hey idiot…can we make reservations???

i’m not exactly sure what i was thinking while packing and planning for this trip to chicago. i packed about 5 magazines that i’m behind on, had every intention of working on some blog posts, have about 2 weeks worth of bible study to catch up on, and about 100+ pages of a photography document that i wanted to study, as well as a few books that i thought i’d read…but i haven’t even opened my bag with all that stuff!!! the funniest thing is that i really thought i’d make quite a dent in it all…but as i was packing it, the hubby was laughing at me, asking when i thought i’d have time to do it all, or any of it, and i had really convinced myself that i would come home with my (fun) to-do list very much crossed off!

but…i’ve been super busy with plenty of other fun things! so i thought i’d share some highlights:

first and foremost…i’ve been chillin with this little one…my niece…who’s so unbelievably photogenic, i can barely stand it!! isn’t she gorgeous??? we’re having a big photo shoot in the morning…and i can’t wait!

i’ve also spent quite a bit of time drooling over the details and uniqueness of my bro and sis-in-law’s 1902 house…and their high, HIGH speed internet… that took 20 seconds to download all these pictures onto my blog…which would’ve taken about 30 times longer at my house (thanks, dad, for doing the math!)

we’ve also been eating, eating, and more eating. it started with some deep dish…

and continued tonight in the city at Ed Debevic’c, which is a famous diner-ish restaurant downtown, where the waiters are purposefully as rude as they can be…and its quite entertaining!! (my blog title is what my little brother spoke when calling the restaurant this afternoon…so, as you can tell, we started out on the right foot!)

this was my power meal…that i devoured (and enjoyed) every bite of…and washed down with an oreo milkshake. (the saddest part is that i didn’t even feel sick afterwards…but i think i should’ve!) i’m pretty darn sure that isn’t a MorningStar Farms on a whole wheat bun

and we’ve enjoyed some shopping…

here’s Aunt Rosie and my older brother, Andy, sporting the biggest shopping bag known to mankind:

i found this dress at H&M (love that store!!!) and although i really really wanted to, i did not purchase it! but isn’t it amazing?? would’ve loved to sport that at some weddings we have coming up!

but i especially enjoyed the American Girl Store…a place that is the epitome of a little girl’s wildest dreams…and a place where i can’t wait to bring the Bug someday. you’ll see this beauty reappear in some posts someday…but SSSHHH…don’t tell!

i promise i haven’t forgotten about the posts i’ve promised you. i’ll get to them…at some point. but right now, i’m enjoying the windy city!!

so until later,