It's a family affair

My cousin, Melissa (although we always called her Missy, and now all of sudden, she is Melissa), stayed with me for awhile. That's a big deal because I don't get to see her much at all. Her dad and my dad are brothers, and her family moved to Florida when she was nine. So that means for the next 30+ years, we only get to see each other for special events.


So anyway, she stayed with me for a few days, and we took my nephews to SummerDance. Cooper loves him some dancing.



We went to mom’s house for some swimming.


And lucky me, Melissa/Missy was back in town to celebrate my birthday!




It would be great to have her in Chicago; not much of my dad’s family is in the area, so to have a cousin in the same city would be great!

handsomes

My nephews spent the night a couple of weeks ago. I took full advantage of them seeing as though I don’t have kids of my own, and only get to take pictures of my cats and dog. I purchased some kick-ass hats at Target and told their parents to send them to my house with dress shirts and neckties. Oh yes I did.





Carter, the younger one, was a natural. I didn’t even have to tell him how to move; he was a pro. Cooper, the older one, is at the stage where is trying to look too cool, so he wasn’t as natural, but still very handsome. I think the pictures turned out great, and now I just have to convince my brother to print a life-size picture and put it on the side of his house.

READY TO POP

My cousin, Heather (our moms are sisters…I always want to know how people are related) is ready to go any day. She is going to have a Leo baby boy. He is going to be dramatic and sensitive, just like me! (I just love Leos)

A couple of weeks ago, Heather was brave enough to allow me to take her pictures in all of her pregnancy glow.

I told you, she is glowing.

We got some fantabulous photos of Jon and Trey, too (baby’s daddy and big bro, respectively).





We headed out to Northerly island (old Meigs Field) in the morning, and it was pretty warm. I know I was sweating my tushy off.



Then, we headed back to their home for some more photos in the air conditioning. Yeah, I’m a big fan of air conditioning. And come to think of it, a nine months pregnant woman is an even bigger fan of air conditioning. Right, Heather?!

you can do anything

So, I was over reading Andrea's blog and found this video on her blog.

I love this girl!!!!!! 



I wish I could wake up everyday with her attitude.

Neighbors....finally!

So, I think I've mentioned before that I am kinda slow at making new friends.  Recently, Ignacio and I started going to dinner with some neighbors in our building.  Go me!  [Let me just say that I've lived in this building for just about 13 years, and just now started going out to dinner with neighbors...like I said, I am SLOW].

Steve and Laura live on the floor above us and we take care of each others cats from time to time.  Ruth lives a few floors below us and will take care of the dog from time to time.  It's great to have neighbors that will do something like that for you.

Recently, the five of us travelled all the way to Bridgeport to eat at Nana.  Nana is an organic joint with delicious food.  (Because I've been terrible at updated this blog, I don't remember what everyone ordered, but I do have pictures!)  I can tell you that to drink Ruth and I had the Bridgeport Spiked Lemonade, and that stuff was de-lish!  Ruth and I wrote down all of the ingredients in hopes to recreate it on our own.  I haven't tried yet; I'll have to ask Ruth if she has.

The food definitely had a kick to it.  I do know I had grits for the first time, and they were very good.

We dined outdoors and Laura noticed that all around us in the flower boxes were different herbs.  (please pronounce the 'H', it makes me giggle.


It was a fabulous evening with NEIGHBORS!!  And after my slow start, I know that there will be many more fabulous evenings to come.

Ruth and Ignacio

Laura and Steve

Ruth and Laura

Lawnmowers? That ain't nothin'.

Last Saturday, bright and EARLY, there was this outside my window:




It definitely started before 8am, and ended about an hour later.  That shit was loud!
I may not have neighbors with lawnmowers and leaf blowers, but helicopters at my terrace on a Saturday morning?  Oh yeah, I have to win some sort of prize.

The Goodman was good, man!

Ignacio and I recently went to see Chinglish at the Goodman Theater.  It was the best theater production I have ever seen.  I really wish I was prolific with words and could explain my delight at this play.  As always, the set amazed me.  The stage was almost divided into two cogs of a wheel that moved together to show different scenes.  It was freaking awesome, man! (See, maybe I am prolific with words).  The play itself was written and performed geniusly (my spell check is telling me genius-ly is not a word, so okay, maybe I'm not prolific, whatever).  [Maybe the word flawlessly will get by spellcheck...AHA!]  So, the play was written and performed flawlessly.

The play takes place in China and is basically about an American businessman doing business with the Chinese and all of the misunderstandings that take place.  It was quick, and funny, and witty, and charming...[here I go being prolific again...go me!]  It was just brilliant.  The actors, the set, the writer, the director, all of it was brilliant.


Then the next day, my cat decided to perform her rendition of The Wizard of Oz.  Here she is screaming, "The house fell on me, I'll get you, my pretties....."



The dog had on ruby red slippers, but I couldn't get a picture.