Out with the Old & In with the New

Whew...I am legit tardy on my blog updates, and have 0.0 excuse (other than the fact I've been tre busy).  Last week flew by, busy as ever at work and before I knew it, Labor Day Weekend was upon us.  Wasn't it just yesterday that I was yip yapping about good ol' Mem Day Weekend?  Huh.

So, allow me to re-cap for those of you that care to hear about my adventures (because, as you're well aware, there's never a dull moment at Casa Batch).  Friday I jet setted out of work early to start off my amaze weekend.  My Birchwood bestie Megan and I met at my fav watering hole Market to do what we do best...analyze everything whilst drinking bubbly.  2 1/2 bottles plus, mind you.  This was captured just before bottle #2

Best.Night.Ever.  Coasting into Saturday, I was rested and ready to move my in-laws.  Saturday was also, quite possibly, the hottest, most humid day of the century.  But, I put my big girl pants on and got it done.  Moving 16 years of love and life from one home to another was not without its challenges (or emotions, as this was my husband's family home and where he lived when the magic began 13+ years ago).  But, it was time to move on and the new home is more fab in all the best ways <3

Saturday night was another ridic fun time with my bestie Rena in Wicker Park at Prasino's for our friend Natasha's 30th birthday party.  This included sushi, Prosecco and even a decadent cake all in honor of our girl Tash.

Sunday brought us back to the in-laws to help some more & then Monday was spent cleaning our house and me starting the planning of this year's Halloween costume gala.  Yes, you read that right, gala.  Not to be confused with party.  I have already hand crafted the invites, which are just begging to be mailed.  All the while planning the redec of our 2nd bedroom.  So much to be done, purchased, refurbed etc.  As this blog is appropriately entitled...out with the old & in with the new.  In more ways than one.

This past Labor Day weekend we had nothing ridic planned, but it turned out to be one of the best weekends I have had in a long time...and the fact that it was spent in the company of some of the best gals a girl could hope for, is not lost on me.  Grant it, we all have our "stuff", and the last few months have certainly been a roller coaster...however, at the end of the day, I wouldn't trade places with anyone.  Not for all the money in the world.

Back To Business

Howdy y'all!  I cannot begin to tell you the deliciousness of last week...words cannot express how in need I was of this vacay and man, did we have an amaze time.  Birchwood never disappoints.  Never.  We have been going up for over 25 years and partake in the same activities (boating, swimming, fishing, cocktailing & tubing) and it never gets old.  My Birchwood besties & I are all, on average, around 30 years old (give or take), and always, come the end of the week, we still get into full depression mode.  One of my oldest, dearest pal's Quinton even started in on Wednesday with the melancholy..."it's almost over".  Birchwood to us is love in the first degree and we all feel so incredible blessed to have families that created this amazing tradition for us that we've continued into adulthood (thanks 'rents!)  We created more priceless memories to hold us over until next year...only 352 more days until bdubbs 2012 ;)

Having said all of that, however, it does feel sorta good to be home and get back into our routine.  I absolutes missed my precious pup and my ultra comfy bed.  I did not, however, miss work and all the bs that comes along with the j.o.b. sometimes.  Don't get me wrong, I am NOT complaining and overall, I love what I do, but being out for 6 work days makes for a challenging return and def adds to the stress levels.  Thankfully, however, we're already coming up on Friday and tomorrow brings us to Ravinia to see the BoDeans!  I'm hope, hope, hoping that the rain holds off and we can enjoy the concert sans storms.  The plan is to cut out around noon-ish (give or take) and head home to get all of our snazzy gear together so that when Mike gets home from work, we can head on down. 

The remainder of the weekend is still up for grabs.  My loving husband has been chosen for the All-Star team for his baseball team (go babe!) and that game is set to take place on Saturday morning.  In an attempt to be a good wife, I'm considering making an appearance (for those of you who know me well know that this is a huge thing), so you'll just have to stay tuned for more on that later.  The rest of the weekend I plan to finish cleaning my insanely messy home.  I am making a concentrated effort to try and slow down a bit over the next few weeks, mainly because I feel like I am on overload & need to slow down.  Mike and & recently resurrected our love of bike riding, so the plan is to, at some point, on Saturday afternoon, purchase little headlights for me cycle.  We love to go after dinner and the streets of Park Ridge are NOT, I repeat NOT friendly to the after sunset rider.  Hence, the need for some bike headlights...like my pal Kiki said, this fact alone makes us either 12...or 90.  Ha!  I'm also hoping to swing by Whole Foods and do some grocery shopping as well as source out a local source for organic milk.  Thanks to my dear pal Klinker and the recent post on her most awesome bloggity blog, I am now jelly of her local farmer and must attempt to find something like this near the Chi.  Wish me luck with that.

Other than that, folks, not much to report.  I should have my Birchwood pics uploaded sometime in the near future so if you dabble on the google and are a facebooker, you can see them on there.  If not, well, you're outta luck.  Smooches!

Friday Fun

With the 2nd week of July already looming ahead, it's fair to say this month is in full swing.  We had an ultra fab 4th of July weekend, spent attending any number of parties, get togethers, bbq's and the like.  We celebrated with great family & friends and even managed to fit in a night of cuddling on the couch, watching movies (well, I watched while Mike slept, per usual).

Being supah busy at the j.o.b. (umm...being important is taxing) def helped push this week along.  Working from home a day or two a week also helps to break things up, and then, before ya know it, it's Friday.  I made an appointment at the salon in my building for a mani/pedi during lunch and tonight brings me to my old stomping grounds of Oak Park for dinner in La Bella's outside patio with one of my oldest pal's, Joellen.  Since the weather is perfection, I plan to doll it up with some super simp cotton shorts and a peasant top (said peasant top will do double duty of looking adorbes and discreetly hiding my pasta/dessert/wine belly).  Dinners with Jo are usually hours-long affairs as we're not short-winded individuals, so likely I will head straight home after, but don't quote me.

Tomorrow will totes be spent laying out at my pool, and as for the evening...it's still up in the air.  My bestie is trying to convince me to meet her and the Godbabies at a carnival just down the street from the casa, attempting to entice me with promises of a beer garden.  We shall see.

Sunday, as ye all know, is my day of rest.  As such, I will be resting.  The day may just take me to Costco, where I will do some shopping to prep for...(drum roll please).....

BIRCHWOOD!  (whoop whoop)

That's right folks...exactly one week from today, we will be packing up to hit the road for our summer place.  I seriously can.not.wait.  The obligatory planning phone calls with our Birchwood besties have already commenced and the count down officially begins tomorrow.  Get ready to hear more than you've ever cared to know about Birchwood, WI.

In the mean time, have a Happy Friday peeps!

All You Need Is Love....And Maybe A Stiff Drink

This past week has been interesting, to say the least.  It seems like so much has happened in 4 short days, fraught with emotion (both good and bad), that frankly, I'm exhausted.  Last weekend was amazeballs and was spent with the bestest friends a girl could ever hope for.  Friday we celebrated our dear pal Mikey's birthday, who flew in from NOLA to spend the weekend in style in the Chi.  I met Mikey & his fab sister (my Birchwood besties) Megan at Tavern on Rush for a late, liquid lunch.  We spent the afternoon sipping Prosecco and basking in the late afternoon sun.  We made our way back to Peg's (aka Megan's...confused yet?) to continue the fun, where my loving husband met us and then finished off the night at Moe's Cantina in River North.  Saturday I was up and at 'em early to help some friends move, then off to an evening fiesta at another friend's.  Despite the ridic weather on Sunday, we made our way to Geneva and had the.best.time.ever at Kristen and Justin's.  Everytime I sit and chat with Kristen, I am reminded of how wonderfully lucky I am to have such a genuine and smart friend....how lucky Mike and I are to have such an amazing network of friends.  Monday I laid out at our pool (loaded with the SPF, doncha worry), and then the whole fam went by my deeder's for a delish BBQ. What a spectac Mem Day Weekend, so many memories to cherish, and I returned to work on Tuesday happy as a clam.

And then real life reared its ugly head.  Being back to "the struggle" (as my gf's husband refers to the j.o.b. ) itself wouldn't have been a big deal, as I truly am one of those crazies who loves her job.  Combine the stressers of work with everyday bs, or not so everyday bs but still your life's problems, nonetheless and by Wednesday of this week I had myself a little mini meltdown.  You know, the times where you call your mama and scream like a complete spoiled a-hole about the unfairness of life, how you can't be Wonder Woman and do it all, how you just can't take one.more.thing.  And then, something really major happens to wake your ass up and make you realize just how lucky you are and how all these things, while difficult and hard, and yes oftentimes, totally unfair....are not breaking.

I came in to work the following day to hear that the 37 year old consultant, whose office was just down the hall, was rushed to the ER over the weekend.  The same Mem Day Weekend that had come to a close on Monday night, while I sleepily lazed about in my bed, over-tired and over-sun-exposed, thinking of all the love of my friends and family.  He had felt "off" and decided to shower before turning in.  After a while, his longtime girlfriend checked in on him, to find that he had collapsed and was unresponsive.  After an agonizing week, holding vigil next to his bed, his parents, 90 year old grandfather and longtime love decide to take him off life support.  37 years old.  Another colleague flew out of work the Friday before the weekend after receiving a call that his daughter, just returning home for the summer from her freshman year of college, was struck by a car that blew a stop sign, while riding her bicycle.  She has been in ICU since and is thankfully improving to where they were able to take her off her ventilator.  19 years old.

Perspective, anyone?

So, while this week in and of itself was difficult for a multitude of reasons, I can't help but feel blessed.  If you would have asked me if I felt this way on Wednesday, I would have said a big hell no.  Not so long ago, I received some difficult news and immediately called one of my closest gf's, where I proceeded to bawl on the phone.  I was angry, sad and afraid and I instinctively knew that she would make me feel better about things.  And she did.  She reminded me of who I am, my strength, my character, and most of all, she reminded me that I have friends like her who will be there for me through it all.  She made me feel loved and, as a result, helped me to see what really mattered.  I have so many friends, so many people in my life, that love and support me and most of all, who help me to count my blessings. 

I am fairly certain that in the coming days there will likely be times when I am sad, when I feel life is treating me unfairly, and when I am throwing a pity party for one...but I'll get over it.  For all of you out there, who have these same bonds of friendship, who have the loving family who would do anything for you and will always be there to listen and love.  For those of you who have stellar partners, like I do in my loving husband...just remember...in the end no matter what happens, as long as you have the love and support of those around you, all will be okay <3

Everybody's Workin' For The Weekend!

Oh, Loverboy...how relevant your words still are 30 years later!

Mem Day Weekend is almost here folks, and that can only mean one thing in the Batch household...BBQ!  Since the last couple months have literally been crazy busy, one can imagine the state of my household affairs.  When I tell you my house was in disarray, that is truly an understatement.  As of last weekend, my dining room was the catch-all for any and every thing that needed to be taken down to the basement, yet somehow had lost its way.  Luggage from our recent trip, giant rubbermaid containers that housed my Spring & Summer wardrobe as well as bins of my Summer shoes.  In addition to this, laundry needed to be done, Easter decorations desperately needed to come down and be packed away...spring linens washed and laid out to dry.  All this to make much needed room for my patriotic decor, just waiting to be put up.  I needed to get cracking, and I first needed to start out by organizing, cleaning and reprioritizing!

Those who know me well, know that I have an obsession with my clothes and my shoes.  Seriously.  I have always, however, prided myself on giving away nearly as much as I bring in.  When purging my closets, I prefer to give my duds to friends since I have a tendency to purchase spendy threads.  But, I'm also not a stranger to donating to Salvation Army, Amvets and the like.  I decided that Sunday was going to be the day that I finally changed over my clothes, packed away all my Fall & Winter wear (yes, I must change out my closets for the seasons) and get my house in top order for good ol' Mem Day Weekend!

After meeting a gf for bfast at 9am on Sunday, I immediately got to it.  I stopped only once, mid day, and by 8pm not only had I completely cleaned out and reorganized my closets, I had packed all my Fall & Winter clothes in their garment bags, finished all the laundry, had all the linens and rugs cleaned and all Easter & Spring deco packed away.  5 bags are filled with "give-aways" and below is the final product after hours of hard work:

Taken with my camera phone, def not of the highest quality, but you get the point.  Having all this done and out of the way, I can now "officially" look forward to one of the best weekends of the summer.  Tomorrow I plan to work from home and Friday I'll be cutting out early, so the work week should fly by and before I know it, I will be enjoying an ice cold beverage in the backyard.  Friday, our good pal Mikey (and Birchwood bestie #2) is flying in from NOLA for his bday.  I will be leaving work on Friday and cabbing it to his sister's place (Birchwood bestie #1), post haste.  My loving husband & I will spend the evening with the Meredith clan and I can't wait!  Saturday, I will be helping (whilst hung over, I am sure) another pal move into her first ever home (congrats Brianne & Rich!), followed by yet another BBQ that night at our buddy Keith's.  Sunday Funday will take us to the town of Geneva (which I am most jazzed for) to spend a leisurely afternoon with my bestie ginger pal Kris & her adorb family.  Monday, will be my day of rest, and by the time it rolls around, I am certain I will be justly deserving of just that.

I'm Baaaack!

It's been nearly a year since my last entry and I've been oh-so-busy that I've had zero time to blog.

Not really. I'm just lazy.

Quick recap: Lots has happened since the last entry in June of last year, but don't worry, I won't bore you with the details of it. Besides, the 6 of you who actually read this, already know what the hell I've been doing. In January, for Mike's 30th, I threw him a surprise party:

I'm a totally awesome wife and worked super hard to pull the big ol' reveal off. He totally had no idea, and also had no idea I was slowly siphoning money out of our bank account to pay for said surprise party. The poor kid had some big shoes to fill and didn't want to let me down when it came to my birthday (who would?) So, I made it easy and announced that I wanted to go on vacation for my 30th birthday. The way I looked at it, why spend all that money on another party when we could just spend it all on ourselves? Exactly. Besides, all our friends were turning 30 and everyone's spouse was throwing them a "surprise" 30th birthday party. Uh, newsflash...when everyone you know throws their spouse a "surprise" party, it's hardly a surprise. I mean, you can't possibly expect us to believe that your spouse didn't expect this party (and in some cases, likely helped plan it). I also would like to add that Mike's birthday was in January, so I totes threw the first party. I'm such a trend setter. Booya.

But, I digress. So we decided to do the ultimate roadtrip since there were a couple stops we wanted to make, with the ultimate destination being New Orleans. A super good friend moved down there in September of last year and we've been anxious to visit him. So, the plan was to stop in Memphis on the way, move on to NOLA and then stay a few nights in Nashville on the way back. We were gone for 10 glorious days and we had the time of our lives. First stop: Silky O'Sullivan's while in Memphis. The drink you see before you is fondly referred to by Memphians as The Diver...and yes, I drank it all:

And then Mike finished his on Beale Street. We're classy like that:

Upon arriving in NOLA, Mikey Meredith (Birchwood bestie #2) promptly took us to Bourbon to Lafitte's for a beer, or two, or three and I heard my first ever live Zydeco band (who stole my chicken?)

We ended the night on Frenchman Street to listen to live Reggae. It was hot, humid, and I was hammered:
Nothing says Easter Sunday like an afternoon spent at Pat O'Brien's, consuming several hurricanes near the infamous fountain:

Clearly, a trip to New Orleans would not be complete without Benignets:

And a 30th birthday dinner cooked in true NOLA fashion (it's fire chicken!) by one of my bestest buds at his place:

Nashville was the last stop and the BBQ was to.die.for:

Last stop was the Grand Ole Opry, and was a great way to cap off an amazing vacation:

I couldn't have asked for a better vacation, a better family, better friends, or a better husband. In true Sue fashion, my 30th birthday lasted about 3 weeks total. If you count the dinners from my parents prior to our trip, the trip itself and the week following when we celebrated back home with friends, one might reflect and say I had a pretty ridic fab birthday. And I did. I wouldn't have it any other way <3