My First COUCH!!!

Generally, when one moves out of their parents house they have to buy a bed, maybe a dresser, microwave, TV, a fan, and a few decorations, but it's fairly normal to get a couch, right? Most people would consider a couch to be a staple item for their new home. Well my first move was into a very small studio in Boystown; small but it was perfect for my budget. It was just me and Sylvester and we didn't need anything more than my papasan chair and bed. But once I moved into my one-bedroom apartment on Southport the very first (and only) purchase would be a new IKEA couch. I went to IKEA, paid them to deliver it and I sat in my apartment anticipating the arrival of my new couch!!

I just went through my old blog to see what I could find about the arrival of the couch. See below...

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Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Initial Plan Was to Write From THE COUCH. The New Green Couch That I Was So Excited About.

Yeah, that didn't happen. Green couch didn't fit up the stairs. No. That's a lie, it fit up the stairs just fine. Its those darn meters. I kinda had that feeling that it wouldn't fit up the stairs. Instead, I sit here typing this on my ugly, black, cat-haired, futon mattress, that was left by previous apt renter...ick ewww, gross, nasty, UGH. Well at least the cats are right next to me. I'd insert a cute picture, but my computer's been sent out by Best Buy to be fixed....love my "extended warranty." So as I sit here, I need to say 2 awesome things that keep happening. 1)I can hear the red/brown line...LOVE IT!!!
2) My tree's leaves rustle and take me to the country. I love this place. Despite the couch incident, which is really making me mad, not even just mad, but makes me really really sad....I REALLY wanted that couch. Yet, despite the couch thing....this place is great.....oh there goes the el again! :) Happy Chicago Apartment #2. Here is a picture of what I ended up using as a couch...


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But now...nearly 3 years later, I GOT MY COUCH! I was walking to the YAB meeting last night and this couch jumped out at me from the Children's Memorial Hospital's White Elephant store window. It had a reasonably priced sticker on it, so I went to check it out this morning. After some quick negotiating by Jason, I became the proud owner of my first couch. Jason loaded it up in his SUV, drove it out to Wheaton and together, we carried it up the stairs. (Think Friends episode with Rachel and Ross...pivot...PIVOT!!!) I know it probably seems odd that I am so excited about a couch but I'm ecstatic! (I literally have a smile on my face as I type this.) Yay for a new couch! :)

More Sophie Pictures

I adore this puppy. She is so mellow, sweet, loving, cuddly, playful and plain perfect.

the very short walk wore her out!

A Thankful Attitude

I am currently reading my daily devotions from Pure, A 90-Day Devotional for the Mind, the Body & the Spirit by Rebecca St. James. Today, Day 28 is called "A Thankful Attitude." Rebecca writes, "When was the last time you listed on a piece of paper all the things for which you are thankful for? Think of the huge blessings in your life as well as the little ones, the ones you often take for granted, and also those you thank God for every day. Write them all down."

I actually just did this in 2008 on Thanksgiving but decided I should do it again. After this past weekend with my family after my grandpa's passing and after the past few months of being unemployed, I thought I may have other things to be thankful for. Here's the list I came up with. After reviewing it tonight, I hate to admit how many things are materialistic but it is what it is...
**In absolutely no specific order!

• God
• Jason's love
• flowers and learning how to grow my balcony garden
• my cell phone
• Meredith's friendship
• my cousins
• my balcony
• Sam and Chaz
• clean water
• tomatos
• education
• endless amounts of food
• my family!
• Sophie
• friends
• lakehouse
• Judy
• my car
• smelly candles
  
• new apartment
• gym membership
• shelter every night
• my health
• 90210 & Greys
• Mom and Dad
• Friends and Sex and the City reruns
• hot water to bath in
• Jason's condo being in Chicago (and him being so welcoming when I need a place to stay!)
• animals
• Real Simple
• trees/grass
• ear plugs
• cable TV
• horses
• running
• unemployment benefits
• tea
• soap
• Lake Michigan and all the running paths
• Twilight (i'm a nerd!)
  
• Spring and SUMMER!
• wine
• my glasses
  
• God's mercy
• children
• heat and a/c
• comfy bed
• backrubs
• medicine
• Cherry Coke Zero
• Willow Creek
• The Office
• cup holders
  
• my computer
• my journal
• God's grace
  
• books
• our freedom in US
• Children's Memorial Hospital
• my running shoes
• DMB and Pearl Jam
• K-Love
• Panera
• laundry facilities in my building (and in general!)
• the Europe trip my parents sent me on in high school
• freedom of religion
• Andrew
• my cousin's kids
• podcasts
  
• theater
• birds
• vacations
• milk
• music
• my chiropractor
• Cubs Win!
  
• bean bags (the game)
• change of seasons
• Keith Urban
• fresh cut flowers
  
• greeting cards
  
• Wrigley Field
• interviews
• ipod
• blogging
• Chicago sports
  
• Shawn and Tiff
• pizza
• blankets
  

Grandpa Thon

In Loving Memory of

Oscar "Tony" Thon

January 10, 1919 - May 20, 2009

23rd Psalm
¹ The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

² He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

³ he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

⁴ Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

⁶ Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

I will blog more at a later date. Rest in Peace Grandpa!

Yes, this is what the blog has succumbed to...

As I sit here watching last night's newest Dane Cook I came across this fun survey on facebook. ((not sure how that happened since I am really trying to avoid facebook as much as possible these days!!!) As a side note...I am not digging Dane's latest work...feel free to share your thoughts!)
And now...onto the mindless survey...

1) Favorite object in your room? my bed
2) Have you ever smoked heroin? no
3) Do you own a gun? REALLY scared of guns!
4) What flavor do you add to your drink at sonic? They're not in IL...or at least the metro Chicago area...but there is one in Ottomwa, IA that I discovered on Mothers Day so I will be trying one soon!
5) Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? just the dentist
6) What do you think of hot dogs? YUM, ketchup, mustard and extra pickle!
7) What song are you listening to? I was watching Dane but now Sex and the City is on...and the stupid iphone ap commercial is on...rubbing it in my the face that I cannot have an iphone for another 9 months!!
8) Drink in the morning? milk
9) Any plans tonight? went out with Jenee and am about to go to bed
10) Can you do a chin up? Doubt it but I used to ROCK in high school and could do A LOT!
11) What's your favorite piece of jewelry? my cross necklace from Jason for my 30th or the ring my parents game me for my 21st bday
12) Do you like blue cheese? yep!
13) Ever been in a car wreck? only swiped the side of my car on a a parked car before church back in the day...oops!
14) What color is your couch? what couch? That's a sore subject!
15) What's one thing that you hate about yourself? hmmmm, there is a lot I can work on.
16) Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment: Carrie is being ridiculous (remember...I'm watching sex and the city!) my carpet is laying crooked. my cats are SO CUTE!
18) Name 3 things you bought yesterday. a coke and brat at the cubs game and some marinara sauce from trader joes. :)
19) Name 3 drinks you drink regularly. milk, water, tea and cherry coke zero (all equally)
20) Current worry? honestly...too personal to share.
21) Current hate right now? that I cannot figure out Gods plan for me right now!
22) Who was your last text from and what did it say? LOL, i had to look...it was from the guy subleasing my apartment responding to let me know when I can expect to receive my security deposit! (better late than never!)
23) How was New Years Eve? Really fun!!! We celebrated with Jason's friends and got home just in time to pop champagne just the two of us before we left for Colorado to go skiing!!
24) How was your day? typical
25) Name three people who will complete this? I'm a huge nerd and posted on my blog so no one...but will anyone comment??
26) Do you own slippers? of course, I'm always cold!
27) What shirt are you wearing? an ACS Relay shirt
28) Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? oh gosh no!
29) Can you whistle? Yep...I get it from my grandma! :) But I can't master one good enough to respond to Jasons when we're in a store. :)
30) What kind of shampoo do you use? Matrix volumizing or whatever Jolene gets me.
31) Would you be a pirate? nope
32) What songs do you sing in the shower? Anything that's on but ever since I moved, the only station that comes in on my shower radio is K-Love! Love it!
33) Favorite girls name? Ella Rose, after my Grandma Russell who passed.
34) Favorite boy's name? not sure, but may have Russell as a middle name?
35) What's in your pocket? Nothing
36) Last person that made you laugh? Jason
37) Best bed sheets as a child? no idea but I loved my Strawberry Shortcake sleeping bag!
38) Worst injury you've ever had? cracked ribs or tailbone
39) Do you love where you live? LOL, isn't that appropriate?
40) How many TV's are in your house? two
41) Who is your loudest friend? not sure...probably because I am too loud to notice.
42) How many dogs do you have? none...but would like a few to foster!
43) Does someone have a crush on you? LOL
44) What is the most recent picture in your phone of? my parents puppy...I'm a tad obsessed!
45) What color is your tooth brush? green
46) What is your favorite candy? Mike and Ike
47) Favorite Sports Team? Cubs!!! Red Sox, Bulls, Bears, Blackhawks, Celtics...in that order.
48) Where is the next place you want to travel? no idea
49) What were you doing at 11 pm last night? trying to fall asleep
50) What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? I miss Jason.

Mom and Dad's Newest Addition

Mom and Dad brought home a new puppy yesterday. I will attach some pictures and will blog more about her in the coming days. I plan to take her on many walks around town and trips downtown to the dog beach and when she's older to the DuPage Convalescent Center. She's adorable! My mom thinks she will name her ****** but it's not confirmed yet!

My Next Thirty Years

For all of us country fans out there, we've heard the song by Tim McGraw, "My Next Thirty Years." I was driving down the road the other day and this song really hit me. I just turned 30 a couple months ago and on that day I was unemployed and spend a majority of the day with my then-dying cat (he's used one of his nine lives and was back to himself the next day.) On that day I would have said that I was blessed with a pretty darn good life thus far. I look forward to getting married, having my 4 kids, buying and decorating a house or condo and doing what most of my friends have already done. This song is something I should listen to every day to remind myself of what still lies ahead. Just edit the word "beer" to "wine" and I am all set! :)

My Next Thirty Years, written by Phil Vassar and recorded by Tim McGraw

I think I’ll take a moment, celebrate my age
The ending of an era and the turning of a page
Now it’s time to focus in on where I go from here
Lord have mercy on my next thirty years

Hey my next thirty years I’m gonna have some fun
Try to forget about all the crazy things I’ve done
Maybe now I’ve conquered all my adolescent fears
And I’ll do it better in my next thirty years

My next thirty years I’m gonna settle all the scores
Cry a little less, laugh a little more
Find a world of happiness without the hate and fear
Figure out just what I’m doing here
In my next thirty years

Oh my next thirty years, I’m gonna watch my weight
Eat a few more salads and not stay up so late
Drink a little lemonade and not so many beers
Maybe I’ll remember my next thirty years

My next thirty years will be the best years of my life
Raise a little family and hang out with my wife
Spend precious moments with the ones that I hold dear
Make up for lost time here ,In my next thirty years

In my next thirty years...

Rusty, My 3rd Pet

This squirrel, Rusty, has a been teasing my cats every day since we moved in. I'm not sure how much longer the screen will last before one of the cats (more specifically, Sam) goes through it.

a favorite from last week

as i was driving downtown the other day these geese caught my eye and made me smile...rush hour traffic suddenly became much tolerant!

reflections on moving

i thought i'd transfer this over from my "private blog" since it happened since the start of the vacation...

moving upward and onward!
It's official. I am moving. Not necessarily by choice but because I no longer have the funds available to live in my one bedroom apartment on Southport aka Sopo. As many know, I pay very little for my one-bedroom...originally $700 when I first moved in but has only increased by $100 in the past almost three years. I live in a great neighborhood where parking is generally easy...parking within a block or 2 at the most unless it's passed 10:00 or there's a darn Cubs game. (we are the only 2 block radius within 2 miles of Wrigley that isn't zoned...I will never understand it!!!) Bars and restaurants are a block away as I am just a block south of Belmont. Wrigley Field (aka one of God's best creations) is .99 miles away. I am just a few blocks from the brown line and only .60 miles from the red, brown and purple line. My gym is walking distance, there's a Walgreens and Jewel which is right down the street, my favorite Andrew is 3 1/2 blocks. Church is an el ride away, Jason is 3 miles...bout 15 min. I currently have 4 friends who are a quick walk away and about 10 more who are within walking/biking/quick cab or drive away. There is a Chase in both directions only 1.5 blocks. Giordano's Pizza is a few blocks and Schoolyard (mmm, pretzels) is 2 blocks The bike path/Lake Michigan is only 1.5 miles from my apartment...so about 15 min run from here. I could go on and on and on about all the reasons I LOVE my location and apartment. But in keeping with my positive attitude and remembering that God is always in control and has a plan for me, I have realized that there are so many reasons to be thankful for the big move:

* though parking here isn't too bad, in Wheaton I will have a spot about 5 yards from my building waiting for me every time I get home. Regardless the time and if I have just come home with a load of canned goods from the grocery store or a 30 lb bag of cat litter from Target...the spot will ALWAYS be there. (and the crazy lady in the alley will NEVER be there!!!)
* my oven will work when I turn it on. The oven on Sopo works about 20% of the time...generally not when I need it most.
* no barking dogs. 2 of my 3 neighbors have dogs...and they have started to bark at the most inconvenient times
* My heat will work every time I turn it on, not just most of the time like here on Sopo
* no more rats? my neighbor has been complaining about rats living under the first floor...kinda gross. Doesn't affect me too much being on the 2nd floor, but regardless, I am focusing on the positive of moving out and I think this qualifies!
* Wheaton apartment will be about 3 times the size...2 bedrooms and a HUGE living room, a kitchen, and TWO bathrooms!
* I'm going to have a balcony!! Yay, room to house more plants and flowers to try not to kill!
* the cats are going to LOVE all the space to chase each other around...and their claws will love the carpet (as opposed to the wood floors on Sopo) I really hope my moms not reading this! (shes the new landlord and there is a NO-Cats policy which I will clearly be breaking!)
* I'm going to have a DISHWASHER!!!
* Grandma and Grandpa will be just a short car-ride away!! I plan to watch MANY Cubs games with them and hope to invite them over for dinner or bring them dinner as much as possible. :)
* no more bugs in the cabinets! On Sopo I have to store everything but canned goods in the refrigerator (real practical!)* no more worries about high CO levels, which just about killed me a couple months ago
* I will actually have a drawer AND storage under my sink in the bathroom! Actually, I'll have 2 bathrooms of storage now AND a linen closet! YES, a LINEN closet!!
* The bedroom door will actually shut (and actually this past week the lower hinges actually came out of the wall so the door is just hanging on by a thread!)
* I will have a buzzer and an intercom for when I have visitors (you're all going to come visit me and the boys, right?!)
* I won't have to hold down the lever for 5 seconds every time I flush the toilet!
*Laundry in my BUILDING! No more laundramats! (or Jason's when he was kind enough to let me use his facilities!)

In making this list and in packing up all my stuff, I have noticed all the ways we Chicagoans learn to create storage and utilize every square inch of our space. I have all these bins, movable drawers and hanging shelves I am not really sure what I'll do with in Wheaton. I am currently storing my printer under my "couch" and my spice rack and microwave are both on top of my refrigerator. I am very sad to move out of this apartment, regardless of the reason why...I've created so many memories here and am closing another chapter of my life but am very excited to begin new memories and find creative ways to use up all the space and cabinets, closets, drawers at my new place!Goodbye Sopo, thanks for the memories and Hello Wheaton, cheers to making new ones!