Tuesday, January 12, 2010

What I Learned This Weekend

I've never been all that much on home improvement but when I decided to paint my condo from top to bottom, I enlisted the services of "The Big Guns," mom & dad!  They came in on Saturday afternoon and we painted all evening on Saturday and then all day on Sunday!  We got most of the living room/dining room done and part of the kitchen.  There is still a lot to be done but it is looking so much better!!  I learned a lot this weekend including:
  • Spackling
  • Sanding walls
  • Taping
  • Cutting in
  • Painting
Thanks mom and dad for all your help!  Can't wait till our next painting weekend!


The Beginning at the End

When I scrapbook I tend to do the last 2 pages of each book last.  I take all of the pictures I didn't have room for in the book and put them together as a preview page for each book.  I finished my 7th scrapbook this weekend and it was my favorite book so far!!



More from the Windy City

Aside from eating, drinking and watching baseball we took a long walk through Grant Park and Millennium Park.  We goofed off and had a fun time at the Bean and at Buckingham fountain.  My graduation gifted trip to Chicago for Steven was a rousing success and we made so many great memories together!




Cubs Win! (Really Not a Typo!)

The one thing I wanted to do for my brother during our trip to Chicago was take him to a Cubs game.  Growing up we had access to unbelievable tickets about 10 rows behind home plate, but he hasn't seen them play in person since then.  We had a great time at Wrigley and actually got to see a rare 2009 Cubs win!


A Brother-Sister Adventure

In August, Steven and I took our first real Brother-Sister trip to Chicago.  Steven had not been back to our hometown since my parents moved the summer of 2002.  It was a ton of fun just to get to hang out with my brother and to watch him experience the city for the first time as an adult.  We even let our significant others tag along for the weekend! We'll have to make this a more frequent occurance as we get older!

Friday, January 8, 2010

Monday Evening

Monday morning I flew in from Detroit and headed straight to work.  I knew my heat had been acting up but when I got home I was in for a shock... The thermometer said it was 49 in my house even though the heat was set to 62.  It was COLD!  In order to warm up the house I had to use my portable space heater and turn the oven on to 250 degrees and leave the door open for 3 hours.  Thankfully my emergency heat is now working but sadly I need and have to pay to have another compressor installed next week!  Boo!!!


Say Whaa?

Darren and I were in Indiana at a liquor store grabbing some Three Floyd's Bombers when we spotted this beer on the shelf from the Bluegrass Brewing Company.  It is called "Horse Piss Beer" and it's slogan is the Thoroughbred of Beers!!  Too funny!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Elizabeth's Christmas Present

Shhh... This is what I made for Elizabeth for her Christmas present.   Due to a back order on the map and then her being in Australia she has not gotten it yet.  Don't tell her what it is. ;)

My First Bears Game

Last weekend I finally got to go to my first Bears game, albeit at Ford Field in Detroit and not at Soldier Field.  At least it was warm inside their nice dome!  The Bears played well and won 37-24!!

 

Check out the view from our great seats!


Here is Jay Cutler waiting on the snap... my fellow Vanderbilt alumnus!

Pure Domination

I mentioned we played Spades on New Years Eve.  What I neglected to mention was the pure domination that occurred by Erin and me over Darren and TJ.  Erin and I won -405 to 508... a WHOPPING 913 points in a game to played to 500!   I didn't even know that was possible!!  Next time I need a Spades partner, I'll have to remember to shout "I'm with Erin!"

New Years Eve 2009-2010

We opted for a calm New Years Eve this year spent with Erin & TJ.  We started off the night at Aurelio's eating pizza and drinking beer and ended the night still drinking beer and reliving many nights past playing spades.  We had just as much fun hanging out and laughing as we would have boozing it up at a club downtown and probably saved $300 in the process!


Our Christmas in Pictures

During Christmas I get a little photo happy since it is the one time during the year we all are usually able to spend a lot of time together.  We eat many meals and open enumerable amounts of presents at Kathy & Jerry's house.  It is such a real treat to spend time with those I hold so dear.


Kathy and Grannie.


All of the crazy cousins not looking at the camera!
 

My parents with my brother and me.


Meagan, Lindsey and Whitnie looking cute as ever. =)


Has my brother grown again?  He looks like a giant!  Oh wait, I'm just wearing flats...


This girl can drive... Watch out world!


And this one came into our lives at 2 and she gets cuter every year... But she is really getting too big to pick up like this!

My family - 2009


Nine or ten years ago my cousin Emily (seated on the ground, far left) was asked what she wanted for Christmas.  She was about 8 or 9 at the time and she simply replied, a family picture.  That is all she asked for for Christmas so hence our annual family picture tradition began.  It is a tradition that everyone complains about while it is happening but they also complain if they don't get a copy of the picture by January 1st! ;)

Front row: Emily, Stephanie, Whitnie, David, Lindsey, Meagan
Second row: Daniel, Heather, Alice, Grannie, Betty Jo, Beth, Thomas
Back row: Marc, Ryan, Kristi, Carol, Frank, Kathy, Jerry, Bob, Steven
MIA: Scott and Sarah