What state do we live in?

The summer is officially over and we've headed back to MN several times...the last time for an annual tradition--the Minnesota State Fair and the opening of another Gopher football season.  We had our fill of Fair food and saw a Gopher victory in our LAST season in the Dome.  

We've decided to hunker down and give the Windy City a chance to win us over.  We've been stationary in Chicago for most September, trying new restaurants, hanging out with our upstairs neighbors and becoming experts in parallel parking (ok, not experts yet but getting there!).  We're headed back to MN for our ONLY trip in September to see Carrie and Jai enter into the holy institution of matrimony and also to celebrate my goddaughter, Ashley's 1st birthday.

Ashley Berry playing with her food

Steve is busy setting new wholesaler records and hitting the road several days a week.  After realizing that I haven't had more than 3 consecutive weeks off in over 10 years, I enjoyed having a summer vacation and appreciated Danyelle and Michelle taking me to the beach and showing me all that the city has to offer.  I am on the job hunt and have had a few interviews (I feel your pain Micah!).  I am looking forward to gainful employment and rejoining the workforce.  

We headed out to Deerfield last weekend to visit Josh and Ellie Kaiser.  Their home is adorable and their puppy is full of energy.  We wandered through their neighborhood and enjoyed an afternoon BBQ with the Kaisers.  We're very thankful for the friends that we have here in Chicago.

Next week we have our 20 weeks ultrasound and provided the baby cooperates, we should know what we are having!   We'll post pictures next week from the ultrasound.  I've begun to feel the baby move and Steve is eagerly awaiting  the day when he can also feel the baby move. Other than baby movement, the pregnancy updates are that my pants are tight and my energy is back in full force.   We've tried to track the bump progress but thus far shows to be fairly uneventful.  My doctor assures us that my weight gain is perfectly ok and that I will eventually develop a distinct baby bump.    

17 weeks at the Metrodome-Gopher win #1

18 weeks at our apartment-Gopher win #2

Job Hunting

When we decided to move to Chicago, I was hit with the realization that I was going to have to interview outside of Target for the first time in over a decade.  While I have enjoyed my brief stint of unemloyment, I have quickly come to find that I need something to occupy my time!  I'm out there scouring the internet and following up on leads.  I'm looking forward to having a job again and getting back to the workforce.  

We're headed back to MN next week for Micah & Jason's wedding and will be staying the following week to catch up with friends.  We're going out with friends this weekend, so we finally seem to be getting back to normal.  

Finally connected to the world again!!!!

After several weeks sans internet and cable, the Comcast installer has successfully reconnected us to the world!  Not having these two staples in my life has given me the unique perspective of a life without technology.  I did not take to it!  In the past several weeks, I have drained my little cell phone battery in a vain attempt to read my email on a 4" screen, resorted to rabbit ears antenna and watched all of the TV shows that we own on DVD.  I could have kissed the Comcast guy!

We are settling into life in Chicago.  Slowly, we've unpacked our apartment and to our dismay discovered that we own WAY more stuff than we thought we did (I know, who would have thought that I would have a lot of stuff).  After at least 10 trips to the Good Will (they know Steve by sight now) and 5 closest FILLED to the gills with storage, we are beginning to see an apartment materialize where towers of brown boxes once stood.  We've ventured out a couple of times when exhaustion did not sink its usual post-dinner claws into us and have found some good places to eat, a library and rode the El to downtown to attempt to shop for birthday gifts.

We'll be back in Minnesota for Micah and Jason to get hitched in a week and are looking forward to seeing you all when we get there!