O Christmas Tree

This weekend's fun didn't stop at the wedding.  The Dragon and I picked out our first Christmas tree together. Well it'll be his tree, I just got to help in the fun! The process went fairly quickly...well I guess it had to when we got there 10 minutes before the place closed up. We walked around looking at the trees for a bit before picking one up.



It's close to 7 feet tall and slim, I think it's cute. The guy at Home Depot was quick, throwing it in this contraption to wrap it up and load it in the car.



The boys shoved it in the back of the car, quickly the car filled with the scent of pine. The smell of Christmas!
The dragon dragged it into the house, cut the bottom and set it up in its stand. The next morning we woke up to a slightly leaning tree. The bare evergreen needed a little light, on Sunday we dressed it up.



I used to have hearts and stars on my tree, now the mix of both the Dragon and I call for all kinds of ornaments and it couldn't be prettier. This little evergreen is now dressed in its Christmas best, and I must say it is one beautiful tree. I can't wait for Santa to see it too!



With lights gleaming and the ornaments hanging the two of us had much fun getting the hobbit house dressed up. The mantel is ready for Santa's arrival. Even the Foo Dogs have a little Christmas spirit.

Now it's time to cuddle up with a fire and enjoy our hard work.

Giving Thanks

This year Thanksgiving was a little different.
I didn't get to spend the day with my family or gather around the table and eat turkey with them. Nope, this year I went into work and then spend my turkey day with my Dragon's family. The W's were so gracious and kind, welcoming me into their home for the holiday.

Dinner was delicious, all of the traditional trimmings occupied the table. Including turkey, stuffing, mashed taters, cranberries and corn pudding as well as twists on some of the season's best, green bean casserole with brussel sprouts and bacon. As is usual for my family's Thanksgiving feast, there was way too much food and we all ate way too much.

After dinner everyone, feeling a little more sluggish, played a game. It was one we all played last year during Christmas but no one really remembered how to play, so there was a lot of making up rules, breaking them and laughing. I was fun and a great way to end the day.

I wish I had photos to share. It was a wonderful day with a substitute family. I couldn't be more thankful for the love and compassion of the W's and my Dragon.

Hope you had a very happy Thanksgiving!

Signed, Sealed and Certified!

Finally!
I took a little time to myself during the journey but here it is, my Certificate of Yoga Completion.
I am an officially a 200 hour teacher...
Next step, getting registered and maybe even a part-time gig!

An Apple a Day...

Fall is beautiful.

One of my favorite times of the year. 

I think it's quite possible I say that about every season. I love the spring when everything is in bloom, I love summer because of the sunshine, winter is gorgous in it's pure white beauty. So I suppose, it's no surprise that I find the golden colors, crisp air and crunchy leaves beautiful.

This is the time of year to embrace though, really it is. Just before the brutal cold and grey skies roll in, take advantage of being out and about.

The Dragon and I spent the weekend doing just that, enjoying the unseasonable weather and each other. We felt like kids again at the apple orchard.

Drinking fun apple cider (in pumpkin sippers) while picking our peck of apples. The orchard was full of kids, apples and fun! There was so much to do we could fit it all in.

We started at the U-Pick station where we tried every apple we picked and filled the bag to the brim. For someone who thought picking apples was going to be manual labor, I thought the Dragon actually had a bit of fun!

We headed to the pumpkin patch next. Finding a perfect match for my own knight and shining armor.

This big guy (the pumpkin) weighed about 50 pounds! And the dragon decided we just HAD to take it home.

There are big plans in store for this guy, a face and eating of lots of seeds to name a few. 

After finding our pumpkins we did a little shopping and left the orchard with bacon, apple butter, blackberry and peach pie, and an assortment of cheeses. 

I think we did pretty good. 

After heading back to the car with our goodies, we decided to get a bit to eat and found ourselves in Lake Geneva. 

Overall a beautiful fall day, a great guy and a whole lotta apples!

A Meeting 21 Years in The Making

Family is one of the most important things in life. They can be some of the most influential people in your life, the ones there for you through thick and thin, though the tears and laughter, anger and pure bliss.

Some people may disagree. Some lose touch with the ones they love, or maybe never meet the people that share their blood.
I am one of 13 grandchildren, the McBride's are a large family and cousins were no different. It was fun as a kid to think I was in that clan. I remember staying awake in the car all the way through our ten hour drive to Ohio, knowing at the end of the brick road I'd get to see my family...my friends. Jamie, Kelly and I were inseparable through our childhood visits. I must admit it wasn't something I always loved but looking back I should have embraced it more, those years didn't last long.
I didn't have a sister and being with my cousins made me feel like I gained brothers and sisters in a short week.

It wasn't until years later I thought of one cousin I never had much in common with. Never really met.



Until this summer. Emily, the daughter of my late uncle was in Colorado every summer. We never visited Warren at the same time and aside from a few letters sent back and forth we hardly knew each other.

After my Uncle Jon past away I started to hear from her. I honestly can't remember how or when we started talking. It came slowly, through Facebook and skype, then we'd talk every night online. We learned more about each others lives and bonded more than we thought was possible over the internet.
And yet, still...I'd never met her.


During her summer vacation, her and her mom made a pit stop in Chicago. My brother and I finally got to meet our cousin and my dad got to see his niece.
Let's be honest for a second...I didn't think it would be a perfect meeting. In fact given the shared pasts (which I won't go into) I wasn't sure everyone would get along as swimmingly as we did.



And that meant a lot to two girls that spent 21 years not knowing who each other was.
I may never fully understand the past of my family but the beauty of the past is all in what comes out of it. It may never be perfect or healed but you're stuck with your family and loving them is sometimes the best option.

A Year of Change

It's funny how a year changes everything.

I remember being at this show. Watching this band named Bridge play some covers, some originals and have a lot of fun while doing it. I remember seeing that guy...

The one in the grey t-shirt, and ripped jeans (which he didn't live down for wearing the whole night). I remember at the end of his set shaking his hand and saying, "nice to meet you" and him telling me everyone was headed to Johnsons, "see you there?" he asked.

It's kinda funny to look at these photos and know I was moments away from meeting the Dragon. Moments away from falling head over heels.
A lot has happened this past year. I made the 1600 mile trip back to Chicago, moved home, fell in love, met new people, got a new job, and another new job and another new job. I did a lot of new things (more on that soon), stepped out of the box and grew up quite a bit. Now, I've landed in a good place.
Who would have thought, I'd like to say it all started with this moment:

That's the Dragon, a year ago when I met him in a park.

I guess change isn't all that bad.

A Year Ago...

One year ago I didn't know the Dragon.
I didn't live in Chicago, work at WGN/CLTV or
A year ago I was living in Boise, attending yoga class nearly every day and I was single.

August 8, 2010 I was headed back to Chicago, preparing for heartache and sadness. Looking back, it was all of those things and after a year the healing has only begun. There are still dozens of unanswered questions.

Why didn't I make it home in time?
How could I have missed the signs?
Did I do the right thing?

It isn't easy to move past losing someone, without truly getting to say goodbye. But looking back over the past year it's really been a learning experience. Moving home, allowing someone new in my life, letting go...it isn't easy, but it's real.

Today, I'm in a much better place. I have a good job, a wonderful man and being at home with family is something I wouldn't trade for the world. Sure there are things I'd like to change, (that extra five pounds that has joined my hips over the past year could scram) but I think Papa would be proud. I hope he would.

I leave you with this, to start your week:

"This week you're probably going to meet some strangers, greet people you think you know, and spend time with others you'd swear you know like your own self.  Keep this in mind: we never really know what's going on in someone's heart or mind, nor what they have been through. Tread lightly with this; speak your truth, but do so with love, sincerity, and a clear understanding that your presence and word choices could very well define the remainder of someone's lifetime."
-The Walking Circle

Some Dreams Do Come True

I have a new job.

One I am very happy to report, is just what I was looking for.

I couldn't have asked for a better team or a better opportunity at this point in my life.




The home of Bozo. 


And my new work place! I'll be producing for CLTV  (which is owned by Tribune Co. and WGN).


I made it through my first week...now comes the hard part. 


It's so excited to be apart of a newsroom again. I can't wait to bring you the success and failures we all overcome in the news biz. 


More to follow...stay tuned!