I'm a mermaid

I can't help it.. I love these little quizzes...

Headstrong and fiesty. You have a mind of your own that's full of romantic dreams about the world around you. Exploring exotic places is your ultimate dream, and although you can be a little naive you'll realize that there is something to be gained from your family's wisdom.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

I was also 11% Mulan (strong and spirited), 22% Cinderella (dignified and hardworking), and apparently not pure/trusting/adventurous/independent/thoughtful/loving/intelligent/kind/free-spirited/wise/charming/witty/passionate or mysterious... dang it.

"And all I could say was, 'hello'..."

Medical school is tough. Being a wife of a medical student is pretty dog on tough too. Luckily I'm sharing this experience with a few ladies. When our husbands are studying non-stop (like this last week in preparation for tomorrow's huge neurology/pharmacology test- good luck, Ben!)  then we get together and have little adventures or just watch really girly movies.

This is Krista and I with Miss Illinois (Katie) - oh yeah! She was at the Taste of Greece in Greektown and I was dying to get a picture. She was very nice and I promised to root for her in January at the Miss America Pageant. Go Katie!

 

Many roasted pigs and legs of lamb in Greektown for their festival. "What?! You eat no meat?! That's okay, I make you lamb."

Andrea, me, Krista next to the symbol of Adler's Planetarium with the downtown in the background.

Chicago has some amazing museums (Art Institute Museum, Field Museum of Natural History, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, Museum of Science and Industry) and even in the winter they'll have weeks where admission is free (since winters here are so harsh they try to get people out). This weekend we had a free pass (because otherwise it'd be really expensive).

 

Here we're on a free trolley (that runs to major tourist attractions) trying to fight the humidity (I really hate that about Chicago).

A few days before going to Greektown and the Planetarium, Krista and I went to Grant Park downtown where they play movies in the park for free in the summer. This night they were playing "An Affair to Remember...." looooooove this movie.

Below is a sideways video (sorry) of the beginning of the movie. Kind of random - I know - but the music is so cute.

Matt, Al, and Rhythmic Gymnastics

I was dying when I saw this video - these two are hilarious! If you don't want to watch the entire thing then start the video around 4 minutes and then watch. 

unintentional high and an amazing concert

Last Saturday we went up to Wisconsin for a Dave Matthew's band concert that was AMAZING. The Black Crowes opened at 7 and played for about 45 min and then Dave Matthews got on at 8:15 and stopped at 11:45! Long and sweet concert but the two hour drive home (after trying to get out of the parking lot for almost two hours) was tough - especially since I drove and Ben slept. Another sucker at this concert was all of the doobage smoking. I've been to plenty of concerts where people have smoked marijuana but Ben and I were surrounded on all sides by them and they puffed all night. We got home and our clothes did not smell like smoke but marijuana smoke... yuck.

This is us before the concert - alert, happy, pre-lung cancer.

This is us after the concert had started for only about an hour - groggy, nauseous, and full of second-hand smoke induced lung cancer.

Crazy dancing lady that knew every word to the Black Crowes' songs and let it move her... literally.

My favorite song - Satellite.

he's a fan of bow ties

Ben LOVES bow ties. He says he's always wanted one for years so my mom got him the smaller looking one that has baseballs on it and he bought the second one the same week. He has about five more on his list from this company that he wants. At first I was hesitant but I think he pulls them off quite nicely - they fit him.

more fun with my guests

 The strong silent type...Good thing Ben wasn't around for this. 

Two timer...

We read about this place in a travel book about having some of the best Chicago dogs and the rudest manners. If you're not fast enough with your order they yell and cuss at you to step aside. They have tip jars that demand a tip with some other choice words. We just had to witness it once.

Some dang fine dogs though...mmmm...(you definitely can only eat one of these once a year or you'd be a hef)

Another thing we read about was this comedy place that tries to do 30 plays in 60 minutes. It's hilarious - when they say a magic word the audience yells out a number from a menu and that's the short play they perform for you. Ben, Laura, and Crystal, all I have to say is "the Canadian" and you know exactly what you're supposed to do!

I look just like him right?

the tornado that ruined our Cub's game

Last week we went to a Cub's game and a storm rolled upon us. At first it was just a rain storm and then we heard the tornado siren. About 2/3 of the fans left and everyone else (including us) stayed for another hour and a half during the storm to see if they'd play again. They came out for another inning or so but the lightning got so bad they all ran off. A lightning bolt even hit the field (but no one was out there).

ballgame + big league chew + racing weiners = fun

Last week when we got back from our vacation we headed up to Milwaukee for a Cubs and Brewer's game. During the middle of the game they had a bunch of hot dogs race each other (polish dog, italian sausage, ballpark, etc).

I even impressed myself with this one. 

Eli and Ben

a camera + a long car ride = sweet pictures

We dropped off Ben's dad and sister Jenna at the airport in Austin and had a little fun on the way there (don't get mad, Jenna!).  

Happy Birthday, Ben! (well almost 2 weeks later)

Opening tickets to a Dave Matthew's Band concert! WooHoo!

The Happiest Place on Earth... again...

Yep, I was feeling exactly how I look.

Ben was this hat every single day we were at Disneyland - it's kind of his thing when we go to Disneyland to wear ginormous hats.

Mmmm...

My sister is on the right and my dad is in the middle. They were the only three that wanted to go on the Tower of Terror (when I went I just about lost my lunch). Ben had a little bit more fun than his pose shows.

I was really hot and I was stuck in a line - 'nuff said.

My niece Emma and I were way pumped for the new 3d Toy Story ride - oh yeah!

Ben and Laura went on all of the scary rides with each other. This one would shoot you up in the air... yuck...
Apparently you get wet on this ride...

That boulder was monstrous and movin' fast.

It never gets old going to Disneyland for us.

My family tends to spell things out with our arms on our first few times on Splash Mountain. This time we spelled out LOVE and my dad made a heart in the backseat. My dad also does some killer spirit fingers. 

One attractive close up, eh?

Oceanside, CA

The two of them just got out of the pool and Hallie (our niece) was awfully cuddly.

The beach was only a few blocks away from the condo we stayed in with my family - I just LOVE California.