The Big 3-1

I turned 31 on Sunday and Burke treated me to a fantastic day. First, we went to the Field Museum. Our public libraries have bought passes (to everything here...Shedd Aquarium, Plantatarium, etc.) and they let you check them out with your library card. So cool. So, we got to spend the morning there for FREE!!! It was fun but there is a LOT of stuff there. I got pretty tired pretty quickly. But here are some pictures from the morning.

The big attraction was Sue. The biggest skeleton remains of a T-rex.

There were tons of animals and then tons of animals.

After the Field Museum we went and saw the musical Million Dollar Quartet. It was so much fun!! We loved the music from Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins. Again, so much fun. (Mom and Mary Beth, you guys have to see it. You will love it!)

And there's more. Because I have the greatest most spectacular husband in the world, he got me this....

Look at all those fun stitches!!!!

A little sewing machine history: I have used the same sewing machine since middle school. It survived many moves, but the move to Austin was its last. I finally had to get rid of it and get a new one. So I did. Then the next day my car broke down and I just couldn't keep my new sewing machine when I had car repairs, so I returned it. I have waited (somewhat) patiently for this day!!!

This is what the lady lets us do in the store to try it out.

And this was our first joint effort sewing project. I think Burke may actually like sewing. I'm not sure if I am allowed to post that on the blog, but he is just as fascinated as I am with all the cool buttons and stitches that it can do.

Don't look too closely because we ran into some bobbin issues. I got frustrated and Burke ran and hid from me. But we managed to finish something. I do get to go to a free sewing class on Thursday so I can make sure I know what all it can do and we can really get our money's worth! It is supposed to last a lifetime! Yay!!! I can't wait for more projects. Now, if I could only finish graduate school....so many better things to be doing!!!

If you build it, they will come.

Burke called me at 9pm on Friday to tell me they suckered him into an overnight trip. But he followed it with, "You wanna come?" I said sure, of course and threw some things in a bag. I got to the airport and realized I had no idea where I was going. Well, was I in for a treat. We were off to Cedar Rapids, IOWA!! Woohoo! Big, happening city with lots of corn. We wanted to build a big baseball field so that dead players could come out to play but we didn't have enough time. Maybe next time, Iowa.

Here I am with Captain Brednich. Can never get enough of those awkward arm pictures, huh?


Although, I should have taken the 18 trillion things I need to read for graduate school, I took one of our new book fair books to read instead. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is an adorable book about a young writer in 1946 that writes letters back and forth to a quirky community in Guernsey. They formed a literary society to "distract" them from the terrible times of German occupation and she learns of all their war and survival stories through their letters. It has it funny parts, sad parts, sweet parts. Loved each of the charaters! (I did picture Guernsey to be a lot like Stars Hollow in the 40s during a horrible war without Lorielai and Rory. But Stars Hollow anyways.....) Read it. It's cute.

Books! Books! Books!

The Newberry Library had a HUGE book fair and we went today. When we got there, the line to get in was wrapped around the block. They had seven rooms full of books...stacks and stacks of books for sale. Most of them were $1!

Here's what we got...all for $37!

The baby got some books too! My favorite...Planes!

ONE MONTH

Burke and I have been husband and wife for a month today! Yay! Looking forward to many more....

Bad picture but 2nd Cubs game a couple of weeks ago. It was HOT, HOT but the Cubs won! And I had my first stranger ask me if I plan on breastfeeding. Creepy!

For Betsy...

Betsy, my sister in law, posted a recipe on her blog a few days ago and Burke has talked about it non-stop. So, being the good wife that I am, I made it for him for his homecoming from a work trip. Betsy warned that there were a lot of ingredients but there are a LOT of ingredients.
Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese....our version.

It was very good but a little too hot for us. I am a wimp when it comes to spicy.
And every meal has to have something GREEN!!!


And thanks to Bill and DeeDee, I made some sweet tea for our monogrammed pitcher! (Burke would have preferred Sangria....)

And for the baby's sweet tooth, Freezer Caramel Drizzle Pie.....

It was great to have him home again and to eat all this food!