Shout Out to The 'Rents

Quick shout-out to my parents. . .they helped me install (strike that: they did it, I watched and stayed out of the way) our flagpole on the house to replace the broken one left by the previous owner. See picture to the right. We did this Saturday night. . . which was Dad's birthday. . . it took until about 9:30 PM . . . and this was after they drove me home from Indiana because Matt had the car. . .but let's face it, it's not like that even mattered since I don't drive.

I tell ya, I start to feel really bad about this spoiled rotten only child thing sometimes. So thanks Mom and Pops - much appreciated as always! We finally fit in the neighborhood after a year with our very own stars and stripes!

Matt and John's Big Adventure

Matt and John went to see Motocross in St. Louis Saturday night - which was a Christmas present to John (from Christmas '07, but better late than never!). They had a great time and even hit Cozy Dogs, the Route 66 mainstay and inventor of the corn dog. (Fun fact "Cars" movie fans: they combined Cozy Dogs with a couple of motels out West to inspire the Cozy Cone drive-in motel. I learned this on a road trip of my own last year.)


Some pics of high-flying adventures and a cute one of some father and son bonding motocross-style!

I Wore a Cubs Hat to the South Side Irish Parade. And Survived.

It's our first St. Patrick's Day celebration in Beverly, and our first-ever South Side Irish Parade! After a hearty breakfast with Matt, Mom and Dad, I took my life into my hands and wore a Cubs hat to the "Sox Side Irish" Parade. BEAUTIFUL day and great fun. Dad even got some use out of a hoodie they got in Dublin when we were there for the Marathon in '06. Though we were on the tamer, family (i.e., "dry") side of the route, there were plenty of entertaining moments both in and out of the Parade itself.

We cheered the many bagpipers and laughed at everything from a little girl waving a Jameson flag to Dorothy and the Tin Man, who represented the Sheet Metal Workers Union.











The parade, just like our neighborhood (which a banner proclaimed "the best in Chicago"), is lively, proud, civic-minded and has a great sense of humor!

To Do in 2009

While attending the Chicago Garden Show on Saturday, Matt and I started to discuss making a list of things we wanted to do in 2009. Well, things we wanted to do that are economy-approved, that is!

So far, I have the following:
-Go to South Side Irish Parade (this weekend!!)
-Visit Modern Wing at The Art Institute once it opens
-Visit Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
-Visit Chicago Botanical Garden - clearly some of them stemmed (no pun intended) from the Garden Show
-See show at the Beverly Arts Center
-Go to the Iowa State Fair
-Camp and kayak the Apostle Islands

Definitely my fur child. . .

I have a habit, that those who have lived with me during the winter may recall, of sitting in front of the heating vent to warm up. Harper has started to do the same which I think is very smart.

At least somebody was using the treadmill!

Easing back into the Oscar Party

The Oscar Party I used to throw (back in my single days on Cullom) has been on hiatus (as they say in the biz) for several years now given space constraints and what-not. Now that we have the house (and cable television), we're easing back in to it slowly. :) We kept the tradition of movie food and the competition of who got the most picks right on their ballots. Matt squeaked by (my) Dad to win by one vote. Matt would like to thank the Academy, and especially Sean Penn for helping him attain this honor of Oscar voting champ.

What Diane really does on business trips

It's a Blackberry photo, so a bit grainy, but it captures the essence. I was at a conference in Nawlins and they had an alligator (I think, could be some other species. . . I should probably have asked the hubby) so I of course made a beeline to hold it. He was so cute. I felt bad about his little mouth being taped shut, though I recognized it was probably for the best as no one could blame the little guy for taking a bite out of one of us.