• Amazing People,  Best Thing Ever,  Blessings,  Fun in Chicago,  Proud Moments,  Something That Could Change Your Life

    Get Ready For Listen To Your Mother 2015!

    November 8, 2014

    Things are getting exciting all up in here (again!); on Thursday, the LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER 2015 season kicked off with our city announcement. This year we’re bigger and better than ever with twenty-nine returning cities and ten new cities! We’ve come a long way from that single show in Madison, Wisconsin back in 2010, don’t you think? (*high fives Ann Imig*) As the National New Cities Mentor, I’ve been working with our new production teams behind the scenes for the last month or so, all while they were keeping the news of their selection under wraps. That’s DIFFICULT, you guys. Like, you don’t even know. Over the past four…

    Read More
  • Best Thing Ever,  Blessings,  Family Fun,  Fun in Chicago,  My Kid Has Mad Skillz

    We Made It Out Alive!

    October 21, 2014

    As I mentioned last week, D and I had plans to go to Six Flags Fright Fest on Sunday, and we had a great time. It was wonderful to go there with no pressure to get on as many rides as we possibly could so we could feel like we got our money’s worth, since the tickets were a lovely gift. It was completely relaxing—well, except for seeing things like the blood red pool in front of the carousel at the park entry, the ghostly, creepy park decorations, and the regular people walking around with various deep wounds (and ninja stars) on their faces, applied by Six Flags employees at…

    Read More
  • Family Fun,  Fun in Chicago,  My Kid Has Mad Skillz

    Stay Hydrated, You. (And You, Too.)

    October 17, 2014

    I am going to Six Flags this weekend (with D) for the first time in years and years. Yikes. I used to love Six Flags until it played a role in one of the scariest experiences I’ve ever had as a parent. Long story short, when the boys were seven and ten we had an exciting day planned at the park. We were having one of those summer weeks during which it’s even sweltering hot in the morning, and literally the minute we handed over our tickets and entered the park, D passed out from heat stroke. It was a scary couple of days (understatement) and truly affected all of…

    Read More
  • Fun in Chicago

    Eat, Bowl, And Play At Main Event Warrenville

    September 27, 2014

    We’ve lived in Naperville for nineteen years now, and the area has grown tremendously. When we first moved here, it wasn’t unusual to see corn fields and pumpkin farms right around the corner from our subdivision. Now? No more. There has been a building boom. One of our favorite places, a 30-screen movie theater, was built about four miles from our house in Warrenville about fifteen years ago. Why any community would need a 30-screen theater was beyond me (THIRTY SCREENS!), and apparently I wasn’t the only one thinking that. A couple of years ago, half of the building was closed up, leaving plenty of screens for the latest movies…

    Read More
  • Best Thing Ever,  Favorite Things,  Friends,  Fun in Chicago,  I've Got Mad Skillz,  Music,  Pretty Pictures

    Pitbull In Pictures

    August 29, 2014

    On Wednesday I had the extreme pleasure of, along with my friend Samantha, being an audience member at the taping of the season premiere episode of Steve Harvey’s daytime talk show. Steve is great and all (and in fact I found lots of his small talk between takes to be very inspiring), but the “extreme pleasure” part can be credited to the presence of his guest, Pitbull. Pitbull is currently one of my very favorite entertainers. His music makes me very, very happy. His music also makes me dance, even if I’m sitting down. Sofa dancing? Totally. Car dancing? Yes, please. When I’m standing up? Look out. For real. You…

    Read More