Day 811: 2019 Year in Review

Rachel, Day by Day

Downtown Chicago on a beautiful day.

Well, 2019 is almost over. There were many ups and downs, but I thought I’d focus on the good. Overall we had a lot of fun times! Here are some of my highlights from this year.

 

Highlights of 2019

New Years Day party with friends

Sledding (first time for my son)

Many fun outings with my moms group

Visit for Barb’s birthday

Son made it in online magazine for fun kid’s event

Fun activities and outings with friends and our kids

Went to nice restaurant for Valentine’s Day

Stayed at Lake Lawn Lodge for a weekend with my family

Lake Lawn Lodge with Uncle John.

St. Patrick’s Day parade and party with friends

Son’s birthday at the children’s museum and party with friends and family

A fun birthday for this kiddo.

Editing conference in Rhode Island

Family vacation in Philadelphia to visit Chris and Renee

Philadelphia with friends.

Holidays with family (Easter, Mother’s Day, etc.)

Son’s Little Kickers soccer class

My work annual conference in Nashville

Found out I’m pregnant with a girl!

Children’s Museum with family

Gilmore Girls Trivia with my mom

Fourth of July party with friends

Architecture tour in downtown Chicago

Architecture Tour in Chicago

Swam with family over the summer

Swimming!

Basement flooded since our ejector pump stopped working

Trip to Grand Rapids, Mich., just the three of us

A nice family vacation.

Hillside concerts

Family visited and went to Maggiano’s Little Italy

Galena trip with college friends

Fun with friends!

Arlington Racetrack with friends

Son started preschool

First day of school.

Wisconsin Dells trip with family

Wisconsin trip with family.

Rader’s Farm visit with family

Son’s T-ball class

Sonny Acres visit

Scott’s Grandpa’s 90th birthday

Our basement is now finished

Went to Lake Geneva with my Mom and son

Thanksgiving with Scott’s family

Thanksgiving with family.

Polar Express with Scott and son

Meeting Santa on the Polar Express.

Early Christmas with family

Son’s Christmas Program

Christmas at home

New Years Eve countdown kid’s event at a local restaurant

I don’t really have any resolutions at the moment, just try to be a good mom as our baby girl joins us soon. There is one thing I’m proud of in 2019, though. I became more brave and outgoing. I finally feel like I wasn’t so shy and spoke my mind numerous times throughout the year when I didn’t think I would. I hope I can keep this up and continue it for years to come.

I might take a little break early in 2020 since we are having a baby girl soon, but Happy New Year!!

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Day 808: Michigan Trip

Rachel, Day by Day

Cute little waterfall.

In July, my husband, son, and I went on a trip to Grand Rapids, Mich., just the three of us. This was our first getaway as a little family, so it’ll always have a spot in my heart. We were able to drive, and it really wasn’t that far, which is a perk! I thought I’d share the highlights of our fun vacation.

Quote of the trip from my son: “Mommy, you have salad and lemonade. Daddy, you have a margarita.”

Day 1: On the way there, we stopped in Holland, Mich., at the Dutch Village. My three-year-old son loved the windmill and playing on the playground. The flowers and grounds were beautiful. It was a nice stop to stretch our legs. Then we finished the rest of the drive and checked in at a new Embassy Suites. That evening we had dinner close by at a sports bar and grill and walked along the river. The waterfall and sunset were beautiful. Then we relaxed at the hotel.

Day 2: The hotel included a free breakfast, and it was amazing! There were waffles, eggs, omelets, bacon, sausage, bagels, muffins, etc. We then drove to the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, which was large and beautiful! The gardens and flowers were pretty. My favorite was the Japanese garden, and my son had a fun time playing in the toddler area with little boats and a tree house. We ate lunch at the hotel and then went to the Grand Rapids Public Museum. My son got to play a lot and went on a carousel from the 1920s. We then went to the happy hour at our hotel for snacks and drinks, then Rose’s Restaurant on Reeds Lake. The view was great. I had recently gotten a FitBit, so I had a lot of steps this day!

Waterfall at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

Day 3: This morning we walked to the Gerald R. Ford Museum. My son wasn’t a huge fan since there wasn’t much to play with (he liked the president’s chair in the Cabinet Room), but I thought it was really interesting. There’s a lot I didn’t know about Gerald Ford. I felt like I learned a lot in such a short amount of time. When my son was in the president’s chair, I asked him, “So, Mr. President, what should we do to improve our country’s economy?” He said, “Pancakes!” Then we had lunch at The Old Goat. It was a neat restaurant with charming décor and a hipster style. We then went swimming at the hotel and relaxed at the happy hour. We walked around downtown in the evening and went to a Mexican restaurant.

Day 4: This was our last full day in Grand Rapids. We walked to the Children’s Museum and my son had an amazing time. There were so many things to do (bubbles, cars, grocery store, instruments, etc.). We had pizza for dinner that night, walked around, and had a very relaxing evening. The sunset with the river and scenery was breathtaking.

My little family.

I enjoyed this vacation because we went at a slower pace. We had our list of things to do, but they didn’t make us tired or fill up the whole day. The three of us still talk about some inside jokes we had while there, and they still make me smile. It was a small vacation, but I’ll never forget it.

Day 804: Everyday Life (Past and Now)

Rachel, Day by Day

Here is everyday life in the mornings with this cutie.

When you look back on your day, it rarely seems exciting or memorable. During your everyday routine, how do you feel most days? Stressed? Worried? Happy? Relaxed? When you look back on a few weeks or a month instead of just a day, you tend to remember the more defining moments in your life (e.g., fun things you did or places you went, a promotion at a job). I thought I’d analyze the basics of what I do day by day now compared to college and my 20s. Since I’m now in my 30s, life is a little different. It’s crazy to think about how your little day-to-day activities can drastically change even over five years.

College

• Woke up early (that meant 8 or 9 a.m.).
• Put some random clothes on (or nice clothes to impress a guy in a class).
• Went to class.
• Had lunch with friends in the dining hall.
• Went to a few more classes.
• Took a nap between those classes.
• Went to dinner with friends.
• Played on the laptop for a while.
• Talked to boys and friends on AIM (AOL instant messenger).
• Did a little homework.
• Stayed up late with roommates watching TV or playing games.
• Took a shower.
• Went to bed late.
• On weekends during the day: Shopped, walked around campus, hung out with friends, did a little homework, binge-watched Dawson’s Creek or Friends, got smoothies, etc.
• On weekends at night: Pre-drank at our apartment, went to a bar or party around 10 or 11 p.m., stayed out until 2 or 3 a.m., slept in the next day until around 2 or 3 p.m.

 

Single in my 20s

• Woke up around 6 a.m.
• Got ready really fast and then relaxed.
• Went to work.
• Ate lunch with friends in the cafeteria or brought my own lunch.
• Played tennis or worked out on my lunch hour.
• Ran errands after work.
• Went home and watched TV for a while.
• Went for a walk.
• Made dinner.
• Watched more TV.
• Played on my laptop and phone.
• Took a shower.
• Went to bed.
• On weekends during the day: Went for a walk, shopped, did chores around my apartment, cooked something more elaborate, spent time with friends, played games and watched TV, went swimming, etc.
• On weekends at night: Went to happy hours with friends, played games with family and friends, went dancing, sang karaoke, went to dinner and bars.

 

Relationship/Married in my Mid to Late 20s

• Woke up around 5:30 a.m.
• Got ready really fast.
• Sang in the car and drank coffee on my way to work.
• Got to work way too early.
• Ate lunch with friends in the cafeteria or brought my own lunch.
• Worked out on my lunch hour.
• Drove an hour home.
• Made dinner.
• Watched TV.
• Paid bills, watched TV, ran errands, etc.
• Went to the grocery store to get wine and cookies.
• Played on my laptop and phone.
• Took a shower.
• Went to bed.
• On weekends during the day: Ran errands or cleaned the house, shopped, cooked something more elaborate, spent time with family or friends, walked around downtown.
• On weekends at night: Went to a restaurant or bar with the hubby, drank wine and watched a movie, went out with friends or family.

 

My 30s (Now)

• Wake up at 6 a.m.
• Get ready really fast.
• Wake my kid up.
• Give him breakfast.
• Change his clothes.
• Gather his things.
• Drive kid to day care.
• Go to work.
• Eat lunch at my desk or in the kitchen.
• Drive home and sing in the car.
• Play with kid.
• Make dinner.
• Watch my kid occasionally not eat what I make, so make something else.
• Clean up.
• Take a shower.
• Play with kid.
• Give him a bath and put on his pajamas.
• Do our bedtime routine.
• Pay bills, watch TV, do computer errands, play on phone.
• Go to bed.
• On weekends during the day: Visit family or friends, play with the kid around the house, clean the house, go on toddler outings.
• On weekends at night: Watch TV, pay bills, drink wine, eat cookies, go out with the husband and friends if we have a babysitter.

So, what are my conclusions from this? Here is a stream of consciousness for you.

Conclusion 1. There are things we do every single day but never take the time to really think about them on a deeper level. Sleep is part of our everyday routine, which is really weird when you think about it. We are supposed to be unconscious at night for eight hours. We eat two or three meals a day. We work. We go to school. We usually have leisure time at some point every day. We take showers, put clothes on, and brush our teeth (hopefully). We do these things automatically without really thinking about it. Next time I brush my teeth, I’m going to analyze the way I do it. Which hand do I use? Do I start at the bottom or the top? (I’ll probably forget to do this.)

Conclusion 2. My 20s don’t really feel that long ago, but when I stop to think about when I graduated college, that was 11 years ago. Wow. One of my cousins, who is currently single, recently said to me, “You’ve never dated, so you don’t know what it’s like.” Umm, yes I did. I went through some weirdos in my 20s. And I was probably a weirdo myself. I did things I regret, like many people do in their early 20s. I’m just in a different phase in life now. Now she only sees me as a married woman. But I can look back at my 20s and laugh, smile, and grimace at certain things!

Conclusion 3. Speaking of different phases, being in your 30s is definitely different. Now that I made it, sometimes I feel like I’m supposed to have everything together. That I’m supposed to be a real adult now. Even having a kid, I don’t feel that way most of the time! Maybe I sometimes feel like that young, silly girl trapped in a 30-something woman’s body. And that’s not always a bad thing. We just learn how to act more mature socially and in public. I think in your 30s, you’re kind of in the middle. The crazy 20s aren’t that far away, but you’re not an older adult yet. Sports players are getting to be younger than you, which is strange.

Conclusion 4. I think being in your 30s means you have to try a little harder. If you want to move up your career, you have to work more. If you want your kid to learn things, you have to teach them. If you have been married for a little while, you have to work harder at it since the newlywed phase is over. If you are single, it might not be as easy to meet someone. You don’t get to see friends as often, so you have to work hard to maintain those friendships. I need to work on that and hope I can.

As you can see, things change over time! My 20s were fun and lively, and my 30s are great and full of surprises with a husband and toddler. Let’s see what the 40s and 50s bring!

Day 803: Cuba Trip, Part II

Rachel, Day by Day

Beautiful Havana, Cuba.

In my last blog post, I wrote about the first half of my trip to Cuba last June. Here’s the second half of my Cuba journal for you!

 

Day 7: Cienfuegos, Escambray Mountains, Trinidad

A group photo in the Escambray Mountains with the local coffee farmers.

In the morning we left Cienfuegos and headed to the Escambray Mountains. The best Cuban coffee is made in the mountains. Once we reached the top, we went on a walking tour, saw the coffee plants, and saw how the coffee is made. At the end of the tour, we got to try the coffee. It was strong, but good! Then we stopped and met the coffee farmer and his family. He explained the process to us and invited us in his home. I bought some coffee beans, too.

After that, we all ate lunch together (pork, potatoes, rice and beans). The potatoes were delicious! We then stopped at the lookout point and I walked up the 142 stairs to the top! The view was incredibly beautiful. Something I’ll never forget.

On the way to Trinidad, we stopped at Azariel Santander’s home. He makes pottery and showed us how he does it. He’s so fast and great at it! He made a lid to go on top of the pottery without even measuring it. We then went to a paladar for dinner and ate delicious seafood paella. Yum! Some of us played with the band, too. Then we went to our hotel in Trinidad (Las Brisas Trinidad del Mar) and had a drink before bed.

 

Day 8: Trinidad

Me in Trinidad, Cuba.

This morning we did a walking tour around Trinidad. We stopped at the home of a local family and visited a local artist. He makes art carvings out of shutters and things. Gretel took us to the ration shop where families get their monthly allowed food using their ration booklet. They get rice, sugar, oil, etc. We then went in the church of Trinidad, visited shops, and had a mojito at one of the local restaurants. Then we went back to the hotel (Las Brisas Trinidad del Mar) and had lunch at the buffet. We later played dominoes with Mary and Gretel for a while! We had drinks at the bar and walked to the ocean. We went to El Dorado paladar for dinner. We had vegetable soup, a welcome cocktail, and I ate grilled shrimp. We ended the night with a drink at the hotel.

 

Day 9: Trinidad, Cojímar, Havana

Beautiful view of Havana, Cuba.

After breakfast in Trinidad, we had a longer bus trip back to Havana (4-5 hours). We stopped in Cojímar and had lunch at Café Ajiaco with local fishermen. We had soup, chicken, rice and beans, ropa vieja, etc. One of the fishermen named Charlie showed us the photo of the biggest shark ever caught in 1945 in Cuba. There are 188 fisherman boats.

After lunch, we went to the marina and saw their boats. Ernest Hemingway would visit this area in the 1950s. They told us about their fishing trips and we saw a boat destroyed by the hurricane.

Once we arrived back in Havana, we saw El Cristo de Habana statue, The Jesus Christ of Havana. The view of Havana was beautiful. We also saw a statue dedicated to those who helped during Hurricane Irma, and we saw Che Guevara’s headquarters building.

We then had free time, so we all went to the Hall of Fame bar. We later had dinner at Paladar al Carbon. We ate arroz con pollo, lamb, fish, appetizers, and flan. It was delicious! We sat at a table with Marlys and Charlie and had a great time with them. Then we got drinks at the Hall of Fame bar and went to bed.

 

Day 10: Havana

Las Terrazas, Cuba.

This morning we drove one hour to Las Terrazas, a small community and nature reserve west of Havana. We had a welcome cocktail and talked about its history. The village was created in 1971 and 970 people live there. We visited the school and saw the kids in their classrooms. We then stopped at Ariel Gato Miranda’s studio. He makes recycled paper using discarded office paper and turns it into art.

We then had lunch at El Romero, a Cuban ecological restaurant with vegetarian cuisine. It was good! Then we took the bus back to Havana. We had some free time, so we walked around to the liquor store and souvenir shops. Then we all had a drink at the bar and sandwiches in the lower level café at the hotel for dinner. We ended the night with a drink at the Hall of Fame bar.

 

Day 11: Havana

My mom, brother, and me outside my father’s childhood home in Havana, Cuba.

We started the day driving to Ernest Hemingway’s house. The house was very well maintained and big. Everything is still original, and there’s an original Picasso in the dining room. We saw the guest house, pool, boat, etc. We weren’t allowed to go in but could look through doors and windows. Then we saw Malpaso Dance Company perform. They were amazing and toured the U.S. in early 2019!

After this, we drove to my dad’s old neighborhood. We walked around a bit and actually found his house! I immediately burst into tears. The people currently living there let us in and walk around. We took a group photo and talked for a bit. Then we took photos outside the house. I touched the building before leaving, too. This was an experience I’ll never forget.

After that, I went to the Revolution Museum with my brother, Marlys, and Charlie. It was very interesting to learn about some of the history. The museum is housed in the Presidential Palace where all Cuban presidents used to live. Behind the building is the Granma Memorial, a large glass enclosure that has the Granma, the yacht that took Che Guevara, Fidel Castro, and Raúl Castro along with dozens of other revolutionaries from Mexico to Cuba for the revolution. There are also many vehicles and tanks used in The Revolution displayed outdoors. We then had a few drinks back at the hotel.

Gretel surprised us before dinner and we all took convertibles there! Our driver went slowly so we could take in Havana. It was a beautiful experience. I will never forget that drive. At dinner we had our own private room at a restaurant called Habanera, a 1930s home. Gretel gave a speech about our nice time together. I ate ropa vieja, rice and beans, and flan. I had a mojito and some wine, too. Back at the hotel, we said goodbye to Charlie and Marlys. Then we had a drink at the Hall of Fame bar before bed.

 

Day 12: Havana, Home

Last day in Havana, Cuba. I went for a walk by myself and found this beautiful spot.

We had our morning free, so we slept in, packed, relaxed, and had breakfast. I then walked around the hotel by myself and found a path that led to a big, neat Cuba sign. It was a beautiful view! Then we left the hotel and said our goodbyes to Peachy and Gretel.

What an amazing, educational experience that I will never forget! It will be in my heart always.

Day 802: Cuba Trip, Part I

Rachel, Day by Day

Revolution Square with friends and family, Havana, Cuba.

Last June I went on a 12-day life-changing educational trip to Cuba with family and friends. My father was born there, and this place has been No. 1 on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, so many classmates thought it was strange that I wanted to go there. My dad and I always talked about going to two places: Spain and Cuba. Unfortunately we never made it to either place together. So, one of my greatest goals in life has been to go to both places in his honor. I went on an amazing trip to Spain in 2003, and I went on this trip in 2018. There were so many amazing moments I will never forget. Here are some highlights from my journal for you from the first half of the trip (second half will be in another blog post).

Day 1: Miami

I traveled to Miami with my mom, brother, and three family friends for Day 1 in Miami. This day involved meeting everyone in our Cuba educational tour group and going through all the information we needed. We had four others in our group (Mary, Nese, Marlys, and Charlie), who were all very nice! When we arrived at our hotel, we had a shot of rum for my dad. We walked around South/Miami Beach and had a bad experience at a restaurant with rude staff, but I won’t go into the details! I did drink a good margarita, though. That evening we had drinks in the lobby bar; there was a guy playing bagpipes, too. Random!

 

Day 2: Miami to Havana

Christopher Columbus Necropolis Cemetery, Havana, Cuba.

For the flight to Havana, I somehow got first class! They gave me sparkling wine after I sat down. When we landed, everyone clapped, and I couldn’t help but tear up. Once we got through the airport, we met Gretel, our tour guide, and Peachy, our bus driver, at the bus.

Our first stop was Il Divino Farm and restaurant (many of the restaurants are privately owned, called paladars) for lunch and we got a tour of the organic farm. I ate crab, rice and beans, plantain chips, and ice cream. Then we went to the Christopher Columbus Necropolis Cemetery. It’s 138 acres and 146 years old. We saw the grave and statue of Amelia Goire de la Hoz, or La Milagrosa. She and her baby died and were buried together (the baby was placed near her feet). Years later her tomb was exhumed by her husband. Once it was opened, the baby was in her arms. People go to her grave and pray to her and leave notes and flowers.

After this, we went to Revolution Square. This is where Fidel made speeches, and his longest was nine hours. After this, we went to our hotel (Hotel Nacional de Cuba) and drank mojitos at the outdoor bar.

For dinner later, we went to a paladar called La Moraleja. We ate chicken croquets and lobster. I had a Cuba Libre and a shot of rum.

Things we learned:

• Cuba has the best skin and lung cancer treatments. People fly there for it.
• No crime, no guns, no drugs, no racism.

 

Day 3: Havana

The Muraleando, a community arts project, Havana, Cuba.

This morning we went to a lecture on the history of Cuba. He told us three homes collapse every day. Everything was mostly built between 1900-1958 and is now aging. The average state monthly salary is $27. For apartment buildings, people just maintain their own space, so common areas aren’t kept up. Tourism is up since Obama visited (2016) and the Rolling Stones came (2015), but it’s declined a bit since then. Education is free by the government.

After the lecture, we went to La Merced Church and talked to people at the senior center around the corner. We then went to a small craft market and passed Floridita, Ernest Hemingway’s favorite bar. He used to drink daiquiris there.

We then went to Amos Photography where we learned about Alex Castro and Rasmés Batista’s business. They both shoot beautiful photography for a living and hold free workshops for younger kids. We had lunch there and ate black bean cream soup, lamb, chicken, egg plant lasagna, rice and veggies, plantain chips, and guava marmalade for dessert.

After lunch, we walked around the city center of Havana. We saw the oldest hotel in Havana and the tree planted by Michelle Obama. We saw a fortress and went to the Plaza de San Francisco. We then went back to the hotel and all had drinks by the pool.

That evening we went to Muraleando, a community arts project. There’s art and murals everywhere and everything is made from recycled materials. Classes and events are held here, too. It originally was an abandoned water tank with garbage in the neighborhood. We had dinner there and danced!

 

Day 4: Havana

Fusterlandia, an artistic community filled with colorful and whimsical mosaics, Havana, Cuba.

Today we started out taking bike taxis (bici-taxis) to the market. We bought some food and brought it to the local day care center. In one of the rooms, they surrounded me and I played for a bit with them!

After that, we walked to the historical center of Havana, Plaza Vieja. We had lunch on our own and chose a restaurant on the second floor. The view was great looking down at the plaza! I ate a Cuban sandwich and tried sangria. Then we walked around the Plaza de San Francisco for a bit.

Once we got on the bus, we stopped at an old rum factory called Ron Legendario. We got a small tour and I ended up buying some cigars. We then relaxed back at the hotel a bit and got drinks. A peacock was bothering my brother in the courtyard area, and he was very nervous about it!

That night we went to Fusterlandia, an artistic community filled with colorful and whimsical mosaics. It was started by José Fuster, and we went to his house. It reminded me of a beautiful playhouse. His son, Alex Fuster, was there and explained the house and paintings to us. I bought a rum bottle with beautiful art. We then ate dinner there (rice and beans, fish, and chicken).

 

Day 5: Havana to Cienfuegos

A beautiful view of Cienfuegos, Cuba, at night.

In the morning we took the bus to Cienfuegos for 3.5 hours. When we arrived at La Union Hotel, we had some lunch and free time. We walked around craft markets and then had a piña colada by the pool. As a group, we then walked around the historic center right by our hotel. We listened to the Cantores de Cienfuegos sing. They were amazing! They travel internationally and won many first-place awards. We all danced at the end, too.

We then went to Villa Lagarto paladar for dinner and it was right on the water. The view was gorgeous. We ate pork and black beans and rice. We ended the night by having drinks on the rooftop bar. I had a delicious margarita.

 

Day 6: Cienfuegos

Children dancing at the Jardines de la UNEAC, Cienfuegos, Cuba.

This morning we went to the Cienfuegos Botanical Gardens. There were so many trees and plants from other countries. Everything was beautiful! We did a small walking tour around the gardens. We then stopped at Jardines de la UNEAC (Union of Writers and Artists in Cuba). We walked around to local artists’ galleries, and one artist even quickly made a drawing of my brother! Then we had lunch at a local restaurant on our own. I ate a Cuban sandwich!

We then went back to the Jardines de la UNEAC to watch the children dance. They were great! We all got up and danced at the end. Then we shopped a bit and had a drink on the rooftop at the hotel.

Later that night we had dinner at Finca del Mar, a nice paladar. I ate ropa vieja, squash soup, rice and beans, and flan. It was great eating authentic Cuban food! On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at Palacio de Valle, a historic villa once owned by the Valle family. It’s now a hotel and restaurant. The building was beautiful. Then we went back to the Jardines de la UNEAC and listened to Los Naranjos play music. Many people danced, which was cool to see. We then went to the rooftop bar at the hotel before heading to bed.

More to come! Stay tuned.

Day 800: 2018 Year in Review

Rachel, Day by Day

My little family.

Well, folks. It’s been a while since I’ve written in this thing! I have a new goal for 2019: Write in my blog once a month. So here is the January post for you… my year in review of 2018.

2018 ended up being an incredible year for me. There are always ups and downs, but when I look back overall, it’s been unreal. I got to watch Baby N grow, spend lots of time with family and friends, go on an amazing trip to Cuba with family and friends and see where my father grew up, and go on amazing trip to Gulf Shores with family. I have a great job, awesome friends I hope to see more often next year, a loving family, a wonderful husband, and a kind and adorable kid. I’m so thankful for everything that has happened this year, and I’m blessed to have wonderful people in my life. Here are the highlights for you:

• New Year’s Party with friends
• Melissa’s baby shower
• Many visits to Normal for birthdays, celebrations, etc.
• Super Bowl Party at our house
• Scott’s grandparent’s 70th anniversary
• Meeting Baby Aidan
• Playing at the library with Baby N
• Visits with John, Ray, and Mom
• Elmhurst St. Patrick’s Day Parade and party with friends
• Celebrating Baby N’s second birthday with many parties!
• Easter egg hunts and brunch
• Visit to Dupage Children’s Museum
• Scott meeting Natalie Morales
• Mickey visited for the weekend

Mickey visiting.

• Cubs game in April, they won!

Me and Baby N running around before the Cubs game.

• Cinco de Mayo Party at our house with Mom, Ray, and John
• Visit to Normal for Ashley’s graduation
• I received my Poynter ACES Certificate in Editing
• Went to Minneapolis for our Annual Meeting
• Went to Cosley Zoo with Scott’s family
• My amazing trip to Cuba for 12 days and we found my dad’s childhood home

Our group in Cuba.

In front of my dad’s house.

• Pinstripes for Scott’s birthday
• James’ birthday party
• Had a BBQ at Renee’s house
• Family picnic over the summer
• Fourth of July Party with friends
• Gulf Shores, Alabama, with Scott’s family

The group in Gulf Shores.

• Hung out at Christina’s house for a BBQ with friends
• Outdoor concerts in Hillside
• Arlington Race Track with friends
• My college friends and their kids visited us

Friends!

• Cubs/Cardinals Legends Game
• Elmhurst Kite Fest
• Saw Vertigo at Ravinia
• Oak Park Beer Fest
• Wisconsin Dells trip with family

Out to dinner at Wisconsin Dells.

• Dave and Buster’s with Scott’s family
• Gilmore Girls trivia with my mom
• York High School Celebration
• Bar Crawl with friends
• Sonny Acres visit
• SIU vs. ISU football game and tailgate
• Wyatt’s first birthday party
• Brittany’s housewarming party
• Boo at the Zoo
• Halloween (Baby N was a firefighter)
• Thanksgiving with my family
• We took Baby N to the ER and he ended up with croup 😦
• Christkindlemarket with Scott’s family

Christkindlemarket with family.

• Breakfast with Santa
• Spa day with my college friends
• Had a cousin gathering at Main Event
• The holidays with family
• New Years Eve party at our house and John’s birthday

It’s amazing to see all you can do in 365 days. Here’s to a great 2019!

Day 796: Turning 30

Rachel, Day by Day

Me throughout the years.

All this time I thought I was going to dread turning 30, but I’m not worried about it at the moment. I mean, so many things happened in my 20s and I thought it would be difficult to close that chapter in my life… graduated college, first real job, first legal alcoholic drink, first car, first apartment on my own, first real relationship, first time I fell in love (or thought it was at the time), first time I actually fell in love, first house, first smartphone, first (and only) marriage, first kid, and so on. A lot can happen in 10 years.

Me throughout the years.

It’s really strange looking back. There are certain parts of my 20s I won’t miss. The bad dates and relationships in my early 20s, a horrible relationship that hurt me badly and I thought had scarred me for life, losing loved ones, being apart from my husband for a little while, struggling through every-day stresses and drama of being a young adult, and so on. The first week living on my own, I was almost robbed in the middle of the night and now I’m kind of afraid to leave windows open. I went through my 20s without my dad and somehow made it through. I lost a lot of close family members in this decade (Grandma, Uncle Pat, Aunt Carol, Grandpa) and I miss them every day.

Me throughout the years.

While there were some bad times, I’m getting somewhat sentimental remembering the good times. I was able to live with some amazing friends during college and I’m glad I live closer to them today! It’s crazy thinking how we used to stay out until 3 a.m. many nights; I don’t think I could do that now! We had some awesome and silly times together. I met some great friends at my first real job, and sadly we are all scattered in different places now. I stayed in touch with some high school friends, which has been great. I went on a lot of awesome trips with my mom, Ray, and other family members, and had many fun nights with them in general. I met the love of my life during college and later married him. I got some great in-laws out of this, too! Our child recently came into this world and it’s been wonderful getting to know him and having him in my life. I went on some great trips with friends and family, including Mexico, Michigan, Las Vegas, a road trip to California, Cedar Point, a cruise, San Antonio, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Paris, Miami Beach, Punta Cana, Ireland, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and so on! I swam with dolphins, met the Stanley Cup, found a Corner Bakery not on a corner, went to numerous Cubs games, met Jonathan Toews numerous times, saw friends and family members get married, went parasailing, climbed up the steps of Notre Dame Cathedral, saw the Grand Canyon, got engaged, got married, had a child, and much more.

Me throughout the years.

Even with the bad times, I know I’ll be able to look back on my 20s and smile. They are definitely a time for learning and growing. I don’t regret the bad relationships and I don’t feel stupid about them anymore. In fact, I came out of them a stronger and more confident person (I could still work on the confidence part just a little bit). I used to be so naïve in my early 20s, and feel like I’m out of that phase now. But, I’m still the silly, weird, caring, worrisome, funny, loving, sensitive girl from birth. Just a little bit older. So this decade made me part of who I am today.

What do I look forward to in my 30s? Definitely watching my son grow and taking him to new places. Spending time with family and friends. Spending time with my wonderful and amazing husband. Going to Cuba (which would be absolutely amazing). And watching the Cubs win the World Series. The Blackhawks could win another Stanley Cup, too.

Day 793: January and February Update

Rachel, Day by Day

36-week baby bump!

Hello, friends. I thought it seemed about the right time for an update. Life has been busy and full of ups and downs lately. I can’t believe so many things in life can change in a split second right before your eyes, and you barely have time to see it coming. There’s a glimpse into how things have been lately.

First, I’ll talk about politics, but I’ll be very brief. I’m tired of hearing the name Trump and looking at his face. I never thought he’d last this long. Who’s with me?! Ugh, that’s all I have to say about this at the moment. Except I’m proud of what Obama is accomplishing with Cuba. And I want to meet the Obamas someday. That’s a new life goal.

Here’s a list of highlights and lowlights over the last many weeks.

• I had a very nice baby shower at Wildfire Restaurant near the end of January with my family and friends. The food was delicious! We played Bingo, mingled, ate awesome food, and got some amazing presents for Baby. Everyone has been way too generous! Thanks to my mom for putting it together!
  

  Baby Shower at Wildfire!

• Scott and I have slowly been able to have friends over at our new place over the past few months! Too bad we don’t have time for a housewarming party. Maybe after the baby is born.
• I had another great baby shower a few weeks later with friends and Scott’s family! The decorations and room were adorable; it was a baseball theme! We played some games and ate some awesome baseball park-themed food. I think Baby is doomed to love baseball! Baby got some very nice gifts (except for maybe the Cardinals onesies!) from everyone. Thanks to Stacie, Maggie, and Ashley for throwing such a great shower!
  

  Baby Shower! From left to right: Ashley, me, Stacie, Maggie, Barb, and Kendyl.

• Scott and I had a small Super Bowl Party in early February with family. I made a lot of yummy appetizers and had some Super Bowl trivia for everyone. We played the squares game, too. Uncle Paul, Uncle John, Sydney, Grandpa, my mom, and Ray were able to come. It was a nice time! I liked Coldplay at halftime, too. My favorite commercial was the Doritos one with the dogs. Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW8PmhTcIJk
• Sometime in February, I got locked in our half bathroom. The doorknob decided to stop working. I was having a panic attack since it’s a really small bathroom, but Scott was able to get me out. It wasn’t funny at the time, but it is now!
• Scott and I went to McCormick & Schmick’s Restaurant for Valentine’s Day. They have really good lobster bisque soup! It was a nice evening with my hubby.
  

  Flowers Scott sent to me!

• Scott’s work threw a baby shower for us at Brick House Tavern! That was a really cool place; I’d like to go back sometime. It was great meeting everyone and it was really nice of them.
• My coworkers threw a little shower for me over lunch last week. It was very nice! They gave Baby some very nice gifts. He is spoiled already. I was very surprised!
  

  Awesome cupcakes from coworkers!

• On a sadder note, my grandpa passed away this past Saturday. But, I’ll write about that more in another post.

There’s my update for you. Now to go sleep! It’s late.

Day 791: June Through October Update

Rachel, Day by Day

I went to Wisconsin Dells with my family in September!

I realize I haven’t updated in a long time, so I thought I’d just give you the highlights over the past many months! Here you go.

June

• I got to hang out with Andrea and Kim.
• Steve visited us to watch a Blackhawks game.
• Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup and I watched with family!
• I went to the Blackhawks parade with Hannah and Sydney.
• We spent Scott’s 30th birthday in Normal. We ate crepes and went to Pub II with family!
• We celebrated Scott’s birthday by going to a Cubs vs. Cardinals game in St. Louis.

Cubs vs. Cardinals game for Scott’s birthday!

 July

• I hung out with Brendan, Anne, Kate, and Graham in Lisle.
• We got to hang out with the Koehlers in the Chicago suburbs!
• I got to hang out with Mel, Christina, and Brittany more often and see Grace! And…
• SCOTT AND I FOUND OUT WE ARE HAVING A BABY!!

Our baby announcement!

August

• We had our first baby ultrasound.
• Met my new cousin Duncan Keith. Got to see Champaign friends the same day, too!
• I went to a Cubs vs. Sox game at The Cell. Cubs won!

Our first ultrasound photo.

September

• Got to take my photo with the Stanley Cup!! Then later that night, I went to the Cubs game with Scott, my mom, and Ray!
• I went to Wisconsin Dells with family over Labor Day weekend.
• My friend Stephanie got married on September 12.
• Went to the Cubs game with Steve!
• Went to a Cuban restaurant in honor of my dad’s birthday. Scott accepted a new job offer, too!
• Went to the Apple n’ Pork Fest and saw Kendyl play soccer!
• Uncle John visited a few times!

Me and the Stanley Cup! We are BFFs!

Cubs game with Steve!!

October

• Cubs made it far in the playoffs. I’m proud of them!!
• FOUND OUT ON OCTOBER 31 WE ARE HAVING A BOY!!
• Buying a new house soon and we close soon.

There you go! And I’ll really try to update more often. Goodnight!

Day 788: Arlington Race Track

Rachel, Day by Day

Back in May, I went to Arlington Race Track with family friends! It was a beautiful day as you can see from the photo above. We brought our own food, had some drinks, and enjoyed some fun in the sun. There was a barbecue event going on where you could win a nice grill, but sadly no one in our group won! Oh well.

The ladies at Arlington!

I didn’t bet on every race, maybe just a few. I ended up winning some money on the first race, so I didn’t want to gamble too much after that! It was nice catching up with everyone throughout the day. The race track was packed!

Ready for the next race!

Sometimes I feel bad for the horses that race… I keep assuming they are treated badly, but hopefully I’m wrong! I can’t imagine being a jockey, either. I have no clue how they can bend on the horse like that! That must be horrible for your knees. I wish I could ride a horse again sometime, but sadly I’m allergic.

What a beautiful day!