Happy New Year!

My first New Year's Eve in Chicago! Alli and I went to Broadway Cellars, a restaurant about 10 minutes from our apartment. Our reservations weren't until 9:30pm (so we could have our champagne toast there, of course), so being the smart girls that we are, we decided to get some appetizers to have at like 6:00pm so we wouldn't be starving by 10:00. Needless to say, we ate way too much before we even got to the restaurant...but no worries, we were still able to enjoy our dinner.So...The menu at this place was pretty exotic (at least for me) but I was daring! You would have been proud of me! First off, I had Caesar Salad with White Anchovy (I may or may not have left the anchovy on the side of my plate...yeah, im daring but not stupid). Next, I had Balsamic Grilled Duck with braised lentils, pancetta and frisee salad. Main course...I went safe with the NY Strip, grilled and served with zinfandel sauce, crumbled gorgonzola and truffled potatoes. And yes, I did copy that from the menu:-) MMMMM...and I actually liked everything I ate!
Alli, the lush, ordered the wine pairings with her meal (just kidding Al!). Alli hadRoasted Beets with Goat cheese and Walnuts and then Grilled Ahi Tuna with shrip and fire roasted tomato risotto. I'll have you know that each one of these pictures drew a lot of attention towards us seeing as how it was kind of dark...but we did it anyway! We had to be sure to get good shots for the blog:-)

Alli was getting a little "artsy" with the camera here. She caught three of the four glasses of wine she was served.

Alli and I kicking of 2007 with obnoxious noisemakers, horns, hats, confetti...all that good stuff. Happy New Year!!

Christmas 2006

Hard to believe...I just got back from my trip home for Christmas! Time is FLYING by...kind of scary. It was a nice week but I'm glad to be back in Chicago...I know, did you ever think you would hear me say that? Anyway, I traveled home with Amy Nelson and her boyfriend Eric. The 16 hour ride didn't really seem all that long though:-) On Christmas Eve I did lunch with Megan and then of course went to MCC Christmas Eve service at Pilgrim Pines (last one in the chapel, sad) and finished off the night at Aunt Judy and Uncle Rusty's house with the family. The rest of my week was spent relaxing, shopping in tax-free Keene, and spending time with the family. Here are a few shots from the visit.Of course I visited the Condaps:-) Erin and Jimbo were nice enough to invite Albie and I over for dinner on Wednesday night. We hung out with the girls and caught up on the past few months. On Thursday night, I stayed with the girls and gave Jimbo and Erin a night out. Kira and I built a fort out of the couch cushions and some blankets...perfect fit for the two of us:-) And Lumpy the Elephant of course!

Grandpa Heath singing The Hat Song...which Marcy got on tape....a good show, as always:-)

Grandma Page opening one of her presents from Jennifer and Phil....As some of you know, this was probably her favorite gift of the night :-)

Sisterly love. Now, you obviously can't tell here....BUT, the beauty in the green will be an aunt in August of 2007!!!!!!!!! Jennifer is pregnant! We have been waiting and praying and on Christmas they shared the good news! Her and Phil have been trying to convince me to move to Boston so I can fulfill my duties as the best aunt ever, but sadly I'll just have to do that from Chicago:-) But I will most definitley be home for the birth...no questions there. The beauty of being a teacher!