Bopril

Fur Baby Adventure

I'm super excited for our vacation. Truly, I am. I just finished packing and we're all set to head to the airport at an ungodly hour.

But right now, tonight, do you know what I am doing?

I am missing this...

and also? this...

Huge shout out of thanks to my Mom and brother for the 8 hour round trip they made today to snatch these little guys up and keep them safe until Hubs and I return from our vacay. I miss them like crazy, but am so relieved to know they are getting lots of love while we're away.

And now...let the vacation begin!

Labels: a family thing, fur babies

Good Stuff

Resorting to my trusted fall-back method of relaying news that is a) unrelated, b) random, and c) guaranteed to be way more exciting to me (I'm easy to please) than you. Yep, that's right Internet. Here are a few bullets of what's making my "good stuff" list these days:

• After the constant complaining, the utter failure to understand people's obsession, the vow to never stoop so low, I've crossed over to the dark side. And embraced reality television. In all its tacky, non-celebrity and often non-talent way. Specifically, I could waste the rest of time (all of it - right through eternity) watching Donna Martin live her "real life" courtesy of Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood. And also? Southern Belles: Louisville is just a delicious little treat. Good stuff, I tell you. What's your (reality) poison?
• I am on the brink of an actual vacation. To a place that is neither home to family members or the next work inspired location. An honestly unplugged week away from the office, and email and voice mail. To an island. To Jamaica! To watch my dear friend get married, but also, to romp on the beach with my own hubs and vow that we won't go 2.5 years before our next official vacation. That's right - we haven't done a true vacation since our honeymoon. Pathetic, we know. Save your scolding for later. I can't hear it while daydreaming about my island adventures. Yeah mon!
• The next iteration of this blogging thing is enticingly close...are you curious? I hope so...can't wait to be all "official" in the bloggy world.
• In my constant drive to technology inspired bliss, the latest toy to which I am completely addicted is our new flip cam. He's a tiny little guy, completely portable and so easy to just pop into the computer to upload videos. Voila! And because I'm generous and always thinking of you, I will be posting videos soon and often. As a matter of fact, I would post one right now were my computer, wireless connection and fate in general not conspiring to make me LOSE MY MIND. 

With that, I'll leave you and head off to my island adventure - back soon with more adventures, ranting and cursing (just kidding) (kind of).

Labels: random rambling, tech-geekiness

Memorial Fun

Clear skies greeted us on our first official trip of the season to Lake Gage - and told us that summer is finally here. As I type this, it is cold and rainy back in Chicago, but I am choosing to ignore that and focus instead on the great weekend just behind us.

We relaxed and read, ran the lake's perimeter, grilled yummy meals and ate them outside,  caught up with family and broke in the jet ski for yet another year of summer fun.

Looking back on our terrific weekend and precious time with family, I sit here thinking of the families who are sad today. Those who are missing special people, mourning what could have been. I hope that memories will bring them comfort today. I hope the same for you.

And also? Two little guys tested their swimming chops. We thought it would be best to just show you.

Labels: a family thing, fur babies, the great outdoors

Now Accepting Congratulations

A couple of completely unrelated observations/updates for your reading pleasure:

1.  I am now in my 2nd week of a...wait for it...consistent workout routine. I am spinning 3 mornings a week at 6am and then running on weekends. Sure, when the alarm goes off, it feels like my own personal sign that the world is ending, but once I drag myself there, it is downright enjoyable. And my day feels much better all around after such a productive start. I might eventually add in strength training the other 2 mornings of the week. Because I am crazy. And a glutton for punishment. And sick and tired of my ass's adventures into the bigger and flabbier.

2. I planted something. And it grew. This from the girl who has killed bamboo. Honest to God. Most witnesses including the friend who gave me the bamboo as a gift did not believe me. "You cannot kill bamboo," they said. "It is virtually impossible." Well, then I'm a magician because that effin stalk turned brown and fell out of the pot.

But apparently, I've redeemed myself, because I got the brilliant idea to plant herbs - and they are growing. Come back in a day or 2 and I'll show you the flowers I planted last weekend. I'd show you now, but I want to make sure they make it at least a week before I begin citing them as proof points that I'm THAT MUCH CLOSER to Martha status.

Labels: all about me, chasing the scale, merry-go-round to fitness

Come to Mama

I am fairly certain this nifty bike needs to find it's way to my house - and fast. Do you know what would fit so perfectly in that adorable basket/bucket contraption? Can you guess? That's right... Two adorable fur babies - and it is deep enough that it might cure Jack's bike phobia - I'm already taking leisurely rides to gorgeous destinations in my head. It's fun people, it really is.

Labels: fur babies, I Want That

All You'll Ever Need to Know About Me

I am nothing if not a contradiction in terms. I despise email forwards. Truly, I do. And because karma is one nasty broad, I have many family members who adore email forwards. Internet, do you know what else they adore? Sending those loathsome forwards to me. You know the ones I mean: don't talk on your cell phone at the gas station or your car will blow up, the 90 million ways you can and will be kidnapped when returning to your car from a shopping mall, a lengthy prayer with some dire threat if you don't send the email to at least 20 people in 20 minutes, etc. I've learned to cope: I immediately delete, curse once under my breath (ok, maybe twice) and go on about my day. But because I am complicated, there are exceptions to this rule. Namely, those crazy forwards where you fill in a bunch of useless information about your life (the latest one has been 16 things). You know the ones - you delete the previous person's answers, fill in your own and then terrorize your friends and family by forwarding it to them. It makes no sense, but I can't get enough of those - I will seriously pause in the middle of a very busy workday to complete one. I tell myself it is a nice break for my mind. Knowing this, it is absolutely no surprise that when I stumbled upon yet another quiz on a friend's blog, I could not resist clicking on it. I might need medication. This quiz in particular has me flummoxed (funny word, right?). This is supposed to give me insight into my personality, but is it a bad sign that a) you don't really understand your "type," and b) it seems to read like the definition of an oxymoron? You decide. And from now on, please refer to me by my rightful title. The Tree Hugging Extroverted Self-Improver. The end. Oh, and one more thing...happy Love Thursday, each and every one of you.

I took the 43 Things Personality Quiz and found out I'm a

Tree Hugging Extroverted Self-Improver

Labels: all about me, confusing musings, love thursday

Working (It) Out

Why is it that I cannot seem to break out of my fitness funk? I know I am not alone in the pursuit of a thinner, healthier outlook, but I just can't seem to nail a plan and take charge of this particular part of my destiny.

There are excuses aplenty! Oh boy, am I the queen of excuses! My schedule is nuts, work has taken over my life, I'm tired, my head hurts, my gym bag is too heavy, aliens abducted my running shoes, I really just want to eat the entire bag of pirate's booty with no regard for what it will do to my own booty. Those excuses aside, the truth is that, deep down, I just don't want to sink any further into the rut of being so displeased with the image that stares back at me from every mirror I encounter.

I am wiped when I come home from work, but also dead on my feet in the mornings. I know all about the vicious cycle - working out will help to restore my energy, but in order to reap that benefit, I need to move my a#!. I think I am going to attempt to a morning commitment to change things up a little. Feel better about facing my days, start the day in the office a little later (which trust me, is going to require alot of adjustment - I'm nothing if not a creature of habit), really try to fight my way to a better me.

And eventually (hopefully soonish)? I'm going to be able to face that mirror without wondering who the hell that girl is staring back at me. 

Keep your fingers crossed, will you? And do me a favor...if you hear anything that remotely resembles an excuse from me, tell me exactly where I can shove it. M'kay? 

Labels: all about me, chasing the scale, merry-go-round to fitness

Spring is the Perfect Time for a Play Date

We officially welcomed spring this weekend in the Windy City. It was a bit chilly, but gorgeous and we spent as much time as possible outdoors.

We also did a play date with a friend's sweet little yorkie "Dude." The boys had a great time frolicking with their new friend and it made me want another pup STAT. He's four months old and about four pounds of sweet fluff. 

Flowers are in full bloom everywhere you focus the eyes and I was snap happy with my camera all weekend long.

Friday night featured an amazing sunset and time on the roof deck with wine and on Sunday (Mother's Day), I woke up, told my Mom I love her and then spent every minute with my 3 favorite guys.

The week is turning out to be much easier to face after a top notch weekend. Hope you all had one of your own.

What? Big kids can totally enjoy play dates too!

Completely obsessed w/ these guys - they are covering downtown Chicago right now!

This lovely sunset greeted me on Friday evening and I kicked off the weekend with a glass of wine as I watched it unfold

Jack, Cooper and their new buddy "Dude" frolicked at the park all afternoon

Labels: a family thing, fur babies

Bokeh Baby!!!

After much self instruction, reading and practice....a glimmer of hope. Not perfect...by no means mastered, but the beginning of beautiful, magical bokeh!!

Labels: bokeh, photography

The Wine is Already Open

It's the weekend, and I have no concrete plans other than working out, accomplishing errands, and enjoying time away from work.

Did you hear that sound? It was my sigh of contentment, the cork of the wine bottle, the bark of a fur baby who knows he's going to the park really soon.

Happy weekend, happy fur baby Friday!

Labels: a family thing, fur babies