Coffee and Conversation

Geek Valentine

2012-01-16T22:09:00.001-06:00

Not much of a post, just wanted to share these cute geek Valentine's. How cute are they?

Disney fashion

2012-01-16T21:53:00.004-06:00

I've always been a huge Disney movie fan, but eventually you grow up and have to ask yourself the question, "Am I too old for this?" The answer is no. Especially when you can combine Disney magic and fashion. I recently stumbled up a tumblr {from Pinterest of course} called Disney Bound that creates ensembles with a little inspiration from Disney movie characters. They're creative and beautiful. I'm not sure what it says about my fashion sense that I align best with Mary Poppins though.

Karina is two.

2012-01-15T15:20:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, Karina turned TWO! She was such a cutie. Her grandmother bought her a Tangled princess dress that she wore throughout the party. Since Karina is a huge Tangled and Minnie Mouse fan, her party was a bit of both, which meant Tangled AND Minnie Mouse cupcakes. She must have had about 6-8 cupcakes! It was also nice spending time with friends who were in town from out of state. Great day.

Organizing

2012-01-09T20:37:00.000-06:00

I know it's not spring, but I've been in a crazy cleaning and organizing mood lately. It's probably because I got so many new clothes items for Christmas that I now have to fit someplace. And also, I got a new vacuum! For either reason, I've been doing a bit of organizing around my house. {Goodwill should expect a pretty big donation soon.} I've had help in my organization spree from Pinterest.com. I found many creative ideas of organizing areas and items that would otherwise be shoved in boxes and pushed aside. It's a great feeling to open my closet doors to find a nicely ordered area instead of a mess.

A few ideas that I liked and have or will try at home {though I doubt any of my organization will look as nice}:

{idea via}

Art for the home

2012-01-08T20:49:00.002-06:00

My sister and I were recently talking about what kind of art we would like to purchase for our homes. During this conversation, we started a little debate of whether or not digital photography should be included. As an amateur photographer, I am definitely a fan of digital art, however, since photographs can be reproduced easily, are they really worth $200? If I bought art, I would want it to be original, unique and one of a kind, not something that could be also be hanging in a dozen other homes.

I would much rather have a piece like this in my home:

{mixed media art created by Deb Madigan}

Pronunciation challenge

2012-01-05T19:50:00.002-06:00

Earlier this week, my friend sent me a challenge. To work on my English pronunciation by reading a poem aloud. According to the site she found this poem on, "If you can pronounce correctly every word in this poem, you will be speaking English better than 90% of the native English speakers in the world."

I have to admit, I tried about three times and though I made it more than half way through each time, I have yet to read the entire poem aloud. Try it; it's tougher than I thought.

Dearest creature in creation,
Study English pronunciation.
I will teach you in my verse
Sounds like corpse, corps, horse, and worse.
I will keep you, Suzy, busy,
Make your head with heat grow dizzy.
Tear in eye, your dress will tear.
So shall I! Oh hear my prayer.
Just compare heart, beard, and heard,
Dies and diet, lord and word,
Sword and sward, retain and Britain.
(Mind the latter, how it’s written.)
Now I surely will not plague you
With such words as plaque and ague.
But be careful how you speak:
Say break and steak, but bleak and streak;
Cloven, oven, how and low,
Script, receipt, show, poem, and toe.
Hear me say, devoid of trickery,
Daughter, laughter, and Terpsichore,
Typhoid, measles, topsails, aisles,
Exiles, similes, and reviles;
Scholar, vicar, and cigar,
Solar, mica, war and far;
One, anemone, Balmoral,
Kitchen, lichen, laundry, laurel;
Gertrude, German, wind and mind,
Scene, Melpomene, mankind.
Billet does not rhyme with ballet,
Bouquet, wallet, mallet, chalet.
Blood and flood are not like food,
Nor is mould like should and would.
Viscous, viscount, load and broad,
Toward, to forward, to reward.
And your pronunciation’s OK
When you correctly say croquet,
Rounded, wounded, grieve and sieve,
Friend and fiend, alive and live.
Ivy, privy, famous; clamour
And enamour rhyme with hammer.
River, rival, tomb, bomb, comb,
Doll and roll and some and home.
Stranger does not rhyme with anger,
Neither does devour with clangour.
Souls but foul, haunt but aunt,
Font, front, wont, want, grand, and grant,
Shoes, goes, does. Now first say finger,
And then singer, ginger, linger,
Real, zeal, mauve, gauze, gouge and gauge,
Marriage, foliage, mirage, and age.
Query does not rhyme with very,
Nor does fury sound like bury.
Dost, lost, post and doth, cloth, loth.
Job, nob, bosom, transom, oath.
Though the differences seem little,
We say actual but victual.
Refer does not rhyme with deafer.
Fe0ffer does, and zephyr, heifer.
Mint, pint, senate and sedate;
Dull, bull, and George ate late.
Scenic, Arabic, Pacific,
Science, conscience, scientific.
Liberty, library, heave and heaven,
Rachel, ache, moustache, eleven.
We say hallowed, but allowed,
People, leopard, towed, but vowed.
Mark the differences, moreover,
Between mover, cover, clover;
Leeches, breeches, wise, precise,
Chalice, but police and lice;
Camel, constable, unstable,
Principle, disciple, label.
Petal, panel, and canal,
Wait, surprise, plait, promise, pal.
Worm and storm, chaise, chaos, chair,
Senator, spectator, mayor.
Tour, but our and succour, four.
Gas, alas, and Arkansas.
Sea, idea, Korea, area,
Psalm, Maria, but malaria.
Youth, south, southern, cleanse and clean.
Doctrine, turpentine, marine.
Compare alien with Italian,
Dandelion and battalion.
Sally with ally, yea, ye,
Eye, I, ay, aye, whey, and key.
Say aver, but ever, fever,
Neither, leisure, skein, deceiver.
Heron, granary, canary.
Crevice and device and aerie.
Face, but preface, not efface.
Phlegm, phlegmatic, ass, glass, bass.
Large, but target, gin, give, verging,
Ought, out, joust and scour, scourging.
Ear, but earn and wear and tear
Do not rhyme with here but ere.
Seven is right, but so is even,
Hyphen, roughen, nephew Stephen,
Monkey, donkey, Turk and jerk,
Ask, grasp, wasp, and cork and work.
Pronunciation (think of Psyche!)
Is a paling stout and spikey?
Won’t it make you lose your wits,
Writing groats and saying grits?
It’s a dark abyss or tunnel:
Strewn with stones, stowed, solace, gunwale,
Islington and Isle of Wight,
Housewife, verdict and indict.
Finally, which rhymes with enough,
Though, through, plough, or dough, or cough?
Hiccough has the sound of cup.
My advice is to give up!!!

Recreating famous art

2012-01-04T18:25:00.001-06:00

In 2011, Adobe created a challenge for students in the UK to use photography to recreate famous works of art. The rules: "The idea is to put all your creative energy into re-creating and re-staging the image... Please reference classic works of art, I’m not looking for remakes of contemporary artwork, album covers, or fashion photography." The deadline has long past so there are plenty of submissions to look at. I may try doing this work some of my favorite works. It's a beautiful and creative idea. I especially like those submissions that added a modern twist to the recreation.

Find these submissions and more at booooooo.com. You really should look, they're amazing.

The Tim Tebow puzzle

2012-01-02T22:52:00.001-06:00

I think it's been established that I'm a football fan. However, despite my knowledge of the game, I never win in my fantasy football league. There's a simple explanation for that: when drafting players, I evaluate them based on athletic ability, focus, drive and off-field personality. Yes, their personality. Which is probably why I've never drafted Tom Brady or Randy Moss. I appreciate players who are genuinely nice people and understand their role as role models. People like Donald Driver or Peyton Manning.

But then, I also like puzzles. So this discussion takes me to quarterback Tim Tebow. He is obviously a good role model, but is he a bit too much? I honestly can't decide. I respect his deep faith and trust in God, but sometimes I feel that he uses his position as a public figure to display those beliefs inappropriately, such as wearing Bible verses on his eye black. He is definitely a confusing figure {and a polarizing one as well}, but I don't think anyone understands this more than the great social commentator Chuck Klosterman. He can explain this puzzle a little better than I can.

"This, I think, is what makes Tebow so maddening to those who hate him: He refuses to say anything that would validate the suspicion that he's fake (or naïve or self-righteous or dumb)."

- Chuck Klosterman

New Year's resolutions

2012-01-02T20:02:00.000-06:00

It's that time of the year... time to write new New Year's resolutions. Not that I'm particularly driven simply by the creation of these goals, but I thought I'd try a few new ones anyway. Last year, mine were...read more good books, take more and better quality pictures, keep up on current events {terrible for a journalism major, I know}, try cooking and eating new foods and stay in better touch with friends and family. Overall, I did well on all but the photography one. Which is why it's another goal of mine for this year.

This year mine are: read more books, find new music, improve my teaching, eat healthier and take more photographs.

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T10:07:00.000-06:00

"Live! Live the wonderful life that is in you!

Let nothing be lost upon you. Be always searching for new sensations. Be afraid of nothing."

Oscar Wilde

{image via}

Notes

2011-12-29T20:47:00.000-06:00

There is this little white table at my favorite coffee shop downtown. It doesn't match any other table, but that's OK because they are all different. This table, straight out of the 1960s, has one single drawer in the side. In this drawer are dozens of notes left by coffee drinkers for strangers. Most of the notes are sweet hellos or quotes for the next person who opens the drawer, but some are slightly goofier. This idea is so simple but so cute. It reminds me of Katie's antics at Color Me Katie. She constantly leaves reasons to smile around New York City. I have yet to write a note for the drawer, but I have to soon.

{image via}

little notes

2011-12-23T22:30:00.000-06:00

dear children at school,
i know i teach you how to share, but i would really prefer that you keep your germs to yourself. i am not excited about being sick for christmas.

dear eggnog,
i love how much better and more "christmas-y" you make everything taste. i wish it was acceptable to drink you all year long.

dear my oven/stove,
sorry for making you do so much work lately... cookies, fudge, party appetizers... i want you to know that i truly appreciate you.

dear massive pile of presents i bought,
you would really make me happy if you could somehow figure out how to wrap yourselves. thanks.

Welcome, Elijah.

2011-12-17T14:27:00.000-06:00

I have to say a belated CONGRATULATIONS to my friends Jake and Laura on the birth of their son Elijah Dean. He was born on December 7th at 4:13 a.m. Mother and son are doing wonderfully. As is Dad. I am so happy for Jake and Laura, I just know they're going to be amazing parents and Eli is lucky to have them.

I met Eli just yesterday and he is absolutely perfect.

Christmas movies

2011-12-09T20:01:00.000-06:00

I finally have extra time to enjoy the holiday season so I'm going to spend it watching Christmas movies. There are a few Christmas movies that I could watch any time of the year, but most I save for December because they make it feel like Christmas time, officially. My favorites {somewhat in order}:

The Bishop's Wife
White Christmas
Miracle on 34th St {both versions}
A Charlie Brown Christmas
It's a Wonderful Life
Home Alone
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Santa Claus
Holiday Inn
Muppet Christmas Carol

*I know many people would put "A Christmas Story" at number one, but I think it was shoved on me too much as a kid to ever fully enjoy it. Remember, this list is of personal opinion and not created based on cinematic merit.

Classroom advent calendar

2011-12-07T20:58:00.000-06:00

To make Christmas a bit more special for my very young students, I stayed up very late on night to make a classroom advent calendar. Since we don't have school on Saturday and Sunday, we'll have to do an extra one on Fridays and Mondays. I was worried that my kids wouldn't understand how the calendar, or worse yet not be interested, but they seem to be really enjoying it so far. Every morning, we take down one envelope and read what the little surprise the day is going to bring us. They love it.

A few classroom appropriate ideas...

Open a new book to read today.
Grab a blanket, stuffed animal and cuddle up for a holiday movie.
Baby, it’s cold outside. Warm up with a cup of hot chocolate.
Decorate Christmas cookies for Santa.
We need a little more Christmas, add some cheer to the tree.
Make a special craft for Mom.
Must be Santa, let’s write him a letter.
A special Christmas treat.
Make Christmas cards.
Spread the holiday cheer, go caroling around school.
Let’s rock around the Christmas tree, dance party!
Read a new Christmas story.
Learn about holidays in another culture.
Let’s walk in a winter wonderland, decorate the windows.
Deck the halls. Decorate the hallway for a special holiday lunch.
Color a Christmas picture.
Read ’Twas the Night Before Christmas
Learn a new Christmas song to sing to a friend.
Celebrate Christmas.
Pretend you’re outside and go ‘ice skating’ in your socks.
Make a paper chain of our favorite part of Christmas
Be a little silly and paint your faces.

Christmas in Chicago

2011-12-06T21:09:00.000-06:00

As stated previously, I'm a Christmas nut. So to jump right into the holiday season, a few friends from out of town drove in to Chicago to start enjoying the holidays. We had big plans for the day. We were going to start by getting peppermint hot chocolate and go ice skating in Millennium Park. Unfortunately, thanks to the fickle Midwestern weather, it was raining instead of snowing... in December! We still tried to find other ways to begin the holiday season: Christmas flavored coffee drinks, shopping on Michigan Avenue, perusing the window displays at Macy's, enjoying the twinkling lights on Christmas trees... And when the disappointment of the crappy, non-Christmas weather hit us, about 20 or more Santa's ran down Michigan Ave. That was enough to bring a smile to even the grumpiest face. I had a great time. Nothing says holidays like spending time with loved ones.

So little time, so much to do.

2011-12-03T17:26:00.000-06:00

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I absolutely love everything about it: decorations, cheer, giving, egg nog flavored everything. It's fantastic. To ensure that I don't miss any joyous part of the holiday season, I've made a little checklist. I hope I do everything on this list and more.

Hunger Games

2011-11-27T18:23:00.001-06:00

Recently, I asked all of my Facebook friends for book suggestions. I got a wide range of responses, but overwhelmingly the vote was for Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I'm not a big Sci-Fi fan so I wasn't going to read it, but since so many people recommended it to me, I thought "why not." Turns out, it was fantastic. I mean, it's definitely a youth literature book aimed and middle and high schoolers, but the story is completely original and interesting. The book takes place in a post-apocalyptic world with 12 districts called Panem, formerly the United States, and revolves around 16 year old Katniss. Every year two "tributes," aged 12 to 18, from each district are forced to fight to the death in the televised Hunger Games. Sounds morbid, and it is a bit, but it's really good!

I even picked up the second and third books of the series. I can't wait to finally have time to read them. I heard that they're actually just as good as the first, which rarely happens. The movie also comes out in March:

Christmas playlist

2011-11-26T22:33:00.000-06:00

It's that time of the year when it is officially acceptable to listen to Christmas music again. {I've actually been doing this since about October, but now I don't have to in private.} Lately, I've picked up a few new Christmas albums, but to be honest, recent creations don't really compare to the classics. I already made my Christmas playlist on iTunes... and listened to it several times through already. {There are many more than just 14.}

But of course, the greatest Christmas song ever recorded...

German Christmas cookies

2011-11-26T20:51:00.001-06:00

You know what's been on my mind lately? Cookies. But not just any cookies. I've been thinking, daydreaming, drooling over these German cinnamon star cookies that my brother-in-law used to make every year. They are quite possibly the best cookie I've ever had. They light and flavorful, but not too sweet. Christmas cookies always tend to be a bit too sweet, don't they? Now that Patrick is out in California, I guess it's up to me to make the cookies.

I found a recipe for the cookies here. I doubt they'll ever be as good at Patrick's grandmother, but I'm going to try. The recipe seems a bit complicated though so I'll have to wait until Christmas break.

Thanksgiving with the Green Bay Packers

2011-11-26T15:14:00.001-06:00

This Thanksgiving, instead of sitting around a table with family, eating delicious food, I cheered on my Green Bay Packers as they played the Lions in Detroit. I was sad at first that I would have to skip out on our family tradition... but, boy was it worth it. We drove out to Detroit on Wednesday night to make sure that we'd have plenty of time to tailgate before the game on Thursday. BUT it turned out to be a bit too cold to tailgate too long. {We could have stuck it out, but Detroit doesn't really seem like much of a tailgating town.} When we were tailgating, however, we did see the best thing ever: a man dressed as Clay Matthews, complete with a belt and Lombardi trophy. He was AWESOME. Since the Packers were playing to continue their undefeated streak, and not making any spectacular plays, I was a bit more nervous than usual. However, I should know better than betting against Aaron Rodgers, James Jones, Charles Woodson, Clay Matthews or any of the rest of them because they WON. We were cheering so hard my throat hurt. Most of the Lions fans had left by mid-way through the fourth quarter so it was easy to her the GO PACK GO chant echo through Ford Field.

After the game, we headed down to the field where FOX was filming their post-game show. My friend's Dad started chanting, "Go Pack Go! 11 and 0!" and it caught on. As we were heading back to our car, we happened to see the Packers boarding their buses for the airport, too. It was an amazing day! I can't wait for my next Packers game.

a little thankful list.

2011-11-24T02:53:00.000-06:00

happy thanksgiving! today is the day we're supposed to take a minute and think of all the things we're thankful for {most of which we take for granted every other day of the year}. i am thankful for so much and am sad that i don't acknowledge it more throughout the year. i'm so wrapped up in what needs to be done, what i need, what i want, that i don't take enough time to simply be thankful for what i already have.

so here's my little random list of things i'm thankful for...

cat naps {or in this case, puppy}

good coffee {the only way to wake up in the morning}

my friends & family {who are always so supportive and encouraging}

a warm home to come home to every day

ice cream

mini vacations with friends

sunshiney days

smiles

books you can't put down

christmas lights

pumpkin pie

news podcasts

cuddly cats {even if i am allergic}

phone calls with friends

a job i love going to every day {well, most days}

my warm bed

Creative advent calendars

2011-11-19T16:58:00.001-06:00

Typically, every year for Christmas I buy one of those cheap advent calendars that has a small bite of waxy chocolate behind every day. This year, I want to try something different. I'm not sure if making it myself and eating each goody myself is a bit of a waste, but it still looks like such a treat. Eventually, I'd like to come up with a creative way of doing this for my children {when I have them}. I found this blog that had a few fun, creative ideas I'm considering now. I especially love the coffee travel cup one!

Jazz, wine and pottery

2011-11-19T10:58:00.000-06:00

Last week, my friend Nikki and I went to a little art shop downtown {Alpaca Art}. Every few weeks the shop hosts a wine and pottery night. We brought a bottle of wine and a few glasses, they provided the hors d'oeuvres, pottery and a jazz band. It was a very nice, very grown-up night. You could pick whatever piece of pottery you wanted to paint and so I, the coffee addict I am, chose to first paint a coffee mug. It had an interesting shape so I was fairly excited about it. Problem was, I had no idea what to paint! And I had never painted pottery before so I doubted that I could do anything intricate. {I was right about that.} Instead, I picked two colors that I've been obsessed with lately, mustard yellow and gray, and painted a random design of squares and rectangles. It took me a while to finish painting my mug, but when I finished, my friend was still working on hers so I painted a few tiles and a circle pendant that I'm going to turn into a necklace for my big sister.

Overall, for my first time out, I'm happy with how they all turned out. I'm excited to do this again, on wine night, of course. It was so much fun!

Marcel is back

2011-11-16T22:41:00.001-06:00

This is the cutest shell I've ever seen. "Guess why I smile? Because it's worth it." You have to watch this.

A look back at the blogging beginning

2011-11-16T21:36:00.001-06:00

When I first heard the term "blog," I thought it must be some trendy, nerdy thing. I swore that I would never do it. But, a few years later, blogging has expanded so much and become so focused that many even consider bloggers as citizen journalists {depending on their focus}. It's especially interesting to watch the evolution of technology today. It is almost impossible to immediately detect the impact and influence, especially that of social media.

I recently read an interesting article in New Yorker article 'You've Got Blog' from 2000 near the beginning of the blogging phenomenon.

{image via}

Future projects

2011-11-09T10:38:00.000-06:00

I admit it, I'm somewhat of a Christmas fool. I love the music, the cards, the decorations, the present-wrapping, the food- all of it. I usually get pretty excited sometime around September {or earlier} for Christmas and start shopping. But this year I'm going to try something a bit different: for every person that I give a gift to, I'm going to try to also make him or her something. I consider myself a somewhat creative person, but as I can't sew, knit or crochet, this is going to be a bit of a challenge. Thanks to several blogs and Pinterest, I do have plenty of ideas. I really like the idea of personalized gifts. Sometimes buying off of a list or registry is just too boring and impersonal. I was at a baby shower last weekend where the host and baby received quite a few homemade itens: knit hats, sewn crib sheets and homemade toys. I loved it. {Actually, I was a bit jealous too. I hope when I have a baby, I have friends that will make cute personalized gifts like that too.}

Here are a few of the crafts that I think I will actually try to make for friends and family members.

Now I have to figure out how to make them each even more personalized. If this all works out well, maybe I'll even decide to make my own Christmas cards! {But I highly doubt I'll have that kind of time for this Christmas. I'd have to start earlier.

{via 1, 2, 3, 4}

2011-11-07T20:47:00.000-06:00

this weekend i took time for myself... no work, no studying, no cleaning, just enjoying the days. i ended up grabbing a latte and lunch with a grad school friend, starting and finishing a new book, watching a few episodes of missed tv, shopping on michigan ave and just generally enjoying myself.

i wish i could do this more often, but, unfortunately, avoiding the stressful reality is not always an option. especially considering how tough monday was when i had to make up for all of my lost time. anyway, i'm glad that i spent time on me.

Water for Elephants

2011-11-04T15:50:00.000-05:00

Typically, my kind of a book is one that involves factual, upsetting accounts of history. They're serious, dense and hard to read. Not you're average page-turners. So when I read and completely fell in love with Sara Gruen's Water For Elephants, I was pleasantly surprised. I think more than the painful love story, what got me was the incredible details of circus life in prohibition-era America. {I guess I don't stray too far from the typical reads.} I stayed away from this movie for quite a while because, honestly, I didn't want it to ruin my impression or opinion of the book {as if they are actually one in the same}. This week I broke down and watched it. Well, started to watch the movie, I didn't actually make it half way through. The visuals were incredible, but in a way, that is what ruined it for me. The thing I loved most about the book was her descriptive writing that stimulated my imagination. I realized that I didn't like the love story nearly as much as her writing.

Also, Robert Pattinson {while better than Edward Cullen} is no Jacob. And Reese Witherspoon as Marlena? Not so much. I severely disagree with the casting choices. I do think I should give it another try though- one day- when I get over the shock. Or maybe I should just stay away from all book to movies. I don't think I'm ever completely satisfied, except for the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Also, I know I'm basically alone in this opinion.

60 years and still going strong

2011-10-27T06:35:00.000-05:00

My grandparents met as seniors in high school. On their first date he accompanied her home from school. Less than a year later, they were married. That was on October 27, 1951.

Today, my grandparents, Edward and Marion, celebrate 60 years of wedded bliss, as my grandpa called it. I have heard the old say "You don't marry someone you can live with. You marry the person you cannot live without," many times. My grandparents say this is absolutely true. After 60 years together, they would know...

My family all gathered together to celebrate this extraordinary milestone a week ago with family and friends. It was a very large group since during their years together Eddie and Marion has nine children, 26 grandchildren and collected many, many friends. It was so nice to all get together, especially for such a happy occasion.

Minimalist story posters

2011-10-21T19:12:00.001-05:00

When it comes to home decor and design, I tend to be drawn more to the minimalist approach. I like things to be simple, uncluttered. All media now-a-days tends to be a bit overwhelming and over stimulating. I appreciate movie posters and advertisements from the 1950s and 1960s more because they are simple.

I found these children's story posters on the Square Inch Design Blog and love the simplicity of them. Check out the rest too.

little letters

2011-10-19T20:57:00.002-05:00

dear brewers,
you had a great run this year. sorry you didn't make it all the way to the world series. but don't fret, we partied like it was 1982.

dear hailey,
i'm so glad that you and your mom were able to visit from california. your giggle, forehead crawl and scrunched nose are the cutest thing ever. visit again soon.

dear pumpkin,
how is it that you make every single thing taste a million times better? your cheesecake is irresistible. and i am madly in love.

dear grandma and grandpa,
congratulations on 60 years together. you make fairy tales and true love seem possible.

{image via}

my weekend

2011-10-16T20:59:00.001-05:00

photos from this weekend... activities included celebrating a little boy's third birthday, hanging out with my baby cousin from california, doing massive amounts of research for a project and eating lots and lots of candy. what a fun, childish weekend. everyone needs those.

Pumpkins, apple cider and goats

2011-10-15T22:10:00.002-05:00

I was lucky enough to take my friend's beautiful one year old daughter to the pumpkin farm for her first time ever. We had a lot of fun looking at all of the different and weird pumpkins. But we had to find a "baby" one for her to carry around for the rest of the day. The entire time we were looking around at the pumpkins, Karina kept asking for the horses. The petting zoo area had pigs, sheep, goats of all sizes and two llamas that Karina was convinced were horses. She was soooooo cute with all of the animals. She would walk up to each one individually, say hello, introduce herself and then show them her Minnie Mouse shirt. I couldn't stop smiling. I tried to get it on video but my phone wouldn't work fast enough. I forgot how great the pumpkin farm is, but Karina reminded me.

Milwaukee River shenanigans

2011-10-09T19:52:00.001-05:00

I had the most ridiculous, crazy night last night. I met a few friends to enjoy a beer and a relaxing sunset boating down the Milwaukee River. It was beautiful-- the sun setting over the downtown Milwaukee skyline. As we turned to float down the river, we were stopped by cops in a boat for being too cautious. Seriously! We had too many lights on that they were "drowning out our other lights." Really?! So after idling for about 15 minutes while talking to the cops {who gave us a warning for the incident}, we put the boat in gear to continue our journey... and it died! We ended up floating "dead in the water" according to the cops until they literally shoved us into a restaurant/bar's dock. The entire incident was extremely comical, honestly, the scene from a movie. We ended up going inside for dinner and left the boat for our friend's dad to figure out. {Oops.}

I don't think the night could have been any better if we actually made it down the river. It was a blast!

10 things that are making me ridiculously happy

2011-10-05T09:21:00.000-05:00

it is wednesday, hump day, the most difficult day of the week to get through. but, surprisingly, i'm having a great week and i choose to focus on that instead. writing things down always makes them seem more real to me, if that makes any sense at all, and so here are my reasons for being so perky on a wednesday.

face-splitting smiles, like the one above
fancy fall drinks... pumpkin spice lattes, carmel apple lattes, carmel apple cider
badger football wins
wearing cardigans and scarves
visiting the pumpkin farm... just like when i was young
catching up with old friends from out-of-town
long conversations over red wine
nostalgia through old photographs
family flying in from all over for get-togethers
leaves changing colors and drives on country roads

Fall bucket list

2011-10-04T06:13:00.000-05:00

I was recently inspired by a friend to create a 'fall bucket list' of MUST DO activities for fall. I really like the idea as I think it will help get my butt outside instead of lounging on the couch whenever have a free moment {if at all}. I have a few ideas, but I could definitely use a few more. I want to take full advantage of everything fall has to offer.

Bake apple and pumpkin pies
Carve pumpkins
Jump in a pile of leaves
Go on a nature walk, possibly with my camera
Sip hot cider outside
Go to a pumpkin farm
Make grandma's cinnamon apple fritters
Go on a hay ride
Enjoy a bonfire
Walk through a corn maize
Eat a ton of candy corn
Make leaf art
Drink fancy fall coffee drinks
Wear scarves almost daily
Drink Oktoberfest beers

I already have plans for a few of these this week :)

{Photo via gocanada}

My weekend, according to photos

2011-10-03T17:58:00.002-05:00

This weekend, several of my best friends from college were in town from other states.... and we actually all managed to get together! It was fantastic and definitely not something to be taken for granted since it is so difficult to get us all in the same state, let alone the same city or restaurant. I spent Saturday in my old college town wandering around the Capitol Square farmers' market, listening to street musicians, sipping a carmel apple latte and enjoying good conversation. We then ventured to a favorite college bar to face the enormous odds of getting a good viewing spot for the University of Wisconsin vs. University of Nebraska football game. We ended up in a prime spot for Nebraska's massacre. {Welcome to the Big Ten, Nebraska.} It was great to spend such quality time with friends, especially in our old stomping grounds.

It was a sublimely lovely weekend. Hope you all had a great weekend too!

I {leaf} autumn

2011-09-28T17:02:00.002-05:00

I really do. I love absolutely everything about it. I love waking up to the damp, crisp, dark mornings and wrapping up in a warm blanket, sipping pumpkin spice lattes or apple cider to stay a cozy warm. I love wearing jeans, sweaters and scarves every day. I love adding blankets to my bed for the chilly nights. I love the warm colors. I love the smell of burning leaves and apples that always hangs in the air. I love going for a long walk on a chilly day, crunching leaves with every step. I love waking up to football every Saturday and Sunday afternoon. I love absolutely everything about fall.

Pet peeves

2011-09-28T16:58:00.001-05:00

A few co-workers and I were discussing how went venting to each other helps calm our nerves and finish the day at work calmly. But on rainy, gloomy days it's difficult not to dwell on them a bit longer than necessary. It made me think of pet peeves and the completely irrational annoyance that accompanies them. It's not as easy to vent to other about personal pet peeves because someones pet peeve is another minor annoyance, or maybe even less.

Here are a few of mine:
Not using your car's turn signal
People having aloud conversation in a quiet room
Incorrect usage of your/you're or there/their/they're
People driving slowly in the far left lane
When people show up late to something
People walking slowly and blocking the sidewalk so you can't walk around them

Southern style football

2011-09-28T14:10:00.000-05:00

At the University of Wisconsin we wear jeans, t-shirts, ball caps and face paint to football games. At the University of Mississippi they wear khakis, button-down shirts and dresses. No face paint.

On Saturday, a few friends and I drove down to Oxford, MS to experience the ultimate Southern football experience: tailgating at the Grove followed by cheering on the Rebels of Ole Miss as they took on the Georgia Bulldogs. It was definitely a different experience. Being a Wisconsin native, I thought I knew everything there was to know about tailgating. Hell, I thought we practically invented it here. I was wrong. In the Grove, a grassy area near the football stadium, thousands of people set up tents and elaborate tailgate parties. Some of the tents I snuck a peak at even had floral arrangements as centerpieces, silver serving platters, champagne flutes for a morning mimosa and chandeliers hanging from the bars. In one shocking word: fancy. I don't think I would have appreciated the experience quite as much as an undergrad as I do now though; it felt grown-up.

The game was also a ton of fun. I learned a new cheer that I fell in love with completely and also a few others that Mississippians sing with a little more class {and less cursing} than us Wisconsinites. It was an incredibly fun {and different} experience.

Hotty Toddy, Gosh almighty
Who the hell are we?
Flim Flam, Bim Bam
Ole Miss, By Damn!

Badgers at Soldier Field

2011-09-21T21:24:00.000-05:00

On September 17, my friends and I headed to Soldier Field, home of the {gross} Chicago Bears, to watch the Wisconsin Badgers take on the Northern Illinois Huskies. It was an odd experience, watching a college team play at a professional football stadium, but it was so much fun! We stopped at my favorite bar in Chicago beforehand to grab an Oktoberfest brew and headed down early before the game. I actually ran into a few old college friends outside the gates that I haven't seen in years! It was a mini-reunion of sorts.

The game was a bit too tight for comfort in the beginning, but the Badgers ended up pulling off a win to stay undefeated. I hope I can also make it up to Madison for a game this season... Camp Randall is by far the best place to watch a college football game.

Little sister goes to college

2011-09-13T12:39:00.000-05:00

This week, my little sister started college. Such an easy sentence to say, such a difficult concept to handle.

First, I can't believe how grown up she is. I remember, like it was just yesterday, chasing her down on her big wheel because she wouldn't come inside for dinner, and watching Honey, I Blew Up the Kid and Coneheads on endless cycles, and cheering her on as she ran hurdles in her elementary Olympic games. And now, she's a college student?! Wow.

And the second reason I'm having a tough time coping with my little sister in college: it brings back so many great memories from my college years. This should be good, right? A little college nostalgia is healthy. But, I truly miss those years-- and it makes reality sink in... I am no longer near that time in my life. I have also grown up greatly.

Now this is Ceci's turn to make memories that she will cherish for the rest of her life {and possibly a few she will shake her head and laugh at years from now also}. She's going to do great!

Another Brewers game

2011-09-11T20:37:00.002-05:00

I think I've gone to far too many baseball games this year. I've averaged about one a week, which, according to my bank account, is too many. At least they're always fun and, thanks to the Milwaukee Brewers, always a good game. I do think today may have been my last game of the season though.

A few friends and I began tailgating bright and early this morning. Too bad it was so hot and sunny that we mostly just melted in our chairs instead of eating all of the delicious food the we prepared. {I am a bit upset that I woke up at 6 a.m. to make a pasta salad no one even took out of the cooler. At least I'll have lunch packed for tomorrow.} Despite the profuse sweating, it was an incredibly enjoyable afternoon.

The Brewers won the game! And what a game it was. It was a bit of a nail-bitter at the end until John Axford came in to close out the game in the 9th inning.

Ten years

2011-09-11T08:55:00.000-05:00

Ten years ago I was sitting in my teacher's office when a fellow student rushed through the door to tell us a plane crashed into the first tower of the World Trade Center. I had the same initial reaction as my teacher: it must have been a small one-pilot plane that flew off course. We quickly saw how wrong we were.

It wasn't until I saw the Towers fall that I actually understood the gravity of the day. I spent the rest of the school day watching the news of the event, unsure of what it meant for our country and the millions of people it personally affected. It's still difficult to think about how this moment affected our country and the world.

Look at more instagram images here.

2011-09-10T12:56:00.000-05:00

Have you heard of this new site called Pinterest? I am absolutely addicted to it; it's fabulous. What is it? I'll let the site explain it to you; it'd do a much better job; "Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes. Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests."

You can create a 'board' for just about anything: home decoration inspiration, favorite music, fashion inspiration, craft ideas, recipes you'd love to try and more. Just be warned that perusing a topic can become very addictive and you end up spending hours finding 'decoration inspiration' on Pinterest and online to share. It is convenient to have a virtual inspiration wall or idea book rather than a folder of magazine clippings though. Log in and try it out.

These are a few of my boards, they're home and fashion inspiration, I believe.

Dresses, ties, shrimp and cocktails.

2011-09-09T16:38:00.002-05:00

No, I'm not going to a wedding. I'm going to an Ole Miss football game. What a difference from a University of Wisconsin game where we would wear jeans and Badger red-- or the craziest outfit you could find, complete with a red and white mohawk. At the University of Mississippi, I've been told, football games are more of a social than a sporting event. It's an excuse to mingle in the Grove, sip cocktails and grill delicious items you would never find at a typical Midwestern tailgate.

I'm really excited to venture down south in a few weeks to experience a completely different kind of college football.

{Second photo is via my friend Hannah}

My week, in photos

2011-09-08T20:02:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I think I have a really crazy week. And then I look at the pictures and it doesn't look so crazy. Then, I wonder why I was freaking out so much.

Reconnecting with college friends

2011-09-07T14:10:00.000-05:00

It's true that after high school you lose touch with friends. After college, the same threat is there, but you're much more willing to fight for your friendships. Maybe it's because you can connect to these friends on a deeper level or they were there when you truly made your transformation from young to adult. Either way, you try harder. After graduating from college, my best friends scattered across the country for work, graduate school, medical school, marriage and other reasons. However, unlike many friends from high school, I think we've done a great job keeping in touch, even if it is wicked hard.

One of my best friends from college, and my "cousin" {actually, my cousins' cousin, but we great up together}, Danny, was back in town this past weekend. He moved out to Charleston, South Carolina a few years ago for a medical physicist residency at a hospital. He loves it there so much that I'm not sure we're ever going to get him back in the Midwest. Since Dan got a rare chance to visit back home, we all got together for a cookout and bonfire to reminisce of college days and enjoy each other's company. It was a great opportunity to see a lot of friends from college that I haven't seen in years! {It was also a bit weird to hear what they were all up to in their lives now. It's so crazy to hear that the guy you always found passed out in a bar on any even week night is now a successful lawyer.}

I hope we get to do a lot more of this in the future. Then, we'll be able to hang out without first answering the essential questions: "Where do you live? What are you up to now?" Also, I miss college and those friends a ton. I'm going to try a lot harder to keep in touch, as I'm sure Dan will also.

this week, according to my iphone

2011-09-02T21:30:00.004-05:00

it's been a crazy, busy week, but also a lot of fun. it was full of chinese and wine with friends, class, silly stories from silly kids, delicious food, happy hours and more. i wish every week was as eventful as this one. {also, i have to remember to take more pictures.}

hope you have a good weekend!

30 day photo challenge

2011-08-24T16:19:00.000-05:00

A while ago I tried taking one picture a day for a year. I did it for a while, but it fizzled out and I gave up. After writing this post, I wanted to do something like that again, but this time, I thought I should start small. I found this '30 day photo challenge' that I've been working on for a bit now. Some of the challenges have been a bit difficult or odd {sunflare or faceless portrait}, but overall, I've had a lot of fun with it. It's fun to have a photography goal for the day, even if it's as simple as 'favorite color' and doesn't require any major camera equipment.

It's a fun idea that I highly recommend!

I thought I'd share a few of my favorite snaps. {The green car represents my favorite color. I thought that would be a bit more interesting than a blank green paper.}

Say Something Nice

2011-08-23T20:46:00.002-05:00

I generally love all Improv Everywhere videos; they're hilarious! But, I thought this one was especially cute, probably because how sweet of an idea it is. I would love to be a part of one of their skits, though I'm not sure that I'd ever be able to keep a straight face during the actual performance. Still, it'd be fun to try.

Check out more of their videos and be prepared to laugh.

Road trip to... Iowa??

2011-08-19T06:52:00.002-05:00

Today I am mini-road-tripping to Des Moines, Iowa for a mini-reunion with some of my best friends from college. While Iowa is not my first choice for our meeting destination, I'm so excited to see all of my friends that we could be meeting anywhere and I'd be happy. {My friend got engaged after college and moved in with her fiance in Iowa.} I'm especially excited to see my friend Hannah who now lives in Memphis. It's so hard to get all of us together now-a-days; everyone's in different places in their lives and just different places.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! I know I will.

{photo via}

moo, chirp, baaaaaaa.

2011-08-18T20:04:00.004-05:00

i found a few more pictures from the state fair and they're the best kind kind... they're of cute animals. I especially love the bunny that looks like chewbacca. i'm not normally a rabbit person, but i'd take that one any day.

Angela's Ashes

2011-08-17T18:46:00.003-05:00

I've never before read a memoir that ached my heart so much to read- both because of humor and sorrow. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt is a powerfully written story that depicts the troubled childhood of a strong-willed boy in New York City and Limerick, Ireland. I was amazed by the details captured in McCourt's memory and also the way he is able to recall those memories though a child's innocent mind as if they passed only yesterday. His story is one of survival that you will not be able to put down.

According to Vanessa V. Friedmann from Entertainment Weekly, "The power of this memoir is that it makes you believe the claim: that despite the rags and hunger and pain, love and strength do come out of misery- as well as a page-turner of a book. And through the experience it tells of was an individual, the point- and the story- is universal."

This is not a light or quick read, but definitely a book that hooked me immediately. I listened to his book Teacher Man during my rides to and from school {this is the the third installment of his memoirs, focusing on his teaching pedagogy}. I also bought his second book 'Tis. I know I'm reading them a bit out of order, but I'm looking forward to getting started on it.

Vintage shopping

2011-08-17T11:20:00.000-05:00

While I wouldn't call myself a techie, I have a great appreciation for technology- computer programs, iPhone apps and such. But. I sometimes wish I lived in simpler times. Sometimes instant access to information and people is a bit overwhelming and I'd like to hide away from it all- maybe in a little bunker from the 1950s with a book, pad of notepaper and stamps and an AM radio.

Maybe it's because of this overwhelmed feeling that I'm a huge fan of vintage artifacts, especially clothing, design and paper creations. {I guess this combination between new and old could create an odd home decor statement.}

This past weekend I checked out a few of my favorite vintage shops in the Bucktown and Wicker Park neighborhoods of Chicago. I found a lot of cute things but ended up walking away with only a few homemade paper projects. I was tempted to buy a few Fisher Price toys from the 1980s though, just for nostalgia's sake. I may have to go back for those. And a bunch more, especially the clothes that I loved but didn't feel like trying on for size.

It's always an interesting time shopping at vintage stores... you never know what you're going to find!

this weekend, according to my iphone

2011-08-15T05:52:00.001-05:00

i had a splendid time relaxing with friends and family this weekend. a friend and i went to the movies and gorged ourselves on buttery popcorn and treats, my family golfed for my belated birthday party {some of us better than others :) }, i spent a lot of time shopping in the different neighborhoods of chicago and mostly just relaxed. although we had some rough weather one afternoon, i tried to make the best of it and curled up in a coffee shop with my newest book, angela's ashes. {i'm only about half way through, but it's amazing. i read another book by the same author, part three in his memoirs, teacher man, and it was also fantastic. especially for teachers.} i hope you all also had an enjoyable weekend.

happy monday!

Beautiful photography technique

2011-08-15T01:24:00.000-05:00

I got my DSLR camera a while ago, but I find new ways of using it all of the time. One technique I've tried, but haven't been too successful, is long exposure photography. I tried it at the local Fourth of July fireworks show the past several years, but my photos always end up looking like a giant, colorful fuzzball instead of distinct fireworks patterns. I have to practice a bit more.

My friend, Sam, found 10 Examples of Fantastic Long Exposure Photography on a blog she frequents. I was so happy she shared them, that I had to share them also. Some of them are simply beautiful.

Aren't they amazing?! I have to figure out how to do that with my camera. Also, doesn't the last one kind of remind you of a Dali painting?

Unintentionally offensive test answers from young children

2011-08-13T08:34:00.000-05:00

There are many things that I am looking forward to as a new teacher, but the tops has to be the incredibly random and accidentally hilarious comments from the students. I've already gotten some doozies and I can't wait for more.

I found this website, called happyplace.com, that compiles some of these unintentionally hilarious answers from students. I could spend hours upon hours on this site perusing and laughing until I peed my pants.

P.S. What would you do as a teacher that received these answers??

Social media propaganda

2011-08-12T07:27:00.001-05:00

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of social media. I'm an active, addicted member of all kinds: Facebook, Twitter, Four Square, Soundtracking and more. But when you take a step back and look at it, it is a bit cult-ish, isn't' it? That's why I love these propaganda posters for social media applications by Aaron Wood. They're so clever.

He created more you should also check out.

{I found these via my friend John, thanks}

Interactive art exhibit

2011-08-12T03:24:00.000-05:00

The Art Institute of Chicago recently unveiled a new exhibit, titled 'Windows on the War: Soviet TASS Posters at Home and Abroad, 1941–1945,' focusing on the aftermath of German invasion of the Soviet Union. It looks incredibly interesting, especially considering the current political climate and detail in the artists' work. I would love to visit the exhibit. I may have to plan a little day trip to the museum.

The most interesting aspect of this exhibit, I think, is the interactivity between viewers. Everyone focuses on media being more interactive, but people often forget art. And art, expressive communication, is the ultimate interactive work. I like that museums are recognizing this. But, with that said, it would not work well with every exhibit, possibly just with more where the art is making more of a social or political statement. {I understand that all art is a statement in one form or another.}

{First images via, last via}

Book Review: The Help

2011-08-11T19:11:00.003-05:00

I went in to The Help expecting nothing but pure entertainment, not a social commentary equivalent to the impact of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. So while it is necessary to take this book with a grain of salt, I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed the book. The book centers around an Ole Miss grad {a young, white woman} writing the stories of black maids and what it is like to be the help in Jackson, Mississippi during the peak of civil rights, the 1960s. I think I actually ended up finishing all 500-something pages in one day because I could not put it down. I even lent it to my sister who did the same thing, and she's not really a book person, at least not as much as I am. The characters are all fun and interesting to follow so you get sucked into their storylines {even those characters that you hate}.

{Sidenote: I read one review of this book on a different blog and her only complaint was that Skeeter's relationship with the senator's son was explored deep enough. Personally, I thought that could have been cut out completely and it still would have been a great book. Differences in book choices, I suppose.}

One complaint about the book though is that it does sugar coat relations between white and black women in the South, especially during that time. Has there been a good fiction book that really tackles those issues well? I haven't heard of one but would love to read it if it exists. Also, I think it's important to keep in mind that the author is a white woman from the South who grew up with a black maid in her home. I would definitely recommend this book to others; it's a quick, entertaining read.

I think it's incredibly interesting to hear others' opinions on it also, since my perspecitive is very different from others as I am a white woman in the Midwest. According to the Association of Black Women Historians:

"The Help’s representation of these women is a disappointing resurrection of Mammy—a mythical stereotype of black women who were compelled, either by slavery or segregation, to serve white families. Portrayed as asexual, loyal, and contented caretakers of whites, the caricature of Mammy allowed mainstream America to ignore the systemic racism that bound black women to back-breaking, low paying jobs where employers routinely exploited them. The popularity of this most recent iteration is troubling because it reveals a contemporary nostalgia for the days when a black woman could only hope to clean the White House rather than reside in it."

As long as you keep those things in mind, it's a good book. Definitely not ground-breaking though. You can also read the NYTimes movie review here. I heard the movie sticks closely to the book.

Since this is such a big-seller {both in the bookstores and in the theaters}, it's also interesting to hear what people have to say about it. Especially on Twitter {sometimes your opinion actually comes out more clearly in 140 characters, and sometimes not.}:

cupcakekristin Kristin

I could not have loved The Help any more, @Nate_Berkus! Best movie I have seen in years.

goldietaylor goldietaylor

I've long been known for saying: Be careful who you let tell your story. The Help reaffirms that for me.

AFineFrenzy Alison Sudol

On another note, go see The Help tonight. It will make you laugh and cry and make your heart, broken or not, feel better. #thehelp

JennBrownESPN Jenn Brown

"The Help" was amazing!!! Seriously, Oscar worthy!!!

10 Aug Favorite Retweet Reply

365 things for 365 days

2011-08-11T15:51:00.003-05:00

This blog is EXACTLY something I would love to do.... if I could draw. The blogger draws one illustration a day for 365 days. It's so simple, the idea and the drawings, but it's so clever, I love it!

This reminds me of the photography project I attempted last year. My goal was one photo a day for a year. I think I made it about 4 or so months before I just gave up, which was unfortunate. It could just be difficult to find something worthy of a photograph on a day you wake up, go to work, go home and then to bed. But this blog has revived that project a bit. I may consider trying it again.

87 down, 278 to go.

Daring photography

2011-08-09T15:35:00.002-05:00

Some people call it spectacular artistry; I call it crazy. But either way, they are some pretty impressive images. This terrifying photography technique puts the photographer on the edge of very tall buildings, often dangling over edges, to capture the striking view from atop.

I recently came across a blog that compiled some of the best of this daring technique and I had to share them. Check out the blog for even more vertigo-inducing photography.

kopps frozen custard

2011-08-09T15:16:00.001-05:00

If you ever find yourself in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, forget Summerfest, the world's largest music festival; forget the art museum, an impressive expanse of creative expression; ignore the beautiful lakefront beaches or tailgating parties at Miller Park... the one place you should find yourself is at Kopps Frozen Custard. A Milwaukee landmark {there are two}, Kopps serves the most delicious fast-food burgers, only rivaled by In-and-Out Burger, and deliciously divine frozen custard. The have a different and interesting flavor every day, but I personally believe that when you find perfection, why try anything else? And so I order vanilla every time.

I once heard a rumor that you can order Kopps custard to be shipped to your door if you live too far away to visit. {Or maybe that was just a hope of someone who lives a bit too far away.} Either way, I definitely have to look into that rumor if I ever move far enough away that frequent visits are not possible. {My Dad has already promised that if I ever move to one of the coasts, he will ship me my favorite Wisconsin micro-brews, so I have that covered.}

Anyway, I highly recommend stopping at Kopps if you make a trip to Milwaukee, which you should, just for the custard.

On a boat

2011-08-07T22:16:00.003-05:00

On Saturday, my friends and I enjoyed an afternoon boating on Lake Michigan and the Milwaukee River. It was a beautiful day and even prettier scenery. And to add to the afternoon, we completely forgot that the airshow was going on that afternoon. Fighter jet airplanes were flying right above our heads, it was crazy! I can't wait to get back out on the boat again.

Cheese curds, cream puffs and beer.

2011-08-07T10:43:00.000-05:00

It's that time of the year again... time for the Wisconsin State Fair. I know it's incredibly cheesy, but I look forward to the fair every year. And why wouldn't I? State Fair = cheese curds, cream puffs {the possible official desert of the state}, roasted corn, brats with sauerkraut, frozen custard and deep fried beer. Sounds healthy and delicious, huh?

After taking the tour of food around the fair grounds, my family and I sat with a few cold beers and listened to a musician perform class rock tunes. It was a great time this year, as it is every year.

And my favorite part of the State Fair: the flavored milk barn. As any true Wisconsinite, I love milk. Especially when it tastes like a rootbeer float. In addition to the typical chocolate and strawberry, they also have banana, cherry vanilla and rootbeer. The last two are my favorite. I wish they sold these flavors in my local grocery store; although, it wouldn't be quite a treat.

It's my birthday

2011-08-06T07:07:00.001-05:00

Today happens to be my birthday, and while I don't typically make a big deal out of birthdays {for myself at least}, I plan to celebrate a bit today. Actually, a bit is an understatement, it's going to be a busy day. My friend is taking me out for breakfast in the morning, then we're going boating down the Milwaukee River and into Lake Michigan, after that, I'm going out for a family birthday dinner and finally, a few celebratory drinks with friends. It's going to be a busy and fun day!

{image via weheartit}

Heinies in the Leinies lounger

2011-08-04T19:24:00.003-05:00

I never win anything. Well, besides trivia games, but that's not really anything to brag about. {Mostly because you set yourself up to get made fun.} So today when I got a message from the Taste of Wisconsin people that I won some contest, that I didn't even know I entered, I was ecstatic! What did I win, you ask? I don't know yet, but regardless... I won!

So the contest that I won that I didn't know I entered all started with a little Twitter picture post of my sisters and I at the taste:

How to talk to little girls

2011-08-03T22:54:00.003-05:00

As you know, I work with young children. Every morning at school one 3 year old little girl, Charlotte, walks in my room, smiles brightly and twirls in her newest pretty little skirt. She waits for my gushing compliments about how beautiful she looks or how I love the new skirt or her hair. I often wondered myself if I, and society in general, talk too much about how cute little girls are and not enough about other more substantial {for a 3-year-old} things. Sometimes this talk really bothers me and I try to avoid the clothes and hair talks with these girls. And rightly so, says Lisa Bloom, author of Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed-Down World.

Bloom says that these comments teach girls at a very young age that their most important attribute is their appearance. The ABC News even reported that nearly half of three- to six-year-old girls worry that they are fat. I find that completely absurd and disgusting. Children should enjoy a careless childhood filled with friends, fun and lots of treats, not be worried about counting calories. I find that absolutely disturbing.

While I know I am guilty of this on occasion, I am going to try harder to connect with my little friends in a different way than complimenting their appearance. We'll talk books or movies or games, anything but clothes.

Read the Huffington Post article about Bloom's new book here. And tell everyone you know to compliment a little girl's brain, not her clothes.

It's official, New York

2011-08-03T21:11:00.000-05:00

In case you didn't hear, a little over a week ago lawmakers in New York passed a marriage bill allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry. July 24th, 2011 is a day to remember in the fight for equal marriage rights. On that day, 33 lawmakers in New York turned the tide in gay marriage and, I hope, gave the gay rights movement new momentum on the path to equality.

Also, I was pleasantly surprised by Republican Senator Mark Grisanti's, a long-time opponent of same-sex marriage, comment: “I apologize for those who feel offended... I cannot deny a person, a human being, a taxpayer, a worker, the people of my district and across this state, the State of New York, and those people who make this the great state that it is the same rights that I have with my wife.” While it is not a ringing endorsement, it's enough.

I’m so happy for everyone in New York who had been previously unfairly denied the right to marriage, but now can.

{Also, did you check out the Lookbook photos of gay marriages in New York. Fashionable and beautiful.}

Root, root, root for... Clint

2011-07-30T09:53:00.000-05:00

Friday night my two sisters, cousin and I headed to Miller Park to cheer on the Milwaukee Brewers... and one Houston Astro. You see, years and years ago, the shortstop for the Astros, Clint Barmes, played for the Kenosha Kroakers, a collegiate summer baseball league. During his summers in Kenosha, Clint stayed with my aunt, uncle and cousins and remains pretty close to the family. We went to the game on Friday to cheer on Clint. Unfortunately, he hit into the last out of the game. My cousin Janine made a joke of it though, "Look Clint, they're all cheering for you!"

Even though Clint did not win {I wasn't cheering for the Astros anyway}, it was a great night. We spent hours before the game tailgating, playing games and cracking each other up in the parking lot. And the laughing most definitely continued throughout the game. I love those ladies!

They got the good seats for the Saturday and Sunday games...

my two baseball loves

2011-07-28T20:12:00.001-05:00

Today, I had the pleasure of watching my two favorite baseball teams play each other... from only 13 rows behind homeplate. My friend won two tickets from a raffle at work and he {a Brewers fan} decided to take me {a Cubs fan}. It was the closest I've even been able to watch a game. Up close, able to see the sweat dripping down the brow of the pitcher on the mound... that's how baseball should be watched. It was tough deciding which team to root for though. The Cubs are my favorite team, with the Brewers a close second, but they are no longer contenders so I figured that I may as well root for the Brewers. And they won. Either way, it would have been a fantastic afternoon.

Did you see how close those seats are? I need to get those again.

things that make me happy

2011-07-21T21:05:00.000-05:00

i had a pretty rough day {/couple days} so i decided to concentrate on happy thoughts instead.

cooking my friend's and my special feta pizzas

{and thinking about how we made so many together}

watching friendly firemen hose down children in 95 degree heat

iced coffee on incredibly hot days

free food and beer at baseball games

air conditioning

running into family members at coffee shops

having time to read good books

trivia games with friends

good {pink} wine

Summer, defined.

2011-07-21T17:17:00.000-05:00

Playing in the water

2011-07-20T05:26:00.001-05:00

It's a sunny, 90 plus degrees outside, what sounds like heaven? Splashing in the water, of course.

While I was baking in the heat, my little friends enjoyed the warm weather and cool water. It was hilarious watching them run through sprinklers, belly flop into pools and toss water on each other and laugh. This was one of those times when I become nostalgic for childhood. I remember those scorching summer days in which my big sister and I would unravel the hose, hook up the sprinkler and play in the water all afternoon. It was bliss.

Grilling deliciousness

2011-07-19T23:01:00.003-05:00

My friends and I were feeling a bit adventurous the other day. Along side our portobello mushrooms and onion-mixed hamburgers on the grill, we tossed a few slices of watermelon and goat cheese stuffed figs. They were all so delicious, it makes me want to try grilling more fruits and different foods. My brother-in-law suggested grilling a pizza, and while that sounds delicious and tricky, I'm even more excited to try a different treat I found on a blog.

Roasted peaches with goat cheese, hazelnuts and honey. Mmm.

{image and idea via}

Trucks, trucks, trucks.

2011-07-19T10:01:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite places to hang out in Chicago is the Chicago Cultural Center. Every time I step in, there's a new exhibit that blows me away. {Also, I'm a huge supporter of Project Onward as I mentioned once before in a post.} This last visit, it was an exhibit called 'Driven: New Trucks' by John Himmelfarb of abstract trucks that caught my eye. As the exhibit explanation stated, Himmelfarb is known for his "unique vocabulary of abstract forms which, depending on scale and composition, may range from pure abstraction to evocations of gesture, form, landscape, architecture, and even the character of an idiosyncratic written language."

At first, I wondered why someone would be so invested in trucks that they'd feel the need to capture them within artwork, but then I read the artist's thoughts. These works "are not about trucks but about us, our histories, skills and coping mechanisms, ambitions, and character." While I understand how they capture elements of the American life, I still have some trouble seeing how they present themselves as narratives of the human experience. Maybe I'm still looking at them in a too literal manner?

Either way, they are incredible. The few snaps I took do not do them justice, especially the sculptures.

little notes

2011-07-17T07:59:00.001-05:00

dear auntie and uncle,

i don't mind cat sitting at all. well, except for that little part about being allergic to cats. ahhh ahhh ahhhchoo.

dear espys,

clearly aaron rodgers was the best make athlete. what were you all thinking giving it to someone else? did we watch the same games??

dear patrick,

thanks for passing on the old family recipe for kugeli. i only wish it didn't require the fine grating of 5lbs of potatoes. this is going to take time.

dear marisha,

thank you so much for the cubs tickets at wrigley, it was an amazing game and incredibly fun day. but it also made me realize how much i miss you. more plans soon?

dear chicago metra,

next time you want cops to take riders away in handcuffs, could you somehow do it faster, please? 30 minutes is a bit long.

{image via}

Hot day at Wrigley

2011-07-16T21:07:00.005-05:00

Can you think of a better place to spend a summer day than Wrigley? Because I can't. This afternoon, my friend and I headed to Wrigley Field to cheer on my lovable losers. As an owner of two Culvers restaurants, Mish got us free tickets for Culvers' Day at Wrigley. {OK, what could possibly be better than free baseball tickets?!} Before the game, Culvers threw a little party for all of the owners and served some delicious ballpark food and some not-so-delicious beer {read: Bud Light}.

The day turned out to be wicked hot but it was still so much FUN. The only thing that could possibly have made it better would have been a win. The Cubbies fell to the Marlins 11-3. Sad, but honestly, it didn't even look like they were putting much effort into the game. As a Cubs fan, I'm going to blame that on the heat, but I don't think that's really what it was.

Also, enjoy a delicious lunch at a Chicago-area Culvers today! {wink, wink}

Date a Girl Who Reads

2011-07-14T00:00:00.002-05:00

I recently stumbled upon a new, cute blog and read a fantastic note she found somewhere. I love it, especially because I am constantly being teased by friends about my insatiable hunger for books.

Date a Girl Who Reads by Rosemarie Urquico

Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag. She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.

Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent. Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas, and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by God, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.

She has to give it a shot somehow.

Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.

Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilight series.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes.

A lazy summer day in Chicago

2011-07-13T00:36:00.001-05:00

I love lazy days when you have the time to actually enjoy yourself without having to take breaks to check emails, catch up on work or run errands. They're rare so you have to enjoy them when you can. I spent my lazy day wandering through farmers' markets and exhibits at the Lincoln Park Zoo. It was a delightful afternoon. I can't wait until I have time to do it again... in about a month or so...

Irazu

2011-07-12T10:42:00.002-05:00

Do you have a place you love so much just the idea of going there makes you smile? It doesn't have to be a vacation destination or some spiritually-moving place, it can be anywhere. For me, it's a little hole-in-the-wall Costa Rican restaurant in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago. Irazu. The food is delicious and the atmosphere energetic, yet comforting. I want to bring everyone I know there to enjoy it just as I do!

The other day, I had a couple hours free between meeting friends so I ran out to Bucktown for a quick lunch by myself. {I get weird looks from people both at restaurants and after when I tell others that I went out for lunch alone, but I actually enjoy it. Sometimes I just need a minute to myself and why spend it sitting at home, might as well go out and enjoy it.}

{image via yelp.com}

art fair

2011-07-12T06:44:00.000-05:00

This weekend I was lucky enough to stumble upon beautiful artwork while shopping in downtown Chicago. The Chicago Tribune sponsored the incredible art fair near their building on Michigan Avenue. I wandered around for what seemed like an hour and I still didn't make it through all of the exhibits. There were beautiful murals, photographs, sculptures, jewelry and pieces of pottery in all colors, shapes, sizes and beautiful designs. I especially fell in love with one artists bubble/ink blot paintings. She created amazing designs that seemed incredibly random but I'm sure were meticulously planned, much like Jackson Pollock's work. They kind of reminded me of a Rorschach test. I wish I had a picture of those to share.

Summerfest

2011-07-11T08:55:00.004-05:00

I have a confession to make. I am from Wisconsin but up until last Friday night, I had never been to Summerfest before. I know, it's absolutely ridiculous. Everyone goes to Summerfest, but somehow I guess I got left behind on that one. So when my friends mentioned heading up Friday night for the Jason Aldean concert, I jumped all over that chance.

While I appreciate the good music and party atmosphere, it was a bit too intense {and drunken} for me. Not that I have anxiety about being in a large group of people, but I would rather have something a bit more low-key. With that said, I would most likely go back if a band I want to see is playing. Also, the food was delicious {especially the corn on the cob}, the music was great and the atmosphere very lively. I would definitely recommend attending Summerfest at least once if you haven't before. Make up your own mind about it.

And the Jason Aldean concert? AMAZING! I'm not a big county music fan, I rarely listen to it, but the concert was simply fun. It was high energy, entertaining and good music. By far, one of the best shows I've ever seen. I had to go pick up a few of his CDs after the show. He definitely made a fan out of me.

points.

2011-07-10T21:55:00.005-05:00

my little friends for dressing up as uncle sam for our july 4th parade. 2 points {even though they are far too young to really worry about life points yet}

the middle-aged people at the coffee shop learning spanish. 3 points {they are good inspiration to relearn my italian and french.}

my boss for letting me go home early while still suffering from heat stroke symptoms. she’s a life-saver, literally. 10 points.

the writers of ncis for coming up with the best suspense/drama show I’ve watched in many years. I’m still trying to decide if they should receive negative points for the show being so addictive that all my work has been pushed aside for weeks in favor of watching a few episodes. naw, 5 points

the lady at the baseball game still rocking a fanny pack. keep going strong, that look will come back, i'm sure. 2 points

my friends at the tailgate taking a page from the book of MacGyver and constructing a makeshift rack to grill on after they realized they forgot their own. 4 points

Seen in Chicago

2011-07-10T00:17:00.000-05:00

I spent most of Saturday wandering around Chicago enjoying the beautiful weather. And the beautiful scenery.

Glee bracket

2011-07-06T10:20:00.001-05:00

I’m a Gleek. I admit it. I am simply in love with the show, and Finn for that matter. So when my friend posted a link to a bracket deciding Glee’s all-time best song, I simply had to fill out my own. While I would have ended up with “Don’t Stop Believin’” no matter what, I think a few of the match-ups were unfair. Some were overly tough choices {like "Songbird" & "Blackbird" where I had a ridiculously tough time deciding} and some were no contest at all {like “Don’t Stop Believin’” & "Tik Tok"}.

Overall, I decided that I enjoy their spin on classic rock songs more than their covers of newer songs. When they cover classic rock songs, I think they are able to really make it their own, but there isn’t as much creativity involved in remaking the new songs. I’m pretty sure most classic rock songs would beat out newer ones on my bracket. Also, why weren’t more Rocky Horror Picture Songs Included? I LOVED those.