Kayaking

This post is far over due, but I am sitting here wasting time on the computer so I thought I would do a quick post since I've got a minute (OK...I really don't have a minute...need to shower and get to bed, but whatever...)  SO...we ended up getting our friends Megan and Scudder to take Ben and Andy's spots in the kayak tour on the Chicago River. It was supposed to happen when Ben and Andy were here but was cancelled due to weather. This time it was hot and humid, so the tour was a go. Megan and I were a little nervous before we started, mainly about it being too hard, or falling in, or getting infected with disease from the sewage in the Chicago River. yikes...

However, once we got in, I felt a lot better. I figured, at that point I had gotten into the kayak, in the water without getting so much as a drop of water on me. Then, when I started to paddle I realized it wasn't as hard as I thought...And...the water didn't look so dirty or smell bad where we got in, so I was golden at that point, I was ready to go...

It took a few minutes to get situated and off we went. Joe and I were trying to keep up with the group (of EIGHTY people!) so we took off and unknowingly left Megan and Scudder behind. We ended up catching up with them when we got to Navy Pier before the fireworks started. Needless to say, the entire way down the river was bumper boats with the other kayakers, and other random things. I ran into some tree branches, the wall, and lots and lots of people. Hey, we were all learning as we went and most people had good attitudes about it. It was pretty easy to paddle, but when a boat would go by or when a rogue kayaker would swerve in front of me, it was hard to control the kayak and keep it on track or going straight. Also, maybe it was just me, but the whole time I felt like I was in a race and that was annoying. It was my own fault, I think it's just my competitive nature...I wanted to WIN! hahaha! I was also worried we wouldn't get to Navy Pier in time for the little fireworks show, but we did. whew!

By the time we got there, tired and ready to be done with the tour...that's when I started thinking about the fact that we had to go ALL THE WAY BACK. We had already paddled 3 miles (probably actually 6 with all of the back and forth swerving!) and we had to paddle all that way back, in the dark, with sore shoulders and hands setting in??? Ugh!  At least we all got a break while we watched the fireworks. 

Once we were given the go ahead to head back I was just trying to get back as fast as I could. Yeah, yeah...neat Chicago skyline..whatever. I was just ready to get done! Burning shoulders and two blisters on my hands, one ripped open (which I was also worrying about getting sewer water in) were not making it easier. But I kept going.... I plowed past most of the pack and got back to the dock as fast as I could. I like to think I was the woman version of Lance Armstrong...if he was a kayaker. ;-)  I was going to get done and get done, fast!  So, I was one of the first few people to get in and it felt great! Thank God I was done! The last leg of the river I was all by myself, I could see people a little bit ahead of me and I am sure people were a ways behind me, but for a minute there I was a little freaked out. It was dark and scary and I was alone...and apparently 10:30 pm is when the trash and debris likes to make it's way to the surface so that the unsuspecting late night kayakers can get grossed out on their way back. Ewww.

But we all eventually made it. Joe wasn't far behind me (I beat him in our personal race...hee hee) and we were all wet and smelly....and GLAD it was over.

All in all, it was a cool experience but it was way too rushed and way too long of a paddle for a first timer. I would do it again on my own terms with my own time frame. It would be fun to paddle around the lake (when it is still) or go on the river after they clean it up more (if that day ever comes) or if I could wear a hazmat suit.

At least none of us fell in, or got gangrene in our ripped open blisters, or pinkeye in our eye. We survived the kayak adventure on the Chicago River...and we weren't even that sore the next day....

Photos: Watch the slideshow or click to watch the slideshow in a seperate window or look at the pics individually. :-)

9 Years!

Happy 9 Year Anniversary to US!

At this time 9 years ago we were probably getting ready to leave our wedding reception. I remember what a great day it was, it all went so fast, but was such a fun day, filled with lots of little moments to remember. I couldn't believe it was all over, the big wedding day we planned for so long. 

Now... I can't believe it's been 9 years already! Time seems like it has flown by, but when I think back to when we were first married, it seems like a lifetime ago. We have gone through so much together, grown as a couple and individually, yet we still have so much farther to go... together!  I am glad to have someone like Joe to share my life with. There will always be ups and downs along the way, but I still can't wait to see whats in store for us in the next 9 years!!  xoxo

Happy 6th/42nd...

...Birthday to Chloe! Our little Chloe turned 6 on July 10th!  She is now officially "older" than her own Momma (in dog years of course). We celebrated by taking an extra long walk in the park, and going potty and eating dog food...ok, so we really didn't celebrate, but shhh, don't tell Chloe that! ;-)

Here are some photos of Chloe through the years... love my Chlo!

Boys Visit + Pictures

We had a great time when Ben and Andy were here this past week. It's always fun for us to have visitors, we get to do fun Chicago things and just go out and have a good time and relax. Having our new "guest room" all set up was nice too, it was nice to have 2 spots for them to sleep and not have to put the big blow-up mattress on the floor in living room. While they were here it was SUPER hot here...pretty much around 90+ each day with lots of humidity. Our place was a little hot, even with the two window AC units on full blast every day. :-/
Here's what we did while they were here...
Sunday, Andy arrived and we got dinner in Lincoln Square at Garcia's, a nice little Mexican restaurant. After we got home and settled in, the 4th of July mayhem began. Much to Chloe's dismay, the fireworks were just as loud this year as they are every other year. This was the first year Joe and I left the house during "firework time" on the 4th. Andy and I went out and walked around at Winnemac Park (the large park that's directly across the street from us). I was surprised at how many people were in the park. There were hundreds of people set up all around the park in chairs and blankets watching multiple groups of fireworks being set off all around the park. People were lighting off HUGE loud ones that almost looked like professional firework shows. It was fun to finally see what we usually only hear from the inside of our apartment!
Monday, Joe, Andy, and I went to the lake/beach because it was super hot and sunny out (not raining like was expected). We got there early enough that we found a good spot and it wasn't too crowded. We went to Montrose Beach, which up north near us, and very nice. The sand was hot and the water was ice cold, but it felt good after we got used to it. Unfortunately, near the lake it was super windy and the sand was pelting us in the face and burying our towels within a minute of putting them down on the sand. We all took a dip and soaked up a little sun before deciding to leave because we had sand EVERYWHERE. We even had it in our mouths...icky! On the way home we grabbed lunch at Potbelly.
Later that night we picked up Ben from the airport and on the way home we hit up a neighborhood bar near our apartment. We had some drinks and wings and chatted. For some reason they didn't even card Andy (who is only 19) so he got to have a couple drinks with us and act like an adult for the evening...ha ha.  I had one too many vodka-cranberries because I was pretty dizzy when we got home. ugh...We all called it a night.
Tuesday we woke up surprisingly early, and walked down to eat at Over Easy, our favorite little brunch place only a block away from our apartment. Unfortunately they were closed. So we hopped in the car and headed to Ann Sather's...a Chicago tradition. After too many eggs and cinnamon rolls, we headed home, stuffed for the day. Later we went to Navy Pier to see the Imax movie "Hubble 3D", about the Hubble telescope. The boys liked it, I was really tired and dozed off like I usually do in Imax movies. :-)  Check out us in our 3d glasses in my pics. Afterwards we rode the big Navy Pier Ferris wheel and took in the great views of the city. Its always nice, but not sure it's worth the $6 price tag.  Afterwards we headed to dinner at our favorite Barbecue place all the way on the other side of the city, Smoque BBQ. The boys loved it!
Wednesday was Ben's 22nd Birthday! We went to watch the Germany vs. Spain World Cup match at Bowman's bar in Lincoln Square. We sat at the table with some guy and his little son because the place was packed. I ended up entertaining the kid the whole time, making fans and flowers out of napkins...ha ha. Anyway, Germany lost...oh well. So after that, we were off to Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder for some Pizza pot pies! Yum! Andy has been there before but Ben hadn't so he got to enjoy his first "ppp" on his birthday!  Afterwards we headed off to what was supposed to be the most fun day of the trip...a kayak tour down the Chicago river to watch the Navy Pier fireworks. The weather was turning crappy that day, storms in the area and thunder and lightening in the distance. We got there, got suited up, did the on-land paddle training and kayak rules, etc... then the owners deliberated and decided that it was too dangerous to go out because there was too many red storm cells in the area and we might run into something on our 3 hour trip. BOO. So we didn't get to go. Joe and I will have to reschedule and find some friends to join us.
So we headed home, had birthday cake and attempted to watch a movie, but we all dozed off after only a half an hour or so. All of that kayak practice made us tired! ha ha.
Thursday was time for the boys to leave. They couldn't leave Chicago without having their favorite "hot Asian buns" from Wow Bao...so we ordered lunch from there, picked it up and ate it in the car on the way to the airport. Yum...best lunch ever...and quite easy to eat in the car, I might add!

All in all we had a nice few days with the boys. It was good to have them visit, we hope they'll be back soon to finish our kayak adventure!

See the slideshow of pictures below. Click on it to view the pics larger and/or individually on Picasa.

Ben + Andy Visit

I just got to work after Joe and I dropped Ben and Andy off at the Airport. We had a fun time while they were here. The time sure went fast, but it seems like we did a lot of fun stuff. I will post pics and more about their visit when I am home and I can upload the pictures.