Lazy Sunday

Ahhh! I finally have a Sunday off without any major plans!!! I'm still in my pajamas enjoying my 2nd cup of coffee.....bliss! :)

We made it through the nastiest winter weather this week! Whooo! Monday the temperature was -30 degrees with -45 degree windchills! I got my first adult "snow day" at my office job.....so exciting! At least, I was excited until the power went out!! Holy crap.....that was cold! The worst part was taking our dogs out 6 times that day......living in a condo we don't have a yard! It took forever just to bundle ourselves and the dogs up against the crazy temperatures....and then we would be out there for about 20 seconds! Luckily, the power came on after about 6 hours....just as it was getting dark and we were about to leave to seek out someone with lights and heat.

I figured today I would introduce my cute little hubby, Greg:

We met in college at the University of Illinois in Chicago. We lived on the same floor of campus housing. He was extremely persistent trying to get me to go out with him. He is 2 years younger than I am and he had a long-term girlfriend at the time. I told him I was not worth it and advised him NOT to leave his girlfriend for me. However, Mr. Stubborn did not listen to me and broke up with her over winter break of his freshman year (he was no longer happy in the relationship and they had very different views on the future.....so I wasn't a complete home-wreaker!) He persisted and I finally caved and went out on a date with him telling my roommate "It's just a date....it's not like I am going to marry him or anything!" Little did I know! We've been together ever since! We have been together for 8 years now, married almost 2! He is the most loyal and committed person I have ever met! He works for a PBM (pharmaceutical benefit management) company.....and I have no clue how to describe exactly what that is! All I can say is that he works extremely hard.....50-80 hours a week....and is that dedicated in every aspect of his life. I love him more than anything and can't wait to see what the future has in store for us!

2014 Goals

With the start of the new year, I have been planning out 2014 along with everyone else. I don't like to make "resolutions" because it sounds like set up for failure, but I do have a few goals.

1. Living for the present, not for the future.
I have a habit of planning out every little detail of life....a quirk that I know bothers my husband a little bit. In reflection, I think I miss out enjoying the day to day things because I am always thinking of the future.

2. Eating cleaner.
I want to try....again....to eat less processed food. I enjoy fresh fruits and produce so its not the actual food itself that is difficult, it is the convenience. Working 60 hours a week does not give me much prep time! On days I work at the hospital, I am out of the house for 15 hours....so I need breakfast, lunch, AND dinner packed! Not easy.....

3. Enjoying the outdoors this summer.
My parents are moving to the area this summer with my 4 and 3 year old brothers.  I am hoping they find a place with a great fenced in back yard (we currently live in a condo.....no yard) so we can sit outside with the kids and dogs running around and us drinking wine/beer! :-)

4. VACATION!!!!
Our yearly trips abroad make my year! Seriously.....it's what I work for! This year were are going to Amsterdam for a few days then going to Venice to board a cruise through the Adriatic.....it's going to be beautiful!!

5. Baby....maybe??? ;-)

Third Time's A Charm?

I'm back? Maybe? One of my resolutions is to try and resume blogging.....I guess we'll see how long it will last this time! My last post was 2.5 years ago....let's do a little update!

1. Greg and I got married!
We were married in a beautiful outdoor garden at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas on March 17th, 2012. It was a windy, rainy 50 degree day in Vegas and sunny and 90 degrees in Chicago....go figure! We didn't know if my in-laws were even going to be there until the day before the ceremony. (I'll devote an entire post to them eventually.) My brothers in-law, who were also groomsmen, didn't stay for all of the pictures. All-in-all, it was a beautiful ceremony and was nice and small just as we wanted. I'll write an entire post of the experience soon.

2. European Honeymoon
We had the small wedding so we could splurge on the honeymoon....and I think we chose well. France and Italy are 2 of my favorite countries! We spent the first week of our honeymoon in Florence, Italy and the second in Paris, France. The architecture, the art, the wine, the food.....heaven!! I'll talk more about the trip and others later as traveling is probably my favorite life topic!

                                               Italian wine is so lovely!

                                          View of the Duomo from our hotel.

                                                 Freezing waiting for nightfall to view the Eiffel Tower's light show...worth it!

                                                                     LOVE me some French macarons!


3. Still obsessed with our dogs!
Lola and Finley are still the loves of our lives! We can't get enough of them!

4. My parents and little brothers are moving to the area!
No more 3 hour trips to Peoria just to go shopping with my mama! My step-father accepted a new position in Chicago so my family will be joining me in the 'burbs sometime this summer! SOOO excited!

5. I started a second job!
I am ambitious (crazy) and took another part-time job in addition to my full-time job at the hospital! I took a Legal Nurse Consultant coarse last spring and decided it was something I wanted to pursue. In the summer, I found a position being a Legal Nurse Consultant two days a week in the burbs....so that means I work 60 hours a week EVERY week! Let's see how long I can keep this up!