Date Night: Baseball

Dave and I try to attend one baseball game every year, but this summer, as we approached the Labor Day weekend, we realized that time was running short. (I still don't understand how the summer flew by so quickly; it feels like just yesterday we were discussing plans to go to a game with friends "sometime.")

We live about 15 minutes away from one of the local minor league teams, so I checked out their schedule and was pleasantly surprised to see that they were playing on both Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. Although Saturday's game would be colder, it won out because of the end-of-game fireworks.

We bought our $5 bleacher/lawn tickets, only to find out that there weren't any bleachers, only the steep lawn. Stink! We lasted through the national anthem before deciding walking around would be better than being pushed around by the large party next to us and the dozens of kids rolling down the hill and throwing errant pitches as they played catch with the squishy balls given out as souvenirs at the gate.

Our view from the cheap seats

After a few pitches on the field, my brilliant husband spotted the promised bleachers (3 whole rows of them) and tables and chairs by the Miller Party Deck behind left field. We headed there and watched the game until an employee asked us to leave at the beginning of the final inning so they could set up for the fireworks.


Our exit led to a pretzel and pop snack before we settled in to a couple of vacant seats behind home plate. Now we know to splurge the next time we go to a game! Our cheap seats were fine, but I couldn't believe how much I'd missed being out in left field!

Enjoying the "luxury" seats

Our team won. (Hooray!) And we celebrated with some of the best fireworks I've ever seen. (Really, there was one that looked like a hose, spraying sparks all over the outfield--and, yes, it was on purpose!)

It may have taken us all summer to catch a game, but I'm glad we got a chance to go. It was one of my favorite activities of the summer.

It's Game Day, Baby

No matter what month may be featured on the calendar, it doesn't feel like fall until opening day of college football. I love the experiences that come with college football season: watching College GameDay on ESPN on Saturday morning, dressing in my team's colors, relaxing on the couch as my team plays on Saturday afternoon, jumping up and down when my team gets a touchdown. I have so many precious memories of cheering on the University of Michigan Wolverines with my mom on Saturday afternoons. I've continued the tradition in my own home now that I'm on my own, and I hope that my children will grow up to be Michigan fans. (They will be influenced beginning at birth!)

Today was the beginning of one of my favorite seasons: college football season! I dressed as closely to azure blue and maize, started the coffee, and turned on College GameDay to accompany me while I paid the monthly bills. The windows were wide open, allowing the cool, fall breezes to fill our living room with fresh air. All was right with the world.

(photo courtesy of ESPN)

Because Dave and I decided to go out a bit this afternoon, I set the DVR to record the Michigan-Connecticut game. I made sure not to find it on the radio as we drove around, because I didn't want to ruin the experience of watching their opening game.

We finally got home 90 minutes after kickoff, and I settled in to watch the Wolverines fight for a victory. I was hopeful but cautious, considering the horrible seasons they've endured for the last two years. Would this game be the shift toward winning seasons that they desperately needed? I yelled, "WOO-HOO!" when they scored the first touchdown and startled my husband. He had forgotten just how excited I get about Michigan football. (Oh, love, one of these years you'll remember!)

Interrupted by a date night to a local baseball game, the game watching restarted with the second half when I got home from cheering another team to victory. Denard Robinson continued to amaze me with his awesome quarterback performance, and I gasped with everyone else when he didn't get up after a tackle. (Fortunately, he returned to the game minutes later.) I yelled a bit more, then gave a final "WHOOOOOO!" when the final seconds ran out and Michigan ended the game with a 30-10 victory.

(photo courtesy of ABC)

My team had won its opener! I'm hoping this is the beginning of a good season for the Wolverines. I know that, no matter what happens with the team, it will be a good season for me because I'll always be able to spend my Saturday afternoons for the next 3 months watching those Wolverines play one of my favorite sports.

M Go Blue!

Catching Up Part 3--Happy Anniversary!

Two years in, and we're just as happy as can be. Thank you, God, for blessing us with two wonderful years of being husband and wife.

I'd been craving (no, I'm not expecting) White Fence Farm fried chicken and corn fritters for months before our anniversary, so it was the logical place to go for our special date. I had grown up going to White Fence Farm on special occasions, but Dave had never been there. The place hasn't changed a bit since my last visit years ago. They still have the tiny museum and old arcade games to keep waiting patrons occupied on busy nights. Because we went on a Tuesday, we didn't have to wait in line, and we got started on their corn fritters and other side items right away! Oh my word. I had forgotten just how good their fritters are! Dave enjoyed the fried chicken, too. It was a fun dinner--even though we were the youngest in the dining room by about 30 years!

I asked Dave to take my picture in front of the chicken near the front door.

Next, Dave took over the date with some surprises he'd planned for us. The first stop was The Cheesecake Factory for dessert! This place holds very special memories for us because it's where we went for dinner the night we got engaged. Aw!

I ordered my favorite, the Kahlua cheesecake. So yummy!

Sadly, I can't remember which cheesecake Dave chose, and he isn't here to tell me, so I'll leave you with the mouth-watering picture of his slice. I could go for some cheesecake right now!

As we always do when we go to The Cheesecake Factory, we took a walk to the spot where Dave proposed. The night of our engagement, he'd spotted a bed of tulips (my favorite flower), so he walked me over and got on one knee. We made sure to get a picture at the spot for our anniversary.

Here's a fun story about the dress I wore: I'd picked it up the summer before our wedding with plans to wear it for our ceilidh at the wedding reception. I wasn't so sure about spinning around in my beautiful but weighty wedding dress. I ended up wearing my wedding dress (and smacking people with the train--oops!) for the entire reception, so this party dress stayed in the closet for the last two years, until I decided I really needed to wear it! Our anniversary date was the perfect occasion.

After our lovely walk through the outdoor mall, Dave took me to Barnes and Noble and told me I could pick out any book I'd like as my anniversary gift from him. (He knows exactly what I like!) We browsed for a while before finding books that looked good.

I can't believe it's been two years since we said "I do" to each other. We've already had our share of challenges come up in the last two years, but it's always comforting to know that we have each other for support, no matter what comes our way. I'm even crazier about this amazing man than I was the day I married him! As my mom said just yesterday, I am so blessed to have Dave in my life. I love you, chee!

Catching Up Part 2--3rd/4th of July

This year's 4th of July was extra fun because of the weird 4th of July-on-Sunday deal. We were able to celebrate the 4th of July on the 3rd of July, too! We also managed to fit in two Independence Day parades that weekend. The 4th of July may be called the Post-colonial Day of Mourning in the Gwynne household because of Dave's British roots, but we weren't crying much this year.

On Saturday we hung out with my family and attended the parade that takes place in my aunt and uncle's town. This airplane was my favorite float in the parade.

After the parade, we all went to a local BBQ joint for lunch. My pulled pork sandwich was messy but yummy!

My brother Nate and his wife Kim

From left to right: Auntie Jan, Uncle Ron, Lonnie, Tracy, Mom, and Dad

That night, Dave and I went to the Saturday service and church then out to dinner at Sweet Tomatoes before heading to our town's 3rd/4th of July celebration at a local park. We enjoyed a country cover band until the fireworks started at dusk.

As if all that celebrating wasn't enough, we decided to go to a nearby town's parade on the 4th. It was sooo hot that day, but we enjoyed the parade underneath the shade of a tree set back from the crowds. That will explain why my pictures, like this pic of a Scottish pipe band, seem so far away from the action.

This was my favorite float! The mouths of Mount Rushmore moved along with the music playing. It was part of a very creative line of floats from a local hardware store.

After the parade, we went to Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch then chilled out the rest of the day. The best part of the weekend was the fact that I also had another day off on Monday. Sweet!

Catching Up Part 1--The In-Laws Come to Visit

Oh my word. When I checked the blog today, I couldn't believe that I hadn't updated our place in cyberspace since May. I am the world's worst blogger. Will you accept a series of catch-up posts?

Yes?

Okay, then--let's get started.

Dave and I have had a great summer with a lot of fun things going on. (It's no wonder I've neglected the old blog for so long!) The first fun event was Dave's parents' coming for a visit in June. This was the third summer they were able to stay with us, and we all managed to survive the two weeks crammed into our tiny, one-bedroom apartment. One day, when Dave and I have a house, we'll be able to look back at these humble beginnings and remember the times when our guests were relegated to the hide-a-bed in the living room. Ah, the life of newlyweds. Anyway, here are some pictures from their time here.

I was able to take Fridays off during Mum and Dad's visit so we could go on day trips with them. On the first Friday, we drove up to St. Joseph to check out the cute little town and show Dave's parents the best beach on Lake Michigan.

On the way home from St. Joseph, we got caught in a horrible thunderstorm. I have never been so scared by the weather in my life! Dave parked the car under a bridge, but the road started flooding! And we were boxed in by other cars seeking refuge. I just kept praying, and finally the person in front of us moved so we could find some higher ground. This downed tree came across our path on the way home. I was never so happy to be safe and sound at home that night!

On the second Friday off, we drove out to the Illinois Railway Museum. Now, I think it could have been fun, but the place is really run down, and we had an encounter with rude people who kicked us off the one working train when we attempted to go on a ride. I don't like mean people!

As you can see, Dave and I were pretty bored that afternoon. The four of us were relieved to get back on the road after that visit!

For some reason, we kept getting severe thunderstorms when my in-laws were here. They don't have bad storms like these back home in Scotland, so I caught them looking out the window quite a bit whenever the wind, rain, and crazy lightning hit.

Overall, it was a good visit. I always feel kinda bad when they visit us in the summer, because it's so much hotter here than it is back home. Of course, it was during their visit that our air conditioner died! Now, this is a good thing considering all the trouble we've had with our a/c since I moved in back in 2008. The old unit never really cooled down the apartment, so we often kept it off to save energy. The maintenance guys were great about replacing it quickly, and we were all so excited to have chilly air once the new a/c was installed. In addition to the fun trips we got to take, I'd say sharing in the excitement of that new a/c was one of my favorite moments of their visit.

Weekend Update

After a couple of fun but packed weekends, we were ready for a weekend without any major plans. It was our time to sleep in and relax without any place to be. As I mentioned earlier, we spent Friday night with my brother and sister-in-law. Sadly, I don't have any pictures to share of that fun time. I do, however, have pictures of the things we picked up at Old Time Pottery.

Adding to my seasonal bouquet collection, I picked up some tulips for our dining room table.

On the way home Friday night, we saw a billboard for Jason's Deli. I'd heard many good things about this place but had no clue there were any locations in Chicagoland. We ended up visiting for lunch on Saturday, and oh-my-word, it was delicious!

We were so tempted to go back today, but we resisted. Jason's Deli has all their nutrition info online so you can pick out your meal based on your dietary preferences. Everything is fresh and delicious. To top it off, you get free soft-serve ice cream for dessert. Yum!

Okay, back to the Old Time Pottery finds. I installed this shepherd's hook this afternoon. It was a bit tipsy, so I secured it with wire. Now I just have to decide what to hang from it!

Last but not least is probably my favorite find from Old Time Pottery. Do you see this price tag? Do you really think we paid full price for this item? Think again!

This picture, originally marked $100, was only $19.99! It was the perfect piece to finish off our office corner at home.

I still can't believe it's already Sunday night! This has been a wonderful weekend, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to relax and gear up for the next week of work.

We Are Family

Last night after work, we set off for northwest Indiana to visit my brother and sister-in-law. We hadn't been over to their place since New Year's Day 2009, so it was about time for another visit. Because every road in Chicagoland is under construction, the trip took us 1 hour and 35 minutes, but it was worth the travel time.

After what I refer to as our year of craziness, the time in our married life where we inevitably learned that busyness and an always-on-the-go lifestyle do not work for us, we made the commitment to visit family more often. In that year, I realized how much I missed seeing my family, and I decided I didn't want other things to come in the way of my relationships with family members. This has meant that we try to see my parents at least once a month and my brother and sister-in-law more than once every three or four months. This has meant that I make plans with my aunt in Michigan to meet for lunch when I'm in town for a conference. Sometimes, these get togethers include some sacrifice, such as sitting in a car for a while or spending money on gas to make the trip, but the benefits are so worth it. My family mean the world to me, and I'm grateful for the chances I get to see them.

So last night, after the hour and 35-minute drive to my brother and sister-in-law's and the 20-minute trip to the restaurant, we had a great time eating Portillo's (oh, their chopped salads are the best!) and roaming the aisles of Old Time Pottery. I still can't believe we spent hours in that store!

I was just telling Dave that I anticipate these visits so much now that the day after always feels like the day after Christmas--with the hint of sadness that comes after looking forward to a fun event for so long. I've learned that a life without making your family a priority isn't a very fun life, so I want to do all I can to make sure that we place them high on the list.