A Change in Scenery

This morning, I traded in my usual work attire (sweats) for actual work clothes.


(Yes, mom, I am that woman in a business suit and heels in the airport :) )

The benefits of this happen to be breakfast at the best restaurant in Chicago - Frontera by Rick Bayless.


It was delicious.


However, I wasn't exactly expecting to have to go outside in the 30 degree weather to board the plane.


Luckily, some nice businessman offered to lift my suitcase onto that heap of carry on suitcases.

That's how us business types roll, you know. We're all in this (tiny plane) together.

...waiting for them to fix the landing gear.

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Location:Access Rd,Chicago,United States

Office Space | Progress Report

Ohhhh working from home. I LOVE YOU!!! I could go on and on and on about all the benefits: so much more sleep, I haven't gotten gas in 3 weeks, there's less laundry to do, no more purchased lunches, NO MORE COMMUTING!!!

...and so on.

But like the big dork that I am, one of the things I am the most excited about is creating my own office. Most of the necessities (and boring stuff) are paid for by my new company. HOWEVER! That has not stopped me from purchasing the cute version of the necessities. Observe:


This is my super hot wireless keyboard (not pictured: matching super hot wireless mouse). Also purchased were the prettiest pen, pencil, and highlighter colors (purple should ALWAYS be a highlighter color in a combo pack!), and the cutest thumb drive I could find.

But the most fun has been the decorating. I am a woman, after all.

And Hubs? Let's just say that he's secured his spot as sweetest husband in the world by making sure I get the office I always dreamed of...even when I am fighting off some random post-strep virus in the middle of a black friday Ikea run and decide that the curtains I've always loved are "too much work." He picked up all 45. billion. pieces. of them (side rant: seriously, Ikea? Stop selling every single component separately!!) just so I would be excited about my "dream office."

Things are nowhere near done. In fact, out house looks like an episode of Hoarders - almost an entire room of junk being thrown away in batches while oodles of ginormous boxes are being unpacked with shelves, a desk, and a (clearance!) couch.


Oh, and that picture you see on the right? HOLLAND, baby!! Specifically, a canal in Amsterdam. It might just be my favorite Ikea purchase ever.

I can't wait for this all to come together!!

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Door Decoration Appreciation

I have to say that I am really digging our neighbors' door decorations.


Yay for someone being in the Christmas spirit!

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The Best is Yet to Come

In a word, my Daddy's retirement party was amazing.  The theme?  "The Best is Yet to Come."  It was blaring on the speakers when he pulled into the driveway. :)

I'm not even going to attempt a narrative for this - the pictures speak for themselves.

Setting up

The arrival

Family picture time!

Not really sure what is going on here??

The big reveal

Love.

Giant steak for the retiree

Hubs smelling (???) the giant steak

Jackson is sneaking beer already

Cheers!

Time for a cigar to celebrate!

Hubs was cracking. up.

This picture kills me!

Presents!

A Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Every year for the past 3 or 4 years, my team has taken a trip to the Pumpkin Patch during one of our lunch breaks.



It all started as a result of me never having been to a pumpkin patch. Before I knew it, a team expedition was planned.

The participants have changed (that's one of my team members and his daughter, above), but the purpose is still the same: to get out of the office and do something together.

(Sometimes, it involves making a coworker ride the camel and then passing the pictures around the office.)

This year, it was a beautiful day. Knowing this trip would be my last one while working with my team was not far from my mind (sad face), so I made sure to take the obligatory funny Troy photo while we were there.


Another thing I made sure to do was to get an apple cider donut and some actual hot apple cider.


We began to realize just how easily the years run together when we sat down to talk/eat and we couldn't remember if it was raining during last year's trip or not and whose kids were along.


In the end, it's not really important. What's important is that we were together.

And that we all had a good laugh over this sign.


We're super mature.

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