The Holidays Are Here! - Brady

Well, my final exams, projects, and papers are over tomorrow. I have to say, I'm quite proud right now because I've been sticking to a resolution I made. I am always so busy and stressed at the end of the year that I forget to relax and enjoy Christmas festivities. So this year I'm trying to just chill out a little bit and take it all in. So far I'm doing great at it, and it should only get easier now that my big school stuff is over!

Probably the best night was last night. I had finished a rough draft of a 15-25 page paper I had to write just in time to open a bottle of wine, bake chocolate chip cookies, listen to some Sufjan holiday music, and decorate our house for Christmas with Kevin. Here are some pictures.



Another fun activity was getting hot chocolate from Debrand, doing a little shopping at Jefferson Pointe, and then going to see The Nutcracker in Fort Wayne. It's a pretty amazing production for the size of town F Dubs is AND it fake snows on you at the end of the first act.

I was sad to leave our pretty, Christmasy house in Fort Wayne today, but then I got to Chicago, saw a wreath Kelly had hung up, and turned on our lights. It's pretty nice here, too.

The festivities all start tomorrow with Kelly's birthday! Other activities on the docket: Lincoln Park Zoo Christmas walk, Christkindlemarket in Daley Plaza, The Nutcracker on horseback with Lesley, Paul, and the in-laws (sounds crazy but cool!), at least one viewing of The Holiday, and lots of good Christmas food and drinks.

BTW, someone might want to encourage Amy to post on here. No big deal or anything, I think she just might have interesting things to tell us. Like, you know, about Zumba or funny things her students say or something like that.