Fall Favorites

I've been a busy girl with grad school but I wanted to catch you all up with what I've been doing during my *favorite* season of the year!

Chicago in White
I'm sure you probably saw these pics on my facebook page but just wanted to get them on the blog, too! Chicago in White was at the end of September. It's a pop-up dining experience. You buy tickets and get a white outfit but then meet a secret harmonization point. Once you get there, they give you directions on public transit to the secret location. It was super fun! I went with Liz, Anita, and Diana.

So the cool thing about it was that everyone was all in white and lots of people made these super extravagant centerpieces, but what was not cool about it was that it was in a parking lot surrounded by buildings. The whole idea is that you meet up in a secret awesome place - like down by the river on Michigan Avenue or something. So, I wasn't pleased with the location but it was a fun night with the girls. Note to self: Dress warmer next time!

College Football
I wrote about how I love college football now that I live in Chicago. Saturdays are so fun - all the alumni of all the universities are out in their school colors and having fun. I've made some great friends with the ASU alumni group, and I'm excited that we still have all of November and some games in December, too.

The UP
For those of you city folk who don't know, the UP or Yoop, is the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. You need to take a drive - leave Chicago, head north, go all the way through Wisconsin, pass Green Bay, head just over the Wisconsin-Michigan state line, and then you'll be there.

Head down the street just a little longer and you'll arrive here:

So my dad hates the Cubs, if that's any indication of the mailbox sign. But you know you'll be in the right place if you find his mailbox!

Over the weekend, we got to do lots of fun stuff: see the fall colors, go to a Cranberry Festival, and eat lots of great dinners together. (Thanks for cooking, Dad and Annie!) You know you're a single person when your family makes you dinner and you think, "Wow, I haven't eaten this good in months!"

Annie's cousins Christine and Doug were there too, so I was happy to hang out with them, and we got to go see all the beautiful fall colors. Check them out:

See how all the leaves are covering the path in this pic above? Thank you, government shutdown:

Anyways, the Yoop in the fall is gorgeous...here's a few more:

Dad: Why do girls always put their hand on their hip?
I explained the logic, ladies! : )

Here are some pictures from the Cranberry Festival:

Annie and I got matching hats! Love them!

We also stopped by the place Annie works at: Winks Woods. How do I describe Winks? It's like knick-knacks (is that how you spell that?) on crack. Take a look:

Here's the outside...

And the inside...

The goal I think is to cover every inch of every wall. Now, some of it is like, okay....no. But then I did find this gem I wanted to buy for my classroom:

hhahahaaa. It's just Winks - I love to go every time I'm there, even though I don't really buy anything!

Here's a few more pics from dinner. Christine and Doug - I hope we can do this again!

And Dad, thanks for being a great chef!

Great weekend. Love you guys!

Pumpkin Patch
The best fall thing to do is go to a pumpkin patch, but not just any pumpkin patch - this one...Bengtson's Pumpkin Farm. It was awesome...like the best ever!

So there was lots to do - See baby animals, watch some pig races, take a hay ride, pick a pumpkin, take lots of pics...I went with Kristy, Laurie, and Liz:

Here's some of my best pics...

Super fun day! We had some chili in a bread bowl and hot apple cider. I opted for the non-carving pumpkins and now they decorate my apartment and will last a few months! I think this trip to the suburbs will be an annual one!

And just a couple of other random great things from the last few months. A text from a former student...

Made my first rainbow cake for my mentee:

Happy Birthday Kerry!

And went to country night at Houndstooth with my BFF...super fun night!

So that's about all for now. I'm excited for Halloween with elementary school kids and my cousins this year and my birthday on Friday...should be an awesome week!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

What are you waiting for?

I've been wanting to write this blog for over a week, but haven't had the time. Last week in yoga, they read the following passage, which got me thinking. The following is from The Book of Awakening (Nepo, 2011), on the October 7th entry:

Until We Live It

We come with all these parts

and no instructions on how they go together.

It is so tempting to want the answers before we begin the journey. We like to know our way. We like to have maps. We like to have guides. But we are more like a breathing puzzle, a living bag of pieces, and each day shows us what a piece or two is for, where it might go, how it might fit. Over time, a picture starts to emerge by which we begin to understand our place in the world.

Unfortunately, we waste a lot of time seeking someone to tell us what life will be like once we live it. We drain ourselves of vital inner fortitude by asking others to map our way. At the end of all this stalling, though, we each have to venture out and simply see what happens.

The instructions are in the living, and I confess that of all the times I thought I liked this or didn't care for that, not one was my choosing or yours. For as the Earth was begun like a dish breaking, eternity is that scene slowly reversing, and you and I and the things we're drawn to are merely the pieces of God unbreaking back together.

For a real long time, before I dated my ex, I was always waiting and waiting for it to happen to me - for me to meet someone so I, as I thought, could get on with my life. I want a great marriage, and a house with my best friend, and maybe a kid one day. I want a  backyard and a puppy. I want to have two incomes supporting us so we can travel and have our kids experience all the amazing things in like that we enjoyed as kids. Up until after my breakup, I was always living in the future....waiting on the thing to happen that would change everything.

And then I met my ex and things were great - as far as everyone knew. I let a lot of things go that I shouldn't have, until I just couldn't anymore. We broke up and even though we only half way wanted to, we knew it was for the best.

But then a crazy thing happened. I found myself. I mean, I knew myself prior, but it's different now. I found yoga and my blogs. I began to have interests all my own, and find new friends who call me to do things all the time. I have great friends at work who I seriously love. And a job that I love every day. Seriously, I love my job every day. (Maybe not every moment of every day, but yeah....mostly all day.) I went back to school, and even though I hate doing the homework, I love collaborating with a new group of professors and teachers from all around the city.

I started planning lots of things - going to see the fall in the Northwoods with my family and a new Halloween costume with my cousin. I finally said yes to Europe with Heather, and even though it's bleeding me dry, I'm really going!!

Most importantly, I learned where my boundaries with others fall. Now I know exactly what is okay - those things I can let slide - and what's absolutely not okay. Obviously my next relationship will be totally different because it will be someone new, but it will also be different because it won't be one person having the final say most of the time. I definitely have more opinions about what will (and will not) be okay.

I guess I had to have this break up to learn this lesson. You can't wait for the other shoe to drop for things to start. You have to embrace where you are each day. Today I'm thankful for a breakfast with two great friends whom I miss tons, yoga at 1:30, and Breaking Bad. Kristi called and I'm going to watch the ASU game with her tonight. I'll get to the homework tomorrow.

So I ask: What are you waiting for to happen so something can begin? Are you waiting for your next great love? A proposal? A new house? A baby? Are you waiting for enough money to plan a trip or some other big event? Are you putting off what's great about today because you need to first experience something in the future?

Find a way to enjoy all the blessings that are in the present moment. Now that I've began looking at things this way, my outlook is so much different. I feel so much more content with all the great things I do have. I think you will, too.

The craziest thing about all of this: The more I think in this way, the more amazing things happen to me. Perhaps I should buy a lottery ticket!

Now, let's hope the Sun Devils don't screw up another game....I'm hoping us ASU fans will be blessed again tonight and for the rest of the season! 

Happy Saturday!

Letters

***** SPOILER ALERT*****

If you haven't finished watching Dexter and are planning to, skip this blog.

Dear NEIU,
I love learning new things, but I hate doing homework. Please go easy on the readings, especially from this book:

Dear Professor Stirling,
You are amaze-balls! I love that you have gotten to know us, are available to help us, and that you love your job. I think you are my new fave teacher!

Dear Other Professor,
I will give you this: You know your content. That being said, you are not one of my fave teachers because you don't give clear expectations. It also seems like you're kinda burned out on teaching this class, so perhaps this should be your last go-around? It doesn't make us feel good when you say things like, "Come'on guys, I don't want to read a philosophy paper that is *that* long." Please note: I'm keeping anecdotal notes for your evaluation....

Dear Fall in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan,
I love you! Your colors are beautiful and I love to hear the crunching of leaves under my feet. I will make it a point to spend time with you each and every year!

Dear Dad and Annie,
Thanks for having me this weekend and I really appreciate the gas money! I had a super fun time, especially meeting Annie's cousin (cousins - is Doug your cousin?) and our long talks about lots of things. I'm glad the stepmonster and I have matching hats, too! Thanks also for all the food and the laundry services!

Dear Dexter,
I hated season 8. The whole thing made me real sad. And then the ending? Perhaps I need to look deeper into it...

Dear Yoga,
I miss you! I haven't been in over a week and I'm not sure I'm going to make it again tonight. I'm hoping tomorrow!

Dear DT,
Thank you for sending my letter of recommendation and filling out those three forms I needed for my application to the Admin Program. You're seriously one of my best mentors ever, and I'm glad that we are still connected after all this time! Next time you need any kind of favor - please dial my number!

Dear Breaking Bad,
The dynamics between Walt and Jesse are awesome. I love your show, and if I weren't procrastinating my homework by writing this blog, I'd probably be procrastinating by watching your show. 

Dear blog,
I love you. And I love finding the pics that go in the blog. Sometimes, I sit here laughing at these pics all by myself, and that's entertainment enough. Glad we found one another!

Dear myself,

Go do your homework!