Spring...in Chicago? Could It Be?

April 1st and we are starting to see signs that perhaps spring is going to show up in Chicago. Yesterday it hit the 70 degree mark and although today will barely hit 50 degrees, we'll take it! It's been a long winter, I'm sick of seeing dirty snow and the poor dogs have cabin fever. It's the time in Chicago when everyone starts buying flip flops, people start to sport their summer attire that is not yet weather appropriate and homeowners everywhere are out buying things like patio furniture. It's tempting but not smart to start planting flowers with this tease of warmer weather .... the minute you plant them the temperature will dip down to freezing and your flowers will be forsaken. Resist the urge and put those creative bursts at the impending season change to work in another way.

The change of season, regardless of what season it is, always sparks the creative juices. Most of you know I have been hard at work (translation: my husband has been slaving away to make my vision come to fruition) creating a craft room. That is almost finished. He built me the most beautiful cabinet. Pictures to come! We still have the floor to do but I've now jumped into another project .... redoing my college-age son's room and converting it into a guest room as he (correction .. we) now pay 12 months of rent to the frat house; therefore, his room will be available to him just repurposed as a guest room. I am so excited about the vision for transformation I have in my head.

I have also started working on some fun little gifts that I am making for my dear friend who will be getting married later this year. Another way to overwhelm myself with things to do and use up all these creative juices. Speaking of weddings and creative people, I must give a shout out to my very creative and outgoing friend, Stephanie at Clark & Diversey. Stephanie is an amazingly creative gal that has used her talents to grow a thriving business. Check her out at www.clarkanddiversey.com. She makes amazing hair pins, fascinators, veils, etc. for the woman (or girl) who won't settle for ordinary. I'm so impressed by her drive and creativity and a little jealous that she has turned this into a real business for herself.

What does the change of seasons spark for you? Are you creative? If you aren't one of the blessed ones who has figured out a way to make your creativity into a living, how do you release your creative energy?

Our Brunch Excursions

We're one month into the new year. Casey and I have been on the Chris Powell carb cycling diet ... the Turbo cycle to be exact and at today's weigh in, he's 21 pounds lighter and I'm stuck at 13. I hate men. I can honestly say that I haven't cheated not one bit. No wine in 3 weeks ... seriously, that in itself is worth more than 13 lbs. I haven't been as great at the working out part as I should be but I'll be better this week ... just takes a little planning. My husband is being critical because I'm mad that the scale didn't move this week because I had surgery and had to fast for 12 hours prior and so I missed 3 meals on the program and didn't want to eat the stupid carbs the nurses wanted to feed me when I woke up from surgery. I was off on my water consumption for the day but it just doesn't seem like that should be enough to keep the scale at 13 pounds. Oh well, we'll see what happens this next week. I do feel it in my clothes. My jeans are not constricting, no muffin top .... they don't look as good as I want them to but they are comfortable and I couldn't really say that before.

So on this diet, Sunday is free day and we live to eat breakfast at a new and unusual place. I thought it would be fun to tell you about our Sunday food romps ... perhaps you will discover a new favorite.

The first weekend we went to Chief O'Neil's. Some of you might remember it as the former sight of Oinkers Bar at 3471 N. Elston in Chicago. It's really an amazing brunch but not after your first week of clean eating. There's nothing clean about the after affects and I figured out that buffets are not really the greatest thing because you can't eat as much anymore but you want to so you push yourself and let's just say, that's not a great thing. But seriously, a total shout out to Chief O'Neill's. Deliciously BIG goblet of Mimosa with a strawberry on the rim. On the buffet they have fried calamari that is amazing, fish and chips with an oh so delicious batter, Guiness cheese soup, the regular breakfast fare complete with an omelette station, tacos, homemade corned beef hash, macaroni and cheese that my husband said is to die for and a beautiful fruit and yogurt spread and the dessert bar .... is out of this world. It's a winner, I just can't do it though but for those of you who can, I highly recommend it! Oh yes, make a reservation because they often book up!

The second weekend took us to Sweet Maple Cafe at 1339 W. Taylor Street in the UIC neighborhood. My husband searched it online and we gave it a try. It's a small little place, very simple but cute and clean. The walls are distressed and you feel like you are eating in the french countryside. We waited a bit for a table but that's always to be expected for brunch on a Sunday. The little waiting area by the door got a bit crowded as we waited but it wasn't too bad. We got seated at a small table near the window. Tables were a little too close for the liking. Service was great. I was really wanting pancakes but I also LOVE grits so I had a cup of grits which really filled me up (still getting used to eating such a small amount and being filled up). I could only eat half of one pancake and had to take the rest home but it was good. Cheese grits were AHHHHHmazing. Pancakes? Not out of this world and I could have probably ordered something better but it's what I craved at the moment. It was pretty good. Other things to try on the menu still and at some point, we may go back. The Peruvian Mocha was yummy!

This week was my choice and it wasn't the best choice but it was something different. Big Jones in Andersonville. Cute atmosphere although we got a high top table near the door where it was freezing because it was all that was available. They are sort of an upscale take on southern comfort food in a bar atmosphere. It was interesting. Complimentary beignets upon being seated .... I could have just stopped there and had those for breakfast, they were delicious and sprinkled with powder sugar. I ordered a Mimosa and was disappointed at the half of a small wine glass I got. Casey ordered an extra spicy bloody mary that was served in the smallest glass I had ever seen with a bread and butter pickle and a piece of fresh okra ... ew. The alcohol was all sitting at the bottom of the glass. Way to go, bartender! I ordered Shrimp and Grits for $15 and Casey had their version of Biscuits and Gravy and we ordered a side order of two cheese biscuits. The shrimp and grits were great but those couldn't possibly disappoint me. They used itsy bitsy small shrimp which was a little disappointing since the meal was $15. I'd expect a few good size quality shrimp in the grits but they weren't bad despite the midget shrimp. The biscuits weren't southern biscuits like you would expect. They weren't terrible, just didn't live up to expectations. Casey said his biscuits and gravy were okay, the gravy was not at all spicy. He ordered a side order of bacon that didn't come until we were finished with our meal ... big bummer without any attempt on the waiter's part to make up for that. The bacon was really very good. I had a great cup of coffee in a big mug and Casey ordered a tea that was really smokey and was the absolute perfect compliment to his meal. The smokiness of the tea was so different and left you wanting more. Unfortunately they didn't have a 'to go' cup so we had to leave the remainder of the pot there. Big bummer. All in all, it was okay but for a total bill of $65, Chief O'Neills blows this place away. Definitely not a do-over.

Who knows where our next adventure will be! Stay tuned!

The New Year

I know everyone sets resolutions and lots of goals they can never attain and I don't want to pretend like that is what I am going to do. Instead I am going to be realistic. My goal really is to be a better person .... in a lot of different ways. I want to be smarter, I want to be more healthy, more active, I want to be more productive, more organized, I want to feed my need for creativity, I want to find inner peace, I want to be more financially aware ... a lot of things that would make me a better person than I am today.

Each month, I am going to focus on one of the 10 Principles of Personal Development:

I will be loving towards all whom I meet.
I will forgive all who attempt to harm me.
I become what I think; therefore, I will think only thoughts of greatness.
I will look for ways to strengthen those who have less than I.
I will always seek knowledge and truth.
I will always be honest.
I will never waste what I am given.
I will be grateful for all that I have.
I will develop a spirit of optimism.
I will have faith in something greater than myself.
I will make efforts to be more healthy.

As you can see, there are 11 above (I didn't number them for that reason) ... I added the last one. Instead of setting goals I can't keep, I will work toward being better in these areas and work harder to improve myself from who I am today.

Thanksgiving 2013

What a lovely day! We held Thanksgiving at our house this year with a much smaller guest list. This year, besides my immediate family, we just hosted my parents and my aunt. My sister and brother were both in Florida for the holiday with their families and my inlaws opted to stay at the lake house this year. My little one was with his mom so she didn't have to celebrate the holiday alone. It wasn't the same without everyone here; however, the plus side is that everyone fit at one table. That's always a plus. Because we had a smaller guest list I went a little bit crazy with the details. I really love entertaining so I tend to go a little overboard (as my dear husband would say), however, it makes me happy so I ignore it.

My husband outdid himself again .... his turkey was fabulous. I don't really know, I just know what others tell me. As some of you may know, I have an aversion to eating things on bones, poultry being one of them. We are avid Trader Joe's shoppers and my family has recently fallen in love with Trader Joe's Many Clove Garlic Cooking and Simmer Sauce. I poured it over a whole roasted chicken one night and complemented it with Trader Joe's Garlic Sliced Potatoes (in the freezer section) and my husband talked about it for days. He loves to sop up the sauce with pieces of bread...it's that good. Again, I take their word for it. He had the brilliant idea that he would use this on the turkey this year. He put fresh herbs under the skin, as he always does and then grilled it with the sauce. The outcome got rave reviews. He, of course, said he thought he'd done better in years past but everyone raved about his bird. Doesn't it look beautiful?

I contributed all of my "goodies" from Pinterest. The signature drink was Apple Cider Sangria. It was absolutely devine! We drank two pitchers!

I also made lots of decorations. I thought my table turned out really beautiful, I have this frenzy for burlap right now. I don't know what it is but I like how elegant something so rustic can look. I had a ball at Hobby Lobby and created all sorts of things with it. I tried my hand at glass etching and it turned out fabulous! I etched give thanks on some small appetizer plates!

I'm so pleased how they turned out. Pinterest adds so much to my life! Wait until you see what I have planned for Christmas decorations!

Uh, Yeah, I'm Pinterest Saavy!

This is the time of year when my creativity goes into overdrive and I put all this pressure on myself to accomplish all these projects that my life can't really handle. Case in point ... tonight, dear beloved (sometimes a jackass) husband wants me to join he and his sister at dinner since his sister's life long best friend is coming into town and we're Facebook friends. I'm super excited to meet her, I feel like we have bonded over some similar experiences BUT I have made some weirdo decision to make "stuffin muffins" for our office potluck tomorrow. #1, I'm not the greatest cook but #2 I am going to attempt to make something for the first time that many strangers will eat and remember for the entire next year. This involves shopping for the ingredients tonight, getting home and cooking while also keeping with my goal to have my TOTAL house clean for my Thanksgiving guests. Yes, no shoving everything in the bedroom and closing the door, I want everything to be clean so that any guest can wander in any room without fear on my part. Believe it or not, I did have a guest once that opened a closed door because she wanted to see "all" of my house .... I was mortified because everything was literally shoved into that room which was not clean. Besides, in my world, an organized house is an organized mind and I SOOOOOOOO need to get there. The dear beloved (sometimes a jackass) husband offered to do the ingredient shopping for me AND help me cook it when we got home if I'd join dinner plans, so I agreed. In the meantime, the snow is falling here in Lake Forest, Illinois and I am enjoying my lunch on a very busy work day.

Anyway, back to the original point before I rambled.... I am Pinterest saavy! I know you had no doubt. I laid my eyes on a picture that I just fell in love with and I knew it was born to be on my coffee table as part of my holiday decorating. My goal on these projects is always to put it together with re-purposed items or do it really inexpensively and boy did I excel for a beautiful end result on this one. I did it for UNDER $25!

Isn't it beautiful? I got the tray from Meijer for $7 ... wasn't quite what I had in mind, but I really love it after putting it together. I got the miscellaneous wood things on the tray in a value bag at Hobby Lobby for $5. I got the candlesticks at Big Lots ON CLEARANCE for $2.50 each. I got the pitcher at Ross Dress for Less for $4.99 (it really was too ugly for anyone to buy but fit so nicely into my scheme). I had the candles at home and got the sticks at the dollar store and threw in a $.99 glittery pick for some color.

I am so thrilled by the end result and so sad that it will go into storage on Sunday when I put up the Xmas decorations. I am giving some thought to creating something along the same lines though for Xmas. Super excited! More on that to follow!

Reincarnated

I am a terrible blogger as I've gone dark for many many months. I so apologize and appreciate all of the emails I received to keep writing. The truth of the matter is that I took a big leap of faith in a new job. I didn't take the job because I knew I could do it or for any real reason other than it felt like a big risk, a big opportunity and I wanted to take the less safe route. After 8 years in a job I loved that I was forced to leave because it was sold, I took a position with a well known brand in the hopes that it would turn into something wonderful. Unfortunately, someone's mislaid plan was filled with holes and areas of weakness and the concept didn't survive. I got out before it folded because I could see the writing on the wall but I learned so much about myself in the process. I got to see a case of "mean girls" in action, I got to see what picking favorites does to a team and I got to witness that patience really is a virtue and good things only come to those who wait. I was fortunate enough to have been a bit hunted by someone who could see my passion and my talents. I have since taken a job with another well known brand and have been given the opportunity to create it all from scratch, the one thing I really love doing. I mentioned that I spent 8 years in a job that I truly loved and I think that the job has been reincarnated into this new one. I am overjoyed. So, that brings me to why I've been absent, I have just been so busy and will continue to be busy over the next several months until it all comes together.

Unfortunately, we're coming to that time of year that adds so much on to my plate and the time when my creativity really goes into overdrive. I can't skip it, I would not only be doing a disservice to myself but I'd be cheating my family out of the tradition I try so hard to carry on for them and for future generations.

I had the misfortune of a failed marriage and many years of unintended single parenting. I made a conscious choice for 10 years to not re-marry and eventually found the man meant for me who also brought 2 wonderful children into my life. Over the years of being single and opting for other places to spend the holidays, my son missed out on a lot of tradition made in our own home. Instead, he has grown to know tradition in someone else's home and I never realized what a mistake that would be until late.

My now husband and I decided a few years back that juggling his children's holiday schedules with their mother, the obligatory holiday meals in our own parents home and trying so hard to keep everyone's tradition intact was making for very stressful holidays for us. Worse, there would be times when one family didn't feel the need to do much for a holiday or chose to take a trip leaving us missing the tradition we had come to known. For this reason we announced that we'd no longer be celebrating the holidays at anyone's home but our own. We created an open invitation for anyone to join if they wanted but made it clear we wouldn't be upset if they chose to forego. We made one exception and that was Christmas. Christmas with each set of grandparents was something that our kids had grown up knowing and really loved. There was a strong sense of tradition with "Christmas at Grandma's" and for this reason that holiday would stay intact. We still put up a Christmas tree and we still opened gifts as a family under the tree on Christmas morning in our own home, but Christmas Eve was spent with one family and Christmas Day with the other. We've had the best of both worlds for many years.

Last year, my family suggested celebrating Christmas a week later to acommodate an out of town family member that, for whatever reason, is not able to be in town for the actual holiday. I immediately refused. I was not opposed to celebrating again a week later but I would under no circumstances interrupt the tradition of Christmas Day for my family when I had gone out of my way to preserve it for so many years. True, my kids are not babies, they are 21, 16 and 13 but with so little tradition upheld in their lives, I vowed to always stay true to Christmas. This year, a little bird has told me that Christmas is going to be celebrated a week later. Although my feelings on this matter are known, the decision has been made that Christmas won't be held on Christmas Day. So, for the first time in my 44 years (except for maybe a year or two that I lived in San Diego) my Christmas morning won't be spent in my parents living room with my family. This will actually be the first Christmas that I don't spend WITH my family on Christmas Day. My heart hurts not only for me but for my kids. For this reason I have realized that I am charged with keeping the true spirit of Christmas alive for my children the best I can. Trying my best to create new traditions for them and the generations to come. This year, Christmas will be in my own living room and celebrated at my own kitchen table and while that breaks my heart, I have to be strong and make it something special for my own family.

I know life changes but this year, my best friend will celebrate her first Christmas without her mom who passed this last June. She is forced with the reality of creating something meaningful that she and her family can carry forward. She doesn't have a choice. I can accept that there will come a time when I won't have a choice and celebrating in my parent's living room won't be an option available anymore but I don't want that option to come when they are still alive. Life is so short and time is so precious. Yes, my children aren't babies and I am 44 years old but the love of the tradition, the need to celebrate what is lost throughout the rest of the year in the daily grind of what is life doesn't change. If just for one day, I like to pretend that nothing has changed since I was a child, waking up on Christmas day to the bewildering sight of presents under the tree, the joy of giving gifts to the people that I love most and celebrating the one day that we preserve as a family day .... I live for that.

I remember when my mother's family stopped gathering at my grandma's house each year. I so looked forward to seeing all of my cousins and relatives, celebrating the holiday together, seeing the awesome, overdone sight of my aunt's gaudy Christmas tree, the strobe lights that engulfed it, drinking cranberry cocktail juice and eating around a big table with people I sometimes only saw once a year. I still long for that one day .... I miss the tradition .... it was one of the best memories I have as a child. I still grieve the loss of that tradition but times change, I guess. I worry that this year is going to be that year for my kids, mostly my son, who has known this his whole life and in some way, shape or form, looks forward to it. My heart breaks for that.

I hope that all of you that still have the choice make a concerted effort to preserve your tradition, no matter how hard or how much effort it takes. If your away from your family by distance, I hope that you make the effort to make the trip and to be there so that you can help to preserve the tradition to have come to be a part of. I hope that if you no longer have the choice because loved ones have passed on that you find a way to create traditions that can be carried forward to your own grandchildren, that you will work hard to give your kids a place that they not only want to come back to each year but feel the gravitational pull to go back to each year. It's important.

I will try to be better at blogging and perhaps I'll share some of what we'll be doing over this holiday season to celebrate our family and create new tradition.

<3 <3 <3

End of School!

Holy Cow .... I died in the blog world! Where have I been since March? I don't even know! Busy ... I'm a train commuter now and I'm not sure why but that makes me too busy to do much else. Isn't that ridiculous? I spend less time commuting and have less time. What's up with that? The mind boggles! Actually, the train commuting is pretty awesome, I love it. No traffic road rage .... I know when I'm leaving and I know exactly when I am going to arrive at my destination. I really like it.

It's almost the end of the school year and I have to tell you, I understand now why our school district has won so many state and national awards! The teachers in this school actually get it .... they actually get that as parents, we are BURNT THE HELL OUT by June 1. Hell, some of us are burnt out by April 1, but that's a completely different story. I don't even have it hard .... my little one who is near a genius NEVER has homework. Never. I mean NEVER EVER. Now granted, I do see some assignments on the grade sheet that appear as though he hasn't done them but for the most part, this kid gets straight As with no homework ---- ever. When he does have homework it's a holy nightmare because he's lazy. We check it and inevitably, because he's lazy, he has to re-do it to which he pitches a complete fit and well, things go downhill from there. My daughter, bless her heart, doesn't need any help, ever. She silently and compliantly does her homework every single night, sometimes for hours and manages to get all As and Bs which is a tremendous and absolutely unexpected result. I couldn't be prouder of her. My older one, I'm not really sure .... he's 21 now and trying to finish up college (I keep telling myself) but I think he's inherited a gene from me ... the one gene I hoped he wouldn't inherit. He puts off EVERY single thing until the very last minute, to the point that there is no way you could possibly get it done and then does. Yep, I know it well. I've gotten through most of my life that way.

Well, the point of all this is to tell you that I am the worst end of year mom ---- ever. Not only am I completely burnt out by life (and also dreading the summer of kids who constantly complain their are bored or hate what you've planned for them to do). My youngest came home to tell me basically that I sucked because he was the only kid in 7th grade who didn't get a yearbook. I can't imagine how we missed that one, but we did and he didn't get a year book and like every worst-end-of-the-year mom, I sent him to school with a blank check and instructions to beg for one. (Note to self: ask child if he ever got a yearbook). Here is one mom who can identify with me... http://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2013/05/30/worst-end-of-school-year-mom-ever

So I was saying that the teachers in our school get it. Case in point: yesterday, the kids went on a 17 mile bike trip from their school to the Botanic Gardens. Stopped for FIVE minutes and high tailed it back for a pizza lunch. These teachers are geniuses! 17 miles?!?!?!?! Little time to hear their voices and too tired when they get back to make a fuss of any kind .... and then stuff them with pizza. GENIUS. No, in all seriousness, I love the physical activity and the good use of the last days of school that are otherwise so meaningless. My favorite is the last day of school where the kids have to get up, get ready and go to school for an hour. HA! It's hysterical. The last torture before the summer. Cracks me up.

I will try to be a little more vocal in the blog world. Thanks for hanging with me!