Ever since Jason's birthday, I was trying to think of something special to do for him. On Mother's Day, on my way to Natalie's house, because I thought she was going to have her baby, I saw a small plane fly over me and remembered that Jason has never flown in a plane before!
I got on the phone and called my friend Joe, who's a pilot, but she said she didn't have a license to fly with other people. Then I remembered that my friend, Betsy's brother-in-law has a plane and likes to fly around, so I called her and she was able to talk to her sister, Lillian, and BIL, Jeff.
The plans were set for Sunday the 27th of June.
I was so excited and I hyped up my excitement whereas Jason was a little nervous! His mind was racing with what to expect! He's the type of guy that likes to hold his Christmas presents in his hands, shake them, and then guess what each present is. And he's usually right too! I told him, in this case, he can't just shake a box to figure out what his surprise was, and I really think it was driving him crazy! But there was just no way to give in!
The day started just fine, but then the clouds rolled in, and we've been having a ton of thunderstorms lately anyways, so another one wasn't too much of a surprise, but for the fact that we almost had to reschedule!
After we got back from looking at tuxes and registering for the wedding, the storm was gone, but it was so windy! We still were waiting to see if the wind would die down enough so we could fly.
Thankfully, it did!
We got in my car and I started driving. I told him that I really wanted to blindfold him, but he was having none of that! We headed to the tiny local airport in town and it didn't take long for him to figure out what we were going to do...
Jeff and Lillian met us at the airport and we followed them to one of the hangers, where their plane was inside. We were both so excited! I've been in planes before, even a small plane, but this was different! I know small planes can be really bumpy and I was hoping and praying that it wouldn't be a bad first experience for Jason.
The hanger had about six small planes inside. The one we flew was white and blue. A 1966 beauty! Jeff was telling us all about the plane and what everything did. Lillian and I sat in the back and Jason and Jeff sat in the front (it just held four people). But the windows were large and we could see so much! It really felt open!
The take off was the smoothest take off ever! The sky was clear and the sun was close to setting, but not quite. It was spectacular! We flew over Lake Michigan, we could see the Chicago skyline, we flew over the spot on the beach where he proposed to me, we flew over our house, Lori's house, and Rachael's house and basically just all over the county!
It was just amazing!
Yes, Jason actually got to fly the plane for about five minutes! JEALOUS!!!
This is a picture of Jason and my house and the lovely "pond" we have in our backyard!
Here's where you can see the skyline of Chicago!
What a beautiful sunset to end such a perfect day!
Natalie's baby has not come into the world as of right now, 7:34 a.m. Wednesday, May 5, 2010. Oh, I just can not wait for this baby to come! I'm glued to my phone! She's due tomorrow, but still! I wanna see him! And I'm so impatient! And I just pray I get the call that she's going into labor, while I'm working out, so I can stop!
Yesterday, around 6:15 a.m. or so would have been a great time to get that call, seeing as our powerflex instructor is a "squat-a-holic"! If there's a way to do squats, she'll do it along with every other thought of way to do them...
Oh, and yesterday afternoon after 3:30 would've been good, because I just got back from lunch, and I was so tired! It would've been an instant energy boost, and I could leave work!
So... will the dear, sweet, little nephew, in Natalie's belly, PLEASE COME OUT!
We all want to see you, already!
Jack and Ben's birthday's were celebrated about three times this last week! Each time was really fun, too!
We started the celebration at their grandparents house for dinner on Saturday.
Ben, Grandma Bonnie, Grandpa Dick, and Jack.
This is their birthday celebration with their friends on Sunday. Which was followed by two hours of laser tag with a ton of kids. We had a ton of fun, too! At one point, I ran into a corner and got a (still) very painful bruise on my shoulder; at the same time, someone 'got' me with their laser, and Rachael thought I was play acting that I actually got shot! Ha-ha! But, no, it still hurts!
Jason and I took the boys out on Tuesday night to pick out their birthday presents and take them out to ice cream. They had a pretty fun time too! We got off pretty easy, somehow, Ben was totally content with a $7.99 play gun and Jack got a whole lot of stuff for only about $20! What a deal! We were trying to get them to get more stuff, but they were completely happy with what they chose and didn't want anything else! We then headed to Dairy Queen and had ourselves a pretty great time!
Da Boyz...
Rachael, Lori, Bella, and I were lucky enough to fly down to Oklahoma to visit our Grandma in a nursing home. There's a lot I'd like to write about, but for now, I will just add a few photos, and write later.
This was right before Rachael and I left Grandma Annie, "all alone" as she put it. Makes us so sad! (She's great at guilt trips though! Gotta love her!)
Grandma just loved Bella!
Grandma has some of the cutest facial expressions!
This is right after we woke her up from her nap and surprised her that we had come all the way there to visit her for the weekend! She was so happy! (And thought she was dreaming too!)
Me and Grandma in the courtyard in the middle of the nursing home. We had such a great weekend!
There was much need for some living room curtains. After Rachael and I searched for over an hour for fabric at Jo-ann's and not finding anything, Natalie was able to go with me to Fields to find the perfect fabric. It wasn't something I would've chosen, but after discussing what would go great with what I have and whatever I may choose as future furniture, we found the fabric!
Natalie and I worked on getting the fabric cut this morning, then she had to leave to go home, so I worked on getting them pinned, sewed, and complete... and no, I've never made curtains before! Jason and I headed to Kohl's to get a curtain rod, but they only have them online and no in stores, so we headed to Jo-ann's and found one that was on sale! Yay! He started hanging them, while I finished the curtains and ironed them.
Rocco's found another hiding place!
And here's a close-up of the yellow-ish fabric with cream and dark brown accents. Perfect!
Vegas Day 1:
We flew into Vegas in the early afternoon on Sunday.
I was lucky enough to sit in the middle of this couple, Bob and Lois, celebrating their 14th wedding anniversary. He likes the window seat, she likes the aisle. So I sat in the middle! Luckily, they were in the front row of the entire plan and I was one of the last few to enter the airplane. They were very entertaining! Oh! And "technically" they've only been married for three years because they married on February 29th! They could definitetly understand the coolness of me and Jason getting married on 10.10.10!
We had to take two taxis to the hotel, which wasn't too far from the MGM. Not much to see on the way either.
This is me and my friend Karlee.
After arriving, there were about six of us girls that flew together, we all decided to eat together in one of the many restaurants in the hotel, then Karlee and I ventured out after dark to see what Vegas was all about.
We didn't get that far. I ended up going to bed shortly after 8:15 p.m. Vegas time (11:15 my time!)
Vegas Day 2: But I made up for it, by getting up at 4 a.m. Vegas time and walking around the strip!
Yes, they're slanted!
Ready for our first day at the "show"!
When the work day ended, the night life began and we explored! This is Cassandra and me.
There were a lot of bridges over the road so we didn't have to jay-walk. A good thing.
Vegas Day 3:
I wanted to check out all the wedding chapels, but hadn't seen one yet! Then, on the way to work on the last day, I realized that we had been walking by the MGM Forever Grand Chapel the whole time! I wasn't able to go in, but it still looked pretty cool.
Here some of us are, ready for our day of work.
After work, I was able to check out the lions in the lobby of our hotel. They were so cute! There were three of them, and they looked just like my cat Rocco, only bigger!
I had Natalie in mind, when I saw this Cafe, and had to go in! Lucky me, they had a CHOPPER CHAPEL inside!
After checking out the chopper chapel, we went to eat at PF Changs then wondered around, checking out the hotels, the fountains, my favorite, the Belagio, we went up the Paris tower, rode the roller coaster and just had a blast!
Nat? You think your little baby would want to wear this?
And check out this meat locker from the New York, New York!
And of course, the wedding dress... so beautiful!
Jason and I finally found out yesterday, that we will be closing on our house tomorrow! Finally! This has been such a long road, and so ridiculously long!
I'm so excited though!
I can't wait to actually have a place that's permanent!
And it will be MINE!
I don't know how many places I've lived, but I'm sick of moving... I've probably moved at least as many times as the years I am old! I'll have to count it out and figure it out, but it's been too many times! Ha-ha!
Anyone want to help me move my stuff this week?
I've currently lost 63.2 pounds now! Yay!
Oh, and I'm also trying to read a lot this year... I've completed 7 books thus far. Reading another one, and listening to one in the car, and listening to one in my bathroom, while I get ready for work in the morning. I'm loving it!
This picture was taken last Easter. Just a few days before I joined Weight Watchers and started working out. (I'm the one on the right. The FAR right. LOL)
This picture was taken yesterday... 61.4 pounds later.
I still have more to go... but my sister Natalie just sent me the first picture and I was amazed at the difference!
