Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum: The Reunion Tour

Yesterday (Saturday) my friend from high school, Lisa, was passing through town. Actually Lisa and I go back as far as pre-school, not all that unusual when you hail from Gibson City. Anyway Lisa and I went to lunch at the new Jupiter's Pizza and Billiards in southwest Champaign, scoping it out at a potential site for our 20th high school class reunion this coming summer. Yep, 20 years has passed since the Class of 1988 left the hallowed halls of Gibson City High School... we were pre-consolidation, no GCMS for us thank you.

It was great to catch up with Lisa. She lives in Indy with her kids Jack and Emma, and works as a meeting planner for Roche. We don't keep up with one another all that much, but always manage to have lots of laughs when we do. There is never any of the "Well why didn't you call me/email me?" drama, we just picked up where we left off the last time. I don't keep up with a lot of my Gibson City friends, so I truly do enjoy catching up with them and reliving our past. My childhood and young adult years in Gibson City were pretty much idyllic. Of course at the time I thought I had it so rough, but the older I get and the more people I meet I realize that I was so incredibly blessed to have been raised by loving and solid parents in a safe and loving community. I always knew that not everyone was blessed with as good as a situation as I had, but having met and been in relationship with adults whose childhood was not idyllic and seeing the effects that it has on them for the rest of their lives, even those that have been able to rise up from them.... Wow, all I can do is praise God for my good fortune.

So, you are all probably wondering what the heck the post title refers to. Well when we were in 4th grade our class performed the musical "Alice in Wonderland". Lisa and I were Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, respectively. It was pretty much the beginning and end of my show-biz career. Seriously, I had no talent, I think one of the reasons I got the part of Tweedle Dum is because I was a smart kid and so I could totally handle all of my classmates calling me "Tweedle DumB!". I remember that musical like it was yesterday... I remember Lisa's mom calling my Mom and inviting me to go with them to Champaign to see "Lady and the Tramp" at the theater (the Virginia Theater by the way for those of you who care, and/or are old enough to remember when it was a movie theater) and then we could practice our lines together on the way there and back. After the movie we had ice cream sundaes at the soda counter at Robeson's Department Store. It was a huge deal... I didn't get to go to movies very often then, let alone practice my lines in the car. Anywho, so the pictures are of us now and as the Tweedles. Please excuse the current day photo... I took it myself and obviously at this close range the fact that I am slightly closer to the camera makes me look like a really "bid-headed" person. It was a comedy of errors taking that photo and Lisa was quick to point out "Well, you were Tweedle DUM!".

In a random twist of fate, that evening after reliving the 80's with Lisa over lunch, I went to Quest's (my church) annual volunteer party on Saturday night. It had a back to the future theme and we were encouraged to dress 50's, 80's or Future. I broke out my 80's outfit from Busey's 80's holiday party a few years ago and won the "best costume" prize. I didn't take any pictures with my camera, but I will post one here when they are available on Quest's website.

So that was my Saturday. Today's Kudos go to Lisa for only rolling her eyes slightly when I said she was going to be my blog topic and that I would be posting a pic of us from 4th grade... you rock girlfriend!

Editors Note: Lisa is in the middle in the second picture, and on the left in the first one, but hopefully you figureed that out. Also, you can see the "Mad Hatter" in this photo as well, played by Errol Rottman. FYI, Errol Rottman is a jet pilot in the U.S. Air Force now, and well if you grew up with Errol you would just find it odd that he is in part responsible for our nation's defense.

Christmas with the Fab Five... the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Well I hope everyone enjoyed a merry and blessed Christmas. Monday evening (Christmas Eve) I went to church at Quest UMC. Abe and Allison were in town for the holidays, and the children sang a couple of songs, which was a real treat. After church I head to Gibson City to my brother's house for dinner and what has become the traditional holiday ice cream drinks. Every one else prefers the grasshoppers, but I am definitely a Pink Squirrel kind of girl... I think it is because #1 it is pink, #2 it is called "Pink Squirrel"... how cool is that, and #3 Leave it to me to be unconventional. Besides, Jayne and Phil and the kids, we were joined by my parents, my Aunt Ann, and the Beck's (Al, Amelie & Taylor B) friends of Jayne and Phil's. Oh, and also Kyle Valentine... Ashley's former boyfriend and now buddy/friend. Evidently Jayne got Kyle a present for Christmas, even though he and Ashley decided not to exchange gifts, and Ashley has way too much fun referring to Kyle as "Mom's Boyfriend". It was just a very nice and relaxing time.

I spent the night at my parents' house, and my Uncle Bill, Phil and family and Jan and family joined us at about 11 a.m. We had every appetizer known to man for lunch, opened presents, and then dined on our traditional meal of steak, oyster dressing, sweet potatoes, corn and salads for an early dinner. We had pie for dessert, but I opted instead for date pudding (kind of like a chocolate spice cake) with caramel sauce... again another traditional favorite in our family. Jan and family had to leave right after dinner because Larry and Eric left early this morning with a group from their church for New Orleans. They will be doing some home building (framing and drywall) in the 9th ward for about a week.

It was great to spent time with my family, especially the Fab Five... my five nieces and nephews. The title of this post refers the t-shirt Lane got for Christmas and was excited to show me. Here is a picture of the front and back... I think it is great.

My mom totally fooled Jeremy by wrapping his ipod in a box about the size of a copy paper box. She also managed to get a laugh out of our generation by hiding our Christmas cash in the pages of magazines she has saved in the basement dating back approximately to the years of our birth, high school graduation and weddings. It was hysterical because my parents' basement is a pretty much a disaster of 25+ years of junk. It drives my siblings far more crazy than me. It used to drive me crazy too, but perhaps I have just mellowed, or maybe realized that when you are in your 70's the last thing you really want to do is clean your basement. One day it will by "our mess", and my parents seem to be totally fine with that! :)

I took the day off work today to recover from the Christmas craziness. Nathan stopped by for lunch on his way home to Chicago from Fairfield. I took down my Christmas tree while I had the free time, and haven't done much else. Back to work tomorrow... ugghh... but just two days before the weekend.

Editor's Note: The picture at the top of the blog is a very reluctant Fab 5 posing for a picture, they are lined up on the steps in age order... a la Brady Bunch.

The ULTIMATE Birthday Blog

So I guess technically this blog is a day early, but if ever there was a birthday "bloggee" to celebrate for a day plus… you can't really go wrong with Jesus, right?

Happy Birthday Jesus! The Messiah, our Lord & Savior, King of Kings, the Prince of Peace.

Jesus and I go way back, but we have definitely gotten reacquainted the last four or five years, which has been really exciting. Unlike many of my birthday bloggees, I didn't meet Jesus working at the Assembly Hall or Busey Bank, but he often shows up both places. I really try to take Jesus with me everywhere. Sometimes I am more successful than others, and a lot of times when I forget to bring Him along with me, He has a tendency to show up anyway… I like that.

God sent Jesus to me (and to you too) to rescue me from my sin… of which there is plenty (for instance see yesterday's blog, I am fairly certain that responding to "M-I-Z" with "B-C-S" is not so "love thy neighbor"... sorry Allison Sit). God sent him to mankind in the most humble of ways, a tiny baby, born a barn. I am a farm girl, and we raised livestock so I have spent a lot of time in a barn... some good times, some bad. Okay so I wasn't born in a barn, and I really don't have much of a point here I guess other than a "shout out" to all the other "barn kids" out there besides me and Jesus.

So Merry Christmas everyone. If you are traveling either near or far, stay safe. Be kind and generous of heart to those you spend the holidays with… be it friends, family, strangers or yourself. I wish you all a very merry and blessed Christmas, with joy in your hearts as you celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ and the Lord's gift of salvation to us all!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Brain Randle... he's a Christian you know... and I touched him!

Well as promised some game highlights from the Busch Braggin' Rights game. First of all, in case you missed Sports Center, the Illini won by one point. It was a very close game at the end, and I seriously had my doubts... but God bless 'em the Illini came through... keeping our perfect Braggin' Rights record in tact.

This game is just always lots of fun. Half the arena in orange, the other in gold and black. I have yet to go to a Braggin' Rights game that wasn't filled with lots of emotion, and this one was my seventh. This year besides basketball, football took center stage as well as the Illini faithful enjoyed turning the knife on the Mizzou football fans, pointing out how they got hosed out of BCS game, gleefully chiming in on the M-I-Z-Z-O-U cheer with our version, M-I-Z... B-C-S!

To offer you a little background on the post title, I have to go back a number of years. I was taking the Fab 5 (my five nieces and nephews) to an Illini basketball game and Lane asked me "Aunt Jane, is Dee Brown a Christian?". I replied that I didn't know and later Lane said, rather out of the blue, "Brian Randle, he's a Christian you know!", which for whatever reason just tickled me, and to this day we can't discuss B.R. without throwing in the "He's a Christian you know" line. To further explain, turns out that we live in a very small world and Lane goes to church with Brian Randle's Grandma's best friend, Virginia. Lane helped Virginia to her car after church one day when she wasn't feeling well and she later got Brian's autograph for Lane, to thank him for his kindness, and Lane being Lane had a discussion with Virginia about Brian's faith... it turns out Brian is a Christian.

Okay, so back to the game. It was crazy. Very close the whole time, and Nik, Karen, Sarah J and I even developed a high fiving routine. We were sitting in two rows of two so the routine was high 5 the person in your row, high 5 the person in front/back of you, then high 5 diagonal, Nik and Karen down low, and Sarah J and I up high. We were on edge, and even threatened to make Nik go to the bathroom at the end of the game because when she went in the first half Trent Meacham or T-Meach as Karen calls him, went on a 3-point shooting spree, and we really could have used he offense in the second half. I managed to get B.R. to make a couple of free throws by reminding every one that, and I quote "B.R. is a Christain, and Christians make their free throws, especially this close to Christmas!" Yep, those words came out of my mouth... completely silly, but hey whatever I could to for the team, right.

Also there was a very intense moment when during a timeout the short referee (I can't say what Karen called him all night) came over and just started going all nuts on assistant coach Jerrance Howard, yelling and wagging his finger at him. Never did find what that was about, but it was funny to watch, and we didn't appreciate someone giving "our Jerrance" the business. Not quite so funny was B.R. fouling out... again the short official... he didn't seem to like B.R. last night.

Well despite Brian fouling out, the Illini managed to pull off the victory. It was the best Braggin' Rights celebration ever. The folks in the next section took off (kudos to them) so we slid over into their seats where we could hang over the rail and "Woo Hoo" the entire team as they headed to the locker room. We got to "High 5" nearly every member of the team, including B.R., and Nik and I even got to touch the trophy as they brought it over to us. Somehow in all the excitement I managed to snap this photo of Brian as he was heading over to High 5 us. As you can see he was soooo excited. I know that he didn't have the game that he wanted, but it was great to see him so excited to have gone undefeated in his Braggin' Rights career too. That kind of excitement just makes you smile. It was awesome... we totally got Brian Randle sweat on our hands... how cool is that.

This morning as we were telling Sarah J good-bye in parking garage we told her we hoped that it was worth the 8 hour drive... her response... "We won, and I got to touch Brian Randle, he sweat on my hand... totally worth the drive!" So that pretty much sums up the Braggin' Rights game.

Merry Christmas to all, especially Brian Randle!

Whoever Draws The Short Carrot

Yesterday I headed to STL for our annual trip to the Busch Braggin' Rights game, Illinois vs. Mizzou. I will get to the basketball in a separate post, but I first wanted to share a bit about the part that is more important than basketball. I know, you my reading public are shocked and amazed there is something more important than the basketball! I love Bruce Weber, Jerrance Howard and Brian Randle, but that kind of love simply pales in comparison to the love I have for Nikki, Karen and Sarah J. These lovely ladies have been my Braggin' Rights buddies for a number of years and each of us looks forward to our holiday basketball trip every year. Sarah J gets special kudos in this blog because she schleps all the way from Vicksburg, Mississippi (an 8 hour drive) for approximately 16 hours of basketball and girl talk.

We arrived in STL late in the afternoon on Saturday, just in time to get settled in our room and relax a bit before it was time to hit the FREE Happy Hour in the lobby of our hotel, the Drury Plaza. I had the idea of doing an ornament exchange to get us revved up for the holidays, but was woefully unclear on the directions, so Nik showed up with an ornament for each of us, while the rest of us had more of a "grab bag" (bring an ornament, leave with an ornament) thing in mind. Nik just gave each of us her ornaments, but then that meant when we proceeded to "exchange" either Sarah J, Karen or I would give, but not get, so that Nik wouldn't leave emptied handed. Gee how should we decide who was "out"... well that is easy, whoever draws the short carrot. After two beers, and a tequila sunrise (yes we sang the song) brilliant ideas such as the now infamous "short carrot" just don't stop.

After knocking back free drinks and snacks we made the walk to the arena, arriving just in time to spot Nik's Dad and our friend Nathan each sitting in separate box seats and wave heartily at them. Okay, so they each got their tix for free and had free food and drinks, but our seats were far better. We were just off the corner of the court near the Illinois bench, in the first two rows of permanent seats, just across the aisle from where the Illinois team enters the locker room. The game was awesome, like I said more on that another post, and afterwards we opted to bypass the bar scene in favor of some real food (happy hour snacks were just not going to cut it) at Friday's. At Friday's we managed to have half of their staff wait on us, but particularly enjoyed Ray, our flamingly gay waiter that talked us into the fried green beans... yummy! Ray scored way big with me, besides joking that cocaine is what made the fried green beans to addicting, he separate our checks without us having to ask, and even split to the green beans that we shared among the four checks.

Back at the hotel we stayed up far too late... giggling like school girls. We discovered you can see me in the game program, sitting in our seats last year. We discussed the fact that Nik's slightly creepy downstairs neighbor brought her soup this week when she was sick. Nice of him I guess if he wasn't trying to use the soup to get her to date him. She hasn't eat the soup yet... and we joked that hopefully it isn't Chicken Rufies Soup!

After free hot breakfast the hotel this morning we hit the road. Sarah J back to MS, and the rest of us to Central Illinois. It was great to hang with the girls, remember good times at the Hall, and of course keep our perfect Braggin' Rights record in tact. I can't wait for next year.

JIMMMAAAYYY!!!!

Today the Cardinals announced that they are trading Jim Edmonds, my baseball boyfriend for the past seven plus years, to the San Diego Padres. Oh Jimmy, Jimmy... how I hate to see you go, we have shared some wonderful times... but they say it is better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.

The Jimmy moments over the past seven years have been countless, but I will attempt to describe what exactly James Patrick Edmonds has meant to me. First of all, Jimmy is not an easy man to love. He strikes out a lot... but when he doesn't, oh my, he has been fun to watch. His nickname is "Hollywood", a reference to his So Cal roots, as well as his movie star "hey look at me" attitude. That by itself makes Jimmy an unconventional choice for me, typically I gravitate towards more of the "No-nonsense, buckle down, don't look at me, it is all about the team" kind of guy. Jimmy does everything with flair, and he has just totally sucked me in. Besides the monster home runs or the most dramatic and amazing catches in center field, which you expect to have flair, Jimmy strikes out, jumps out of the way of a pitch, fidgets in the outfield, talks to the media and gets injured with flair. Again, I am not one who usually goes for the dramatic type, but somehow it works for Jimmy, and for me.

It is bittersweet to see Jimmy go, he has brought me so many fond memories, but if trading Jimmy frees up some cash for pitching I have to go with what is best for the team. It saddens me a bit that Jimmy won't retire as a Cardinal, but as a So Cal guy, spending his final year(s)? in baseball close to family and friends makes sense, but he will always be a Cardinal to me. It probably is best for the team, dumping some of his outrageous salary and giving them more flexibility. Jimmy is my age, one of my "Boys of '70 (born in 1970 same as me), and that is relatively old in baseball terms. His bat just isn't what it used to be, and various injuries in recent years have kept him from taking the field everyday.

Many Cards fans will remember the classic Jimmy moments, and I too will never forget; the walk-off homer in Game 6 of the 2004 NLCS to take it to Game 7, "The Catch" in Game 7 of that same NLCS, the amazing over the wall catches against the Reds, and the one running up Tal's Hill at Minute Maid Park, or jumping on the couch in locker room in San Diego after Game 1 of the Division Series in 2006 giving away the "game ball", stepping up as the team veteran to rally the troops to the unforgettable 2006 World Series Championship run. But the three most special Jimmy moments I have were far more personal. First, was in a game against the Cubs when the Cards were getting killed. It was so bad Nikki left during play to get a drink... Nik never leaves during play if she can help it. Jimmy was up to bat and I said to Karen "You know, if Jimmy loves me... he will go yard." I no sooner had the words out of my mouth, when Jimmy belted an HR. He was a bright shiny moment, on an otherwise crappy day. Jimmy does love me. The next Jimmy moment was before a game when Jimmy and another "Boy of '70", Mark Grudzielanek aka "Grudzie", the man with the most amazing blues eyes ever to take the field, were warming up. They were lined up along the first baseline ready to run out to the field and back, and Nikki and I were watching them, noticing they were chatting with each other. I leaned over to Nikki and said that I knew what Jimmy was saying to Grudzie, and they were about ready to take off running... "Okay Grudz, on your mark, get set, go... the winner gets Jane's heart!". Needless to say it was a tie, and they had to race again, and Nikki doubled over in laughter. And of course the best Jimmy moment was when I met him and got his autograph at Winter Warm Up a few years ago. I had dressed up as Jimmy for Halloween that year, with my co-worker Linds as my heckling Cub fan holding a sign "Jimmy Throws Like a Girl!", and gave Jimmy a picture of said Halloween. He was so nice, kind, and genuinely amused by my touching tribute... certainly no Hollywood attitude with me.

So it is with mixed emotions that I say good-bye to Jimmy. I will miss you so, but wish you only the best in San Diego. It is an end to an era, alas I say good-bye to another Cardinal boyfriend. I have only had a few Cardinal boyfriends over the years, Tommy Herr when I was 12, and Andy VanSlyke when I was 16, and now Jimmy in my 30's. I am sure I will love again, but who will my next boy be? I am headed to spring training in March, so maybe some new sparks will fly at Roger Dean Stadium. Who knows?

Farewell James Patrick Edmonds... a part of me will always love you! For one last time let me passionately yell.... "JIMMMAAAYYY!!!!!"

Editors Note: Here are couple of links to various things Jimmy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxnDc1N-PBE&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKWqYQBXmCE&NR=1

Happy Birthday to my Favorite Domer... D^2

So today is another birthday blog. I don't know if any of my readers enjoy the birthday blogs, but I sure do. So today is Don Dahl's birthday. Happy Birthday D^2 (that's D Squared)

Don was one of my Busey Bank co-workers for about 4 years... he was there for most of the Chris Phillips and Lindsey years. Working with Don truly was a joy. I have never met anyone so positive, and just wonderful to be around. If Don was having a bad day you never knew it... I can't say the same for myself... many times when I am having a bad day the world knows because I sure to tell them. The ability to not complain, is one the things I admire most about Don, that and his faith. I don't think that it is any small coincidence that after working with Don for four years I made a point to find a church and a faith community. For that I will never be able to repay Don.

Don is also one of the funniest and fun people I know. He doesn't realize he is this funny and fun, that is why he is so funny and fun. Don lived in a house with six or seven other guys, their house was known as "The Dome". Several of his house mates took to writing funny things on Don's lunch bag (he packed his lunch the night before, and the wrote on it after he went to bed). They wrote things like "Don Juan DeMarco Dahl"... or my personal favorite "Hi Jane!". Keep in mind that at this point I had not met any of them, although later Roach and Frank and became my buds, and I would often write back to them via post-it notes sent home with Don.

Don was my absolute favorite participant in Secret Santa at the office. We don't do Secret Santa anymore, and actually I am relieved... it just isn't the same without Don and Linds. Christmas in the office was great with Don because he would anxiously await for the Christmas music that was piped in to play "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" by the Jackson 5... he totally rocked out to that song... I miss that.

Don just got married last Saturday. I was in Chicago so I missed the wedding. I am sure it was beautiful. I haven't met Mrs. Don yet, but I can't wait. I am sure she is rather fabulous, and I don't doubt that she realizes how lucky she is to have caught D^2.

Anyway, Happy Birthday Don Dahl. Don't tell Roach and Frank but you will ALWAYS be my favorite Domer!

Do You Have An Elephant In Yours?

So I am back in C-U and tuckered out from the weekend in Chicago visiting Nathan, and going to the Illini game at the United Center. So, the much anticipated bathroom story from our evening of pizza and beer drinking at Piece Friday night. So we all made a trip to the restroom before leaving Piece... we had several drinks and it was very cold outside. Anyway, as we were in the ladies room I hear Nik ask from the next stall... "Do you have an elephant in yours?"... what are you talking about, well Nikki shows me the artwork adorning the hook on the door, this cute little elephant.

Bathroom graffiti I can endorse. So we wanted to show Nathan, but draggin him into the ladies room not really appropriate, so I got out my camera, and then got a few looks from the women coming into the bathroom as I was packing up my camera. Needless to say giggles ensued, and then Nathan was wondering what was up when we caught up with him at the front door, doublin over in laughter.

So the game at the United Center didn't really go so well, the Illini lost, but the CTA bus we took was filled with rather entertaining Illini fans... a regular party bus... and we were sitting about 10 rows below Michael Jordan at the UC. I seriously would have thought he would have better seats at the UC, his statue is out front and it is referred to as "The house that Michael built", but he was far from center court, slightly beyond one of the baskets. Actually, beside the fact they were not in a box, our seats were actually better than Michael's. Nathan's buddy Scott joined us at the game and he quickly gained points by thinking that Nik and I were still in college since we were from Champaign, and I don't think he had been drinking. Later Scott said to me "Oh, so you are the one who leaves all the comments on Nate's blog." To which Nik said "Yep, this is the Jano Fabulous."

After the game we took the bus downtown to check out the lights and do a little shopping. Nathan completely outshopped us girls, another reason we like him so much. We stopped at Starbucks for a warm beverage, Nik got a tall, Nathan a grande, and I was in serious need of caffeine so I opted for a venti. The put them on the counter at the same time, and I commented that it was like baby, mama, and papa bear. Later when shopping Nik thought I said something and I said no she heard the two guys coming out of the store we were passing instead. Nathan said "Wow, what does that say about your voice, Nik mistook men's voices for you!" I simply replied in a very gravely voice, "Well I am Papa Bear!"

After running away from the ridiculous waits at Cheesecake Factory and Weber Grill, we went to dinner at Rock Bottom Brewery. We had to wait there as well, and were all getting very droopy, tired and cranky but perked up a lot when we got to sit down and eat. The food was great, and the company even better. We headed back to the Blue line after dinner, and went back to Nathan's. It had been a long day, and we had done a fair amount of walking so we got comfy, and settled in front of the TV for a bit before we all pretty much crashed. Sunday we got up, grabbed a quick lunch, and then Nathan drove us to the train station.

It was such a good weekend, and we all had a great time. We decided that we really need to visit more often and plan to go back up to see Wicked, go to Wrigley, and take the Architecture cruise on the river. I am thinking it will take several trips.

On the way home Nik and I were talking about how we had such a good time just hanging out, and not really doing all that much. I said that is a sign of good friends... you don't have to entertain each other with activities, you just entertain each other with fellowship.

So that was my weekend. A good time, and a nice getaway.

Piece Out!

Live from Chicago, its Saturday morning! Nik and I parked the car at the University Park Metra station, and arrived downtown at about 5 p.m. last night. We met Nathan a block up the street and then the three of us headed to Nathan's to drop off our bags. Nathan's condo is very nice, and is just a short walk from the Logan Square El stop on the Blue Line.

Last night Nathan took us to Piece, a couple of El stops away, for dinner. We had some great pizza, and Nathan and I had several great beers. They brew their own beer at Piece, and darn it was good. I started out with their seasonal beer "Festivus"... it was porter/stoutish with cloves etc. It was oh so tasty, and I liken it to beer version of the Gingerbread latte at Starbucks. My next beer was one of the best I have ever had "Dark & Curvy" a great German dark wheat beer aka dunkel hefeweisen. Nathan had the "Worryin' Ale" and some other beer I can't recall at the time. It was great to try some new beers with Nathan, and there is a bathroom story from Piece that I will share later... it is pretty funny.

We headed back to Nathan's after pizza and beer and just hung out for a couple of hours. We were talking about various C-U tv broadcasters and sports directors etc. when out of the blue Nathan asked "Have you seen Hilary Duff lately? Do you know if she got a boob job?" Completely random and so completely Nathan... Lordy I have missed that boy! :) After a brief internet search Nathan found the picture of Hilary that lead to said question... yep, I am thinking she did.

Okay, off to the United Center for the game. Go Illini

Livin' the High Life: Happy Birthday Christopher!

Another birthday blog... these really are my favorite posts. Today is Chris Phillips' birthday.

Happy Birthday Chris!

Chris used to work with me at Busey Bank a number of years ago. He is a native of the greater Detroit area, but was in C-U for a few years when his now wife, then girlfriend/fiance, Megan was getting her masters degree at the University of Illinois. The picture to the right was taken at Chris and Megan's wedding with Lindsey.

Anywho, I really loved working with Chris. He and Lindsey used to fight like brother and sister all of the time, launching paper clips and rubber bands over the wall they shared and I was usually "the Mom" and had to mediate their fights and tell them to settle down.

Chris and I hung out a lot when Megan moved to California for her job a couple of months ahead of Chris. Chris is a big hockey fan, and since that was one sport Nikki and I really knew nothing about he volunteered to go with us to an Illini hockey game and teach us the basics of hockey. We learned about the blue line, icing etc. I am still no hockey expert, but everything I do know I owe to Chris.

Chris also was my Crane Alley Happy Hour buddy and agreed to try everything they had on draft, a new one ever week, until we worked our way all the way down the tappers. He moved after about four different beers, but I loved that Chris was game and just as excited to have Miller High Life as he was Sierra Nevada. Chris introduced me to Bell's, a beer from his home state of Michigan. We can't get it here anymore and it just kind of sad... Bell's Oberon was kind of like a Blue Moon but better. Another drinking story involving Chris was when he went out with Nik and Karen and I several of our napkins would stick to the bottom of our glass/bottle when we picked it up to take a drink... for whatever reason we were all rather fascinated with this phenomenon and to this day when the napkin sticks you "Haven't lost your drink chee"... it sounds so stupid now, but it was great at the time.

Chris and Megan moved back to Michigan a little over a year ago, after living near Oakland, California for a few years after their time in C-U. They welcomed baby Stella in March and although I have yet to meet her in person, from pictures I can see she is just the cutest, sweetest little baby ever. I always thought they were the cutest couple ever, and now they are the cutest family.

Oh another random Chris thing... I was talking about having a lilac bush to which he responded... "I love lilacs, they are just so fragrant!" It was such a girly comment... it was just enjoyable to hear something so girly come out of the mouth of hockey player... I like it when someone has layers like that :)

I miss having Chris around. Happy Birthday Christopher... your Wolverines may have beat us this year, but look who is in the Rose Bowl! :)

Everything is Coming up Roses

Congrats to the Illini football team on their bid to the Rose Bowl! The last time the Illini were in Pasadena I was sporting the female mullet, Madonna was new on the scene, and I was too young to drive. Best of luck to Coach Zook and the team in sunny California. Go Illini!!!!