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

    We Made It Out Alive!

    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…

  • Fun in Chicago

    Eat, Bowl, And Play At Main Event Warrenville

    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…

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

    Pitbull In Pictures

    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…

  • Amazing People,  Blessings,  Friends

    #BlogHer14: It Was About The People

    On Sunday night I returned home from San Jose, California and the tenth annual BlogHer conference. This was the sixth BlogHer conference for me—the second as a team member—and while it was exhausting, it was also just SO GOOD. I’m still recovering, in fact. Reentry, the adjustment back into my everyday life, is the very worst part about attending this conference for lots of us; for me it begins when I say goodbye to my friends and continues as the exhaustion—which has been building for months and approached breaking point last week—sets into every pore and then doesn’t leave for days. FOR DAYS. I expect to regain the ability to…

  • Fun in Chicago

    Shoreline Sightseeing Giveaway!

    One of my very favorite things to do in the city (and usually the first thing I do with out-of-town visitors) is an architecture tour of the Chicago River. I have enjoyed lots of them, on boats run by several different companies, and I learn new things about Chicago every time I go, which is about three times every season. (I know; hardcore!) When Shoreline Sightseeing contacted me last month and asked if I’d like to join them on an architecture river tour in honor of their 2014 season kicking off, I screamed, “YES PLEASE!” even though the conversation was through email. I was THAT excited. (Disclosure: I received complimentary…