Part Deux - Chicago

On this episode of Onna & James visit Chicago we'll see some of their favorite spots along their tour of the city!! :)

This... This right here... look how beautiful! I love the mix of the new and the old.. just, well, lovely! If you see the bridge is opened up too, I'll get to why tomorrow!!




Up next, the BEAN! Isn't this thing so neat?
I want it in my front yard. Ok, so my front yard couldn't hold it but still, it would be interesting.



And of course we took our picture in it's reflection, isn't that a requirement?
(look at James' expression LOL cracks me up, I love him)



In that same park, Millennium Park I do believe, was this cool fountain that kiddos were playing in. Truth is it only made me miss Sydney more, but it was super cute! They had this image projected onto one of the fountains. So neat.



The interesting pieces of art/sculpture were everywhere. It's one of the best things about Chicago.

Something that's not so much art but interesting, right? Look at this McD's. So cool.

I can't even begin to tell you about the shopping in Chicago. It does not compare to anything else I've ever experienced my whole life. Stores everywhere and GREAT stores at that. My favorite, I mean what would be Sydney's favorite hehe, American Girl. I'm dying to take her back. She would have come completely unglued here. Look at this girl mecca. AMAZING!

A beach, Chicago has a beach. How cool is that? I didn't get to stay but a minute because my husband is nearing Albino, but to touch my toes to sand and see the water and sand meet, just what I needed! Can I please go back, NOW!?

One day we rode pretty far to get to a cupcake shop that James had heard about on the radio. Gotta love a man that will travel 20 miles for a cupcake!! Back off ladies, he's mine! LOL
anyway, Molly's Cupcakes had these darling swings at their bar as bar stools. I love this idea!



I have more to share. REALLY interesting stuff to share but that will wait for another day.

All I know is I'm still thinking about Chicago and all it had/has to offer. Maybe I could move there!

Chicago - Part 1

Our trip to Chicago began REALLY early on Friday. Our flight left Nashville at 6:45 and we actually got to Chicago at 8:20, which was nice. Eventhough it was early it meant we had the ENTIRE day there, which I loved.

The first funny thing that we are STILL using is this. Turns out in the Chicago airport they say Toilets, not restrooms. I still say "I'm going to the toilets" now LOL

I was super worried about figuring out the transportation while we were there. I had done TONS of research beforehand and lucky for me had the Droid so I could use Google Maps to find our way, without it we would have been lost!

James' first ride on the 'el' train

We arrived at the hotel, The Allerton, at about 9:10 am. I knew we wouldn't be able to check in so I asked if they would hold our bags, turns out they had a room for us already! :) YIPPEE!

Us in our room

The room wasn't large, but it was PERFECT for the two of us. I loved the decor and how simple it was

It even had a little desk area which was nice.

Next was the whole reason for our trip - THIS PLACE

for THIS GUY

As you can tell we were one of the first people that entered into the stadium and we just stood there for a long time taking it all in... we as in James LOL I just took in how happy he was!

The usher was nice enough to take a pic of the both of us together :)

The view from our seats. We sure didn't have the beste but honestly, do you see those people in the bleachers.... they had to be blistered by the end of the game. It was HOT and full sun the entire time!

But quite possibly my favorite part of the trip was that evening after the game. THIS...

Giradano's was UNBELIVABLE. Seriously THIS is pizza, everything else... I'm not sure.

After that we basically walked around and shopped a bit and then WE CRASHED! It was a pretty early start at 4am that morning.

Part 2 tomorrow!

Chi-Town!

Chicago is my kind of town!





For hubby's 39th birthday last week I surprised him with tickets to see the Cubs. The boy has been dying to see a baseball game forever, a major league baseball game, but none can compare to the Cubs and Wrigley Field.

I'd been planning our trip since March. I bought our tickets early April and have been holding in all this fun excitment all this time. Thursday I was about to die with anxiousness. We had dinner at our fav place and then came home for gifts. When he opened the two wrapped Cubs tickets he couldn't believe it. He kept asking "WHAT?" (I have a video I'll post later).

We left the next morning just he and I on a fantastic long weekend trip to Chicago. I have so much to tell you about Chicago and it might even take several posts. But I just had to say how much fun we had there. He was so surprised and the look on his face when we entered Wrigley Field I'll never forget.

See him here, like a kid in a candy store. I can totally tell he's about to cry right here.

At one point he even leaned over and said "If I wouldn't look like a wuss I would totally be crying right now!" SCORE FOR ME!


We had the most wonderful time and a well deserved weekend just the two of us. I'm still grinning ear to ear from it and Chicago is now my favorite city!!!

More to come!

Happy Birthday

Today is my fun-loving hubby's birthday. Today he turns 39. Today we'll eat Hibachi grill. Today we'll eat ice cream cake with reese cups. Today he'll blow out candles. Today he'll open gifts. Today he'll get another year older. Today he'll still be the best husband and father in the world, just one with a day that is all his!

Happy Birthday Daddy! We love you very much! Hope your day is fantastic!

Friends Forever

"A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same."

Elbert Hubbard

I have some of the best friends, friends who I consider family, sisters!

I have life long friends whom I've known for over 25 years. I have college friends whom I've known for over 14 years and I have online friends whom I've "known" for over 8 years. Of those group of friends each one of them plays a vital role in my life.

Friends are wonderful. I love what Mr. Hubbard said when he said they know you and love you anyway. That's so true. Friendships are very important to me and I can see that they are just as important to girlie as well. She LOVES her friends. LOVES them!



like Presley.

Presley is the daughter of my life long friend, Crystal. They live in the Louisville area and we do not get to see them as much as we'd like. We were lucky enough to see each other over the 4th of July weekend and it was great. These two are so fun together.

like Ava.

Ava is a friend from girlie's daycare. This is when we took Ava with us to see Shrek Forever After in 3D. FUN TIMES! These two are great together! She has the best friends.

Like Ashton & Hallah (on the right).

Both also daycare friends who I adore. Those girls are so awesome. I'm sad to know that girlie won't be seeing them everyday in just a few short weeks. It makes me all emotional!

like Jurnee.

Jurnee also goes to girlie's school but we've known Jurnee longer than that. Her Mom and I used to work together and the girls are pretty close in age. They adore each other. I love watching them play together.

like Henry.

I work with Henry's Momma and we are good friends ourselves. I love that our friendship has carried over to the babes :) Arne' t they adorable?

like Bitty.

Who is a plastic friend that will NEVER FAIL! Bitty plays a mean air guitar, as you can see.

So far girlie has been as lucky as I am with friends. My friends are some of the best people in my life and I can't imagine a day without them.

I call myself "friend lucky". I like to think girlie is "friend lucky" herself!

Thank you to all my friends out there. For everything you have done, do and will do for me - I LOVE YOU!

July 4th Weekend

We had a fantastic holiday weekend! It was hot, but we were outside most everyday and I have a tan to prove it ;)

Our weekend was also chocked full of fun things.

Saturday: Louisville Riverbats game for my nephew's birthday


The boys... don't they look thrilled? hehe

Girlie and KK

weird self portrait LOL

BIG 13!!!

Sunday: Breakfast sa Frisch's Big Boy and the Louisville Zoo

We take this pic every year, I'm just upset that this year the kids had stupid lollipop sticks hanging out their mouths.. ugh

Family pic taken by my nephew! Thanks Michael!

Girlie at the zoo, as you can tell it was already hot and we had just arrived

ALL OF US! Nice looking bunch, huh?

SEE YOU!

Girlie measuring up to a gorilla

Girlie and KK again

Hubby and Stephen

And for the last of the pics, my Brother in law, Brad, acting a fool. A bird was watching him act all crazy too. I'm sure he was thinking, DUDE and they have people starring at ME all day hehe

These are great family traditions that the in laws have carried on for years.

Fun Fact: My Mother-in-law and Father-in-laws first date was at the Louisville Zoo on 4th of July. That is why they continue to go back every year! After 37+ years together maybe that's the secret, if so I'm in trouble!

I hope everyone had an amazing Independence Day! We have another fun little getaway coming up soon, I can't wait to share it!

Happy 4th

Wishing you and your family the happiest of times during this Fourth of July holiday.



Happy Birthday, America!

Mix Match

Girlie is really into mixing and matching. Everyone LOVES when she wears mix match items but especially these shoes. We have them in every single color that they had and she just decides that morning which two colors she will wear.

She exclaims "I'm wearing mix match!" and proceeds to picking up two different ones!

It's very Punky Brewster


In fact, I think she might start that trend.
I can't tell you the number of people stop and ask us where we got the mix matched pair. Since they are the same shoe it really does look like they came that way.

Isn't it adorable?