got me down on my knees/next stop, vegas please

Ok chickadees, I’m but 24 hours from getting out of dodge and getting into some trouble, and I cannot wait.

I’m looking forward to ridiculously warm temperatures, bright lights, and cocktails straight until Monday.

Sounds like a pretty good little weekend, right?

The last time I was in Vegas, I was 22 years old- I spent the majority of the time sitting at a slot machine playing a game called “Hot, Hot, Penny,” and losing my phone in various locations.

JC kept trying to teach me a lesson by picking up my phone and not telling me had it, but this backfired when it turned out I could go hours without caring that it was missing.

Especially when I was fixated on paying penny slots.

I have not gotten one iota cooler in the past seven years, so this should be an interesting mini-vacation.

The above is nothing more than proof that I am not the kind of person who should vacation in glamorous places.

And yes, I’m pretending I’m in a WWI trench in this picture.

Don’t ask.

In any case, tonight’s activities include yoga, manicures, and trying to figure out if I actually own anything I want to wear this weekend.

Also, deep breathing, because my doctor’s assistant explained to me that they don’t refill xanax prescriptions anymore without actually coming in to see a professional.

Even if I just want it for flying? I said, you know, casually.

Even then, it turns out.

Enjoy this one, chickadees, we’re about to hit the weekend!

 

you’re in all my best stories.

Happy Thursday, chickadees!

We’re almost to the end of this long week, and I’ve got more plans for hitting the yoga mat.

It makes things almost tolerable.

This isn’t a day to talk about me, though.

Today, you guys, is my bff’s birthday.

J(D)C and I have been friends since we were 18, and I was annoying and needy in a college dorm, and she came to my rescue.

I had no Halloween costume, and no friends, really, and she was nice enough to help me with both of those problems.

She’s been coming to my rescue ever since, chickens.

JC and I have been roommates, travel companions, partners in crime, and generally soul sisters for over a decade.

She’s in every story I have that’s even worth telling.

 

This is maybe one of my all time favorite photos of us.

It looks like maybe I’m helping her for once.

So on this beautiful day, I’m planning on celebrating the universe for throwing us together. JC, thanks for making me laugh, letting me stick to you like glue, and keeping me out of traffic all these years.

There’s no one better than you, bestie.

Here’s to so many more decades of questionable decisions and exciting adventures.

Enjoy this one, chickens!

 

 

keeping my eye on it.

Morning, chickens!

And welcome to the middle of the week.

Last night, JW and I met up with CJ, LM, and R, sat outside, had a few drinks, and laughed until our sides hurt.

I’m pretty sure there’s nothing as good as a Tuesday night happy hour.

Especially when it seems that the weather’s finally turned around.

It will likely snow tomorrow because I said that.

In any case, as I hit a day full of more meetings than I can count, I’m focusing on the fact that on Saturday, I’ll be wheels up to Vegas with my bffs to celebrate CC’s 30th birthday.

Oh man, someone please explain how our 20s got away from us so fast?

Maybe I’ll find the answer by the pool this weekend.

I’m planning on enjoying the sun, several vodka drinks, and the possibility of winning all of the money.

I likely will win no money, since my expertise is limited to several slot machines when I was 21 and a drunken lesson in blackjack that occurred in Indiana.

You’ve got to start somewhere, right chickadees?

And with that, I’m off to face this one head on.

Like I really have any other options.

Enjoy it, chicks.

i just want you to know who i am

Good morning chickadees!

And welcome to the beginning of another full week.

I’m not complaining: after a weekend of visiting with family, celebrating birthdays, doing yoga, playing soccer, and putting more of my apt in boxes, I’m feeling rested and accomplished.

I’ve also seen the forecast for this week, and it looks beautiful.

We’re moving in the right direction.

Also amazing this weekend:

The Farmers’ Market has re-opened, which essentially gives me a reason to live.

Or at least a reason to stop eating so many frozen vegetables.

Since it’s only mid-May, the offerings were limited to flowers, asparagus, cheese, and eggs, but man, I’m not complaining one bit about that.

 

I ended up with two big bundles of asparagus, a dozen eggs, and some bison jerky, up-sold to me by the delightful farmer who always manages to make me spend more money than I was anticipating.

I’m a sucker for a man who teaches the population about the importance of locally sourced meats, chickadees.

And yes, I know that sounds a little bizarre.

And with that, I’m off to start a new week with a new book (it seems I’m loving teen novels only, these days)- this is gonna be the kind of Monday that’s fully bearable, chicks.

Enjoy the sunshine if you’ve got it.

making it simple

Chickens, it is Friday.

And rainy.

And colder than it was yesterday.

But still, Friday is progress.

So we’ll take it.

And smile about it.

This has been a crazy week of running around, getting things done, and not going to yoga quite as much as I’d like to.

Also: Gene the kettlebell instructor has taken to his mother Russia for three weeks, leaving me with no swinging and lifting outlet.

When I whined to him that three weeks was a long time, he told me he had to inspire us to travel by traveling himself, and then cheerfully suggested that we simply eat less in his absence.

It’s a good thing I like him so much.

Up this weekend: JW’s parents are in, which means lots of eating and hanging, celebrating Mother’s Day, and maybe trying to pack a couple more things into boxes.

Our apartment was rented this week, so now we’ve got an end date: June 27, there’s a lot between now and you.

And because I likely won’t get myself to post this weekend among all of the goings-on, here is a lovely picture of my mom to celebrate her nearly 30 years of hanging out with me.

 

Enjoy this one chickadees, we’ve earned this weekend!

this pretty little scene

Morning, chickies!

And welcome to the middle of the week.

That happened fast, didn’t it?

So far, I’m enjoying warmer temperatures, sunny skies, and a new haircut.

A new haircut pretty much solves the world’s problems.

This could be because the man who cuts my hair is one of my favorite people on the planet (and also maybe because they serve me wine while I hang), but the why doesn’t matter so much.

Also: yesterday morning, right after promising to turn my attitude around, I ran into this pretty little scene:

 

That’s enough to cheer up anyone, chickadees.

Up today: one day at work, and one confirmation service for tiny baby little KD, who’s apparently getting older every second.

I wanted to get her a new cross bracelet I’ve been admiring, but it turned out it was sold out online.

I asked JW if he’d stop by Nordstrom after work to see if he could find it, and he agreed.

An hour later, I got to work, and had several IMs from my husband.

He had done extensive research on the bracelet, calling several stores, including one in the suburbs that would have taken him an hour to get to by train.

I would have done it, he let me know.

I think KD’s his favorite, you guys.

In any case, he was able to find a suitable replacement, which he picked up by noon.

I can’t really blame him, KD’s my favorite too.

Enjoy the sunshine, chickens!

 

five good things: that’s what makes you beautiful edition.

Chickadees, Friday is upon us.

And the sun is shining.

And it’s rumored to be in the 60s this weekend.

So in the spirit of what’s been a long, gray, tough couple of weeks, let’s focus on five things that make it all right.

1. My baby sister’s pal KC has written a book.

A book that will be published.

A book with a new cover.

KC is from New York and lives in Boston and is generally my soul sister and my role model.

I’m just so proud of you, sweet girl!

2. Walking from work to the train the other day, after a week of umbrella incidents and swollen joints and general malaise, I strolled across the State Street bridge to this.

 

It’s a good week to be breathing, chicks.

3. We’re in full purging mode over here in our apartment. I’m trying to picture all my weird, old stuff in my new condo, and if I can’t think of a place for it, it’s got to go. Determined to contribute in what has mostly been a JW-driven project thus far, I decided to deal with all of our living room drawers last night. I bravely opened what I knew was a drawer jammed full of strange objects, but it slid right open, and was basically empty.

JW, I’m onto you.

Also, thanks for staying a step ahead of me.

In addition, what’s more fun than finding photos like this?

4. Minimal things are planned around here this weekend. I’ve got several options, which include bells, organizing, soccer, trying to see the teens & their baby brother, and hanging on my parents’ patio.

This is what a spring weekend should look like, chickens.

5. I’m starting this weekend off with yoga in a big, airy studio and my sticky mat. There is no cure to a long week like a couple yoga poses and some deep breathing.

Namaste, chickadees, and enjoy every second of this beautiful day. You deserve it.

 

feel good about this one.

Morning, chickadees.

And here we are again.

I’m feeling pretty slow moving this Monday, after a weekend full of errands, fun, and soccer games.

It turns out that two soccer games in three hours is in fact, exhausting.

I slept like a rock last night.

Aside from playing soccer all evening (am I getting too old for that, chickens? Ok good. I didn’t think so either), I spent two days off kettle-belling, manicure-getting, and hanging out with my pals.

Also, laundry.

My least favorite task on the planet.

All in all, it was a lovely, non-raining couple of days in the Windy City, so I’ll take it.

I still have some misplaced faith that spring’s gonna show up here any second.

I’d even take straight up summer at this point, you guys.

Remind me of that in July.

And with that, I’m off for another productive day of planning, meetings, and hot yoga.

Good stretching, a hot studio, and a sticky mat at the end of this one is always the best cure for the first work day of the week.

Namaste, chickadees, and enjoy the sunshine if you’ve got it.

In fact, enjoy it even if you don’t.

learn some respect.

Chickadees.

This rain.

Our pocket of the city (and many others, I suspect) has had enough water, and it’s actually starting to flood.

It’s looking pretty scary out there.

I have concerns about having to swim to work.

And important questions come to mind, like, should I even bother drying my hair?

This should be an interesting commute.

*****

Last night, CJ, LM and I decided to stay downtown post work for just one drink.

Which obviously turned into five drinks.

Which meant laughing for three hours.

When we piled into a cab (still raining you guys- it’s always raining here), we fought over who went home last.

We also argued about the exact path of I-94 vs. Lakeshore Drive, wildly gesturing what west and east turns we thought each route would take us.

LM noted that she was really getting the worst deal of all passengers onboard by being dropped off last.

We’ll give you cash, we joked.

I don’t mean my money, she said seriously.

I mean you’re taking up all my precious time.

More laughing.

Eventually, we got home, and LM had to battle a by-now-cranky cab driver who she insisted “learn some respect” as she paid him.

I arrived home to JW flipping between Willy Wonka and one of the Saw movies, which didn’t even seem that odd, due, I think, to the five glasses of wine I’d had.

Ending the night with Willy Wonka is maybe one of my new favorite things.

Stay dry out there, chickens.

 

hillsides and high lunges.

Hey there, chickadees!

Happy, happy, happy Friday!

We deserve this one.

It occurs to me that during this long, gray week, I’ve been a little dreary.

Blame it on the rain.

In any case, that does not mean that things haven’t been spitting.water.out.of.my.mouth hysterical around here, and so I thought I’d share a couple of gems.

Laughing is just about as good as sunshine, after all.

*****

It has come to my attention during the past several weeks that my bed is on a slant. At first it was just sort of irritating, but lately, I find myself positioning my body on the top corner of the mattress, so I don’t slide down during the night.

JW insisted this was in my head.

Meanwhile, I was mountain climbing in my dreams.

Eventually, I forced him to lift up the bed, where it has been revealed that the frame is a little bent.

Maybe too many gluten free cheese curls?

Despite my pleas to fix the corner , JW refuses to use his brute strength to bend it back into place until at least the weekend.

I’m sleeping on a hillside, chickens.

*****

Generally on Thursday nights, I hang out at work until 6:30 or so and then go to yoga.

Last night, I realized that after arriving to the office over an hour earlier than usual, there was no way I would make it until 6:30 in my cubicle.

We’ve all got our limits.

I texted Ky and asked her if she had plans, and met her for dinner, since my house really only has green smoothie ingredients and weird sweet popcorn that I bought by accident in it.

The end of the week gets a little weird around here.

Despite knowing that I had yoga in an hour, I decided to have a glass of wine with my pal.

One glass couldn’t hurt, right?

Then I had another.

Ky laughed at me, because she knows my willpower in the face of wine is nonexistent.

I only ordered this wine so we could split the bill right down the middle, I hissed.

It’s a wine of convenience. 

Ky raised her eyebrows and told me not to worry, she wasn’t reading into my wine that much.

It was a lesson though, chicks.

High lunges and spinal twists are not really compatible with two glasses of red wine.

But it’s important to learn something new every day.

Enjoy this one, chickadees!