Fam-a-lam

My two favorite things. 

This weekend was full of family. Not the whole shebang all together (didn't get to see my dad unfortunately) but a lot of wonderful people who happen to be related to me. On Friday night, I rocketed out of school to go to my cousin Kristin's house with Steph, Karley, and Liz for a good old-fashioned sleepover. Without the sleepover. We ate together, had cute drinks, made junk food, and watched When Harry Met Sally. It was my first time seeing it and oh my goodness I love that movie. As weird as it sounds, I sort of found Billy Crystal attractive in that one. I know, it doesn't seem right to me either. But when he said "I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible," I just melted. Classic. Saturday was spent with my Mom, Alex, Steph, and Sawyer on a shopping excursion for my mom's ensem for Alex's wedding (which is quickly approaching!) which was not very enjoyable for me. The company was great, but I happened to be all stuffed up and hazed over from a weird cold I came down with halfway through the day on Friday. I'm blaming the second-graders. I distinctly remember one kid sneezing DIRECTLY in my face on Wednesday or Thursday, and I'm thinking that's what did me in. On the bright side, after this year I plan on having the immune system of an ox. (Do oxen have good immune systems? I'm not sure. It just seemed right to say.) Either way, the shopping all blended together in a weird cloud and I just nodded and smiled to things I couldn't hear as my eyes watered all afternoon.

Saturday night was absolutely great, because THE Liz VanDrunen herself came to visit me in Pilsen. We walked up Halsted to University Village where there was a cute Mexican restaurant for margaritas and appetizers (I literally could have margaritas and chips and salsa every time I go to a restaurant and be happy about it). Then we walked back to the apartment and chatted about teaching (her first year teaching 4th grade starts up very soon), weddings (she also has a million to attend this summer, including a sibling), and beginning our real lives. Don't judge me for this one, but we finished the night by watching one of the most feel-good movies I've seen in awhile: Big Miracle. Yes, it's about saving the whales. Yes, I realize that seems very lame. But it spoke right to my heart and I was charmed. John Krasinski didn't hurt either. Anyway, if you are looking for some good-clean-whale-saving fun, watch the movie. And to all of you who just wrote me off as a moviegoer with no taste, please have a little faith. Fargo, Ferris Bueller, and Fight Club still top the charts in my book.

Speaking of movies, I'm realizing that this summer has been sadly void of movie-watching. Usually I'm at the theater at least 5 times a summer along with redboxes and rentals constantly. This year, with TFA Institute, moving, and crazy schedules, movies have been off the agenda. This saddens me deeply because I am a movie freak. It embarrasses me to say I STILL have not seen Dark Knight Rises. For now, I'm just going to make a list of books and movies to catch up on when I have free time from this teaching thing. I'm thinking that will be in December. Can't wait.