Happy Birthday, Christina!

We went to Wildfish Sushi in Arlington Heights tonight to celebrate our friend, Christina's, birthday! She will actually be 25 on the 4th of March. Woo hoo!

I am not really a sushi person, I had the King Salmon and it was very delicious. We also had tempura which I had never had before. Chad did try some salmon...just straight-up raw salmon. He didn't mind it. He said it tasted like he was biting into a fish, which obviously he was, but I just can't see myself biting into a fish. I am not Bear Grylles from Man Vs. Wild trying to survive in Alaska. Have you seen that episode where he literally snatches the fish out of the water and then sinks his teeth into it? No way. I love the outdoors, but I have to draw the line somewhere. I do realize I am being a little immature about this. Chad pointed out to me that everyone there was eating sushi and I was the only one making faces like a 4-year-old. I hope I didn't offend anyone. I do have to compliment Wildfish on their presentation. Even though it didn't look tasty (to me) each plate was absolutely beautiful, creative, and unique.

Sharon Draper Live!

I had the fortune of meeting the author Sharon Draper today! She came to do a presentation in our school district. I was so excited to be able to meet her. It was kind of like when Chad met Rex Grossman last summer. I was shaking when I went to ask her to sign my copy of Copper Sun this morning.

I have read two of her books. Earlier this school year, I read "Romiette and Julio", which is about a black girl, Romiette, and a hispanic boy, Julio, who meet online and fall in love. They get along great except there is a gang at their school that doesn't like that they are dating. The book is a modern-day twist to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

The other book I have read is Copper Sun. I love Copper Sun. It is absolutely amazing writing. Sharon Draper does a great job of developing the characters. Today she explained to us that she does a great deal of research when she writes a book. It took her 10 years to do the research for Copper Sun. The work paid off though because the book gives great insight into the monstrosity that was slavery.

I'd Tell You I Love You...

Most Recently Read Book:

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You

By Ally Carter

The main character, Cammie, is a student at a private all-girls' school. The residents of the town don't know that this quiet school is really an undercover academy for future spies. Cammie is focused on her training until, while on a mission, she meets Josh, a boy from town. Her friends help her sneak out to meet up with him, but not after first doing some background work to make sure he's not an undercover spy himself. Cammie finds herself falling more and more in love with Josh until she ends up caught between the outside world and her undercover world...how will she choose? This is definitely a fun read and moves along quickly. I love the spy talk and the girl power theme. Girls rule!

American Idol

Who doesn't love David Archuleta?????? This kid is just too cute. I'm like Paula and I just want to squish those cheeks. He just has such a nice personality, he's cute, but, most importantly, he has an amazing voice. I heard it played back this morning on the radio and he just sounded soooo good. No one else is really sticking out yet other than David Archuleta. This week was better than last, but I still think more stepping up needs to happen.

With David in the competition do we really need to go through this whole process? Just write him his This-Is-My-Now equivalent and send him out onto the Kodak Theatre stage and we'll call it a season. Wait, American Idol really does help me make it through this part of the school year. Three more months of Idol, three more months of school. If I've gotta get through school I might as well have Idol to help it along. But, seriously, we know who's gonna win!

Skate Party!

Here we are rollerskating! We had fun rolling around with Jordan in the stroller. He seemed to have fun, too. It was weird to be on skates instead of blades. I had flashbacks to 4th grade...Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" and Paula Abdul's "I'll Be Forever Your Girl" ran through my head. Good times! Good memories!

CTMH Party!

On Saturday I held my first ever Close To My Heart gathering. It was kind of goofy because my friend, Leslie, who is now my consultant couldn't make it and I had to do my own show. It was kind of fun putting it all together but after it was done I definitely remembered why I had stopped in the first place. It does get to be a lot of work. I had lots of friends come check out the new Idea Book and enjoy some Chinese food.

The whole party had a Chinese theme because I saw really cute felt fortune cookies in a Martha Stewart magazine a little while ago. I get an idea and then I go with it. My mom brought over these really cute tea cups and a chai spice tea that was amazing. My friend, Christina, brought shu mai that her fiance, Eric, made. They were very good and look like he put a lot of work into them. I wouldn't even know where to sart. We had other Chinese food and stamped up some cute Chinese takeout boxes. April and I tried egg foo young for the first time. I think that is probably the first and last time either of us will eat egg foo young.

I did this 2-page layout of Jordan eating his cottage cheese. I just realized that is the first time I have scrapbooked Jordan! (It's really sad, I know, but I am that far behind.) Well, I think they turned out pretty good. I have to say I love my camera. The colors are awesome.

Thank you to everyone who came over on Saturday! You helped my party a huge success! Love ya!

Cottage Cheese

Jordan is 9 1/2 months old now. He had cottage cheese for the first tim last week. I just can't get over this picture. We love our cute little guy. Not a day goes by that we don't think God that we have him in our lives. One of Chad's students asked him if we ever get tired of people saying he's cute. No way! We love to hear how cute he is.

Woo Hoo! I have a blog!

I am sooooo excited to have my own blog! I just got into reading blogs a few weeks ago and now I have my very own! I can't wait to add pictures and all the fun things people talk about on their blogs! This could be too much fun!