December 2, 2008

Checking In...

Can you believe it is December 2nd? I can’t! Time seems to be going so quickly right now. I thought I better check in because this week is going to be crazy, busy for me and I don’t want to miss updating the blog.

Big Bear and I had a WONDERFUL trip to Chicago. It was great seeing my brothers, my sister-in-law, and niece. Look how cute my niece is!


On Friday we took the train downtown. We thought it was going to be crazy in the city, but it wasn’t too bad. Believe it or not I only purchased one thing. I didn’t get any Christmas shopping accomplished like I had hoped. After seeing the 10.75% sales tax I thought it would be better to shop at home.

While downtown we stopped in a restaurant to partake in a ‘refreshment’. Meet my new all time favorite ‘warm-up’ - pomegranate martini!! Yum! I have to find out how to make these!
As we worked our way down Michigan Avenue it was rather exciting to see all of the lights and shoppers. I love hearing the bells of the Salvation Army, and at some Salvation posts they had trumpeters playing. It was so magical! When we reached the Hancock building we saw this tree.
The picture doesn’t do it justice - it was amazing!!

Big Bear and I headed home early Saturday. It was good to go, but it is always great to get home. I probably won’t be blogging much this week. As I mentioned it is going to be a CRAZY week!! I think the entire month will be that way. ‘Tis the Season!!!!

16 comments:

  1. Sounds like you had a great trip and a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday....being with your family is the best and it is really what the holidays are all about!

    I share your enjoyment in the "warm up" beverage.....Last year, we hosted Christmas Eve for our family and that was the drink of the night....along with a Pomegranate Rum punch for those that didn't care for martini's....if you want the recipe, I will get it to you!!

    Have a great week!!

    Lisa

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm glad y'all had such a wonderful trip to Chicago - one of my favorite cities, in spite of the wind!

    And I could have used a boatload of those pomegranate martinis on OUR trip! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Glad to hear you had a wonderful trip. YOur neice is a cutie!
    The tree is amazing...I bet it was something else to see with the naked eye!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yikes! That is some crazy sales tax!

    Looks like a wonderful time!

    Your niece is adorable!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Glad you had a nice Thanksgiving back home. That tree is spectacular.

    I found a pomegranate margarita martini at Olive Garden last week. I was a little leery cuz it sounded like an odd mix but it was fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sounds like a fantastic time - love the pics -Your niece is a cutie! That drink looks mighty good - I recently had an apple martini and loved it. I can't believe 08' is almost over - bring on referals and lots of them and lets speed this along - that's what I want for Christmas - not too much to ask.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The pomegranate martini sounds and looks quite yummy - would love to try one. The tree is amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  8. sounds like you had a wonderful time in Chicago.
    That tree is gorgeous!!
    Reminds me of another tree.......

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your niece is beautiful! She must take after her auntie.

    That tree is GORGEOUS! Can only imagine how it would look like live!

    Great chatting with you tonight. Love ya friend. Miss you bunches!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sounds like you had a GREAT Trip..
    Nice sales tax.. you didn't want to shop.????? WHY NOT....lol..
    Have a Great Week..
    I hope referrals come in a BIG bunch..
    Hugs..

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love Chicago, it's my favorite city! Your niece is very cute.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sounds like a wonderful time! Your niece is beautiful.

    'Tinis of any sort are good. Poms are wicked good!

    Keep smilin!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Pomegranate martini?????? I sure hope you didn't order any asparagus.... ;)

    I'm busy this week too! I wish we could meet up for some tea tomorrow and just forget about all our stress....

    ReplyDelete
  14. Sounds like you had a delightful time in Chicago! I've been to Chicago three or four times...but have never seen anything but the insides of hospitals (Children's Memorial and Northwestern) (my young niece has had three liver transplants in Chicago and my cousin donated half of his liver for her--thus my familiarity with Northwestern). ...I did take a bus between the two hospitals though, so saw a bit of scenery then...and did take a few walks from Children's Memorial to the L (and vice versa) and took the L to the airport...

    Never saw much of the city, but met an awfully lot of wonderful folks while I was there. Late one night I was lugging my suitcases (long story) through the dark streets in the "bad" part of town (my first time walking to the L...and my sense of direction is atrocious, and I was pretty upset at the time, so not exercising the soundest of judgment) and the nicest cab driver in the world stopped and got me where I needed to go. Then I got to the L and didn't know what the procedure was for getting a ticket (that was my first time ever using the L) or which train to take to get to the airport or which stop I would need to get off on...and, again, I ran into someone who was so kind and got me pointed in the right direction yet again.

    I don't remember anything about Chicago, except the people I met along the way...I met a lot of really nice people there.

    ReplyDelete
  15. GREAT TREE!

    I find it so hard to keep up with our schedule this time of year!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I must be getting OLD! The day after I wrote the above comment about never having been to Chicago except to haunt the insides of the two main hospitals, I posted photos on my own blog of the book I had made up for Doug to introduce him to the family and there, lo and behold was my daughter with the Chicago skyline behind her...I had completely forgotten our first adoption group reunion (for Rayna's group) had been held in ....CHICAGO. Duh!

    I am getting too old!

    ReplyDelete