KENMORE AVENUE - CHICAGO

New Site

2011-07-13T11:28:00.000-05:00

Doust's In PDX

http://www.doustsinpdx.blogspot.com/

The Countdown Came and Went

2011-06-06T11:10:00.001-05:00

So I started a blog post about my last week in Chicago, and guess what? It didn't get finished. There were several things that didn't get done/accomplished/finished in my last several days there, and that's okay. We still own our condo there, so I'm sure we'll be back to see friends and the most expensive thing we own.

There will be some things I definitely miss about Chicago - probably the take out options, cabs, and most of all our friends, but I'm so excited about our new adventure in Portland. Eric has been here for a while now, and he was most excited to see his stuff/clothes and sleep in his own bed again. It has been weird for me because I don't think I've processed it yet. The drive out here was awesome, but it felt like a vacation. (I'm going to put together the photos soon of our trip). We have been working like busy bees, plus actually working at my job so I'm dying to get out and explore. And with the exploring, I am going to start a new blog about our life here. Technically we're not on Kenmore Ave anymore, so check back for the new URL address coming soon.

Meanwhile, we're in unpacking hell. The beautiful thing about relocation moves is the moving guys come in and pack everything. Talk about being pampered - hells yea. The flip side to that is a big box is overflowing with packing paper to only reveil one item. Usually something small, something we didn't care about, meanwhile we can't find underwear or shoes, which one would think would be in the master bedroom boxes. Oh well. We definitely are not the "greenest" new couple to the greenest city in America. We will work on that.

We're Portlanders now... bye Chicago and Kenmore Ave.

Old Kitchen, New Kitchen

2011-05-24T18:13:00.000-05:00

So we decided to redo the kitchen that has been the bane of our existence for the past 5 years RIGHT WHEN Eric started interviewing for his new job in Portland. We changed the green countertops, green backsplash and white floor. Of course we love it and now we're moving. I particularly love the marble subway tile backsplash. I want to snuggle with it actually.

Holy Canoli We're Moving To The West Coast!

2011-04-22T12:38:00.000-05:00

We're moving and sooooooooo excited. Eric took a new job as a director with a craft brewer's company, and I will be keeping my same ad sales job with a health communications company and Sully will be a happy crazy dog with a yard now!

We flew out there for a weekend "recruitment" trip in late March and fell in love with the city. It's so pretty, mountainous, green, and laidback. And according to the building above - weird. The vibe is very health conscious, green living, and good eats. Hmmm... I think we'll fit in!

Eric has already started working in Portland, with several trips planned to fly back to Chicago in the next month. I will stick around dealing with a kitchen remodel (that was in the process before this major change came into play), finishing up work projects, and being the coordinator of the moving process itself. Tenitive date to vacate this state is May 25!

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Soon...soon

2011-04-14T08:47:00.001-05:00

TWO DOGS DINING

2011-04-04T11:52:00.000-05:00

The elephant party is waiting patiently in the background....

Glad This Crap Is Over

2011-03-31T16:43:00.000-05:00

Blizz-aster 2011 happened in February up here in Illinois. While it was cool, it was also a tad scary for one Mr Doust trying to drive home in it late that afternoon. He almost got stuck on Lakeshore Drive, that one road where a million cars were abandoned because a bus jackknifed from the blowing and accumulating snow. Here are some pics down our street, and the last I stole off the internet (Lakeshore Drive).

If you dig out your car from street parking, I guess the rule around here is you get to keep your spot. So there were some very random and ugly "spot savers."

Our vehicle on the right. She was cold!!

Dream Moment

2011-03-11T07:47:00.002-06:00

Growing up in Upstate New York, Eric has always been a big Huge FAN of the Yankees baseball team. He played baseball as a youngster until lacrosse and hockey became his passion sports. His Mom was a big fan, and his Dad still watches every game. We were at our friend's wedding in January, and one of his buddies is a scout for the Yankees. Eric still is over the moon excited about touching a World Series ring in his lifetime.

Chicago Code

2011-03-04T18:59:00.001-06:00

There is a new tv show on FOX called Chicago Code and in early November, they shut down our street for three days to do some filming. These were taken from our front bay window. It just started airing, and I've watched one episode... it's pretty cheese-tastic but I will stick it out to see our street shots. I am glad they posted a letter from the studio on every gate door stating what they were doing, because the simulated machine gun shots were so realistic, that Sully and I pooped ourselves a little when out on a walk.

These are the main cop actors. The shot they were filming involved driving a car, pulling up to a house, talking with other cops, then busting in the house. It got very boring very fast. I guess it makes sense filming a shoot out in the alley with a lot less people around.....and less terrified eyeballs from windows.

The Talented Cindy Morrison

2011-03-02T19:26:00.001-06:00

My mom in front of the banner she drew for her school for Dr. Seuss's birthday today. She's goooooood.

I Will Cindy Doust

2011-02-28T18:35:00.000-06:00

I will get better at blogging about things, future sister in law Cindy!! I will!!

I have been a slacker, I know. Good reasons though - I have been employed since November! I took a advertising sales job for a health care communications company. And it's been extra busy because one of my projects was based in Milwaukee, so I was spending four days a week up there. That part has slowed down now, so I'm back in Chicago tearing up the city.... no, not at all, but we are looking forward to being out and about doing things to blog about since that it's MARCH tomorrow!!! Happy Almost Spring Everyone!!

Key West Flowers

Marathon

2011-01-22T12:59:00.000-06:00

Guess who just got the marathon pics in the mail yesterday? We did we did! Too bad it took 83 days after the fact. It was such an awesome experience, but not great for my body. I learned that a marathon distance is not for me and will enjoy 1/2's in my future. Eric did awesome and honestly I held him back, but he said he'll beat his previous marathon times in the future. The goal was to raise awareness and money for Eric's lung cancer, and we accomplished well beyond what we imagined. Thanks again to everyone for all the support!

At the Start

Nerd Alert on the Left

Big dorks

Finish Line - The second time I cried during this race. Not in pain but in gratitude.

And here are some pics that we took from our weekend......

Best afternoon ever - shower, room service, beer, long nap!

Obsessed With Talking Animals

2011-01-19T19:43:00.000-06:00

Visitors & Visiting - Friends Big and Small From August through December 2010

2011-01-16T15:31:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year's Day - Enjoy The Football!

2011-01-01T10:21:00.000-06:00

Not A Little, But A Lot Of Gorgeous....

2010-12-04T02:18:00.000-06:00

Found This Online......

[81435] from felt soul media on Vimeo.

Bad Bad Blogger

2010-11-18T08:05:00.008-06:00

Eric and I are still alive. We're still here in Chicago. And we still live on Kenmore Ave even though the blog has been very quiet.

I have been very lazy with the blogging. Sorry. Partly because I have had little desire to sit in front of the computer and edit pics, and partly because for a long time, all I felt like I was doing was running and thinking about running and going to get therapy on my bum knee. Poor Eric...all he did was work, run and sleep.

But we did manage to have some fun the past several months. And finally I am getting my butt in gear to show you.

Good stuff coming up kiddos! And I'll start with sunshine!

Mexico!

2010-11-18T08:00:00.001-06:00

Who passes down a free trip to Mexico the week before a marathon? Not us! Because we are not hard core runners - heehee. We were part of a group of 20 or so folks that headed down for a quick 4 day trip on October 21st to Guadalajara, Tequila, and Puerta Vallarta. We took a tour of the Corona brewery, hit up Jose Cuervo distillery, and then spent a day plus relaxing in the sun. It was a great trip, but too short. Probably a good thing for us since we were getting drinks shoved in our face 24/7.

Sunset in Guadalajara. It is a cool city. Very metropolitan and sassy.

Hmmm big ole beers

Dinner!

Mr. Cuervo. Not really, but he's their spokesperson, representative, and global figurehead for the distillery. He was on the cover of Time magazine... or Life maybe. I can't remember because I was too entralled with the ridiculously sharp tools he was using and hoping he didn't lose a toe. Silly me, he's a professional at pruning agave.

Nibbling on a piece of agave

Lunch at Jose Cuervo.... and see that margarita on the table? We had a new one with every course. And there were 5 courses. Redic.

This is OUT of the bus window on our couple hour drive to Puerta Vallarta... the countryside was gorgeous. If one looked IN to the bus, it consisted of tipsy people drinking beers and more margs while watching Will Ferrell movies.

Some of you will probably recognize this place because you have been there before! Dreams Resort in Puerta Vallarta. Gorgeous.

We had the best dinner with this gentleman. All of us left saying we have not laughed that hard in a long time. Remember the country club dinner scene in Caddyshack where Rodney Dangerfield "steps on a duck" and in general the entire table is loud and obnoxious? We were that table.

This trip solidified that I am in love with sunshine. Love love love. The end.

Visit My New (ish) Friend

2010-11-02T09:57:00.000-05:00

I will post pics of my trip to Kansas City in September soon, but please click on the "Graham" link below to check out my favorite subject while I was there....

Graham

AND aren't his cousins the most precious kiddos too?

Ellie and Max

We Also Hate Baker's Cysts

2010-09-28T12:59:00.000-05:00

That is what I'm sporting on the back of my knee. I had to take a whopping 18 days off of the training, so now I'm super nervous for the marathon. Oh well. All I want to do is finish it, which was my goal from the beginning so I have to keep that in mind. Meanwhile I went online today and the countdown is 32 days and 18 hours! EEEKKK! Run Forrest, Run!

We Hate Cancer

2010-09-07T11:59:00.000-05:00

So yeah, Eric and I are running the Marine Corps Marathon in D.C. to raise money for the specific type of cancer Eric had last year. I started talking about this idea last year when Eric was recovering, and we were both eager to give back. It would be a good way to help his lungs recover from losing that extra sac, and I wanted to run a marathon some day in my lifetime. We are now only a mere 7 weeks and 4 days away. Yikes.

Eric ran the NYC marathon when we first started dating, so he had one under his belt already. I decided since I was not a consistent runner, to lengthen my training schedule to 30 weeks from the standard 18. So I've been preparing since April. We both have been plugging along, and this past week we hit a bump in the road. Eric plays in a soccer league and he collided with another player and screwed up his shoulder. He did not break anything but has a deep bruise on his clavicle. I hammered out 15 miles last Friday, with no pain but the general soreness from running that long, and the next day my knee was swollen up like a grapefruit. What the h-e-double-hockey sticks...

This is the not so fun part of running, but small potatoes to what people go through when dealing with a cancer diagnosis. Weirdly I think about that when running. I think about my sister in law's dad dealing with his surgeries. I think about one of my best friend's mother dealing with her chemo. I think about Eric's sister in law's dad living with his cancer. I think about my family members and my little buddy Keela that have passed from cancer.....There are so many people out there that deal with cancer 24/7, and sadly it seems as we get older, we know more and more people it affects. But that is why we are running. Trying to do our part and help out just a bit.

Eric's Fundraising Page:
http://www.firstgiving.com/ericdoust

Emily's Fundraising Page:
http://www.firstgiving.com/emilymorrison

We graciously appreciate any donation to help this study of carcinoid cancer. Eric was extremely lucky that surgery took care of the tumor and it did not spread, but not everyone with carcinoid cancer is that lucky. We thank you for your support and generosity.

(View from his room May 09)

I have gotten into the habit of running a route that goes by Eric's hospital. I tip my visor to the nurses, doctors, and researchers that work there, thanking them in my own little way for taking care of the love of my life.

- Emily

The Animal Odd Couple

2010-08-26T20:54:00.000-05:00

I know this is an old video and most people have seen this, but seriously.... how ridiculously adorable.

Sully wants an elephant now.

From Earlier This Summer. So Crazy.

2010-08-23T17:41:00.000-05:00

Lightning strikes three of the tallest buildings in Chicago at the same time! from Craig Shimala on Vimeo.

Hamm's Ham

2010-08-12T18:16:00.000-05:00

Eric and I are obsessed with the show "Mad Men" on AMC, so I had to share this Saturday Night Live clip from one of the Mad Men actors.

Whaaaa.... It's Only Been 3 Months?!?

2010-08-04T18:28:00.000-05:00

Since the lovable Sully first entered that front gate, took a piss on the lawn, and eventually overtook our home and hearts. He knew his new name within days (not that he likes to listen when running around - although it's much better than his two previous names from random shelter workers - Fielder and Todd. Yes, Todd). He immediately learned and followed Eric's rule of doggie bathroom etiquette ( "I accompany you outside on your bathroom trips, you can accompany me on mine and we can talk about things.") He adjusted to us and condo living very quickly. I just realized today was our three month anniversary of Sullyness, and it seems like a much much much longer time that we've had this crazy rug rat. I don't care if it's good or bad to feel that way, it just feels right that he's in our lives.

Parentals

2010-08-03T15:58:00.000-05:00

My parents came to visit the end of June and we had a great time relaxing and hanging out, while snuggling with Sully and seeing a couple of sights.

Our activities included a bbq with friends, the Science and Industry Museum, checking out Obama's street/house, out to dinners, driving up Lake Michigan coast, and the Chicago Botanical Garden. I was a terrible photographer and didn't take many pictures. Sorry about that Mom and Dad, but we were so glad you guys came to visit! Miss ya!

Beautiful Wedding in Kansas

2010-07-30T05:36:00.000-05:00

One of my oldest friends (and a great one at that) Ward, married the nicest person in the world, Katie, in early June in Kansas City. We were excited to be invited and happy to share a great day with them. Plus we got to see a ton of my old high school friends and their wives, see some other great friends, and spend the weekend with the Lanes. Even though we live 500+ miles away, we got to kick it with the Lanes a lot in late 2009-2010, and I loved seeing Cassie in all stages of pregnancy! Ready for baby Strahan now!

Daily Symphony of Squeaks

2010-07-29T18:24:00.000-05:00

EVERY day, we get to listen to the sounds and songs of Sully. Usually multiple times a day. Enjoy - ha!

What Was Your Favorite Part/Thing?

2010-06-30T22:01:00.000-05:00

The question that needs to be asked after every vacation, according to a darling friend. Well, there were too many fun parts and things that Eric and I did on this trip to the Northwest, and I took so many pics, that I decided to do a slide show as a show and tell.

We have never been to this part of the country, so that was the motivating factor when we decided to scoot out of Chicago. We both fell in love. The countryside is so green and lush, the cities are so fun, and the food is so so delicious. Being in the Midwest definitely doesn't bode well for fresh fish,which we ate every day, and the amount of yummy, fresh fruits and veggies available is staggering. I would have a house filled with flowers, as those huge bouquets are only $10. We spent lots of time in markets because the weather was not great. Lots of fog and rain and overall chill, so all the mountain views we were expecting from the cities didn't pan out. The Sea to Sky highway from Vancouver to Whistler was great, but that dumb fog wouldn't skedaddle out of there.

Some random notes:

Breakfast at the Elbow Room in Vancouver was hilarious. Great food and a huge amount. If you don't clean your plate, they demand you donate change or cash to a local AIDS/HIV charity. Must go for the hilarious chatter.

Seattle loves neon signs. Seattle was very cool.

30th floor hotel room in Vancouver overlooked Lord Stanley Park (yep same Stanley for the Stanley Cup) and the water and some mountains. That was our weather/fog gauge.

Bald eagles are very cool. And so are black bears.

The Japadog stand was on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations Vancouver show. Yes we take his recommendations very seriously.

The Peak 2 Peak gondola was so trippy and fun. It felt like you were flying in a space pod. I loved it. But I can see how some people are freaked out.

The feeling of dropping 20 stories and 2000 ft on a zip line is like nothing else.

Thanks for watching!

Vacation from Emily Morrison on Vimeo.

Music: Buildings and Mountains by The Republic Tigers, I Don't Know by Lisa Hannigan, and Life in Technicolor ii by Coldplay

Team Felton

2010-06-30T12:37:00.000-05:00

My dear friend Andi came to Chicago for the 5k Skirt Chaser race several weeks ago. She is contracted out by the production company that runs the races around the country, so we got to hang out, and volunteer some quality hours. Plus I also took sponsor photos, which was fun for moi.

Stanley Cup

2010-06-29T11:42:00.005-05:00

The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup. Cool yeah? Yeah. I wasn't a watcher of much hockey until I met the Doust, so I have him to thank. He grew up playing the sport, and played in college, so he's a big fan and went to some of the playoff games, which was uber cool for him. This town officially went hockey crazy, so I ventured downtown to see the victory parade and the craziness. I was one of a million I heard. And it seemed like it.

Beginning of the ticker tape rain

Who and what everyone came to see..... Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane and the Cup.

Side Note Since This Just Happened

2010-06-05T10:33:00.000-05:00

Ken Griffey Jr. just retired after 22 years of playing baseball. He is only 5 years older than us, so we both have been familiar with his accomplishments even though he's been on teams we really haven't cared about. And he's never come up in the steriods shenanigans like his contemporaries, which makes him even greater in my opinion. So while we were in Seattle on Monday night, he came off the bench near the end of the game to the plate, and I snapped some pics. Little did we know that would be his last at bat....

Sneak Peak of Our Vacation

2010-06-04T06:00:00.004-05:00

This was one of the craziest gondolas out there - the longest unsupported span in the world at 1.8 miles, and the highest lift of it's kind at over 1400 ft over the valley. We decided on a whim to do this in Whistler, Canada even though it was super foggy and cloudy. We started our trip in Seattle, with several nights in Vancouver as well. It was an awesome trip and we definitely are going to go back someday.

I took a thousand pictures and will have a fun posting of stories and photos after I pour though them. Literally - one thousand plus. Redic.

Sullyness

2010-05-31T11:11:00.001-05:00

Ole Sully Fitz. He's a gem alright. Our neighbors can't believe how well he's doing in the couple of weeks since we adopted him. He knows his name, his accidents in the house are few, and he really likes to snuggle! He is doing fantastic in adjusting to his new home and his fun doggie kennel.

But he still has a lot of puppy in him. He is a big fan of running as fast as he can down the long hall, and slamming into the deck door. Smart? No. But fun for him. He has some hilarious quirks already, like "drive by" licks and/or open mouth grabs as he's buzzing by us. His favorite "drive by" objects are the coats hanging in the hallway. But he's a busybody so he won't stop to actually attempt to grab them, just pretending. His ears never stop moving and listening.

Celtic Festival

2010-05-27T11:10:00.002-05:00

We went down to the Celtic Festival in Millennium Park a couple of weekends ago to watch The Elders, a band that has members from Ireland and Kansas City. They put on a great show. Sully did not get to show off his shamrock collar, because dogs are not allowed in Millennium Park. Yeah. Boo.

Baby Lane

2010-05-23T12:34:00.000-05:00

The time is getting closer and closer for Baby Lane to make the grand debut! Here is Cassie's first shower in Kansas City earlier in the month. What a fun time for Cassie and Chris!

Sisters with mom

Salinaville

2010-05-21T09:27:00.000-05:00

I was lucky to spend five days in the big town of Salina with my fam, and got to see bro, sis in law and the nieces in Wichita too! No big deal....

First Cubs Game of the Year For Me

2010-05-20T08:38:00.001-05:00

11th row behind home plate courtesy of Marnie Sutton Momsen. We had a great time with Shannon, and another one of Marnie's friends named Molly. And they won!!

Finally The Sun Graces Us With Its Presence

2010-05-19T16:23:00.001-05:00

Road Trip

2010-05-07T09:57:00.000-05:00

Several weeks ago, Eric had a work trip to Columbus, OH where he was going to be driving. It just so happens that I have a friend that moved there from Chicago several years ago. So I tagged along to help drive and see Amy!! We had a great time catching up, and while Eric and Amy were working at their respective jobs, I took photos for my final photography class assignment. And sadly I did not take any photos of us... pathetic.

I walked around several very cool neighborhoods during my all day photo shoot. And I got some shopping in also! One of my favorite things of the day was this ice cream from a market. Goat cheese with cognac figs probably was the tastiest thing ever!

Sullivan Fitzpatrick Doust

2010-05-05T18:51:00.000-05:00

This is Sully..... our lion. He looks like one with his mane when he's lounging. And he's our teenager - 14 in dog years. He's attempted several humpings in the first 12 hours. Lordy. But he's a sweetheart, a ham, and a lover. We are so glad that we got him!!

All we know about his past is he was found as a stray in Kankakee, IL in a kill shelter where he was rescued after 30 days by Project Rescue Chicago. He was there for 4 days, had 11 applications and we were the lucky winners of this happy, golden retriever/corgi mix! LOVE!

Our New Boy

2010-04-29T12:53:00.000-05:00

One Year Ago Today Our Lives Changed

2010-04-23T15:01:00.000-05:00

(photo courtesy of marinemarathon.com)

Eric and I are running a marathon in October in Washington DC. I've always wanted to run one, and now's the time. It is crazy to think about running 26.2 miles, but more important than me "wanting to do this" is the fact that we're running to raise money for cancer research. Specifically Eric's type of cancer. The type that we found out he had one year ago today. Carcinoid cancer can not only show up in the lungs like Eric's, but more commonly in the torso area. While researching and reading about this cancer, there are many people that must have further treatment than surgery, or can't have surgery at all to battle the disease. Eric was a lucky one. We are running for those that aren't as lucky.

I will be setting up a fundraising page soon, and will link it to this blog, so please feel free to join us in the fight against carcinoid cancer.

On The Lookout

2010-04-22T09:31:00.000-05:00

For one of these little rugrat types.... we love corgi's.

(photo courtesy of someone on the internet)

Getting My Learn On

2010-04-11T14:03:00.000-05:00

I am in week three of a photography seminar class and absolutely loving it. I finally found a class that the teacher was highly recommended, and was not hundreds and hundreds of dollars. The teacher is committed to teach the basics, no matter what experience the students have behind the camera. And when I say basics, I mean doing everything in manual mode. I learned about 4 months after getting my camera that there are limitations to what it can do compared to what you see with your eye when you want to catch an image. So I knew I needed to learn how to technically and correctly manipulate the camera. I am very happy to be a student.

We were shooting in class and learning crazy techniques. She turned off the light, and we used the street light outside the window. We kept the shutter open for 20 seconds, and she switched seats midway through to create the ghostlike two images. FUN!

Great Weekend With Little Documentation

2010-04-08T12:11:00.000-05:00

Twins

Cassie and Chris came to visit this past weekend, and I was a terrible photographer. We had a great time hanging out, eating good food, shopping, celebrating Easter, and wishing our basketball teams would have been playing each other in Indianapolis.....Thanks for picking Chicago as the last hurrah and coming to see us!

A Perfect Weekend Minus the KU Loss

2010-03-31T15:46:00.000-05:00

KU festivities at the KU Alum bar

Fun with basketball and bar mirrors

Thanks for coming to visit my little buddy Sue!!!!

How to Report the News

2010-03-25T12:36:00.001-05:00

I do not care for television news, so this is brilliant.

Green River

2010-03-17T06:00:00.001-05:00

The Saturday before St. Patrick's Day is always the official day of celebration in Chicago. The parade is that day, along with the tradition of dying the river the colors of the Emerald Isle.

This started 43 years ago by plumbers using dye to detect leaks in the river. It has always been a privately funded operation, so there are sponsor signage in lots of places. I have never seen this tradition, but Eric saw it in 2007. I hopped on the train, packed with green party folks, and made my way to the water's edge for a spot to watch.

The dye is actually orange, so the initial color on the surface starts out strange, but a second boat follows as the "stirring" boat. And it was pretty funny because I thought the driver was trying to dump the passenger with sharp turns and acting all crazy.

There were a ton of people downtown, more than I've ever seen. Ever. Someone said on the radio that 100k make it, then another 100k plus head to the parade. It was raining, so I bailed on the parade, and went to join friends celebrate the proper way, with a Guinness.

She Has My Heart

2010-03-12T20:31:00.001-06:00

Seriously.

Click on the word above...

Deep Thoughts

2010-03-09T11:46:00.000-06:00

My good friends know my little quirk with the movie Titanic. I have never seen that movie, and never will. I did not have NOT ONE BIT of desire to see it back then, nor now. Weird? Maybe.

Then this movie Avatar came out, and same thing. Not one ounce of "wanting to see it" even with the ranting and raving about the special effects. Guess what, more movies will be made with the same special effects and a better plot I'm sure.

So as I'm defending my "no Avatar" stance to Eric, and laughing at my future sister in law's threat of handcuffing me to a chair to watch Titanic, I think I know why I am this way...

My subconscious hates James Cameron.

We're Off For Some More Of This

2010-02-25T07:00:00.002-06:00

My Favorite Fish Is Back

2010-02-24T17:33:00.001-06:00

Wanna Meet?

2010-02-24T12:17:00.001-06:00

Some days I feel my age. When I was in 7th grade, I used to babysit for my parents’ friend’s kids. Now I’m Facebook friends with one of them, Carly, and now she’s grown up and beautiful and married. Umm where did the time go? Wow. Anyhow we chat about photography because we are both into it, and she introduced me to this wonderful world through Meetup.com.

Check it out. You can join any group you are interested in, spanning across all sorts of hobbies and topics, to connect with others of the same interest. I joined Chicago Digital Photography group (about 2800 members) and they have meet ups to take photos of events, such as the Polar Bear Plunge in Lake Michigan next weekend, along with the Spring Flower Show at the Lincoln Park Conservatory. They also have meetings, workshops, seminars, all to become better photographers through education and experience.

I did a meet up last Saturday night downtown to take photos of fireworks. I’m glad I went even though there was not much interaction between the photographers before hand. People submit their photos online for sharing and critique, and I was blown away by the talent and technique. Even though I already knew this, I have a LOT to learn.

Bitter Betty Has Left The Building

2010-02-23T14:04:00.001-06:00

We thought we were moving to another city. And now we’re not.

We really thought it was going to happen. So much so that we were doing the same strategy as when we moved up here. We had a list to accomplish in the condo before staging it, started looking at single family homes online (sigh… someday that dream will come true), and had the specifics of the relocation package from HR division. I had my list of fun "to do" before we move, where I even posted about going to the Art Institute.

And now we’re not.

And right when we found out it was a no go, one of those Forbes lists came out listing Chicago as one of the most miserable cities in America. It was based on several factors; unemployment (I do know about that), crime (yep – car was broken into), taxes (sad when we shop outside of Cook County to save money and cry when we open our property tax bill), weather and corruption and commute time. Miserable? Check, check and check.

I was really ready for a fresh start, as was Eric. We have had some great times here, but also some of the worst things in our lives have happened here. Not that Chicago had anything to do with it, but there is a bitter taste. Chicago is a fun city, but hard to live here sometimes. We were excited about a change, and ready to have a better quality of life.

As I digested and worked through our disappointment, I vowed to have a better attitude about this windy city. While we can’t change our taxes, we can attempt to do different things for the better for this family of two. While we can’t change the weather, we can layer on even more clothes and go outside. So see ya miserable. Spring is coming. New careers. New attitude. New things are a happenin’.

Enjoying Chicago

2010-02-11T19:47:00.000-06:00

I love love love the Art Institute so I went last week since February is free admission month. Here are some of my favorite pieces from this trip. I will post more throughout the next several months over on the photo blog.

Basketball and More Basketball

2010-01-31T17:50:00.000-06:00

Saturday was basketball day for our household. We drove out to Allstate Arena to see Syracuse take on DePaul. It was a very close game, and Syracuse won by 2 points, which later on seemed to be the theme of the day when Kansas beat Kansas State. I did not take my camera to the game, and I'm still kicking myself because we had great seats. We walked up to the ticket office and paid very little for an awesome view of the game. There were more Syracuse fans than DePaul fans and the arena was not even half full, which is especially sad for a Chicago team. It was bizarre. I guess I was spoiled rotten with the crazy atmosphere at Allen Fieldhouse.

(photo by gloria wright)

You Stay Classy, San Diego

2010-01-28T21:47:00.002-06:00

Eric had a work trip to San Diego last week, so I met him out there on Thursday night to celebrate the big "35" year of birth. Cassie and Chris decided they needed to vacate the Kansas cold and fog, so they met us too. And then our fun friend Andi from Phoenix happened to visiting the same weekend for a work event. Plus Eric has a buddy from high school and a buddy from college that live there, so it turned out to be a fun filled grand ole weekend!

Ron Burgundy: "Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diego, which of course in German means a whale's vajayjay."

(I'll keep it PG-13 - This is a hike in Torrey Pines State Reserve, next to the fancy golf course.)

Brian Fantana: [seriously] "I'm telling you, this lady has really crawled into Ron's head."

Brick Tamland: [breaks out laughing] "That's a good one."

(At the La Costa resort, in Carlsbad, north of San Diego.)

Ron Burgundy: "You're so wise. You're like a miniature Buddha, covered in hair."

(Night out in the Gaslamp Quarter)

Ron Burgundy: "We are laughing and we are very good friends. Good buddies sharing a special moment... "

Brian Fantana: "Don't say anything Ron and just let it happen."

Ron Burgundy: "...laughing and enjoying our friendship, and someday we'll look back on this with much fondness."

Brian Fantana: "Yeah, yeah."

(At the Boardwalk Bar and Grill, a certified KU Jayhawks bar in Mission Beach. Look at the petite Jayhawks painted on the wall behind us... precious.)

Ron Burgundy: "Sweet Lincoln's mullet." (It was really really really windy.)

Ron Burgundy: [signing off] "You stay classy, Planet Earth."

Champ Kind: "Champ here! I'm all about havin' fun. You know, get a couple cocktails in me, start a fire in someone's kitchen. Maybe go to SeaWorld, take my pants off. Anyway, I kinda known for my catch phrase WHAMMY! As in Gene Tenace at the plate... iiittt WHAMMY! WHAMMY!"

(Brian, Andrew and the b-day boy)

Spanish Anchor: "Como estan, beetches?"

Ron Burgundy: [to Veronica] "It's all right, my sweet chinchilla."

(More Torrey Pines hiking)

Brian Fantana: "So the team pancake breakfast is tomorrow morning at nine, instead of eight."

Ron Burgundy: "Oop... I almost forgot. I won't be able to make it fellas. Veronica and I trying this new fad called uh, jogging. I believe it's jogging or yogging. it might be a soft j. I'm not sure but apparently you just run for an extended period of time. It's supposed to be wild."

(Cass, Andi, Emily and Lynne - Andi's BFF from high school - all of us donking it up)

Ron Burgundy: "You dirtbags have been in third place for five years."
Frank Vitchard: "Oh yeah? Well, you're about to be in... dead place."

(I thought these crazy birds were going to snatch us up in their beaks and to have for dinna....)

Ron Burgundy: [riding unicorns through cartoon Pleasure Town] "Look, the most glorious rainbow ever!"

(Chris, playing with the kelp, and calling for all unicorns.)

Thanks for putting up with my Anchorman movie quotes. I am a dork.

Books books books, I love reading books.

2010-01-20T16:58:00.000-06:00

So I took this picture to go along with the posting from June about some good reads. This was my "next" list to read, which I've accomplished four out of the six, and three of these have made it to my TOP TEN list of all time favs. (The bottom two always get bumped for a good fiction read.)

Lamb, The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Friend, is hysterical. I cannot recommend that book enough, and actually just finished Fool, by the same author, about King Lear's fool. Funny.

Holidays

2010-01-13T17:43:00.000-06:00

Eric and I drove to New York several days before Christmas and stayed until New Years Eve Day. We had a great getaway; spending time with family, laughing over great meals, enjoying the nieces and nephews bowl, ice skate, and play in the snow, plus watch their excited faces open gifts. Here is a small snippet of our time together. We wish we could all hang out more often.....

(I laugh everytime I see this pic - Eric's brother attacking their sister in the background)

Pa with all of his grandchildren.

Pa Doust

2010-01-10T19:17:00.000-06:00

I took a bizillion pictures during our 9 day vacation for the holidays, so I'm still editing and picking out my favorites to share in a post.

Here is John, enjoying and watching all of his 7 grandchildren roll the rock. The kids loved bowling.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Upstate New York

2009-12-25T06:00:00.002-06:00

Christkindlmarket Chicago

2009-12-22T04:15:00.000-06:00

We wandered downtown this past weekend to check out the sights and realized the Sunday afternoon before Christmas isn't the best time to thoroughly take advantage of the Christkindlmarket. Too crowded. Next year, we will enjoy the hot spiced wine served in a souvenir cup shaped like a boot.

Ellen

2009-12-20T06:00:00.001-06:00

Year one without you was hard. Things happened where I longed for your smart ass remarks in surgery recovery and your mothering presence to your youngest baby. Things happened where I missed your friendship to me, as we sat in your kitchen with a glass of wine or our long conversations on the phone. I can't even begin to describe your absence from Eric's life, nor will I try. Things happened and will continue to without you, but I have a feeling you will be there. And we have your stories, memories, and pictures to cherish forever.

Newest Obsession

2009-12-16T13:54:00.000-06:00

(photo by jcbehm)

Andrew Bird is a Chicago musician that I discovered a while ago, but really into these days. He has a beautiful voice, and very talented multi-instrumentalist. He is playing at the gorgeous Fourth Presbyterian Church on Michigan Ave for a 4 day tour, (what up fellow Presbys!!) and I'm quite bummed I'm not going. Check him out though...... on iTunes or his website, and here is a video of an amazing preformance of Anonanimal. Moms - look out for the tribute album for the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street - where Bird does a version of Kermit's "It's Not Easy Bein' Green."

Rowlf and Johnny Boy

2009-12-13T21:45:00.001-06:00

John Denver and the Muppets - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - is my favorite Holiday song, hands down!

General Feeling: Ugghh

2009-12-11T12:28:00.001-06:00

BRRRR!!! Yeah I know that the entire country has gotten hit by this cold spell/blizzard but yesterday was horrible. I'm not ready for this single digit temps and -34 degree windchill. I feel like Chicago never comes out of these weather conditions and rebounds like other cities. Yuck-manuck. Maybe it's also that the Holidays are here and I'm not feeling all festive and bubbly this year. Scrooge Morrison, at your service, to deliver coal as both gifts and to warm your house.

Pet Extravaganza

2009-12-08T10:34:00.005-06:00

So this past weekend, I went outside of my usual volunteer activity in the clinic recovery room for PAWS Chicago, and volunteered at the adoption center for their 2nd Annual 36 Hour Adopt-A-Thon.

At first, I was very hesitant about this because I was afraid I would want to take several home, and Eric was VERY MUCH terrified that we would have a house full of pets at the end of the day. I continued to receive emails from PAWS asking for more volunteers, needing and begging especially since this event was 36 hours, and I what caught my eye was this: adoption photographer.

Sold.

Knowing that I would be taking pictures of dogs/cats going to their forever home made me sign up immediately.

So off I went, not armed with my camera because they provided one, and ready to help.

It was great seeing so many people wanting and taking some the cute, little peanuts home. I was taking pictures immediately, and seeing the excitement in family's eyes was so precious, taking their first family photo by the holiday tree. The cutest story was watching this little girl show everyone her letter from Santa, saying she had two kittens to pick out for a Christmas gift! Adorable!

I will say that I saw some frustration and sadness too. There is a lengthy adoption counseling session that has to happen first, and many different families were wanting the same dog, so some people left emptyhanded. I hope they come back to try and adopt again.

But overall, 49 pets were adopted after 8 hours and that is awesome. Even my favorite little ladies from the website got a good home!!!! This morning I got the final tally of 112 homeless animals now have a new home just in time for the Holidays. Yea for Chicago animals!

Fun In the KC Sun

2009-12-07T14:52:00.001-06:00

On our adventure back to Chicago, we stopped in Kansas City to take in the Kansas vs Missouri football game at Arrowhead, where the Chiefs play. It was GORGEOUS weather, and we loved seeing all our great, bestest buddies! Too bad the Jayhawks poo'ed the game away at the end. Thanks to the Lane's for an awesome tailgate - you guys deserve an award!

Jenny and Andy

Larry, Ward and Katie

Who's the hairball?!!! Sisters Emily and Cassie

Chris pimping Eric's product

Touchdown

Moi and Cass

Jayhawks and Tigers gotta hug

Jenny and Eric having some times

Thanksgiving in Salina

2009-11-30T20:55:00.000-06:00

Sawyer and Mallory

The Holidays go by way too fast. We had a great time in Salina and hanging out with my family for four days. Beautiful weather + laughter + delish food = a memorable Thanksgiving. Even though I forgot to take a turkey bird pic and a photo of everyone at the table... boo on me.

Swinging buddies

Ike

Nash, Mallory, Jenny, and Sawyer

Shooter McGee

(My brother pulled out my Dad's shotguns for some target practice. Yeah just call me Annie Oakley)

Mallory

Swinging high with Papa

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

2009-11-26T06:00:00.001-06:00

Rock Chalk

2009-11-22T17:51:00.001-06:00

Kickin It

2009-11-19T12:39:00.000-06:00

For the b-day, we went bowling at my request. Eric gathered a great group (10 of us) and we all had a hoot and a holler. Thanks everyone for coming!!! Nothing like getting older with neon and lots of balls.....

Editor's note: I must get Eric to take more pictures. This is the only proof that I was there. Terrible face.

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis from Between Two Ferns, Andy Richter, Conan O'Brien, and Zach Galifianakis - Video

2009-11-17T16:20:00.000-06:00

Laugh Time!!!!!

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis from Between Two Ferns, Andy Richter, Conan O'Brien, and Zach Galifianakis - Video

Yea

2009-11-13T15:16:00.000-06:00

I know this is long overdue, but I am happy for the Doust fam because their team, the Yankees, won the World Series. They love their Yanks like I love my Jayhawks. Eric was out of town for work so I got to celebrate for him by taking a pic of the tv screen, and DVR'ing the game.

Halloween Eve

2009-11-04T22:46:00.000-06:00

Our condo signed up to be a "safe home" for neighborhood trick or treater's last Saturday night, so we handed out a TON of candy from 5-7p. The timing worked out well due to the World Series game that night.... and we sho aren't missing any of those games due to the Yanks being Eric's team.

We noticed a lot of older kids, like high school kids and older, trolling for candy this year. Next year we can flush out those characters by giving away Bibles and toothpaste.

Girls Weekend in Kansas

2009-10-31T15:46:00.000-05:00

Oh friends and Lawrence, I miss you all...........

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

2009-10-27T21:33:00.000-05:00

Shannon and I headed up to Wisconsin last week for a day trip to take pics and explore. We went to Lake Geneva, about 90 minutes north and west of Chicago, and wow, we were impressed. It was very very beautiful all along the lake, around the downtown, and all the homes. Must..play..and..win..lottery.

This is the entrance to Shannon's future estate...... and I went with the one below.....

Fun In The City

2009-10-22T11:25:00.000-05:00

Janet and John Storey (minus Miss Hannah) came to Chicago for a wedding and we got to have some fun times last weekend! Sushi dinner with Lisa and Rob was very yummy and fun to catch up with them. Thanks guys for the visit!!

Cool B-Day Party

2009-10-21T09:35:00.007-05:00

My little friend Alice turned 2 years old the end of September, but the big party was delayed until last week. She had all of her little friends over, including a big guest that showed up - Elmo! All of the kids were mostly okay with him, and had a fun time.

And Yet Another Tux Weekend

2009-10-19T16:37:00.002-05:00

The weekend after our Fancy Drink Night, we attended a wedding, one where a tux was required for Mr. Eric. It was quite beautiful, fancy, and fun. Eric's coworker and friend was the groom, and only two other couples from Crown Imports were invited, so the six of us had a blast with each other and dancing to the 15 piece band. They rocked some great tunes, and at one point I turned to our friend Carolyn, and asked, "Is this a Lady GaGa song?" where I turned to see all the gramps and grams jamming on the dance floor - hilarious.

Carolyn and Tom next to someone we don't know......but........ love the dress

Marta and Rob

Tom is a fellow Delaware Blue Hen graduate. AND they work together....small world.....so they were doing a Blue Hen shuffle.

The band was hamming it up for Eric and the camera.

Me + the beer folks

Eric and Tom with the groom, Matt

Little Fockers

2009-10-09T19:19:00.000-05:00

Our little neighborhood has been buzzing for the past several nights because good ole Hollywood was shooting a movie...... a sequel to the Meet the Parents franchise called Little Fockers. Yep I personally saw Ben Stiller from across the street. I saw a glimpse of Robert DeNiro outside his trailer. And the best part, they were filming outside/maybe inside our infamous neighborhood dive bar from our pub crawl in July. They have been in town for the past week or so, but left today to shoot the rest in LA. The movie is slated to come out next summer.

I snapped a couple of pics, but had to turn off the flash according to one of the crew guys. I need to work on my nightime shots, so I'm sorry they're not very good. In the above photo, they stopped the train to film for about 5 minutes. Below is Ben Stiller sitting in the front seat.

More platform filming

Fancy

2009-10-08T14:21:00.001-05:00

Earlier this summer, a group of us were waiting out a rainstorm at a bar after a Cubs game, discussing how back in the day, people were always dressed up to the nines, and drank some interesting cocktails. So the idea was born for a Fancy Drink Party!

Eric played the perfect part with his fancy tails, but I had some trouble finding a dress, so I snatched up this hot mess of a $16 deal, a fancy 80's getup. We co-hosted the party with several friends and had a hoot. I am still laughing at the outfits. Some of the drinks were Harvey Wallbangers, Vodka Daisy's, Old Fashioneds, and of course martinis, plus many o' fancy appetizers. After the Pubz in the Hood pub crawl and our Fancy Drink party, time to come up with more ideas to get us through the Chicago winter. We love suggestions :)

Fancy 70's Layney and Fancy 40's Ellen. Layney's big hair clip was a hit later on. Ellen's gloves and hat were the best.

50's couple Cori and Andy

Fancy bra strap huh?

Fancy 70's couple Matt and Layney

Fancy glasses darling!

Love the monocle!!

Mr. Party Idea Matt Noonan. His fancy moustache did not stay on.

Neighbor David with Matt

Someone was hungry..... seriously....

And I'm not allowed to use the word "fancy" anymore.

e.morrison's daily photo blog

2009-09-29T17:43:00.001-05:00

I feel as though I've never had a "real" hobby. I played sports in grade school through high school and still play recreationally, but I don't consider that a hobby. I love to cook, but I consider that a necessity since one has to eat. I have had and still do have many interests but nothing like the enjoyment of taking photos, so since I have the time, I decided to start a new blog.

e.morrison's daily photo

Welcome and please visit daily. Gracias.

Exploring

2009-09-28T10:50:00.000-05:00

My friend Layney and I drove over to Indiana a few weeks ago to explore the lakeshore and to do some hiking. We found a 5 mile hike through the sand dunes to explore, that shot us out on a private beach only accessable by boat or the hike through the state park. It was very nice to get out of the city for the day.

The Right Time

2009-09-22T17:32:00.000-05:00

Last week I signed up to be a volunteer for PAWS Chicago (Pets Are Worth Saving) a non profit, no kill animal humane organization. I first had to attend the two hour long orientation where the organization was overviewed and all areas of volunteer capabilities were detailed.

As I was sitting there, I was actually mad at myself for not volunteering sooner. Mad mad mad. Then came the part where we toured the adoption area. And then I wasn't so mad at myself. Tears welled up in my eyes after seeing a Keela type dog, shaking in her corner, looking at me with that "take me home" look. I don't think I could have volunteered before because I wasn't ready.

It's been 11 months since doggie bladder cancer affected our lives, followed by the devastating sadness of Eric's mother passing, and then my Grandmother, followed by more cancer shaking us to our core. Even though this organization SAVES pet's lives, I couldn't help but think back to the week we lost Keela and the ensuing loss of this past crappy year. Losing our dog was the beginning of the nasty chain of events. Now that Eric is doing great, and we have had time to digest and grieve what we've gone through, I took several days of thought to what I saw in that little doggie's face and decided it is the right time to give back.

So I took what I knew about myself, and signed up to work at the PAWS clinic. There was no way in heck that I could work at the adoption location. It's fancy - new - beautiful - basically a spa for cats and dogs waiting to be adopted, but someone would null and void our domestic partnership after I came home with the 7th pet that looked at me with the "take me home" eyes. Oh did you know that Eric and I are legally binding domestic partners?!? No big deal. I mean, is Brangelina even that?!

Today was my first day volunteering at the clinic. This clinic that I speak of, is located waaay far away from the adoption location. Waaay far away as in I feel like I'm in another country. It's down by Midway airport, and for those familiar with that area, there isn't much English language going on. That was a concern, but I don't need to enroll in a Spanish course just yet. Unless the dogs and cats prefer to hear that as they come out of anesthesia. I worked in the "Recovery Room" for three hours, with no training, just hands on, full contact, getting all dirty right away.

And I liked it, at least after three hours and a couple more hours thinking about what I did. Some parts I found fascinating, some parts I wondered how much squimishness I could handle, some parts were funny, and lots of parts were fulfilling, knowing that this cat or dog was going to have a much better life after the spay/neuter surgery. Animals are much heathier fixed. In a nutshell, this is what goes down:

Responsibilities:

Assist the Recovery Technicians with dogs and cats exiting the surgical suite. Monitor, stimulate, clean, extubate, clean ears, clip nails, return animals to holding cages, and prepare supplies for surgery.

Requirements:
Must not become faint around the site of blood, and must be able to stand, sit, and kneel multiple times per shift.

And I did all of the above. I was a tad freaked out about extubation, but as soon as the pet tries to swallow, you yank that tube out! They are much happier without that tube! I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was fast paced and somewhat of a circus at times. I took cats/dogs off the operating table. I watched another volunteer get all scratched up from a cat. I made sure a dog had her halo on before she really woke up because she bit a vet tech earlier in the morning. And I saw one thing that never crossed my mind - a cat abortion. But I will go back next week for sure.

This clinic is housed below the admissions area for animals coming into the PAWS adoption program. This is where the pet is housed after being picked up from Animal Control, their health is checked out, and behaviorally tested to make sure it's okay to go into a family structure. While some of the animals are in the program, other animals are coming through the Recovery Room as family pets already. The clinic opens its doors for free and low cost spay/neuters for needy families and on public assistance. Most of the animals I saw this morning were client pets. And that is the mission for PAWS, to decrease the birth rates so Chicago will be no-kill one day. 48,000 animals were killed in 1997 when this organization started, and last year the number was down to under 18,000. That still is a lot of animals. I'm happy to be helping out.

Friday Night Dins

2009-09-20T12:00:00.001-05:00

I found this deliciousness Chile Verde recipe and tried it out for our Friday night eats...it was so so very tasty! And very easy to do since you can walk away while it cooks. I cut the recipe in half, used pork tenderloin and a poblano pepper for some extra lovin. I've attached details for your eating pleasure.

Chile Verde Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds tomatillos
5 garlic cloves, not peeled
2 jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
2 Anaheim or Poblano chiles (optional)
1 bunch cilantro leaves, cleaned and chopped
3 1/2 to 4 pounds pork shoulder (also called pork butt), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 to 2-inch cubes
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
2 yellow onions
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 Tbsp of chopped fresh oregano or 1 Tbsp of dried oregano
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
Pinch of ground cloves

Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well. Cut in half and place cut side down, along with 5 unpeeled garlic cloves, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place under a broiler for about 5-7 minutes to lightly blacken the skin. Remove from oven, let cool enough to handle.

If you want the additional flavor of chiles other than jalapenos, you can add a couple Anaheim or poblano chiles. Either use canned green chiles or roast fresh chilies over a gas flame or under the broiler until blackened all around. Let cool in a bag, remove the skin, seeds, and stem.

Place tomatillos, skins included, into blender. Remove the now roasted garlic cloves from their skins, add them to the blender. Add chopped Jalapeño peppers, other chilies (if you are using them), and cilantro to the blender. Pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed.

Season the pork cubes generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium high heat and brown pork chunks well on all sides. Work in batches so that the pork is not crowded in the pan and has a better chance to brown well. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, lift pork out of pan and place in bowl, set aside.

Pour off excess fat, anything beyond a tablespoon, and place the onions and garlic in the same skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until limp, about 5 minutes. If your skillet is large enough to cook the entire batch of chile verde, with the sauce and meat, then add the pork back to the pan. If not, get a large soup pot and add the onion mixture and the pork to it. Add the oregano to the pan. Add the tomatillo chile verde sauce to the pork and onions. Add the chicken stock (enough to cover the meat). Add a pinch of ground cloves. Add a little salt and pepper. (Not too much as the chile verde will continue to cook down and concentrate a bit.)

Bring to a boil and reduce to a slight simmer. Cook for 2-3 hours uncovered or until the pork is fork tender.

Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with Spanish rice and warmed flour tortillas or freshly made corn tortillas.
Serves 8.

Someday

2009-09-15T09:08:00.006-05:00

(photo courtesy of RB)

This is my dream garden. Fresh herbs, flowers, veggies, etc plus an area to relax and drink your morning coffee. Someday.......... someday.

LONG Overdue - Pubz in the Hood

2009-09-11T13:23:00.006-05:00

Eric, Neighbor Matt and Eric

Back in late July, we executed a neighborhood pub crawl that had been in the works for a while between several of us neighbor friends. We all invited friends and friends of friends in the 'hood so we had about 30+ people. We did it up right and got shirts made too! It was so fun and so random. The idea was to go to these places around us that we would never step foot in on a normal night out. We hit 6 bars within a three block radius, one of which I will go back. Overall it was a hoot, and thoughts are to continue this tradition and make it a cancer charity event. You will all be invited.

Hunting some big game

Kelsey, Caitlin, and Brian. These girls are KU alum and played soccer there. Kelsey was my old assistant and she is also plays on Brian and Eric's soccer team.

Group. Next time I need to get Shannon a shirt.

SWEET belt.

SWEET sunglasses Layney

The ladies restroom - yes it is one room - and you must ask your peeing partner for a spot of TP.

Us with Matt Noonan, brains behind the next gathering, "Fancy Drink Night" coming up in October.

Dancing with neighbor Layney and neighbor David under the disco ball. I think it was Madonna.

The Strahan and Schwartzburg

2009-09-08T11:28:00.000-05:00

Ward and Katie came to visit for a couple of days on their way to northern Wisconsin. We loved having them visit and had a great time! From squirrels named Henry, to homemade yummy salsa, to drinks and more drinks, to seeing Eddie Vedder sing at Wrigley, to Sixteen, to wanting to live in a Rick Bayless's restaurant, what a hoot and a holler!! Thanks guys for coming to visit!! I'll be seeing you soon :)

KU Alumni night at Wrigley Field. Not a bad choice of a singer for the 7th inning stretch.

Checking out the downtown sights from high above.

Kicking it with Jim Kolbusz on Cubbie night.

The Donald did not let us forget we were drinking at his hotel/bar/restaurant.

Katie and I following Ward sneaking into a ballroom to take pics in the Trump Tower.

Yummy dinner night

Beer man

Cuteness overlooking the Chicago River and Michigan Lake.

Happy Holiday Weekend

2009-09-04T14:25:00.001-05:00

I love long weekends and the Muppets.

The Coleman's

2009-08-31T09:25:00.012-05:00

Amy and Ryan took some time to come visit us last weekend from Dallas. This was Ryan's first trip to the windy city so we tried to make sure he saw the sights. We did the architecture boat tour, had a drink at the top of the Hancock Building, went out on the town, ate and walked through Wrigley, hit Millennium Park, and walked along the lake. We had a great time and thanks for coming to visit. I miss doing donkey kicks with you :)

View of the rainstorm passing over north Wrigleyville and our condo

Those crazy walk out booths off the Sears Tower

Fridge is Stocked

2009-08-20T14:44:00.003-05:00

Oh pure giddiness is all up in Kenmore Ave condo #1 because we have guests for the next six days! Amy Crain Coleman + Ryan Coleman = Fun Weekend. Ward Strahan + Katie Schwartzburg = Fun Week next week. Unemployment = great times with friends on their vacations!!

Jersey Baby

2009-08-19T17:11:00.025-05:00

Oh yeah, we left the windy city last Thursday to kick it in Jersey. Holy cow we had a blast hanging out with Eric's college BFF Jimmy and Brandi, and their adorable twin girls, Delaney and Tessa. We definitely wish we could see them more often. Friday was Jim's birthday, so on his special night, his request was hiting the boardwalk for some games, drinks, and people watching. Oh and he karaoked "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" by Looking Glass to his wifey-poo. Precious! On Saturday afternoon, we left their town near the shore to head north to the wedding of Eric's high school friend Matt. It was a beautiful wedding and had a good time with his high school friends.

The little peanut Delaney

Reading to little pumpkin Tessa

Stand up surfing at the beach

Delaney loves her chair

Tessa having fun swinging

Preciousness Brandi, Eric and Jimmy

Blue Hens thinking their all Jayhawk and Orangemen-esqe

I will make this frog land on that lilly pad.....dangit

Hottie to our right....that look is awesome

Along the shore

Marcellus NY crowd

Alok and Liz with The Dude and his dude drink

First Dance

John and Eric

Can You Believe It's Been Three Years?

2009-08-13T08:03:00.002-05:00

I was out on the deck stimulating my brain yesterday with some Sudoku, and almost crapped my pants when a jet roared by overhead. Oh yes, I remember this day some three years ago when the movers and myself almost crapped our pants as the jets for the Chicago Air and Water show were practicing away. Happy Anniversary Condo - you sassy home of ours!

The City of Chicago

2009-08-12T11:57:00.001-05:00

I went to an ex co-worker's condo downtown for a little gathering, and we were hanging out on the 23rd floor rooftop as the sun went down. I love the reflection of the Hancock Building off the glass walls surrounding the terrace.

Precious

2009-08-11T16:48:00.000-05:00

While I was dressing Alice, the little girl I babysit, she pulled out these adorable winter galoshes. So. Darn. Cute.

Yankees

2009-08-10T12:33:00.010-05:00

We went to the White Sox vs Yankee's game with our friends Brian and Ellen last weekend on the Southside. I love my Royals, and I've adopted the Cubs as my second favorite team, so I'm used to the "old schoolness" of Wrigley these days. I forgot how different new stadiums feel while at a game. I was so distracted. It was so loud and obnoxious with the awful music blaring, the people watching ohhh! the people watching, and the awful shtick of the beer men hollering in your ear, but then the foul balls screaming into our section got my attention. Actually Eric had one go off the guys hand in front of him, then off his fingertips and ricochet into another area. Almost!!

This sign popped up VERY frequently. Hmm wonder why.

Fabulous Time with Doust Fam

2009-08-04T12:15:00.000-05:00

(Photo courtesy of Cindy)

We had a great time in Marcellus, NY and actually I was not ready to come back. The weather was gorgeous, it was so pretty and green there, and it was so nice to hang out with his family and father. It was great seeing everyone and we miss you guys!

Pa Doust and Cindy at Skaneateles Lake

Nine Mile Creek at the bottom of the road at Eric's parents house

Niece Makayla (Sister Julie's little peach)

Lil' Eric (Brother Scott and Cindy's little peanut)

Scott and Cindy

The gang saying goodbye to Julie

Yum

My BFF Natalie (Scott's and Cindy's daughter)

Mr. Pimp Golfer

Cool flowers

Sweetness

Miss Pimp golfer - only because I crushed my drive and won the longest drive hole for women. No big deal.

We had shirts for our team made in honor of Eric's mom Ellen. His dad dedicated a golf hole in her memory. It was an emotional day.

Aidan kickin it at the after golf party. (Brother Barry's son. His other kids could not make the trip.)

Weird clouds

Cheyne checking out the river (Scott and Cindy's son)

Barry and Pa - adults night out.

We Interrupt This Regularly Scheduled Vacation Photos Post with a Salina Video

2009-08-01T09:23:00.004-05:00

So there is this chicken that has made it's home at my parents house. I've posted about it here. I attempted to chase it down for a photo last time I was home in April. She was too fast. And for a while, my Mother thought an animal got her because she was M.I.A. She's back. And she is not a fan of my Mom's ridicious chicken language.