Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Winter Wonderland

Christmas is almost here and I am all about embracing this winter wonderland. 
I had a $5 thrift store Christmas Secret Santa this week. Sounds amazing... I know!  We each had a secret Santa and the gifts had to be from a thrift store and you could not spend more than $5. It was fun and challenging. We all ended up with fabulous things... a furry canteen, a 98 Degrees CD, an Esmerelda Burger King toy, a tea pot, a Lost puzzle... lots of great stuff!  It was mostly fun to drink hot cider and chat and catch up with my friends. So much fun when we are together.  
 Drinking hot spiced cider and enjoying each others' company :o)


 A Canteen!


 Lauren just got married in October... one of her thrift store gifts was a 
"Best way to get pregnant naturally" book. Haha!


Esmerelda Toy

Ninja Turtles Game

Last night we went to Lincoln Park Zoo Lights in Chicago.  I was with 8 of my favorite people. They decorate the zoo with Christmas lights and some of the animal exhibits are open.  We got to see gorillas sleeping.  They sell hot cocoa and cider and popcorn. It is a winter wonderland.  Prior to the zoo we also ate at Revolution Brewery, which I highly recommend... and also insist that you order the Mustard Chicken Sandwich (Grilled chicken, spicy mustard, garlic aoli, fontina cheese, red onion, and arugla... DELICIOUS) and order the Bottom Up Belgian Wit Beer (Refreshing Belgian-style wheat beer spiced with coriander and orange peel).



Revolution Brewery


Lincon Park Zoo Lights

Lincoln Park Zoo Lights

I LOVE giraffes

Live Ice Sculpting



Also... I booked a trip to Oregon.. along with four of my best friends in the world... to visit our two best friends who now live in Oregon (So the seven of us pictured above are going to be together in Oregon!!)  It is going to be insanely amazing.  We are going in February.  We were hanging out waiting for everyone to get off work last night and decided to see if the prices had dropped from last week and they were $100 less than they were 4 days ago. We jumped on it and now we are all going to Oregon!  So exciting.
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My Fall & Winter To Do List!!!
  • Bake cupcakes from scratch
  • Go to Pops for Champagne (A champagne bar in Chicago)
  • Take pictures at a park in my home town
  • Apple picking
  • Pumpkin picking and subsequent carving
  • Sew my own Halloween costume
  • See a Drive-in movie
  • Knit a scarf
  • Learn to crochet
  • Make spiced cider
  • Grow out my hair
  • Spend less money
  • Eat lots of food on Thanksgiving
  • Shop at a thrift store
  • See a musical or play
  • Have a Christmas party with my girls
  • Snowboarding
  • Learn to ski
  • Get straight A's
  • Buy my friends' Christmas presents at a resale shop
  • Bake a pie from scratch
  • Celebrate New Years in style
  • Go sledding
  • Cuddle with Jay... or maybe my cat... under a blanket 
  • Visit my friends in Oregon <<< FEBRUARY 18-25!!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

spiced cider and a couch.


Last night... I sat on a couch, with my friend Ashley M, ate warm chocolate chip cookies, and drank homemade spiced cider... all while we watched Glee!  The perfect mid-week, holiday season night.  I just put apple cider in a pot and threw in some brown sugar, all spice, cinnamon, and cloves and heated it on medium until it all tasted yummy and warm.  Truly delicious.

Exciting things are happening this month!!!
  • Only two exams stand between me and the end of my 2nd quarter of grad school
  • Tonight I am going out to dinner in Chicago with two of my bestest friends, Laura and Lisa. We are going to try a new restaurant that none of us have tried.
  • Saturday I am making a drop-off donation at my local food pantry. Every little bit helps.
  • December 17 a friend's band is playing at the Cubby Bear in Wrigleyville (home of the Chicago Cubs)
  • December 18 is my work Christmas breakfast and gift exchange
  • The week before Christmas is when all my out of state friends come back home
  • December 20 is my thrift store Christmas party with my best friends. (We are doing a secret santa - but everyone can only spend $5 at the thrift store)
  • December 21 going to see the zoo lights at Lincoln Park Zoo
So many exciting things happening between now and Christmas time! I love the holidays!

 
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My Fall & Winter To Do List!!!
  • Bake cupcakes from scratch
  • Go to Pops for Champagne (A champagne bar in Chicago)
  • Take pictures at a park in my home town
  • Apple picking
  • Pumpkin picking and subsequent carving
  • Sew my own Halloween costume
  • See a Drive-in movie
  • Knit a scarf
  • Learn to crochet
  • Make spiced cider
  • Grow out my hair
  • Spend less money
  • Eat lots of food on Thanksgiving
  • Shop at a thrift store
  • See a musical or play
  • Have a Christmas party with my girls
  • Snowboarding
  • Learn to ski
  • Get straight A's
  • Buy my friends' Christmas presents at a resale shop
  • Bake a pie from scratch
  • Celebrate New Years in style
  • Go sledding
  • Cuddle with Jay... or maybe my cat... under a blanket 
  • Visit my friends in Oregon

Thursday, December 2, 2010

big house

So... I don't know if I have every really pointed out that I live at home with my parents right now.  With my current situation, living at home was the most logical decision...

  • My work is close to my parents' house
  • I am paying for graduate school out of pocket
  • I cannot live with my boyfriend since he lives too far away
  • I have no idea where I will be in a couple years after I graduate so, I cannot buy a house.
  • Renting an apartment would be a waste of money if I can live at home for free and pay for grad school out of pocket
  • I will have no debt once I graduate and will be able to afford a nicer house when I do buy one.

While I love my parents dearly and appreciate all that they do for me, living at home is just what you imagine it to be.  I mean, yes my mom will do my laundry and cook for me, but she also will call me if I don't come home by a certain time just to check that I am still alive... she will also 20-question me about everything, just because she is curious about my life.  I also cannot just sit around and do nothing for a day, because I feel guilty that I am being lazy when she is up and about working and cooking and cleaning... etc etc etc.  

This week... my parents are on a cruise with some of their friends and it has really hit me hard that I really don't like living alone, even if the alternative is living with my parents.  I constantly keep the TV on, because I like the background noise of voices talking.  I am calling Jay every minute because I want someone to talk to. I sleep on the couch downstairs, because when I am in my bed upstairs, I hear the creaking of my house and think someone is robbing it downstairs.  I have been eating out a lot, because making meals for only one person is never fun and I won't eat the left overs.  

I never realized how much I truly enjoy being surrounded by people. 

Another realization I have made this week is that I really like to entertain.  I had people over last weekend in celebration of having a big house to myself.  Just several of my friends gathered for food, laughs, and games.  I had fun going out and shopping for appetizers. I enjoyed writing the text messages to invite everyone over.  I liked making sure everyone was having fun. We had some beers/wine/cocktails and played good old fashioned pictionary.  It was a great time.  I really look forward to buying a house and hosting.  Jay and I have talked about how we think we will be great hosts since I love setting up parties and planning the music, activities, and food, while Jay is really great at cooking.  Hopefully the future comes sooner than I think it will.

 fun with food

 gathered around the table

 good ol' fashioned pictionary

 laughing it up

 plenty of beers consumed

 centerpiece and snack!

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!! :)


I will leave you with a quote from the show Scrubs (one of my favs)...

"I don't think poeple are meant to be alone, 
that's why if you find someone you actually care about, 
it's important to let go of the little things" 
...the wise words of Dr. John Dorian.