Halloween How I Loath you

Yup, that's right, I may be one of millions of people in the country who don't like Halloween, but it's the truth.(in fact, of the 372 blog entries I had in my reader account, 365 of them were all about loving the wretched holiday, even the wedding blogs were about Halloween).

I don't like the holiday one bit. I don't like haunted houses, I don't like scary movies, I don't like most candy, I don't like scary things yet alone people dressed up as other scary people. In fact, sometimes scary things and movies make me physically ill and they turn me into a mental head case. Seriously, I get scared to go into rooms by myself, I get petrified walking my dog (I mean, Minne is ferocious but let's be honest she weighs less than 20 lbs). Moral of the story is, Halloween turns me into a crazy sick lunatic.

When I was little it was fun to dress up (not in scary outfits but you know the pretty ones with sparkles) but as I got older, I realized you can throw a themed party any time of the year and avoid all the creepy dirty stuff that comes along with Halloween. So I do just that. And on today's wicked little holiday I plan on treating it like any other day. I'll be doing laundry, catching up on some recorded TV and perhaps watching a holiday movie...you know, one that leaves you with warm fuzzies instead of creepy tingles....is it Christmas time yet?

 I should make a side note that some of my friends have special reasons for loving this icky holiday. One of my college besties and her hubby in particular. Halloween is the day he asked her to be his girlfriend and on this same holiday he proposed. For her, it's one of the best holidays a girl could ask for. So the only thing I will do to celebrate this icky day is to congratulate them on another special day.

PS...I don't judge you if you love Halloween, just know we all have our things.

Back From Philly

I am back from Philly & NYC and I am tired. I'll share photos later but all you need to know is our trip was kind of like planes trains and automobiles. We're exhausted but it was worth it. PS out east is beautiful this time of year so I leave you with this beautiful unedited photo.

Back to work (yes it's Saturday of Halloween) but hopefully I have time to catch up on my google reader...wow have I missed you. 

Wish List

My friend over at Savvy Sentiment recently blogged about monogrammed Louis Vuitton. Now, I'm not a huge label buyer because well funds have to go to other things BUT if I hadn't just bought a car and a new house with the husband I would for sure be asking for my first ever Louie this holiday season oh and if the monogram could tag along well then...  ::swoon::

via sooofabulous.com

So then the question is do you go with all 3 intials or just 2 or even just 1?

(This is fuscia but it looks very dark here)

And how do you decide which color combo to go with?

Don't even get be started on where to put the stripe!!!!

Get started on your own here!

Happy Birthday Z

Today my big sister is celebrating her Golden Birthday!

Since her last Birthday a lot has changed. She's become a proud momma

She's graduated from nursing school with some great new friends.

She's passed her boards and become a Real Nurse.

And by the time this blog gets published, she should have accepted her first job working in a hospital as an RN.

Cheers to the greatest big sis ever.

Trip to Philly

It's no surprise that my husband is a huge Phillies Fanatic, despite the fact that he has never actually been to Philly. The last two years we've waited to see if Philly was going to make it to the World Series and when they did we would go to purchase flights out to Philly but the air fare was going to cost us an arm and a leg and the hotels were just as bad. Both years we watched the World Series from home and news flash THERE AREN'T PHILLIES FANS IN CHICAGO. Poor guy has had to route for his team all by himself. And you know when you live in the home city of your favorite sports team you can find merchandise in abundance? Not the case for the hubs in Chicago.

After last season (and the trip to the Final Four that the hubs helped to make possible) I told him that if Philly made it to the playoffs we would look at buying flights. Sure enough, the Phillies were on a roll. We started browsing air fare to Philly but the flights were going up daily. It may be because the 76ers have their home opener against the heat the same night as game 1 for the World series. We waited a week to see if they would drop but they didn't. A few days later, about a week ago I got an email from JetBlue with a one day only offer for $80 flights from Chicago to New York (JFK).

We took a chance and booked our flights, hotels and train passes in all hopes that Philly would make it to the World Series. We had not taken the chances previous years and we figured we were running out of time. Well after a very long week, Saturday we found out that Philly wasn't going to the World Series. So here we are stuck with tickets to NY and Philly. I write this blog as we're about to board our plane for our 2nd vacation together of all time (our first was our honey moon in June of 09 and trips to Indy really don't count).

Despite the fact that we can't watch the Phillies play (which is still heart breaking for the hubs), we still have a a sports filled plan of action:

• Tuesday - Flyers Game
• Wednesday -Tour of Citizen Bank Park & a Philly Cheese Steak (yes I will be breaking my paleo diet for 1 day, it's going to be worth it.)
• Thursday - Dinner with friends in the City of Dreams
• Friday - a self guided tour through New York City and possibly and Islanders game.
• Saturday - flight back home so that I can work the Bulls home opener.

Cheers to a fun week with no work.

PS I did try to schedule some positings but won't have photos of our trip till next week.

My Last Day At Banana Republic, Seriously.

Remember when I tried to quit my 2nd job at Banana Republic and they wouldn't let me? Well the time has come and I have really quit this time. Seriously, I did quit, see for yourself...

Tonight Monday the 25th of October is my very last shift. It's going to be a hard shift for me, I just know it. Do I buy everything in the store before I lose my 50% discount? Do I cry (I really love the people I work with)? Do I play it cool and act like I'm too good for it? Who knows, either way though, it's a good thing my last shift is only 3.5 hours and then I can finally part with my 2nd love, I mean my second job, Banana Republic.

Minne Monday

With all the trips back and forth from Chi-Indy, Minne and her cousin Buddy have had the chance of spending lots of time together.

Presh

Fall in the Burbs

Fall in the midwest is one of my favorite times of year. Sweatshirt weather and beautiful colors, not to mention, baseball playoffs, football is in full swing and the start of college basket and hockey are around the corner. Life is good, especially in the burbs...I'll let the photos do all the talking from here.

What is your favorite season?

Fall in the City

Just another fall day in the great city of the Midwest, love you Chicago (that is when I am not sitting in traffic for hours on end anyway).

Drinking Paleo

As the weekend approaches and I am celebrating a friend's 30th Birthday, I was on the look out for a good party drink that's still Paleo friendly.

At home, I have been reaching for the Crispin which is a perfect hard cider drink for the fall afternoons. It's become my ultimate Sunday Funday football drink of choice. Unfortunately, most bars don't seem to keep Crispin on their shelves.

Luckily for me 30 Days of Paleo recently blogged about her favorite drink. I think I may just order one of these to celebrate on Friday.

"...tequila on the rocks with fresh squeezed lime, a splash of OJ, and a splash of soda water. Tequila is the most paleo friendly alcohol, it's made from a plant and has a lower sugar content to many of your other options. Cheers!"  - via 30 Days of paleo

Chocolate Raspberry Wine?

Chocolate Raspberry Port - say it aint so. Wait no... it is so! I discovered it on a recent trip to Starved Rock with the hubs and pup. One the way back we found this little winery.

They offered free sample and to be honest I didn't taste one thing that I didn't like. The Chocolate Raspberry Port was by favorite but the seasonal Hallowine was the runner up. 

If you're ever out in the Starved Rock/Utica area, be sure to give this little winery a chance, you won't be disappointed. If you won't be, maybe you can do a little online shopping?

Wish List

I can never remember what I want as gift ideas so I am starting my list early. Although with the stores already decorated in red and green, is it really that early? Maybe these will help you to make out your wish lists?

First up, one copy of The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet by Robb Wolf please.

I started easing myself into the Paleo diet a few weeks back. Part to be in better shape weight wise but also just to change my life style eating habits that I knew were not great. Amazingly I haven't officially gone straight Paleo eating yet but I've lost 16 pounds and I am making it through the days without the 2pm desert/diet coke cravings. I think Robb Wolf's book may the last piece of what I need to take me over the edge Paleo style. It may also help get me through my 2011 New Years Resolution of running a half marathon. (we will see)

Eating Paleo at Work

You know what's awesome? Eating well. Mentally and physically it is just awesome... until you are sitting at a round table of 10 with coworkers and they look at your plate and say is that all you're eating? Where's all the processed food?

Ok so they don't exactly say that but in a few short terms they do. It makes me extremely uncomfortable and to be honest it makes me want to clear off my plate and go back up for round two of only/all/every bit of processed goodies. But this week I faced new challenges. I decided I would go up to the lunch room, grab my lunch full of nuts, fruits and vegis and head down to my desk. Sound great right? Wrong. Apparently I am now the weird girl who eats by myself.

Everything will be Ok, I know that. I really do but maybe just maybe this Paleo thing will get easier?

Minne Monday

I really dislike Mondays, I think Minne does too.

But mom, I don't want to get up.

Inspection

Well, we have another house with another inspection. Fingers crossed this inspection goes better than our others.  Maybe just maybe this could be our new home. 

7 day schedule

Minne and the Bully

Minne is still on the look out for the Bully.

Dogs and Babies

Real quick, just wanted to pose this question...what is better than dogs and babies?

Is anything better than dogs and babies?

I really doubt it.

Buying a House Really Blows

that is all.

Minne Monday

Unposed, unedited, true love of man's best friend.



What could be better? Happy Minne Monday everyone.

Sunday = Chicago Marathon Day + Bears Football

Yup, that's what I am going to be doing, cheering on coworkers and friends running the marathon and watching some football in between with my very best friend who is moving to Germany in a few short weeks. These days make me happy and sad all at the same time. Just have to make the days count...well that's what I keep telling myself anyway.

Random but what do you think about these frenchies, probably besties huh? Hope whatever your doing this beautiful Sunday you are taking a few minutes to clown around with one of your buddies.

Via

Doc-Tober

Wow I am behind on my personal email....but since it's no surprise that my husband is a huge Phillies fan I thought this was worth a post. I'll let the email speak for itself.

Oh wait I should throw out that most of my college friends were from Indiana, Illinois or Ohio. With that being said they are either a Cubs fan (like myself), a Sox fan or a Reds fan since there is no Indiana major league team. For my Cincy friends, I am a tincy weency bit sorry that the no-no happened during the Phillies Reds math up...just a tincy weency...

My Husband's Life

That is all.

House

We made an offer on a house last night. It was the 6th house we've made offers on. We're not optimistic. Even if the offer does go through we would need a successful inspection and we would need to physically close.

On the bright side, we decided that if this house doesn't work out, we're extending our rental lease another year and we are going to stop looking at houses all together. Our Realtor loved hearing that news. ::sarcasm:: I mean she has showed my husband over 200 houses now...yup I said over 200 houses. We're all exhausted and with the work schedules getting into our busy season do we really need the added of stress of house hunting through the winter months in Chicago? Probably not.

Regardless by the end of this month we will know what direction our lives are going for the next year and I am pretty sure that in itself deserves a toast or something?

Yikes

September came and went and it's already October, and not the good fun Rocktober that I was hoping for. This month I started the Paelo diet (and I have already cheated), I have picked up running again (even though I gave up yesterday), I've already mourned at 2 services, the hubs truck is about to die and work is in full swing for me and for the hubs who is now officially in "pie season."

More posts coming soon including, baseball, football, work, eating paleo, house hunting and of course Minne moo.

Minne Monday Take 2

Because Minne was having some back issues and hesitation jumping the hubs went and bought her stairs.

Her reaction? She hates them. She give them the evil eye an chooses to go around them. If anything, these things have really cramped her style.

Luckily, we didn't remove the stickers so we may be taking these back to the pet shop.

Minne Monday

Minne is really a wonder dog.



Last night she was able to move this big bowl full of water from one side of the room to the other. As you can tell, the bowl is still full of water. There doesn't appear to be any water on the floor. If you have a dog you will find this amazing.

PS we still can't find her food bowl. Maybe this is her way of telling us she is on a diet? Or maybe she wants to take a trip to her favorite Doggie store and get something new?