Our View From the Top

There it is.... the Chicago skyline from the top of the Navy Pier ferris wheel!

It was a most gorgeous nite to be up in the sky!!  Check out the rainbow sunset...





With our nephew, Jake



What trip to Harry Caray's would be complete without putting on imitation Harry glasses?!?

Dinner at Harry Caray's was delicious ~ I got the turkey burger!  As was my Goose Island seasonal beer (Goose Island is a Chicago brewery, by the way)!!

The ferris wheel ride was relaxing and the sights from atop it were gorgeous!  So very glad we did this and got to experience it with Jake!!

And, we ended our trip along the Pier with a stop at Garrett's!  I got a Chicago Mix, of course, and bought Jake his first bag, too!  As he and I were in line waiting, he looked at the Garrett's sign that said something about a Chicago tradition since 1949 and he said, "How many traditions does Chicago have?  Hot dogs, popcorn, baseball..."  To which I replied, "As many as they can get!"  So, this aunt is happy to have introduced her Florida nephew to a grand Chicago tradition!! 

Adventurous

 

I think July has been a month of adventure for me.  Not in the traditional sense, perhaps, where I am taking up rock-climbing or white water rafting...but rather, stepping out of my comfort zone.

Let's take tonite, for instance....going on the ferris wheel at Navy Pier is something I said I would never do!  I decided that it would be something fun (yet, equally terrifying) to do with our nephew during his Chicago visit and I am just going for it! 

Just look at it ~~  YIKES!

(source)

And getting out in the street to dance on the 4th of July counts, too!  Right?!?  Yes, I had imbibed on a couple wine coolers, but, hey ~ no other group around us had anyone out there! 

Heading up to Chicago on yet another week nite to celebrate International Drag Day AND going as a guy  ~~ you've got to give me those, as well!! 

Getting my booty outside for the new circuit class and flipping SEMI TIRES!!! 

AND, the month is not over .... who knows what I might find to do in the next 10-11 days! 

International Drag Day....bidiatches!

Apparently, July 16th is International Drag Day

So, in honor of this auspicious occasion, we went up to The City with our friends, Bart & Sinders Parrish, to hit some clubs in celebration!  Funny thing...seems no one else even knew this was a "holiday"!  Most thought Sinders had been at the Nicki Minaj concert ~ HA! 

Perhaps being all dolled up in pink led to their wrong conclusions!

I took this nite out as another opportunity to get dressed up (cuz everyday can be Halloween!) and...

...went as one of the boys!!!

Do you like my moustache??

I made it at work that day!!!  Found a template online that I printed, cut out, then traced onto a black paper plate and cut out!  When I got home, I taped it to a dowel rod!!! 

Funny thing, my moustache became a microphone for each of us and made quite the fairy wand (like when we were wishing for a good parking space)!!!

I tried out my new hot pink hair gel.  You can see just a hint of it here.  I think I will have to use most of the bottle if I really want it to be evident.  I would like to find an electric blue one now, too ~~ plus, Chris would like to try it out.

And what you can't see are my comfy shoes!!!  I wore my (imitation, yet blingy) Chuck Taylor tennies.  I felt super super short, especially next to Sinders in her 4 or 5 inch heels...but it was so freeing and my toes were thanking me that nite and the whole next day! 

We celebrated, Hawaiian-style, Bart's 40th earlier in the month!  I tried my hand at my aunt's chocolate coconut bonbons!  They seemed to be a hit with only 1 remaining at the end of our evening!  I wore my new(er) aqua sundress, with the straps up, along with a rainbow-colored lei and sandals.  The temps dropped considerably, however, so at times it was a bit chilly.  We danced and some sang, we ate great food and enjoyed some adult beverages and we met some cool people.  Always a grand time at the Double B's!!!

We did the 4th of July at Aunt Nita & Mike's, as usual.  This year, the mayor of CP closed off Main Street an hour before the parade and there were DJs stationed all along the parade route.  We were able to do some Dancin' in the Streets!!!  I got out there a couple times ~~ but it was another scorcher (it was being referred to as the Scorch of July!!!). 

Spent the parade under a tent with Aunt Nita spraying us with the hose!  Even the parade participants got wet...with many of them asking for it!!!

We also visited with some family at our cousin's daughter's and stepson's open house.  Super yummy food!!!  (Wish I had some of it right this minute!)  We bought some college insignia stuff for Danielle, as she is attending Valparaiso University where Chris works, and a university bookstore giftcard ~~ all of which I know will be put to good use!  Jake is off to the Army, so he got some cash to spend before he heads off to basic training. 

 

We went to see the movie "Abraham Lincoln:Vampire Hunter" last Friday (the 13th).  I read the book and looked forward to the movie.  BIG disappointment!  The storyline was completely changed!  This girl was not a happy movie-goer!  I could have (should have) walked out in the middle because it never got better!!!  So happy we did a Buy One Get One Free purchase! 

I have been getting extra hard training at LA Boxing!  The circuit stuff that got mixed into some of our boxing and kickboxing classes is now offered on Tuesdays & Thursdays as a full class.  It is CRAZY!!  Nick works us like we are training for secret ops!  Generally, it is like the Spartacus Workout you can find online ~~ 10 exercises for 1 minute each, with 15-30 second rest in btwn for one circuit...you do 2-3 circuits!  One of the days, yes these hot, hot days, we were outside flipping truck tires!!  It was intense...to say the least!  I was sore for 2 days ~~ ibuprofen became my best friend!  I take the circuit, at least, one of the days, along with my 3 days of regular classes.  LOVING IT!  The hard work will pay off in chiseled results!! 

I think we are caught up! 

Meeting up with our nephew, Jake, Friday nite in Chicago for dinner at Harry Caray's and a ride on the Navy Pier ferris wheel (I ain't gonna lie...I am scared!!).  Dinner with my co-worker and her husband Saturday nite as a thank you for watching after their cats, fish, garden and plants for a week.  UFC Saturday nite.  Oh, and, hopefully, buying a new lawn mower b/c ours decided it was kaput (well, after Chris ran into some of our landscaping rocks, I believe)!!

Keep having a blast this summer!  We sure are!!