In just 6 short months…

I realized last Friday that it was my half birthday which means in 6 short months I will be 30. I was inspired by the 30 before 30 list over at Making it Lovely and thought it was a great way to countdown to a big birthday. Here’s a list of my own. I did copy a couple of Nicole’s but mostly it’s a combination of important and trivial little goals to help me celebrate moving into the next decade. I’m sharing it here to make myself accountable. Wish me luck!

1. Go apple or pumpkin picking.

2. Take a weekend trip to Nauvoo.

3. Read Jesus the Christ.

4. Take Beck to Shedd Aquarium.

5. Learn how to make whole wheat bread.

6. Sew Christmas stockings.

7. Take Beck to the Museum of Science and Industry.

8. Learn how to make phad thai.

9. Have a family picture taken.

10. Send out Christmas cards.

11. Learn how to can my Thanksgiving chutney.

12. Frame and display Stephen’s photos.

13. Learn how to make a fabric flower.

14. Clean out hall closet.

15. Make a holiday wreath.

16. Knit or crochet a hat for Beck.

17. Make bedding for soon to be baby nephew, Jude.

18. Display family proclamation in home.

19. Attend a Broadway show in Chicago.

20. Learn how to make my mom’s perfect pie crust.

21. Sew a skirt.

22. Go out to dinner with Stephen at Frontera Grill.

23. Start my literary advent.

24. Sew a blouse.

25. Paint Beck’s room.

26. Sew a dress.

27. Find name and complete temple work for at least one ancestor.

28. Clean out our dungeon storage unit.

29. Update my makeup.

30. Sign up for organic produce box delivery for one month.

Big brother

Did I mention this little nugget is going to be a big brother?! Nielson munchkin numero dos…comin’ at you (well us) end of February. Hooray!!

Turns out, the park is full of fun

 

All the park used to be for Beck was irritation - rough grass on his feet, sand in his mouth and a terrifying thing known as a swing. With beautiful CA weather all summer and frequent invites from good friends to a park a block from our house, I think we made a breakthrough. Turns out the park may not be heaven for a baby but come toddlerhood it’s a whole other story. Bring on the slide, swings and bouncy animals. Phew.

The scowl

I have no idea where he got this but it’s hilarious.

Ok, I might know where he got it. Oops.

The boardwalk

Santa Cruz on a beautiful day, vintage boardwalk, wooden roller coaster, fried Twinkies, garlic fries, carnival games…so classic and whimsical. One of the highlights of our summer in CA.

Home again, home again

We’re home. Did you know we were gone? We just got back from a summer in the Bay Area where Stephen completed his internship with Adobe. Chances are good that we’re going back. We wish Adobe could be located elsewhere but Stephen loved his job and at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about. Why MBA school if this isn’t the end result? I’ll spare you the reasons we’re not on the Bay Area bandwagon and instead share some fun facts and things we loved about our summer away from our beloved Chicago.

• Tons of sun with reasonable warmth, low humidity and cool nights. Perfect summer weather.
• The smell of flowers…everywhere.
• Celebrity sightings with a hall of fame NFL quarterback for a Sunday school teacher and the founder of Facebook living down the street.
• A quirky neighborhood with beautiful walkable streets, fun parks and lots of shopping and restaurants nearby.
• A Trader Joe’s less than 10 minutes away in either direction.
• Smooth streets with even pavement.
• In N’ Out (I’m slightly embarrassed to say.)
• Central AC and laundry in our apartment.

And since we couldn’t be more giddy to be home I’ll share some of the things we missed.

• Our home. I know home is where the people you love are but at the risk of sounding superficial, I missed our stuff. Our bed. Our kitchen. Carpet. Pictures. Decor. My treadmill. The familiarity of our home filled with our stuff.
• The charm of Evanston – the vintage buildings, tree lined streets, the lake.
• Variations in weather. I’ve been craving some rain, wind or a lighting storm. Anything.
• Our friends.
• A short trip into one of the most beautiful cities in the US.
• Homemade Pizza Co.
• My sewing machine.

It’s so good to be home. I can’t wait for fall, winter, the holidays and our last year at Kellogg. I can’t wait to further explore this beautiful city. What a sweet adventure.

Our summer was full of trips to see family and a few day trips around the Bay Area on the handful of weekends we were there so humor me while I do some catch up posting.