Home Sweet Home

To sum up my trip to Chicago

1) Saw great friends

2) Learned a lot at my classes

3) Ate excellent food

4) Ate too much food

5) Worked out a few times at the hotel

6) Walked and danced till my feet fell off

7) Shopped at Macy's for the first time in years

8) Missed my family bunches

9) Rocked my size 12 dress!

10) Met the Rev. Jesse Jackson

11) Froze my a$$ off...I know why it's called the windy city

12) Gained 2 Lbs (ouch)

13) Got a new face

14) Had lots more slack in the airplane seat belt

15) Had an awesome time!

If you want to read about the boring details...keep reading but that pretty much sums it up.

Had a great time. It all started with my plane trip there. The last time I was on a plane I could barely buckle the seat belt and thought how embarrassing it would be to have to ask for in extender. Not this time. Look at all that slack!

The weather was terrible and so so windy but it didnt stop me from having a good time. My hotel was amazing! It was one of the nicest hotels I have stayed in and the hotel gym was as nice as the gym I go to on a regular basis. It was equipped with cardio equip, weights, machines, bosu ball, kettle bells, free earbuds for accessing music on the equipment, fresh lemon water, towels, and more. The location was incredible. I was in the heart of Chicago, right on Michigan Ave and within walking distance to the magnificent mile (shopping), bicentennial park, the lake, art institute, and more.

The eating was my major down fall. We ate at 5 star restaurants including: The Girl & Goat (Top Chef winner Stephanie Izzard) which was the most obscure food I have ever ate but delicious. It was Tapas style so we all ordered two things and shared. There were several receptions with unlimited hors devours and drinks. We also went to an amazing Italian restaurant which is were we met Jesse Jackson. I am not his biggest fan but it was still cool to see someone famous. I had incredible sushi, cuban sandwich and deep dish chicago style pizza for lunches. See why I gained the two pounds?

Now I did walk a lot. I actually walked so much that I think I have a mild case of plantar fasciitis. My left foot is killin me. I also danced a lot. Every night we went out and danced. One night we went to the funnest dueling piano bar. Those guys are so talented...they seriously could play any song by ear; any genre, any generation, anything.

Shopping was a wonderful experience. I only bought two shirts and a little sweater but I tried on lots of stuff. The greatest part about it was that I had to get a smaller size then I had started with in the dressing room. The lady helping me told me that I should get XL because the brand I was looking at, INC, runs small. After trying it on, I had to get larges in everything I bought. Here is a picture of me with this new outfit. Sadly though, I didn't really get a picture of me in my size 12 dress and I totally ROCKED it! I did get this one group photo but you can't even see it.

Those are my two buddies; Calvin and Jason. They are good guys and were great surrogate husbands for the trip. They made sure I always got back to my hotel safely and even poor Calvin carried my coat and purse while I tried on clothes. Haha. Did I mention that I felt so good in that dress! I had already asked one of my friends to take my picture the day before in the Macy's outfit though and I felt silly asking him to take it again. I promise to wear it to church next Sunday and post a picture though. Also while shopping at Macy's I visited the Clinique counter and the MAC counter. My skin has been really dry and flaky and causing me problems. All solved! I feel like I have a new face. The Clinique 3-step worked for me. I also got a mini makeover at MAC with some fun new eye shadow.

All in all I had an awesome time but missed my family and my little kiddos so much. Travis did such a good job taking care of the kids. He had to be out the door every morning by 6:55 with their breakfast and lunches packed, extra changes of clothes, diapers, bottles, etc. He had to remember to brush their teeth, give them baths, their medicine (they both had an ear infection), story time, and put them to bed. He is a wonderful dad. I think he missed me more than the kids did. He definitely hasn't taken me for granted this week. Lol. Wish he could of been with me; I'm glad to be home. Home Sweet Home.