Monday, December 5, 2011

Yet ANOTHER Trip To Chicago

We make a trip down to Illinois......a lot!! It's where 2hotty and I grew up and its where most of our family live now.  So every time we're there we plan a whole itinerary of things to do. Our main goal this time was to shop for "home things"......therefore a pit stop to Ikea was in order and because our friend Chris was also joining us we made a point to go downtown for a little bit of sight seeing!!
(read about our last trip HERE, HERE, and HERE!!)

It was SO great having someone else in the car that would listen to Scott's crazy and random singing and thoughts!! We usually give him a limit as to how many annoying songs and things he can say throughout the whole trip.  Ya its THAT bad! HA! 

While Chris was babysitting hanging out with Scott, I was left alone in the back seat with gossip magazines and my camera!  I learn something new every time I mess around with it!

Look how beautiful our car ride down was:


This is au natural........No Photoshop Needed....taken while we were in a moving car on the interstate!!


Just Mother Nature doing her thing and painting a beautiful Mosaic for all to see!


I wanted so bad for Chris to pull over so I could get a silhouette shot of me and 2hotty but 2hotty put a kabosh to it right away (something about it being too dangerous).....what a party pooper!!



The next day everyone got ready and we headed for the city!!


It was such a beautiful brisk Fall day!! We got really lucky this year with great weather......unlike last year when we practically drove home in torrential tornadoish downpour!! I almost peed my pants!! I get heart palpitations when I see lightning and hear loud thunder ( just some randomness for you).
Not this year......we had awesome weather and most importantly we spent it awesome people!!

Yes this cutie patootie is totally awesome:

This girls ganna SNAP!!

Mommy and baby Nathaniel:



Smiles for Aunty JoJo:






Every time I see this I take a deep breath and go Ahhhh!!!
It's such an amazing city.......with so much to do and see and I feel like I NEED to experience it ALL!


You know your in China Town when you stop to get gas and see this:


Chris loves everything Asian so we wanted to show him Chicago's Chinatown:

I haven't really walked around Chinatown before this trip, so it was pretty much a first for me too.

It was definitely an experience to say the least!!

Chinese BBQ is what I'm OMG'ing about:

What's that orange thing in the window????

I guess everyone in Chinatown drinks this stuff:


It's called bubble tea and it comes in a lot of different flavors.  The black ball looking things on the bottom of the cup are tapioca balls!  It's pretty much a shake.....however I could have done without the tapioca!

It was a bit different as you can tell from 2hotty's first reaction (I thought it tasted like big snot balls running down the back of my throat........I guess its an acquired taste!!)

The Chinese Bakery was interesting too:


95 cents......ya right you would have to pay ME a lot of money to try this thing and even so I don't know if I could do it:


The tea store carried all sorts of specialty teas that could cure almost everything imaginable:



I bought some cute Chinese spoons as a little souvenir of our time there.  I'm going to use them at our next sushi night at home!



All in all we had a great time in Chinatown....................







.............but we left there SUPER hungry!! I'm sorry but no million (thousand?!?! even if they were one year old I couldn't do it) year old egg buns for these kids!!
So I turned to my trusty Tripadviser App to find us a yummy restaurant to eat at.

(passing the Chicago Stock Exchange)

So excited to finally get something in our bellies.

Eleven City Diner is the place to go if your in the mood for some good Pastrami sandwiches and Matzoh Ball soup............




...........More like Matzo AMAZEballs soup!!


Precious Uncle Scotty Bonding:


Totally ready to order our food:


My mouth is watering just looking at this picture......I wish I could have me some right about now:




and we can all guess who cleared HIS plate!! 
2hotty is not wasteful when it comes to his food!  He tells me he's still a growing kid.........ya wider not taller hunny!

Amen to a great weekend trip to Chicago!! 
I think we have another trip planned there very soon with some great friends.......I cannot wait!

xoxo Joanna D.

All I want for Christmas.........

                                                         ......................IS YOU!!!
I have a lot of things that I want for Christmas!  Most of the things on my list money can't buy.......and are simply prayers to GOD!!

BUT.........I shamefully can say some are material!!  I'm definitely NOT high maintenance at all (well I don't think so....I'm sure 2hotty would beg to differ) but I do like nice good quality stuff!!

So here are some items I'm lusting over right now (it changes on a daily basis).......and also some great gift ideas for the women in your life who I'm sure are lusting over these things too:

Makeup/Skincare Products: (I LURVE makeup......so its always a winner whenever someone gets me a gift card to Sephora):

Nars Danmari All About Cheeks Palette: $65. 
I have a couple blushes from Nars and they are absolutely my favorite blushes!! I would be extremely over the moon if I received this palette (wink wink.......whose name sounds like Hotty!)
Danmari All About Cheeks Palette ($107 Value)
SOURCE

YSL Sephora Holiday Glamour Set: $65
I'm just LUSTING over this!! Yves Saint Laurent........nuf' said!!

Sephora Holiday Glamour Set ($98 Value)
SOURCE

Clarisonic Mia™ Skin Cleansing System with Boscia, Dr. Brandt, Dr. Dennis Gross & Peter Thomas Roth - Berry: $119
Stress does a number on my face........as in a number of painful zits on my face!!  Ya I totally look like a sixteen year old boy going through puberty right about now.......just call me Pizza Face!! This is where the clarisonic comes in.......I've heard great things about this gadget!! I totally want one........well its more like I NEED one!!!  Oh and they have a special gift pack version out for the holidays too......you get some bonus skin care items......total score!!
Clarisonic Mia™ Skin Cleansing System with Boscia, Dr. Brandt, Dr. Dennis Gross & Peter Thomas Roth - Berry ($199 Value)
SOURCE
Urban Decay Naked Palette: $48
I've wanted it for like a year now!! The colors are totally me.  Although now they've come our with the Naked 2 pallette and I think I want that one too......OUI!!!
Naked Palette
SOURCE
Haircare Products: (All Redken products found at Ulta.com and Redken is having a buy 2 get 1 free sale!!)

Rusk Freak Speed Blow Dryer: $68
SOURCE

Redken Body Full Shampoo: $14
Body Full Shampoo

Redken Extreme Conditioner: $14
Extreme Conditioner

Redken Extreme Cat: $15
Extreme CAT Protein Reconstructing Treatment


Accessories: Which girl doesn't love to receive jewelry............or purses?!?!
North Face ETIP Glove: $40
This is great for anyone who owns a smart phone touch screen or any touch screen related product.  It has a built in magnet "thingy" on the tip of the pointer finger and thumb so you can stay warm while still using your phone!!  It comes in three different colors.......I love the white pair......however to be practical I would get the black pair!! They are pricey for a pair of gloves but North Face is good quality stuff!!
SOURCE
I love anything by Michael Kors!! Here are some items I'm lusting over:


Michael Kors Watch, Women's Rose Gold Plated Stainless Steel Bracelet 43mm MK5415
SOURCE
Michael Kors Watch, Women's Chronograph Gold Tone and Tortoise Acrylic Bracelet 38mm MK5138
SOURCE
Michael Kors Watch, Women's Chronograph Goldtone Stainless Steel and Black Polyurethane Bracelet 38mm MK5191
SOURCE



Tory Burch ROBINSON MAGAZINE TOTE $575

Its timeless and I love it but its $$$$!!

ROBINSON NS TOTE | BLACK | 001
SOURCE
 Like I said these items are more lusts than needs and if I didn't receive any of it......it would not ruin Christmas!!!  I would take any of the precious things that I pray for over the items above any day without a doubt in my mind.......but I am also human and want things that I don't necessarly need.  What can I say we live in a tempting corrupt world!!!

So whats on your Holiday Wish List this year???  I would love to see Santa's budget plan for the year and his bank account because if you think I'm bad you should see 2hotty's wish list.........golf cart, lawn mower, golf membership, new car,etc.!!

xo Joanna D.

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