martinis, pink penis pinata, vinyl NYPD cop uniform and toothless bouncers

In Chicago this weekend, we toasted/roasted one of my best friends in her last night out as a single girl. 25 people showered her with many wondeful gifts as we ate and drank champagne outside near the Chicago River.



Later that night we met up at a Martini Bar and the Bachelorette festivities began. Champagne and cosmos flowed...again We played the mystery panty game which we coined "panty dropper" in honor of the infamous drinks her husband-to-be created for his soon to be wife.


We had a trolley filled with penis balloons and a penis pinata. The bachelorette had to take a wack at the pinata after we roasted her on her past boy encounters.



Then what came to be the hit present of the night--a vinyl NYPD cop uniform. CA proudly put on that uniform and struted her stuff. Repeatedly.



Next on the bachelorette agenda was a country western line dancing bar. However, the country western bar wanted nothing to do with our bachelorette cuteness. We were turned away by two toothless bouncers. None of us could speak. We were in shock. However that did not stop our determination to find another location to finish out the night.

The bachelorette had a fun night--she was in rare form and took everything with class and grace. She gave us many laughs as we shared her bachelorette memories. Today she is a little hung over as she tried to recount the night festivities.

pictures to come...i promise

Back at the homestead

So I am back working from home. I drove up to LA on Friday, Monday and Tuesday. I had it by Wednesday. I set my computer back up at home--oh I forgot to mention that I was carting around my desktop back and forth. THAT topic is a discussion for another day. Anyway..back at home to where my life is no longer in danger. I got to witness a rear end accident on the way into work last Friday. The accident occurred a little too close to my car for comfort. For all of you who have to commute. I empathise so much. I understand commutes are all relative to where you live and if it sucks for you, I feel your pain.

I am excited for the weekend. No beach yoga this weekend. Darn! We don't have many plans or rather any plans. E has to work his normal double shift. I am sure I will find some trouble to get into on my own. Next weekend, I am heading to Chicago for my good friend's shower and bachelorette. I also FINALLY get to meet my niece. I will for sure have pictures to post.

***I am going private this weekend*** Please send me your email if you would like to continue hearing about our lives.

Niece

My little niece is making her way into the world today! I can't wait to hear when she has finally made her entrance! E is about ready to hop the next southwest flight to Chicago to go meet little Raelyn.

I can't wait to see how he reacts when he meets this little girl. The Robbins' boys stand no chance when beautiful girls are in the room.


Raelyn Clara Robbins
June 23, 2007
8lbs, 7oz
21 inches long
4:16pm

Everyone is doing great! My SIL and Raelyn go home tomorrow.

"Wow, you're really durable"

this is a direct quote from my co-worker after I fell down a flight of stairs at the airport with luggague in hand on Saturday afternoon in Chicago. Prior to my fall, I commented to myself that my suitcase was really heavy and I didn't remember it being that heavy when I flew out to Chicago. As I was having this conversation with myself, my heel got caught up in my cuff of my jeans and I said to myself..heather you are going down. Sure enough, I did.

Luckily no broken bones. Just a few nice bruises strategically placed on my body.

Ahh Snap!

Aparently this phrase is my DH's favorite saying lately..he uses it all the time. I am not quite sure where he picked it up from but I do find it amusing..hence the title of my post. Ah snap!

Very antsy today and I think it has something to do with the weather and an upcoming long weekend. It is finally nice, sunny and warm...lately we've getting this marina layer coming in that has kept it cool(in my standards)and kind of blah. I guess the weather forecasters are calling this month "May Gray". I chuckle because it does remind me of Chicago in the spring time--cooler temps and still mostly gray outside.

Here is our new (old) car. We recently purchased a 1984 volvo--hard to belive this car is still up and running--I guess that is why they call volvo's a "german tank" It is quite cute, runs like a charm and I can barely see over the steering wheel. Good thing I am not driving it on a daily basis. (I am all but 5.1 and if car seats don't rise up, I need a phone book!) This blue bomber is for Eli to get back and forth from LBC (long beach) where he is does his flight training. There are a ton of funny things about this car--but the best part of it is the license plate..it is seriously old school. And as I took a picture of it--I could the mountain of registration stickers that it has accumlated since 1984--goodness! Another funny thing is that we paid 1200 and two pink passes (southwest buddy passes) DH is famous for bartering those things for stuff! I guess it works for cars too!!

Must get to the store now...I am craving some food--we have nothing-and a bottle of wine :)

Happy 30th Birthday Andy- I miss you and wishing I was there to help you celebrate this weekend!!


PS. Don't say to Eli that the car is light blue....he gets surly...


I totally think in the light it looks light blue....


The new CA license plate has California in cursive--I love this b/c it is block letters and there is a sunshine!

coffee twalk

I am sitting here with my second cup of coffee for the day recapping my morning..it is only 11:15am..though I have to say here in my little tiny world I had a big morning. you might be asking, so what did she do that is so big...well.. I had a gym date! Yes, I made a new friend, her name is Lacy. WHOOT! WHOOT!

We decided to meet up to do some cardio this morning before our Yoga class (Lacy and I met while waiting for a Monday night yoga class). We did some cardio and chatted. We got on the subject of real estate--she is a real estate agent. We both were commiserating on the market out here. She did give me some great insight to the market that is ridiculously inflated out here in Southern Cali. We then go to YOGA--holy cow--did we get our butts kicked! I am still trying to recover from this class. I got such a great workout then I came home and just devoured my leftovers from last nights dinner out. I was so hungry! sheesh, who knew yoga and a little cardio in the morning could kick your bootie to the point you cannot control your hunger.

Last weekend I was in Chicago for SIL baby shower. The shower was nice..lots of people turned out and she received great gifts for the baby. What I really want to talk about is the house, I mean MANSION the shower was held. So I have never been in a $4MM dollar house and I do not believe I will ever be again. So I decided to take myself on a self guided tour of this place and take some pictures. The level of architecture and detail and the size of the granite counter tops literally blew me away. The house had 4 levels..downstairs had a whole nanny quarters and kitchen for their live in nanny. There was also a rooftop deck that you could see the beautiful Chicago skyline. I included some pics down below.

This week we also went to look at a few properties..OMG! THEY WERE HORRIBLE!!! I am more shocked at the level of horribleness that people allow themselves to live in and these are not dirt poor folks. I guess if we had more money we could take into account a fixer upper and see past some of the crazy things people do to their homes. I don't know my head is spinning with what is the right thing to do.

One thing I should mention is that "we are still free to move about the country" as two guys from E's work at Southwest stepped up b/c they didn't want him to quit and the three of them are going to shift trade. YAY!!! So which means E can still work at Southwest--two days a week, those 2 days will most likely be doubles which = money coming in--and we don't have to dip into our savings as much. This also means E can do the fast track program for his pilot training. AND the best part of it all (at least for me is that I still can retain the flight beneies) Those Flight benefits are my saving grace to get me back east. Those flight beneies are the reason I agreed to move out here so that I can get back to see my folks and friends at my pleasure. Deep breathe of relief that everything is working out. I am sure the "buy or not buy" question will figure itself out as well.

I am starting to smell up the joint so I must take a shower..we are heading to SF today for tomorrow Bay to Breakers and the SF youth orchestra reunion.

Here are some pictures of the 4MM house....












My girls-Corianne, Ashlee, Me and Cari

Happy Dance cuz it's FRIDAY!!!

wow-what a week! I am ready to get the heck out of dodge. My clients are crazy, my associates/candidates are crazy-I need a serious break.

I am heading to Chicago this weekend for my SIL baby shower. My SIL is also one of my good friends from college so I am looking forward to hanging with the crew this weekend. The downside is that my cute hubby's birthday is tomorrow. It's his 29th so I don't feel too bad missing it and I am already planning his 30th birthday party. I just hate not being around on his actual birthday. I do know he will be in good hands with all of his boys in the bay area-they have a poker and baseball filled weekend..So I guess it's better that I am not there??

We celebrated last night with the two hours of awake time we had together. He was out of town all week. I was sick on Monday night and then I had a networking event last night that kept me out until 8:30pm so I half watched grey's to finish up some last minute work needs and pack. So 10pm rolls around he opened up his cards and gift..then he needed to pack and off to bed we were.

I am cutting out of here (fingers crossed)around 11am so I can catch the nooner flight and land in chi-town at 7pm instead of 9pm.
Happy weekend!

Sweet Home Chicago

I am going to try my best to write this even though I am so brain dead and very tired. I just got back from my weekend in Chicago and nothing has changed in the 4 months I have been gone!

It was a great feeling to be back in the city I lived in for 8 years. I walked up and down the street downtown like I owned the place..it was a great feeling to have that confidence back and knowing every little nook and cranny of the city. I still have my fear of revolving doors and chicago is the land of revolving doors! The El still smells like pee and puke and people still run to the train like it is the last one that will run again.

I remembered how to hail a cab but i did forget how to not be scared when you are riding with a cab driver that likes to speed race a big ole bus. I got called out for that one.

I was able to get caught up on the wedding planning for both of my friends. Saw one of them in her wedding gown and went with the other one to try one gowns. Both times I cried.

I saw so many people who are important to me. I feel like I accomplished a lot this weekend. I feel good about making the trip. I did cry so hard saying good bye again.

The best moment of the weekend was late night last night when I was changing into my pj's and my bf was getting the couch ready for me. I brought a tee shirt that I hardly ever wear. it is an orange ohio tee-shirt that I bought two years ago when Cari and I went to athens to visit. I walk out of the room and I see she has the EXACT same teeshirt on. We both took one look at each other and busted out laughing. Neither of us knew we had purchased the same tee-shirt and the factI traveled 3000 miles and brought that same teeshirt was priceless.