Freebies in Andersonville

I'll be honest, I've always known that I'm pretty good at getting things that I want, especially when it comes to retail or food service.  However, last night took the cake.  I was at my finest. 

Eric's parents came into town last night for his step-brother's birthday.  Dan and Chelsea live up in Andersonville, so they made reservations at Anteprima on Clark St.  Eric and I got there a little early and went next door to Acre for a drink.  Once Kathy, Bob, Chelsea and Dan arrived I talked the host into getting us a table (there were none left that sat 6), and we sat down for drinks.  And sat. And sat.  Anteprima was supposed to come get us as soon as our table was ready (they're owned by the same people), but at about 8:35, five minutes after our reservation, she came in and said that the people at our table just ordered dessert and they weren't sure how long it was going to be.  So we started scrambling, as by now we were all hungry.  Bob and Kathy have some dietary restrictions, and it was 9:00 on a Friday - neither of which left us with many options. 

We decided to go over to the restaurant and stand in the waiting area in hopes that it would spur on a little movement from the host or the people at our table.  I went inside to talk to the host, and the manager happened to be standing right there. I think I've figured out the key is to start a little bitchy, but then start kissing ass as quickly as possible.  So that's what I did.  I asked him about our table and told him that we were already 20 minutes past our reservations, and that we had shown up at 7:30 and been waiting for the past hour.  Then I turned on the charm and told them how our parents were in from out of town and had been driving all day, and were starving.  I said no matter how much we desperately wanted to stay and eat there, we were going to have to cancel our reservations.  The manager told me to wait, that if we had to cancel he at least wanted to give us a gift certificate.  He left for a moment and came back with a hand-written $100 gift certificate.  That deserved a hug. 

I walked out and handed it to Danny with a "Here's the best birthday present ever."  It was pretty amazing, I have to admit. 

A little scary . . .

So, living in Chicago brings both the good and the bad.  I was on my way home from work today, driving down Kedzie, and noticed a group of high schoolers all dressed in white walking quickly down an abandoned part of the road toward another group of kids dressed in red.  My initial thought was,  "Boy that's a little strange and rather disturbing."  Not 15 seconds later, as I was driving down the road, I heard three gunshots and saw a dozen or more people scatter like jack rabbits.  As I drove, I saw people come out of their businesses looking in the direction of the shots, and then a cop car screamed by.  There was no denying it.  I just drove by a gang shooting.  About a minute later five more cop cars pulled out from the local high school with their lights flashing, where a group of women stood anxiously awaiting some news.  Then an ambulance, fire truck and another ambulance.  My heart was racing and I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that this is just over a mile from my school.

The not so good part of living in Chicago.

Chicago Tribune article

The beach and Frances'

This picture is definitely not from my wanderings this morning, but I just downloaded some pictures from my camera and thought this came out really well.  I went for a long walk up to North Avenue Beach a couple weeks ago and took this from a pier that goes quite a ways into the water.

This morning I went to breakfast at Frances' with Joy.  They honestly had some of the most heavenly french toast I have had in quite a while.  We walked in and were a little shocked by how loud it was - it seemed as if all the noise was just reverberating off the season.  But once you get used to it, you can really enjoy the atmosphere.  It's a great little deli that has been in Lincoln Park for almost 80 years that has outside seating and a room where the front window completely opens up.  It was so beautiful this morning (about time!) that everything was opened up and the breeze was absolutely lovely.  Joy had a great fried egg sandwich with spinach, avocado and loads of other goodness.  The Bloody Mary was the perfect amount of spiciness with plenty of goodies and the coffee kept coming.  It was reasonably priced, and I will definitely be going back to this place SOON.

Least favorite things . . .

One of my least favorite things about moving, especially to a big city, is finding new "things."  New mechanics.  New doctors.  New dentists. New vets.  New everything.  I am still in that phase where everything is being replaced, and as I have been so busy over the school year, it is all piling up this summer.  Something is wrong with my left tire, and I have to find a mechanic to fix it.  First of all, I HATE HATE HATE dealing with car stuff.  Secondly, EVERYTHING is so expensive in the city, and thirdly I don't trust the majority of mechanics.  I have to do this as soon as possible, as I really would prefer my tire not fall off while driving down Lake Shore Drive.

On a positive note, most of my "news" have been taken care of in the past two weeks, and this is probably one of the last ones.  Here's hoping things go smoothly.

Birthday Extravaganza!

Saturday was Eric's 35th birthday.  We have both slacked off over the past few years in terms of holidays and birthdays, so I decided to crank the dial up a little.  This weekend was also our friend Cate's birthday, so her husband Russ and I took matters into our own hands and planned a birthday extravaganza for the two of them.

The morning started out fairly normal, until Cate and Russ arrived at about 2pm.  We had decided to go to the aquarium, dinner, concert in the park and wrap the whole night up with "The Dark Knight Rises."  Once they got here, we headed out to the station on Fullerton and decided to take the Brown Line downtown because it's such a pretty view.  I had never been on the brown line past Chicago Ave, and they weren't kidding!  What an incredible view of the city.  No more pee-smelling-dark-and-dingy red line for me; I have been revolutionized.  Once we arrived downtown, we hiked over the Shedd Aquarium, cutting through Grant Park and waiting in line for at least 30 minutes before we could even go inside.  For one of Eric's birthday presents I bought him a member pass, and right then and there he started giggling, he was so excited.  They had extended the Jellies exhibit, and the first time we went through there were so many people that I kept stepping on toes and knocking over children.  We went downstairs and looked at the otters, dolphins (a new baby this year!!) and Beluga wales, then went back up to where the Jellies had thinned out considerably.  It was amazing to see these curious creatures.   

We spent a few hours there and as they closed, we realized that not only were we hungry, but our feet were KILLING us, so we decided to go find some dinner.  Somehow, not one of us realized how hard it was to find a place to eat at 6:30 on a Saturday night in the South Loop.  We found a small diner on Plymouth near the library and gorged ourselves, forgetting that our backpacks were filled with food for the concert. 

About 7:50 we made it over to the Grant Park Music Festival where Danny (Eric's step-brother) was waiting.  It was just lovely to sit on the grass, talk, enjoy some food and listen to live music.  Going to the concerts has quickly become one of my favorite things to do in the city.  It is always stunning to me how many people show up.  What an incredible time.

After the show, we caught a cab to the Icon Theater at Roosevelt and Clark to see the "Dark Knight Rises."  It's a relatively nice theater with a lounge and bar/restaurant area upstairs that has an AMAZING view of the city.  Our show started at 10:45, so we had a drink upstairs and then found our reserved seats.  I have to admit, I was a little nervous throughout the entire movie given the fact that the shooting in Colorado had happened just days beforehand.  I did notice, however, that there was a security guard sitting in the theater with a gun and handcuffs through the entire show.  Probably not necessary, but it definitely put my mind at ease.

By the time we all got back to my place, we were so exhausted we just collapsed on the couch.  I had not anticipated that much walking or how muggy it was going to be.  After a quick, cool shower I climbed into bed and passed out until 11:00 the next morning.  A true abnormality for me.  As I say almost every day, I LOVE living in this city.

Way too emotional

Today has been one of those days where I am far too emotional and have absolutely no idea why.  I blew up at Eric this afternoon even before he got home from work, and then when he was on his way to Chris' house-warming party I lost it again.  I'm not quite sure what's going on . . . I'm not PMSing, summer has been great, I've enjoyed my time off, but for some reason I was an emotional wreck today.

I think that I'm just unhappy with myself, feeling very self-conscious and really not enjoying the fact that I'm getting older.  When it comes to getting old, it's not something to look forward to when you're a Simmons.  I have to start working on my health more rigorously and come up with a plan so as not to end up like my mom and grandmother.  I see it coming every day and it scares the crap out of me.  Eric was going to a house-warming party with one of his band members who has a gorgeous condo in the west loop and works for an advertising company, as well as being 24 years old.  I was so insecure, I didn't even want to go.  What the hell is wrong with me?  I am not this person.  I am usually so level-headed and rational.  Must be a full moon or something . . . .

8th grade graduation??

Today was a brand new experience.  My kids graduated this morning at Roosevelt University Auditorium Theater down on Michigan Avenue.  It was HUGE.  There were 477 graduates, and each of them brought up to 5 guests.  All in all, probably 1500 people in the audience.  There were caps and gowns and diploma covers and valedictorian speeches; the works.  It was incredibly odd to have all this hoopla for 8th grade, yet strangely exciting.  Michigan doesn't do 8th grade graduation, and I have never seen this much investment into a graduation.  However,most of the students are going to an incredibly good high school and honestly have a chance of making it all the way through high school.  This fact alone probably warrants the show.  They want to make sure the students know how important it is that they are going off to high school and entering the next phase of their lives.  For the first time in five years, I was so proud of, and hopeful for, each and every one of my students.  This year challenged them beyond anything they were accustomed to, and they rose to the challenge. 

It's interesting because in the past I have always worked hard because that's just what I do.  However, it has been very difficult to go above and beyond due to the fact that I knew statistically that only 1/2 of my kids would graduate high school.  That's a little discouraging to someone who sinks their heart and soul into what they do.  Be that person me, or any teacher out there.  Knowing that half of your kids are being set up to fail is frustrating.  This year, on the other hand, the high schools that they are attending have 80% or higher graduation rates, so there is a near guarantee that each one of them will graduate in four years.  This alone makes me want to put in the extra time to give them that extra edge.  I was truly a proud mama today. 

I told my "difficult" boys today that if they brought me their first quarter report cards with all A's that I would take them out for dinner.  We'll see how that goes :-)  Honestly, I'm pretty excited to see how things are different next year now that Jessica and I have figured out what we're doing.  What a great end to a challenging year!

Reflecting . . .

I want to be as amazing as Robin Williams' is in Dead Poets' Society.  I want to be that teacher.  How does this happen?  What must I do?

Bus Rides

The total number of bus rides I have had to take this week with the kids is getting a bit ridiculous.  AND I have to get on another bus with them this morning. 

Tuesday:  To and from 8th grade luncheon
Thursday: To and from McCormick place for "Summer Reading Kick-Off"
Friday:  To and from the soccer field for their weekly indoor Soccer class

I woke up with a stress headache just thinking about this.  Probably doesn't help that buses give me motion sickness.  12 more hours until I am home and relaxing. 

Fainting and teenagers

My teaching partner fainted today.  In the middle of class.  This, was a completely new experience for me, and apparently one that happens somewhat regularly for her.  Would have been nice to know a little earlier this year, Jess!  :-)

So, my kids and I were having a nice, calm conversation about their dress code at the luncheon this coming Tuesday, when Norma BURST into my room yelling, "Ms. Forster!  Ms. Hanzlik just fainted and is laying on the ground!"  Instantly, 8 of my boys jump out of their desk and started running toward the door.
"SIT DOWN NOW!"  I said to them as forcefully as I could.  The class was in their seat and quiet within 3 seconds.  I turned back toward Norma, and with a look of sheer terror in her eyes, she followed me back into the other room where I found10 kids standing around Jessica freaking out.  Suddenly I realized that I have no idea what to do.  64 horrified students and Jessica laying on the floor, white as a ghost . . what the hell do I do?     Calmly, yet sternly, I ordered everyone back to their seats and knelt down beside her.  I toldone of the girls to call the office, and after 2 or 3 tries, they somehow could not get the phone to work and came back out into the room.  "Go.  Run down to the office and tell Ms. Perez,"  and they took off sprinting down the hallway.  I looked straight at Danna and told her to go get Mr. Denneen.  Suddenly I hear shouting coming from my own classroom, in the form of what sounded like them telling each other to shutup.  I stopped what I was doing, walked over, threatened them with silent work for all of next week if I had to come back in there again.  They were instantaneously quiet.  Stupid kids.  :-)

 After what seemed like an eternity (in reality about 30 seconds) of stroking her hair and calling her name, she opened her eyes.  Face still white as a ghost, she said "Yeah, I'm okay," and closed her eyes again.  I was fully expecting her to sit up, or at least attempt to, but no. She closed her eyes again and just laid there.  About a week later, she started to stir and moved her hands and legs a bit.  At this point, I look up to find Sandra and Jenny standing in the classroom, while Jessica is trying to sit up.  Thankfully, she didn't hit her head when she fell.  By the time I go outside to talk to Nubia and Tom, she was sitting up and talking.  She didn't want to take the day off, she just went in the office and sat for a while.

Apparently the last time this happened was the first day of grad school in Oxford.  Yikes.  At least this time she had friends around her!  After everything was said and done, I had my kids read for a few minutes and I just sat down at my table, laughed and cried at the same time. 

Survival Mode

Survival mode.  Looking for things to take my mind off the task at hand.  Is that bad of me?

Going up to Grand Traverse Bay is by far my favorite thing in the world to do.  At this very moment I can picture driving down the hill to the house with my windows open.  I can smell the water before I even see it.  As I get closer, the air becomes cooler and the waves become louder.  My car is barely in park before I jump out of it and get as quickly as I can to the front of the deck.  The sun is just beginning to set and I take a deep breath and close my eyes, letting the serenity wash over me.  This is my happy place.  Those moments when I need a scrap of peace, this is exactly where I go.  Interestingly enough, this scene has been repeated over and over throughout my life, and is one of the very few things that never seems to change.  It always gives me a sense of solidarity.  I love knowing that there are somethings in this crazy world that don't change.  I don't have a picture with me, but the one posted above is incredibly close to the image I keep in my mind of our own beach.

Next time I am there, I will be celebrating my nephew's birthday, playing with the kids in the water, knitting on the porch and reading in front of the fire place.  My own little slice of heaven. 

Summer Reading List.

Summer goes closer and closer with each passing day.  So close I can taste the freedom. 

However, the stark reality is that I still have 12 days left of school.  Twelve.  Long.  Days.  SO, in order to keep my sanity in tact I have started blogging regularly.  Hopefully this will not stop when the summer actually arrives, but I need this life raft for the time being. 

Today I have been thinking about my Summer Reading List.  In my class I will be discussing this very soon with my students, so I thought I would get a head start.  Granted, I only have 5 weeks this summer to read, but might as well shoot for the stars.  Here it goes.

For Myself
Infidel - recommended by my amazing teaching partner Jessica Hanzlik along with . . .
A Border Passage
Kite Runner - has been sitting on my shelf for years (yes, one of thoooose books)
Alice, I have been - sent to me by my dear friend Carrie Smith, whose opinion I trust implicitly

For my Literature Circles
Black Like Me - recommended by Jenny Knol for my higher level kids next year
Warriors Don't Cry - I put this on my shelf this year to see how the kids would respond to it and I've gotten positive feedback so far . . . I think it's a keeper
A Long Way Gone - recommended by Jenn Lundin, and again, I put it on my shelf for the kids and they have loved it!
I am the Cheese - a book used by Nancie Atwell in her reading workshop.  If she approves it, I'll try it.
That was Then, This is Now - recommended by Sandra Medina as an alternative to The Outsiders

Instructional Books
Teach Like a Champion - I just have to see what all the hype is about
Teaching Adolescent Writers - I need to work on my writing workshop and I'll take all the help I can get!
So, What Do they Really Now? - I found this book by Cris Tovani about assessments, and thought it might have some good information.  I do love her other stuff. . .

I know, I know.  This is a pretty lofty list for only having 5 weeks, but I think I may put the books on my Ipod for when I'm driving back and forth to up north.  
 

Snake juice and The Flu

On really tough days the only thing I want when I come home are a glass of wine, tasty food, Snake Juice and The Flu.  Let me explain. 

Eric and I have recently discovered Parks and Rec, and to be honest, are completely in love.  He claims that the reason he finds the show so funny is because I am Leslie Knope.  Strangely enough, when I watch it, I find myself connecting to her in a way that I rarely connect to female characters in any media.  My two favorite episodes are Snake Juice (technically called "The Fight") and The Flu (technically called "The Flu").  Every single time I see Ron Swanson drunk-dancing with a teeny little french hat on his head, I lose it.  I think I have now watched that episode ten times, and it still makes me laugh out loud during the last 15 minutes.  "The Flu" on the other hand gives me hope because Leslie is such a badass.  Giving a 10 minute speech to all the business owners in Pawnee, while burning up with 104 degree temperature, gives me the kick in the butt that I need.

Having said all that, today was a Snake Juice and Flu day.  I needed to laugh out loud and I needed a shot in the arm of encouragement. A moment to forget everything, and a moment to realize that I am a badass and can do anything I put my mind to.  The thing is, the kids were not awful today, as I have seen them be in the past, but they were just getting on my last nerve.  Jessica was gone today and I was not only trying to fight my own class' laziness, but I was also trying to keep hers under control.  Sometimes I wonder why it is that they cannot just chill out and make good decisions.  Can anyone answer that question?  Why can't they just do the right thing because it's the right thing to do?

For example, I have a student named Ricky who has earned himself two days of working in the office alone.  This all came after he earned 4 detentions last week, and has earned 3 more this week.  He simply refuses to think about ANYTHING besides his own immediate gratification.  At one point today, I look up to see him sneaking out of the office and kneeling next to a desk at one of the stations, hoping I would not see him.  Seriously?  That earned him an additional day of solitude.  

As raw as my nerves were when I came home, I have realized, after a dose of my own home remedies, that I must live to fight another day.  This is not personal, their just junior highers.  They need more structure now than they did a month ago, and I'm just going to have to push them in order to get the results I need.  It's not personal, it's business.  Strange how these things so often do become personal . . .

At least I know that I have Snake Juice and The Flu waiting for me tomorrow.  And only 13 days left of school.

Barrel of Monkeys

I learned something new today.  A group of monkeys is called a troop or a barrel.  I was trying to think of a way to describe my kids this afternoon, and this phrase is what popped into my head.  Little did I know, it is the literal term.

Three weeks left of school.  The kids know this.  The teachers know this.  Everyone knows this.  What we also know is that the majority of the schools in the neighborhood are already finished and their 8th graders graduated this weekend.  Try motivating 64 eighth graders to complete research on a Chicago history topic while their peers are running around enjoying their summer vacation.  Needless to say today was not entirely successful.

I have really grown to love these kids.  They have worked harder for Jessica (my amazing teaching partner) and I than I could have ever imagined and they've got the scores to prove it.  They're goofy, loveable and hard-working.  They're turning into snarky 9th graders, which normally, I think is hysterical.  Today was not that day.  My wonderful afternoon class (whom I NEVER have problems with) came into my room this afternoon like a barrel of monkeys, and despite my absolute best efforts I COULD NOT GET THEM ON TASK.  That is, until I threatened to take away their specials this week if they didn't get their work done.  They quieted down for a while, so I turned on a little music in the background (I despise a silent classroom).  Before I know it, the monkeys returned.  I turned off the music and made them work in silence.  It was an unbelievably boring afternoon.

Like I said, a love-hate relationship.

Breakfast in the city

One of my absolute favorite things about living in this bustling city is the fact that I can wake up on a lazy Sunday morning, walk 3 blocks in any direction and sit down for a delicious breakfast. We were going to try a different place this morning, so we walked up Lincoln Ave to the "Salt and Pepper Diner," only to find it closed for remodeling. Well shit. So we headed east to Clark for some pancakes at "Orange with a Peel," and halfway there we changed our mind. The orange is a pretty fancy brunch place, and we wanted biscuits and gravy with french toast. Plain and Simple. So we headed south down Halstead and eventually hit the "Uptowner" on Lincoln about a block from the house. It was perfect. Got a good walk in and had a simple breakfast of greasy food to kill the slight wine hangover.

I cannot begin to express how much I love living here. I don't think I have ever been this happy in a single location. Yes, this year has been incredibly stressful at work, but next year will be immeasurably easier. The biggest difference between here and Phoenix is that I'm not miserable at work AND miserable in the city. It makes things a quite a bit more tolerable.

A tale of two cities.

I have spent the last five days in the desert, and it was an incredible confirmation that I made the right choice in moving this year. I had forgotten how ugly, boring and routine Phoenix actually is. It is the definition of urban-sprawl, and I hated being there. Don't get me wrong, I had an amazing time with Jenn and Caitlyn. Got some hiking in (I desperately miss that part!) and spent time with some good friends, but geez is it good to be back. The difference between the two cities is indescribable. I came back to people walking around on the streets, green lawns and blossoming trees. The smell of rain in the air and an incredible view of the lake. As opposed to barren, brown, flat and empty fields. Scrub brushes and cactus. Strip malls and mega shopping centers. How I made it four years, I will never know.

Not to mention the fact that I was actually proud of my school and life while I was there. As we discussed work and our jobs, I couldn't help but be excited about the place I work and all the good things that are happening there. For the first time in four years, I was not embarrassed or frustrated with my school. I was not dreading going back to work on Monday, and did not have to take part in the endless, brutal gossip circle. I was very unsure of what this year would bring, but in all honesty, I would not change it for the world.

Pushing them even more. . . .

The last four months have been spent pushing my kids harder than they've ever worked before. My teaching partner and I have taken them to levels that I don't think they've ever been. It has been an incredibly hard road, but we've hung in there and are seeing some amazing results. They're starting to get accepted to high schools (GOOD high schools), they're becoming more responsible, they're test scores are increasing, and they're working harder. Like I said, it's been a rough couple months.

The funny thing is, the next four months are the hard part. This is very difficult for Jessica and I to imagine, but it's true. Not only do we have to get them ready for high school (incredibly challenging high schools at that), but we are also going to be dealing with "senioritis." And so it begins.

This week we've added two new things to our rooms. I have started a "9th grade Reading" book shelf, accompanied with a list of standard 9th grade literature. I'm very excited to see what kinds of things they choose and if they are really going to be up for that challenge. This thrills me. I've never had the opportunity to share really incredible literature with my students, and I cannot wait to start showing them some of my favorites.

Jessica and I are both adding a chart that tells everyone what schools the kids have been accepted to. It's the size of a wall, and whenever they get accepted to a different high school they can add it under their name. We've been desperately trying the route of positive reinforcement over negative, and it seems ot be working. I think this will be something they can be proud of, not to mention the reality check that they will get each time they look at it - ONLY FOUR MORE MONTHS. I'm excited to see how the kids respond!

Finally leaving the house . . .

The last few weeks have been crazy busy (as usual), with the end of the quarter looming. This week I decided I was going to leave the house, as opposed to my normal routine of waking up at 5AM, going to work for 13 hours, coming home, eating, grading papers and passing out. It's time to get out and about!

On Wednesday I met the knitters up at Brehon Pub on Wells Street just outside of downtown. It's a small little pub with minimal tv's which are turned all the way down. We usually take the back room and the waitress knows us by name. Special for the day: Fat Tire $4 and Pulled Pork Sandwich $5.50. A perfect dinner for the week I've had this week! I've been working on my first fair-isle scarf for Holly's birthday (which was yesterday). The progress has been slow, but it's coming along. I think this outing alone took me through the rest of the week successfully.

This weekend is going to be just what I needed. I slept for about 10 hours last night (a little sleep deprived, I think) and did not even move until about 6:00 this morning. This morning I'm going to meet Cate at "Orange with a Peel," do some shopping at Ann Taylor Loft, and then head home for maybe a nap and some lounging. Tonight, I'm meeting Joy up at Bloke's and Birds for a few drinks and time with friends. It's been so long since I've been out and about in the city, that I'm really looking forward to it.

2012 already?

My intention was to start the new year with a new post and new insights. Didn't quite happen.

So here we are at the end of January, almost the end of the second quarter and I've been in the city for just a bit over 6 months. I still cannot believe that I live in this city. I still walk down the street, look around and am amazed. I know that there will be bad days, but I hope I don't lose this feeling for a very very long time.

It is currently 7 degrees outside and feels like -9, with the expectation of 4 - 6" of snow tomorrow. So this is a Chicago winter. Last weekend we got 8 inches of snow, it melted off, and now we are to get 6 more. Welcome back to the midwest. I don't mind it so much, except that my thin Arizona blood has not quite thickened up for this yet. I'm freezing my ass off! I must admit though, I do appreciate the fact that our building is all windows. With it getting dark so early, I can't imagine being back in a concrete building with no windows. I think I would go crazy.

Mom and Dad came out last weekend for the first time. We had a great time, and did lots of incredible things. I think they were a little overwhelmed by the city, as they haven't been here in over 30 years. When they arrived, they met me at school and I gave them the grand tour. I must admit, it's a pretty impressive building with great things to brag about! We went back and met Eric for dinner up on Clark St. at Galway Arms (great local Irish pub with great food). On Saturday we decided to go to the Museum of Science and Industry down in Hyde Park. I was trying to find something that dad would enjoy (as well as mom), and this seemed like just the right place. When we got down there, we realized that the U-505 boat was there and bought tickets to tour the inside. It was quite a tour! The museum has built an entire underground wing to host this U-boat with a HUGE exhibit. Dad was completely enthralled the entire time. We also saw the Rocky Mountain Express at the Imax theater about the Canadian Railroad going through the Rockies. It was impressive as well. After the museum, I took them to Lou Malnati's on Lincoln Ave. for some authentic Chicago-style pizza. Delicious. As always.

On Sunday we went out to brunch at Orange with a Peel (my favorite brunch place so far), and then to the Episcopal church on Fullerton. While breakfast was delicious, I need to remember that dad prefers a more traditional breakfast for next time. It was a little to "tastefull" for him . . . pear, cucumber, orange, pecans, cinnamon-maple, ginger, etc. A bit too much. Church was interesting though, cold in the building, but interesting. After church we headed over to the Navy Pier and walked out onto the end. I have not been out there yet, and it was probably too cold to do it on Sunday, but we had a great time! The lake is so beautiful, it doesn't even matter what time of year. When we finally went back inside the peer, we had Chicago-style hot dogs and Garrett's popcorn. Couldn't get any better for a Sunday afternoon.

Finally, on Sunday night, we went to see "Million Dollar Quartet" at the Apollo Theater. It was a show about Johnny Cash, Elivs Presley, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis meeting at the Sun Records studio in the 50's, and creating a recording together. It was very well done, with all live music, which dad loved. A perfect ending to a wonderful weekend. They went home on Monday morning, after making pancakes and eggs for breakfast.

Even though we had a fantastic time, I am desperately looking forward to this weekend full of nothing. Drinks with the girls on Friday night, lesson plans and grading papers on Saturday and brunch with the knitting girls on Sunday. It will be nice to have nothing to do for the first time in a month.