than spit at you!!

Anyway. Rain out here makes me happy, mostly because of the accessories that I get to wear.

These are my rain boots. I have an awesome rain coat too. I don't have a picture of my exact coat. But it sort of looks like this. Mine isn't double breasted, it's just a plain trench. I still love it. I wear it with my sassy boots and then I feel great.

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Love at First Sight

Okay. Lose the ooky model with the bad hair and just look at this dress...just breathe it all in...ahh.



I feel as though life has just improved for the better.


For those that care this is from Marchesa (spring 2009, ready-to-wear).

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Conference Weekend

I stayed in all weekend and watched conference.

For those who are unaware, I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

I really enjoy our semi-annual conferences. They are so very uplifting and hopeful. I felt like a bit of a boob this weekend, because I was tearing up at just about every talk. Two that really struck me this weekend were in the Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning sessions.

Saturday Afternoon Elder Jeffrey R. Holland spoke about the ministering of angels and how the Lord sends special messengers to deliver ordinances and doctrine that are too important to miss. Being that I'm a seminary teacher and we are studying the New Testament, I think about how often Christ was ministered unto, and how many of those key players in the restoration of the Gospel in the meridian of time also played key roles in the final restoration in this dispensation.

The other speaker that really resonated with me was Elder Henry B. Eyring. He wrote the home teaching message last month and it was on a similar topic. He spoke of Unity and it's importance in our lives here on earth and in the life to come. I thought about Dave and I, how we are unified as a couple as well as being a part of a unified extended family, both on his side and mine. It reminded me to be more of a peacemaker and advocate for my family so as to help build a greater unity of purpose and inclusion.

If you're interested in seeing these talks, or missed them the first time. Click here, and then select the speaker that you would like to hear.
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What Could Have Been

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Back to Conformity

So apparently we were only supposed to be different for about a week.

I was looking out my window at some of the seriously awesome architecture here in Chicago and I have a really great view of the Carbon and Carbide Building.


It was built during prohibition, so...guess what they were missing?? (Can you say Champagne!!) Anyway, DH has another name for it, but it's not approriate for mixed company.

Speaking of champagne, I heard a funny quote yesterday, "Champagne for me real friends, and real pain for my sham friends". Get it? Hilarious.

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Looking Out My Window

This is the view from my office. I have a nice office with a door and a window and real wood cabinets. My favorite part has got to be the view from my window. It doesn't show very well in this picture, but I can see the Chicago river from my office and all of the goings on in the plaza. It makes my day great.

So I was watching people out my window last Friday and I saw them constructing this goofy looking Chicago sign, so after work I went to take a look...

I'm not completely sure what this is about, but it is TOTALLY awesome. The entire sign was made of "green". It wasn't up when I got back in on Monday so I'm not sure what purpose it served over the weekend, but it was still neat to see.

So yesterday I came in to work, sat down and got to work on some leftover projects from Monday when all of a sudden I heard a thud...and then another...and another. This is what I found.

Yep. I had a feathered friend attacking my window. Apparently when the sun hits the window just right it becomes a mirror and this little guy was defending his territory (against himself). It always brightens my day to see wildlife downtown (other than pigeons and purse dogs), he only stayed for about an hour and then I guess the sun no longer reflected his image.

Funny Story. Tribune Tower just recently unlocked all their windows so that people can open them and get a little fresh air. A lady on the 6th floor left her window open overnight and came back to an office with a trespasser. A bird had flown in during the night and couldn't get out! It had ruffled all her papers and made a royal mess of her office...I guess this isn't that funny. Seriously, you had to be there.
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Saturdays in a small(ish) town

I love Saturdays in our little town of Downers Grove.




We have a farmers market that is open every Saturday right outside our Apartment.

It's literally, across the street from our apartment and as you can see, right next to our train station. We have lots of organically grown produce as well as organic meats and breads. Local artists and retail shops set up booths as well, so it's a pretty fun time.
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Why I LOVE going to work somedays...

So this is what I have seen going to work the last few days. Why? Because the CTC is re-deploying it's paper after like a million years of practically the same layout. It's kind of a huge deal.

Hey, did I mention that the company I work for owns the Cubs? Cuz they do. And we get box seats to really great games. That's why I have such an awesome shot of the field without all those annoying "little people" down in those seats below to get in my way. :) This was when the cubbies played the brewers last week. I left at the top of the 7th when we were down 3 and (I thought) totally hosed. It turns out we won that game. It's okay though, because I won a raffle at work, so if the Cubs can actually make it to game 3 in the playoffs, I got two tickets. (Totally stoked about this by the way!)

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Fun Day Fridays

So I teach seminary. It's true. I wake up extra super early and I warp young minds. Not everyone can do this, it's a talent that I have.

In all actuality, I love it. We are learning about the New Testament this year and it is my absolute most favorite book of scripture. I teach with another girl about my age, TJ and we have around 16 kids between the ages of 14 and 18 that show up almost daily.

Now you may be thinking to yourself, "Seriously. 16 kids at 6 in the morning? How does she keep them awake and engaged?" Well I'm glad that you asked that. I have a hard time with it. I can hardly keep myself engaged some mornings and I'm actually interested in what we're learning. :)

So, this brings me to the title of my post, "Fun Day Fridays". All week, we study the scriptures, we attempt to discuss deep and meaningful teachings from Christ's ministry and on Friday, when we are all worn down from lack of sleep and too much to do, we have a "fun" day. This consists of us playing a game and one student bringing in treats. It generally gets pretty rowdy and has little to do with what we learned that week and more on Scripture Mastery (key scriptures that we are all urged to memorize and apply) and social interaction.

Why do I look forward to FDFs? It's amazing what a little mindless competition can do to breathe life into otherwise unresponsive teenagers. For some of my kids, it's the only time their head is not permanently attached to the table in front of them. For others, it's one of the few times they can feel accepted by a larger group of kids. Plus, TJ and I can really connect with them on better. There is less of teacher/student relationship and more of a friendship that forms.
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Visits from Family

My DH's cousins, AH and MH came and visited Chicago for a dental conference this past week. We were so excited that they were able to take time out to visit us. We went out to lunch at The Grand Lux Cafe and the went on an architectural boat tour. We have some seriously awesome architecture in this city, and what better way to experience it than with a snarky commentary from a local? (There is no better way, I'll just tell you) I've been on the tour before, but I am much older and much more mature now, so of course I found it considerably entertaining. All four of us also then went to Navy Pier and took a ride on our genuine imitation ferris wheel. It was loads of fun and we just love having family come visit the city. This picture of us is right before we got on the boat. Chicago is all about the photo 'opps' and making a buck here or there. Of course, we got them. because it's awesome. For those of you who don't know. Chicago is situated on a rather large lake, Lake Michigan. You may have heard of it as part of that whole "Great Lakes" concept back in grade school. We also have a river running through our beloved Second City which provides easy transit and shipping through to the Mississipi. This is where our boat tour takes place. All in all, it was a great afternoon and we are so glad that they could squeeze us in to their busy schedule of dental stuff and touristing!

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Inaugural Posting

This is the first post on my brand new blog.

About us:

My DH and I have been married for almost 5 years. We met at BYU, specifically at the Auxiliary Maintenance Building where we both did the laundry. He worked on the Dry Cleaning side and I worked in the Sewing Room. It was awesome. He was super shy and I was a horrible flirt. Eventually, with a little prodding, I caught his attention and he asked me out. (He'll tell it a little differently, but I know the truth - don't be fooled)

We dated and got married rather quickly and settled into a rather tumultuous 2 years in Utah County. I finished school, got a job at a clothing manufacturer, Dave finished school and then we moved out of the Beehive State. We moved to Chicago where we both found suitable work and got a super cute apartment in a bedroom suburb called Downers Grove.



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