cHiCaGo

So....for Spring Break 2011, Mary Beth and I went to Chicago! I hadn't ever been there and the vacation could NOT have come at a better time!!

We ate LOTS of yummy food (minus the unexpected stir fry restaurant), walked until we couldn't feel our legs, pampered ourselves with breakfast in bed, had drinks at the top of the John Hancock Building on St. Patrick's Day, experienced the American Girl store like we were 8 years old again and had an overall lovely time.

I'll shut up for now and let the pictures do the talking...

We stayed in this old boutique hotel that was right in the middle of everything! The hotel had so much character...I loved it!

how cool were our beds? 

The curtains had music notes on them!! I know I'm a big dork, but this made me really excited! I knew it had to be a sign

The view from our room. I know what you're thinking and I'm right there with you....ballin.

After taking an hour to walk to something that was practically across the street from our hotel, we finally made it to the bean!

Chicago Tribune

 Magnificent Mile= my exercise for the week

just hanging out with the lego man

love me some Toy Story

best pizza IN YOUR LIFE!

so excited to be reconnected with my childhood

homegirl has a head gear!! What will they think of next?

You can bring your dolls here and they'll fix their hair. MB and I decided we're bringing all of our dolls to get their hair did next time. Lord knows their hair is some kind of nappy.

American Girl....so inspirational

y'all know you like that artistic photo

 View from the top of the John Hancock Building...may or may not have felt a tad bit woozy at this point

You know fatty spotted the Mickey D's

MB washing the windows WITH her tourist headphones still on...ha!

Work it, MB.

at the top of the John Hancock building breezeway...we could feel the wind! Not okay. I might have had to check my pants afterwards. Just sayin...

ready for another day in the Windy City

Navy Pier

Hanging out with Bob Newhart...



green fountain...so festive!

Opera Building!!

Oprah!!

In her chair...fo real!

Fondue...delish!!

So yay for my first trip to Chicago! And yay for vacation time to catch up with friends! And yay for my last girls' trip as a single lady!

My Best Friend's Wedding: The Reception

Before we headed to the reception, the wedding party rode a bus to take pictures in front of Samford. It was so nice to be able to all go together! I didn't take very many pictures at the reception, I guess I was just caught up in the fact that Jenny was MARRIED!!! I can't wait to see the photographer's pictures!

The reception was at the Auburn University Hotel and Conference Center and it was wonderful!! I got to visit with high school friends, college friends and family....the whole shebang!



The food was delish and they even had some Momma G's style nachos...so creative! They had a candy station as favors for the guests. They were set up in different sized vases and had cute little scoops to go with it!

The DJ was fun and lots of people danced!  It was a game-time decision, but we decided to sing "shades", the little chi o song. SOME people forgot the words and Jenny said it was kind of awkward for us to be singing around her in a circle, but I'm glad we did it.



I didn't try to groom's cake, but Jenny's cake was soo good! And pretty too, of course :)

As Jenny and Andy left to get in their limo, we threw green confetti at them! They started dating on St. Patrick's day and Andy's mom's side is Irish, so it was a cute little theme! The confetti looked really cool! I think that maybe it was stuck to everything for a few days and the conference center may or may not change their rules regarding confetti, but I liked it!



When Jenny and Andy left, so did my control over my emotions. For some reason, that's when it hit me. For the rest of the night, I was in a really weird mood. It's hard to explain... it's not like I wasn't over the moon happy and excited for them, it was just weird feeling. I guess I spent all this time in denial, but when they got in that limo together, I had to face the truth.



Anyway, there is no more Jenny Piazza anymore. Her name is Jenny Barranco!! She is married. She lives with a boy. What is happening?!?!

So, even though this is all embarassingly tardy, I am still so very happy for Jenny and Andy! They're the cutest little married couple that I know and their wedding was ballin!!



...and it so is a happy day.