Ben Folds Concert 7/9/13

So Tommy and I went to a Ben Folds and Barenaked Ladies concert on Tuesday and it was AWESOME! Ok, mostly everyone was there for Barenaked Ladies, but that's not why I went! And I'm proud of it.

Tommy and I left early to go to Kona Grill because we had a buy one get on free appetizer coupon! When we got there, we sat on the patio and found out that it was Happy Hour, which included half priced appetizers, so we saved our coupon for another day :)

{Kona Grill Yumminess}

We decided to get the pot stickers, calamari, and the Philly Roll. All were delicious. I still can't believe my husband likes to eat the tentically calamari, but not jelly on his PB(minus the)J sandwiches. Weirdo.

Then we went got on the road to the Charter One Pavillion, which is now called the FirstMerit Bank Pavillion. It took us a while to drive there, but we got to listen to some sweet Ben Folds tunes on the way :)

We parked in the Museum Campus Parking Garage, and took the shuttle to the concert. On the way in we got free samples of Diet Coke, lol, and then we stopped and bought my Ben Folds t-shirt that I LOVE!!

{Woot}

Then we found out seats just in time for the opening act. It was not Guster :( But then Ben Folds came on and he was awesome! Here is the setlist:

1. Michael Praytor, Five Years Later

2. One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces

3. Missing the War

4. Landed

5. Erase Me

6. Sky High

7. Draw a Crowd

8. Philosophy

9. Do It Anyway- (Love this video...)

10. Brick

11. Narcolepsy

12. Song for the Dumped

13. Army

It was amazing. Seriously. I was vastly disappointed that the couple sitting next to me didn't know the words, and failed at the horns sections in Army, but whatchugonnadoaboutit. They were clearly there for Barenaked Ladies, but they were nice, so it's ok.

I got some sweet videos, with my sweet iPhone (ha). Please excuse my singing....I simply couldn't help but sing along.

       {Michael Praytor, Five Years Later}   

{One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces}

{Brick}

I am also very, very happy he played Philosphy, and Army because those are two of my faves :)

After Ben, Barenaked Ladies came on and I must say that I am impressed! I will not purchase tickets to see them again, but I'm glad that we did see them in concert. They played all their hits and them some, and it was a good time. They even made up a few songs, which was pretty sweet.

{Barenaked Ladies}

It was a pretty good time and I'm so glad we went!

 {On the shuttle}

{Just got our seats}

 {The view for the night}

{Opening Act}

{Us and the stage+A Beached Whale}

                                             

                                                   

{Ben Squished}

 {Piano Hands}

 {Got to see Lauren and Jay there!}

 {Barenaked Ladies}

 {So fun. So tired.}

Oh yes.

Two of my favorite nerdy piano rock singers have joined to create some of the most poetic swearing I've heard in a while. Yes.

{Thanks YouTube for making it possible for me to share this with my corner of the internet}

STOKED to see Ben Folds in concert this month!

Life is hard sometimes.

If I am being honest with myself, I have to tell you that I have 
Many things have changed for Tommy and I in the past few months
This is not easy for me to write about
Why is this so hard?
kladfljkaldkjfasiofuqoweirjklnf,amndsf


Ok. I have been thinking about how to begin this post for a while now, and none of the above sentences seem right. Even this one that I just decided to go with doesn't seem right, but whatev. I'm tired of thinking about it. So here it goes.

Many people know this already, but I am starting a new teaching position in the Fall.
wow.
That felt good.
I have been feeling like this is some big secret that I shouldn't be talking about because it feels so weird to say.
The end of this past school year was a bittersweet feeling. I was excited for summer and the opportunity to relax, but sad that it was my last year there.
The people I have met and worked with are wonderful. Those three years encompassed the hardest times I have even encountered in my life (might be some of the hardest times I ever encounter) and I couldn't have done any of it without the people on my team(s).
{And even some friendly people who were never on my team}
People have said to me on more than one occasion, "You are so strong", "You are so brave", "You have such integrity". But do you know what made me feel strong, brave, and full of integrity? Those people that supported me.
There's a good chance that those people are reading this right now. And if you are, thank you. You are the reason that I was able to come to work each day and be all those things. Your belief in me. Even when I didn't believe in myself, you were there to make me feel like I should.
And as I think about this new position that I am starting to prepare for, I have doubts that I can do it. That I am not good enough to do it. But I think of the kind words, and gestures from my friends there and I feel brave enough to try.

Thank you for your sweet words. Thank you for you kind gestures. Thank you for your support. But most of all, thank you for your belief that I am a good person and I can do what I know in my heart I am meant to be doing with my life.

:)

Fourth of July 2013

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!

I love the 4th of July. It's the best. It has the 3 F's- Friends, Food, and Fireworks.
So far our plans are the same every year: Go to the munch, listen to music, ride some carnival rides with friends, and end the night with fireworks by Rogan's.

I'm excited to do it again this year!
Pictures to follow :)

Super Secret Date Night!

Woohoo! It's Super Secret Date Night!!

I just made that up and decided to go with it a few weeks ago. I wanted to plan a date for Tommy. I told him {on Facebook o'course} that he needed to keep the night open.

I decided to plan a date that was not too much money (we do have a mortgage you know...), was relatively close to us, and that we would both enjoy. 

I settled on going to see a movie at the McHenry Outdoor Theater!!

Gates open at 6:30 and it costs $10.00 per adult. You have to pay cash, but $20.00 is a cheap date for TWO movies under the stars! I packed some snacks for us, and we will be taking the Ravinia mini table, some comfy outdoor chairs, and our radio. You can sit in your car and watch the movie too if you prefer. You just have to tune the radio station so that you can hear the movie. 

We will be watching Despicable Me 2 (I'm only in it for the minions) and Monsters University. 

The best part is talking and just being together under the summer sky waiting for the movie to start :) 

I can't WAIT!!!

Update: 7/14/13

It was a GREAT success!! Tommy was pretty surprised, and we had such a nice time hanging out, talking, and watching silly movies. We started the night out sitting in front of our cars and eating the dinner I packed with some of Tommy's favorite foods :)

 {Picnic Dinner}

                              {View from our spot}                                          {Husband}

 

{It was a beautiful day!}

Then, as the night went on, we added blankets because it got chilly. After the first movie, Despicable Me 2, we decided to get in the car because it was getting cold! We got all comfy cozy in the car and watched the second movie, Monsters University. Tommy fell asleep and was all snory (lol), but it was fun, even if it was past his bedtime!

{Last pic outside before it got too cold}

                                  {Snuggly inside}                                   {I'm snuggly inside too}

 {yay}

The next Super Secret Date Night is already scheduled for August 17th ;) I feel like a spy.