We went to the World Series...

One of the reasons I have been away from here for a bit is because we went to games 1 and 2 of the Wor.ld S.eries last week.  

WE WENT TO THE WO.RLD S.ERIES!  

I know.  I can't even believe it either.  I haven't mentioned it because I wasn't sure it was going to work out and also, ya know, the whole putting out there on the internet that I won't be home kinda freaks me out.  Anyway, I need to back up a bit and explain how this little (big) trip came about.  

My dad is (was?) an alcoholic.  This coming November 19 will be his 10 year anniversary of sobriety.  I don't need to go into details about it but to say that we had a "strained" relationship prior to 10 years ago would be an understatement.  Now, if you know anyone who has struggled with addiction then you can understand how huge this anniversary is.  You can look at the statistics yourself but most people don't succeed in sobriety.  My father has.  For 10 years.  I never thought it was possible and I could not be any more proud of him for all he has accomplished.  

Lonnie and I were talking about it a few months ago and we wanted to do something for him. We thought about a good present.  That just didn't work because, well, I wanted it to be perfect.  A gift wasn't perfect.  We thought about a trip somewhere.  That seemed like a good idea.  My dad travels a LOT and we've talked multiple times about taking a trip together but it has never worked out due to his and our schedule.  We looked at Lonnie's schedule and decided we would take a trip on his week off in October.  We told my dad a few months ago to keep that week clear because we needed him to take care of B while we were out of town.  Sneaky.  

Then we had to decide where we wanted to go.  Lonnie and I brainstormed a few ideas and then one night while we were watching a baseball game we though why don't we take him to a baseball game?  He would LOVE that as he is a major sports fan.  I knew the baseball postseason was in October so it seemed like the perfect idea.  Take him to a postseason baseball game!  Yes!  

Then we looked at the baseball schedule and realized that the week Lonnie was off was the week the Worl.d Se.ries started.  Okay, this could not be more perfect!  He has been to multiple sports games including a Su.per B.owl but I knew he had never been to a W.orld Se.ries.  Boom.  So we planned to go to the WS and waited to see where we would be going.  The perfect idea! 

We didn't tell him because I wanted it to be a surprise but the closer it got the harder it was for me not to tell him.  I finally caved one morning in September when he was over visiting Blakely.  He was talking about maybe going out of town that weekend that I had him put aside or something and I couldn't stand it anymore.  I told him we were taking him to the Wo.rld Ser.ies for his 10 year anniversary of being sober.  He was shocked, excited, happy, and stunned!  YAY!  I asked him where he hoped to go and he immediately said Fenway.  Not that he is a huge Re.d S.ox fan but he though Fe.nway would be the coolest place to see the WS.  I agreed.  Over the season I had liked Boston (beards, Big Papi, and they were supposed to be terrible) and it just seemed like such a fun place to go...so much history at Fenway, crazy fans, exciting team.  

green monster...

So we cheered and waited and planned.  And planned some more.  And then cheered for the Red Sox.  And then a little more planning.  It was not easy!  But we pulled it off.  And it was just as perfect and amazing as I hoped.  

And just for the record.  Boston won game 1 and the Cardinals won game 2.  Big Papi hit 2 homeruns and got robbed of a grand slam.  It was so much fun.  So.  Much.  Fun.  

 A complete double rainbow was the first thing we saw when we got to our hotel.  I mean....  of course I didn't have my good camera with me!

The first game wasn't that cold but the second game the wind was whipping and it was bitter cold.  Or at least bitter cold to this Arkansan.  ;)

So.  Thanks, Dad.  Thanks for everything and more.  And thank you for giving us the best reason ever to go to the Wor.ld Se.ries!!!  

AND LET'S GO RED SOX!!

Chicago

Sorry I have been a bit absent from the blog world for a few days.  


I took a short trip to Chicago and did not take my laptop.


My husband had a meeting there and he left last Friday.  I had to work Monday and Tuesday so I flew up there on Wednesday after his meeting was over.  We stayed a few days and then came home yesterday. 


We really didn't do that much.  It was really just a time for us to relax and enjoy ourselves.  We stayed at Trump Tower and it was fantastic.  I'm not even kidding when I say that it was the nicest hotel that I have ever stayed in.  And I feel like I have stayed a lot of places!!!  We booked just a regular king room and they upgraded us to a room with a river view (because of our Expedia account or something).  We never stay at a hotel that doesn't have a mini bar....not necessarily for the alcohol but just for the beverages in general.  This room had a huge mini bar.  It also had cabinets full of dishes, a dishwasher, and a microwave.  And this was not a suite!  I have to say my favorite thing was the jar of Gummi-Bears....I had two whole jars...awesome.  


They also had a pillow menu.  No joke.  A menu of pillows that you could order (free).  Body pillows, junior body pillows, down alternative pillows, synthetic pillows, and even aromatherapy pillows.  How cool!


When I arrived on Wednesday we immediately went out to dinner at The Melting Pot.  I love this place.  I know that is weird but it is just so fun.  I think I love it so much because we don't have one anywhere near where I live.  The closest one is 3 hours away so I never get to eat there.  Mostly I love the dessert...but the rest is great too.  Here are a few pics....

Thursday morning we slept in and then met my friend Laura for lunch.  I met Laura in college and we have been close ever since.  The past few years it has been harder to keep in touch because she moved to New York City, I got married, etc.  Lonnie and I have been to NYC twice in the past 2 years and each time we had dinner and saw a show with her.  She has been working out of her company's Chicago office for the past month so it was perfect timing for a little catch-up!  We met at a pizza place and had a wonderful time filling each other in on our lives.  

After our lunch we went to the Field Museum to see some of the exhibits.  They had one on horses and then my honey wanted to see the one on the ancient Americas.  It was interesting but I was wearing down pretty fast.  After we left we went back to our awesome hotel room and took a nap.  We ordered room service for dinner and watched 127 hours.  I had been wanting to see this because I read the book.  It was a good movie...James Franco was crazy good...but I felt like it could have been better.  What an amazing story though.....I remember just a little bit after it happened he did an interview with Tom Brokaw.  It was two hours long and I'm pretty sure I cried the whole two hours.  Tom took him back to the scene for the first time and you could see all the blood and where he carved his name, birth date, and death date into the rock.  Emotional stuff...


Friday morning we slept in again.  Then we had tickets to opening day at Wrigley Field to watch the Cubs play the Pirates.  We love watching baseball games live...not on TV.  Let me just tell you how great the weather was...until Friday.  It rained the entire game!  We still had a good time.  We were literally on the first row on the first base line just past the dugout.  Amazing seats.  We were prepared for the cold...and sort of for the wet.  We bought some ponchos there and sat on one and then each put one on when it started raining harder.  We looked like TOTAL goobers.  We made it to the 7th inning before my toes were about to fall off and we left.

This would be Robert Redford throwing out the first pitch!

After the game we went back and took a short nap.  Then the highlight of the trip happened.  I had the most unbelievably incredible massage.  It was a head, neck, and shoulder massage and it was done by a man...which doesn't bother me.  He was not scared of the fact that I was pregnant.  He twisted me and turned me and basically manhandled me the entire time!  I swear I would fly back to Chicago just to get that same massage.  After the massage we went back to the hotel room and got room service...again!  I told ya....totally relaxing getaway.  


Then we flew back to Arkansas on Saturday.  All in all it was a great little getaway.  


I was a little sick on the trip but I will talk about that in my Kelly Belly update on Tuesday.  


Hope everyone had a great weekend!