Catching up...

The month of March has flown by! We've had visitors, hosted a dinner party, brewed some great beer, and just enjoyed some downtime when I'm not working. Last week was spring break, and I used it as an opportunity to pick up some extra hours at work. Not a lot of time to relax, but before I know it this semester will be over and I can breath a little easier. I'm doing some extra studying for the mathematics content knowledge test I have to take in order to gain my certification, and I've been trying really hard to stick to a dedicated study schedule. So this hasn't been the most exciting month, but Joe and I have tried to squeeze in some fun times whenever we've had the chance!

One of my coworkers recently got a great new job, so we went to help celebrate at a going away party. My friend Michelle was the host, and she has an excellent party house. Her landlord is obsessed with the fact that Earnest Hemingway lived in the house at one point, and he has a museum honoring Hemingway in the basement. It was pretty crazy! No Chopping Block party is complete without a little flip cup, so we had to play a few rounds before heading out. It was fun to hang out with some of my coworkers in a purely social setting!

The weekend before St. Patrick's Day, my mom and sister came to visit. The main point of their trip was for us to go to the Flogging Molly concert with Colleen. We had so much fun hanging out with them during the weekend! Having visitors is a great excuse to enjoy our city, and we took advantage of our Chicago History Museum membership after Mom and Colleen took a cooking class on Sunday morning. We also went out for Ethopian food, which is always a fun treat. It was so fun to catch up and just relax together!

We also had friends over for a dinner party on a rare Friday night that I wasn't scheduled to work. We ate way too much, and Haley brought over some amazing cupcakes from Bleeding Heart Bakery. The day after the party I ate a leftover Salted Caramel cupcake, and it was freaking awesome! No other way to describe it :)

Bridal Shower in Colorado

Last weekend I went out to Denver to host a bridal shower for my sister Laura. She's getting married in 5 weeks, and our whole family couldn't be more excited! This quick weekend in Colorado was a preview of the fun we'll have at the wedding. My mom and sister Colleen came from St Louis, and 5 of my favorite female relatives came out from California. It was the definition of a girls weekend, and we had a great time. The shower went so smoothly, and my sister got all sorts of fun gifts to help her and Dan get settled into married life. We also had some fun meals out, and of course a few libations to go along with the great food and company. I can't wait to get back to Colorado in April for the big day!

The future Mr. and Mrs.

Dinner and beer at Wynkoop was an absolute requirement for this trip. My family always went here for dinners out when I was growing up, and I think Wynkoop and my father get credit for my current love of beer.

Laura and Claire catching up over empanadas at Buenos Aires Pizzeria in Denver.

We did the game where you make a bridal gown out of toilet paper and paper towels. We had a couple younger girls in attendance who made perfect models, and loved the attention. It was a really cute game!

We did a salad lunch before opening gifts. Everyone seemed to enjoy the spread, and I had fun making it all!

Lunch is served.

Costco cake is the best for flavor and price. I ate TWO big pieces!

Bridal thong. HAHAHAHA! Count on the cousins for that one!

I had to go all the way to Denver to get some of my favorite Kansas City beer! I was so excited that I forgot how to look cute when someone takes your picture. YIKES! Also, I just looked on their website, and the only place I can get Boulevard in the Chicago suburbs is at a freaking shady-ass strip club. That is soooo lame! I think my mom might need to bring us some from St Louis next weekend!!