February Happenings

February is a short month, but we managed to pack a lot into those 28 days! The month started off memorably, with a historic blizzard hitting Chicago on February 1st. I had just started a new job that day, and fully expected to continue my training on the 2nd. I mean, that's why we have trains around here, right? It snowed like crazy that night, but Joe and I both set alarms when we went to bed that night. The next morning there was snow everywhere, and within a couple hours of waking up we heard Joe's office was closed, and my store ended up closing, too! We met up with our friend Henry, and spent the day playing video games, drinking good beer, watching movies, and playing in the snow! By the afternoon, the snow had stopped, and so many people were out and about, either shoveling and recovering, or just exploring the crazy snow covering everything. It ended up being a fun day!

We've never been big Valentine's day celebrators around here, but we still try to take a little time to enjoy each other's company every February 14th. My view has always been that we love each other every day, and do nice things for each other regularly. We give each other sentimental gifts at Christmas time, and in February we tend to be less inclined to spend money on big gifts for each other. I'm thankful to have such a fantastic husband, and such a healthy, loving marriage, and I celebrate that every day! But if you know me at all, you won't be surprised to hear that I used Valentine's day as an excuse to make us a nice dinner :) I had the day off from work, so it was easy to take the time to plan, shop, and cook up a little feast. It was nice to sit down and relax with Joe when he got home from work... and that is the extent of our lovely little Valentine's day.

Honey, Dijon, and rosemary grilled chicken thighs, crash potatoes, and a salad with feta, walnuts, and cranberries. Also a great excuse to use a couple serving dishes from our trips to Mexico!

We ended the month with a little day trip to Oak Park, a beautiful area just west of the city. I had been talking about touring the Frank Lloyd Wright house for a while, and snatched up a groupon that recently showed up in my inbox. It was fascinating to see the inside of his former home and office, and our tour guide did a great job. They focused much more on the architecture than on Mr. Wright's colorful personal life, but I found the details about the house to be almost as interesting!

After the tour we had a fantastic lunch at Marion Street Cheese Market, complete with some excellent beer. Fully satisfied, we explored downtown Oak Park, and found lots of interesting, independent shops. We had a great day, and agreed we would head back that way once the weather warms up.

Now it's March, and spring is right around the corner... right?!