Highlights from Trip to Illinois

Some of my favorite moments from the trip:

• Flying in over Illinois covered in a blanket of snow
  
• Surprising Hattie at her apartment. She thought I was in Oregon, but no! I was at her door.
  
• Joining Hattie at work the next day and seeing her interact with her students at New Millennium School of Health/Bowen High School. She is a phenomenal teacher and I am so happy now that I can picture her at work while I'm so far away.
• Dinner/drinks with Jim, Kate, John, Hattie, Andrea, Corey, Chris, and Linda. Very cool bar--check it out Chicagoans if you're in Andersonville: T's Bar & Restaurant. Shows all Cubs games in the summer. Ladies pick up ladies if you like.
• That "California" grilled panini - grilled zucchini, artichoke hearts, roasted tomatoes, pesto, fresh spinach and provolone (! yum) from the Corner Bakery
  
• Riding the Metra, reading and listening to music
• Jim & I on a wild goose chase to find my dad in the Joliet mall
• Hugging Char at JC Penny
• Riding in the car with my dad down I55
• Totally SHOCKING the PANTS off my sister and mom! Rachel burst into tears, my mom started crying after about 10 minutes of shock, and then they both started calling friends to tell them. ;-)
• Surprising Megan by showing up at HER door. (I was getting really good at this surprising thing)
• Spending time at my Aunt Connie's and Aunt Joan's
• Sleeping
• In Good Taste deliveries with Harrison and Megan
• Joining the Brents for Harrison's 6th birthday celebration
• Watching the Bears win at Keps with Hattie & Ally, and good ol' times with Hattie and her family--including Steve's bottle of 1998 wine from France. Wow!
  
• Guys trying to pick me us up at Keps and Gracies (I don't think I have ever been approached in a bar and been hit on. My ego swelled.)
• Christmas Eve with the family
• Brunch with Jim, Char, mom, and dad on Christmas day
  
• PLAYING WITH THE NEF
• Christmas evening, coming home to hubby waiting at the airport with red tulips