Happy Birthday to me ~ the Chicago way

I am actually going to post this entry without pictures because . . . well, because I'm just drained and super lazy this evening now that I'm home and back settled into reality of mommy hood in small town, USA. I. am. pooped.

So Chicago. Oh how I love that city.

There have been so many memorable moments in my life ranging from my first tractor ride at the age of 6 months to hanging out at my favorite bar in college, Tres Hombres, to of course, the birth of my children (even though I had a 31-hour labor with Maia). That said, some of the great memories of my life continue to be amazingly wonderful with this weekend ranking up there with the best. Not only because I got away on my birthday but because I have people in my life who really love me . . . a lot.

Before we even left on Friday I had received a dozen cards in the mail, 2 wonderfully sweet packages (Alexis and Patty!) and flowers (Natalie)! I took pictures of all, but like I said, I am l-a-z-y and t-i-r-e-d. But if you really need to know, hehe, the flowers are gorgeous (orange gerbera daisies with modern flair!), my package from Alexis was filled with goodies picked especially for me that I love and my package from Patty included the same Val-ness. So I left small town, USA feeling very loved. Thank you, friends!

I really didn't do too much but shop, but heck, what's wrong with that?! I got a dress for Heather's wedding, (which is gor-geous!) and I bought myself an outfit (which I wore to the greatest talk show on earth) with the nice little treat Neil's mom sent me to Chicago with in my wallet (thank you, Pat!!). And I hit some great deals at a store I had never heard of called Loehmann's which I could have spent hours upon hours in (and almost did). Do you all know of this store? It's so much like a TJ Maxx but ten hundred times better! And of course I hit the big 4-floor Borders on Michigan Avenue in search for a new copy of my favorite childhood book, "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret." and the Sassy book I talked about a little while back. I couldn't find the Sassy one, darn it. I have to special order it. Eh.

So get this! We got up on Saturday in search for a Starbucks when we began seeing dozens of people in green and then dozens upon dozens more. It didn't phase us except that they apparently cared enough to celebrate this Irish holiday and they were quite festive doing it. However, then we find ourselves suddenly in the middle of the St. Patrick's Day parade and the dyeing of the Chicago River. Seriously, I'm not kidding. We were in total oblivion but when we figured it out, it was really awesome to be caught in the middle of it.

What made my actual birthday day was seeing my dear friend, Katie, her husband, David, and their daughter, Rachel, whom I hadn't met yet and she is a year and a half old. I feel really bad about that. Like really bad. But thankfully Katie is such a forgiving friend and loves me truly. So I got to meet the little peach, and oh my goodness is she ever a peach! I feel so blessed to have finally had this opportunity. What great parents they are. And what a great birthday dinner it was to share with them.

The most exciting part, which I know some of you are dying to hear, is that today I did get to see a live taping of the Oprah Winfrey show. And it was . . . oh my goodness . . . spectacular. Did anyone see it?! Simon Cowell was on it which couldn't have made it any better of a show, and I'll happily tell all about it tomorrow because like I said already, I am pooped to the max. Getting up at 2:50 a.m. just for Oprah will do that to you. :c)