#chi love cool people

I was on the train one day going... well, I can't remember actually. But, the girl who was sitting next to me had this cool pin:

I turned and asked her, "Hey, where did you get that pin? It's so awesome!" It was pinned on her bag right next to a Rolling Stones pin, and so it made sense that she got it at one of their concerts. She was friendly enough, but soon there after, she went back to her phone with games or texts, and I did the same.

A few stops later, as she was standing up, she turned to me, holding out her hand and said, "Here, you should have it. Just make sure to put it somewhere where people will see it."

I smiled and took it, asking her name.

"Thanks, Alice."

That pin stayed on my backpack all through Spain, so it was perfect time to represent our hometown while abroad.

I have a definite affection for this city, as most of you who read this blog regularly know. But also, after this incident, the people who call it home.

be quiet, be still

My niece is here! She came two years ago, then not last year, but now she's back for a week to spend with her favorite auntie / Godmother. We have lots of plans: yoga, shopping, eating, aquarium, beach, visit my dad in the UP and play games. I love to make her try new things, and today the new thing was yoga.

Caitlyn is very athletic. She's been playing soccer for years! So when it came to chaturanga, easy peasy with a little bit of prompting. And her side planks were ON. POINT.

But then there's the stillness and quietness. Let me break it down for you. Caitlyn is a motor mouth. My sister and I used to joke around when her elementary teachers would say she talked to much and we'd look at that meme that says something like, "Go ahead and move my seat, I'll talk to everyone!" So for her to be quiet and be still in yoga, that's the big accomplishment, and she did a great job!

Taking her made me remember how much yoga I've done, how I'm able to cue myself to release stress (this is going to sound strange if you don't practice) but release stress in your face by softening it, releasing your tongue from the roof of your mouth, and just be still. It takes practice but makes you feel so great!

If you want to try yoga, come try with me... and Caitlyn!

currently

Not quite Farley's but fun nevertheless!

Making - awesome plans for my Goddaughter who comes for a week tomorrow!

Cooking - sure my dad will be cooking something awesome when I visit him this weekend

Drinking - Coke, delicious but so bad for you

Reading - What the Lady Wants (still......) and thinking about reading the other books on my list but not reading as much as I should be

Wanting - to travel the world with my favorite people

Looking - forward to a week with a teenager of my own!

Wasting - easy days of summer vacation being so so lazy

Sewing - I am not a person who sews.

Wishing - I could spend more money on things like clothes and shoes

Enjoying - binging on shows like Friday Night Lights and The Leftovers

Waiting - on my next trip to see a new city

Liking - the warm weather, especially when it's a little cool, enough to sleep with the windows open

Wondering - when I'm going to get some energy to get some reading and work done this summer

Loving - Summer Michelle who sleeps in as long as she wants, takes a leisurely stroll to yoga, and has lunch with friends

Hoping - next school year is a little lighter than last

Needing - to eat better the next few days

Smelling - grapefruit of Arbonne's Spa line that I've tried today (It's amazing.)

Wearing - pajamas, the best!

Following - friends adventures on social media

Noticing - that in summer I'm so unproductive and...

Marveling - at how much I get done on any given day during the school year

Knowing - I need to be much more productive than I have been lately

Thinking - about school supplies and also that it's tooooo early!

Feeling - restless

Bookmarking - pretty dresses

Giggling - at the thread of messages with my best friends

I can't wait to read your posts for BigTime Blogging Challenge 2017! Leave your permalink in the comments and feel free to share on SM with #btbc17!

that's friendship

On a trip, and in sharing a room with your bff, you ask if you can leave your light on a bit longer, and she says sure. And follows two minutes later, "I'm never going to sleep, just so you know."
It's authentic and real, so you laugh hysterically.

That's friendship.

You walk into a spiderweb and almost fall off the deck, and your friends laugh instead of show concern.

That's friendship.

Your friend is new at her job and can't figure everything out super quick, and is apologizing it's taking so long, but also thankful that she's trying everything for the first time on you.

That's friendship.

A tire on your car has a slow leak, so he fixes it and then puts the air compressor in your trunk in case you need it again.
That's friendship.

You get a text that says "IHTP" which is a long standing acronym from one of your funny friends.
Even though you'd rather not know about bowel movements,

that's friendship.

Your friend comes over and needs you to peel the burned skin off her back from a terrible sunburn. And you do, no questions asked.

That's friendship.

Your friend goes into your bedroom for perfume without asking, and you're happy she did.

That's friendship.

A million ways to be a friend - how are yours showing you they care?

I can't wait to read your posts for BigTime Blogging Challenge 2017! Leave your permalink in the commens and feel free to share on SM with #btbc17!

summer michelle

Yesterday I saw my cousin Michael, who is also a teacher, and he was telling me how his friends liked Summer Mike way more than School-year Mike. Which got me to thinking about Summer Michelle.

Summer Michelle's day today was amazing.

Woke up by sunlight around 7:30.
Spent an hour or so in my bed reading on social media and then in a book.
Got ready for yoga, had a friend come meet me around 10:00.
We took a yoga class our other friend teaches at 10:30.
After, we did a little shopping in the yoga studio and then got a latte.
We came back and figured out what yoga classes we will take together this week.
I walked to the other yoga studio, at a leisurely pace, listening to good music, not in any kind of rush.
I did my 90 minute cleaning shift.
I walked home, talking on the phone to a friend.
I showered, ate a salad, watched a little TV and got ready for church.
Went to mass. It was awesome.
Went to Mariano's and picked up sushi and other snacks.
Took it to a friend's house and hung out for a few hours.
Came home and now I'm writing.

I did no work. I did nothing I didn't want to do. There was no stress. I was so happy.

I saw this post on facebook from Love, Teach:

The school day she described - that's 100% how teachers do business, and we get all that done by like 3:30. My day today has been a long time coming. It's great to be Summer Michelle!

I can't wait to read your posts for BigTime Blogging Challenge 2017! Leave your permalink in the comments and feel free to share on SM with #btbc17!

home sweet home

Of all the neighborhoods in Chicago, I'm happy to live in Bucktown. (I'd be happier if I could afford to buy a place here, but all in good time!) The other day I was out for a walk and snapping pictures of my neighborhood, so I thought I'd share!

Super close, just a few little neighborhood blocks away, is Holstein Park. Here you can see the field house and the lawn out back. In front of the field house is a pool and a park with some equipment. There's always tons of moms and their littles there, and also during the summer tons of kids from city summer camps. Sometimes they have movies in the park, here too!

As you walk thorugh the neighborhood, you'll notice lots of gardens for everyone to enjoy. Next weekend is our annual Garden Walk so everyone is preparing their best for that event when neighbors get together to walk around and check out what everyone created.

It's also nice to have a Starbucks close by, which I don't frequent that much. Mostly when I have to do some work for school, feels a little better with a Cafe Mocha in hand. What I love though is it's super close, walk over, and sit on the patio if it's nice out!

Corepower Yoga is just a bit further. I love to walk there because when you get out of hot yoga, a walk home is a perfect way to cool down.

Also, not pictured but just to the right of Core Power is an awesome hamburger joint - Small Cheval. Great burgers and drinks and also a very nice patio!

We also have quite a few more parks just off the 606 - it's an old train track that was rehabbed into a walking path. You can't see the 606 here, but this is one of the parks just adjacent to it, including a coffee shop (and to go window) right in that beautiful mural.

If you happen to visit Bucktown, here are some recommendations for food, love all of them!

Stan's Donuts
AMK Kitchen
Blue Line Lounge
Small Cheval
Pequod's Pizza (not quite Bucktown but very close!)

I can't wait to read your posts for BigTime Blogging Challenge 2017! Leave your permalink in the comments and feel free to share on SM with #btbc17!

nothing to say

and my post is late.

There are some days you don't feel like writing.
But you told yourself you'd write every day in July, and so here you are, writing about nothing.
Life happens. 
You are sometimes busy with plans.
And other times you find yourself in misunderstandings that only time can heal.
So you're sitting here, staring at a blank screen, cursor blinking.
All you want to do is take a nap, but you must persist.
You scribble some words down on the website.
You click publish,

and remember that tomorrow is a new day.