merry christmas everyone! i will have you know, i have moved up in the technological world this christmas (are you shocked and awed?) as i am writing this from my brand new kindle while enjoying a cup of coffee from mike's brand new keruig coffee maker. life is good here at headrick manor. hope you all are having a very happy christmas indeed!

Life Lessons

Do not drink so much at your friend's home that you can no longer pilot a vehicle on a night before a large snowfall. It will cause you to be abruptly awoken at 6:30 a.m. with a phone call from your husband telling you that you must find a way over to your friend's house to move your car before the plow comes and it is towed. You, in your dellierum from being abruptly awoken, will believe these shananigans, call the Kendall Cab service, and be escorted to your friend's house by a cabbie named Robert, who loves to smoke and hates to be called sir. Upon arrival, you will realize that the Kendall Cab service charges by estimate in place of the more formal metering system, and that your cab ride from Oswego to the outskirts of Montgomery will run you $10. You will then begin the process of unearthing your mini from the snowbank it has become, and attempt to drive your sorry self home. However, you will be stuck in a snow bank and be forced to break in to your friend's garage (you happen to know the key code) to find a shovel to dig yourself out.

Happy Saturday, everybody.

Gobble Gobble?

We flew into North Dakota this year for Thanksgiving which usually means three things: 1. Our return flight will be canceled (check!) 2. My tolerance will be elevated from a 5 day bender (check!) and 3. My father-in-law will indirectly call me a communist (check!).

As we were supposed to fly out this morning, no plans were made for the traditional turkey/stuffing/green beans almandine Thanksgiving dinner. In lieu, we will be dining on reminant crab legs and my signature dish, enchilladas. I think if they Pilgrims and Native Americans had it to do over, they problably would have chosen that flavor combination too.

Happy Holidays everybody.

Cheers!

So I'm bad at blogging...

What of it? The month of October had no blogs from me, whoops! The last couple of months have probably been the most stressful of my life, but I'd rather not discuss that. Instead let's talk about things that don't really matter.

1. The flatbread at Subway is terrible. I'm struggling getting through my turkey 'sub.' This makes me very sad. I have wanted to try the flatbread for a long time, but have always loved the regular bread at Subway so much, and therefore was unwilling to go out on a limb. Turns out staying close to the trunk was the way to go! Never again. Whole wheat, you will be mine once more.

2. It has been brought to my attention recently (and for many years from my friend H) that pigtails are not acceptable past a certain age. According to some, I've passed that age a decade or more ago. Yet, as you all know, I am a fan of adult woman pigtails. Now that my hair is past shoulder length, I have not enjoyed the pigtails as much as I do when my hair is on the shorter side, yet have not banished them as a rule. So my question for you is this: Can I still wear pigtails at 27 and why or why not? (H, I'm confident on where you stand on this, but go ahead and weigh in anyway, I'll enjoy your witty reply I'm sure).

3. I love Ryan Bingham. While out in California this past weekend, Dustin 'Balls' Steigauf was kind enough to share his entire collection with me and I have been enthralled. You may remember him for writing the Oscar-winning theme song to the superb movie "Crazy Heart." If you enjoyed that little ditty, you might also consider listening to this off the Mescalito soundtrack.

4. The wineries in Temecula, California are beyond wonderful. I want to live in one. Just set me up a tent in the vineyard and I would be a happy lass. (On a side note, the suggested spellings for Temecula include peculate, molecular, testicular and temerity, the 4th of which I am unfamiliar).

5. I just finished my flatbread sandwich and am thankful I purchased a diet coke with which to eradicate the aftertaste. Sorry to bring it up again, it just really is that awful.

Okay, have to go to work now. I look forward to your thoughts on adult pigtails or any other thoughts you would like to share with me.

cheers!

30 Days Hath September...

September was B-U-S-Y friendos. Here is a super fast recap of the joy and wonderment of the month that was...

Weekend One 9.3-9.6: Rock and Jonas hitch their wagons together! So much love, so much laughter, so many speeches given by me (two, but let's face it, I probably shouldn't have given any...give me a mic and I will talk into it). At any rate, they seem pretty happy and I'm saying it out loud, I think those crazy kids are going to make it.

Jonas and Rachel Capistrant
9.5.10

Weekend Two 9.11-9.12: We traversed north to volunteer for the Ironman in Wisconsin. Let me tell you, 4 hours of handing out water to Ironmen and Ironladies will tire a girl out. Good thing I didn't have to wait in a ridiculously long line the next day for 3 hours for Mike to sign up for 2011 - oh wait. So come one, come all to Ironman Wisconsin 2011 and watch Mike exercise for 14 hours. There is a tee shirt in it for you that may or may not be cow printed.

Midweek 9.15: Kate, Alfonso, Brad and Vanessa (Chicago folk) and Kos and I enjoyed a good old Sox beatdown at the hands of the Minnesota Twin Cities Sluggers. To say Brad and Vanessa enjoyed it might be overstepping...but the rest of us sure did. To give credit, Brad and Vanessa prepared one delicious tailgate for us including one of the best tasting and largest burgers I've ever eaten: (photo uploader has stopped working, imagine a beautiful picture of three ladies and three delicious looking hamburgers). Also imagine an awesome photo of Alfonso's Twins hat overlooking the field with fireworks exploding in the background.

Weekend Three 9.18-9.19: Our Chicago friends Adam and Christina got married on the shores of Lake Michigan. So much love, so much laughter, so much Mike hiding in bushes (imagine a photo of Mike looking like a jungle cat in some tall green reeds). Saying this out loud too, I think these crazy kids will be very happy for life. Imagine a photo of a very tall groom in a dapper tux and a gorgeous brunette in a striking wedding gown on the shores of Lake Michigan. (This uploader being down is really extending the text portion of this post).

Weekend Four 9.25-9.26: QUAD CITIES HALF MARATHON! We win, we win! Best half marathon ever (of my two). The first, though run with my pretty pretty friend Karley, was dreadfully hot and I thought I was going to die for much of it. The second was run in perfect conditions along the Mississippi River and I felt fantastic for the whole thing. We finished in 2:05:59 - a personal best (of two) for me and a gain of about 8 minutes for Mike, who much to his chagrin, chose to be his wife's wingman (and, to be fair, was not in full Ironman training). Who wants to run Quad Cities next year? Raise your hand.

So after a full, happy and truth-be-known, expensive September, if your question is, "Do you have to transfer money from savings to pay your mortgage this month?" then my answer is, "Yes." ;(

hi

No time or energy to write a real post, but wanted to say Happy Thursday to all of you. I may or may not have some significant changes after tomorrow, and if so, I will share with you this weekend. Ooooh the suspense!

What do you like more, Christmas or Wedding Season?

I have to be honest, I'm really really jazzed for this weekend. Not maybe so much for the 8 hour solo drive across IL,WI, and Minnesota, but for the part where I get to spend the whole weekend with my most dear friend Rachel Lee Mattson and most definately for the part where I will stand up and witness the uniting of said Rachel Lee to Jonas Andrew Capistrant, a fine, strapping nordic man.

To be fair, I always love a wedding. I love the getting ready, the ceremony, the reading of Paul's first letter to the people of Corinth, the ample amount of people willing to pose for my pictures, the dancing and general feeling of joy from the collective wedding guests. However, weddings are even more special and enjoyable when one of the two folks entering marital bliss happens to be a friend who has occupied 'sister status' and I simply can not wait to celebrate with my very tall, very pretty, friend Rachel Lee Mattson III.

Lyla Leone Millard

Last Friday I snoozed my alarm more times than I ought and groggily took a shower. I went into my room to change and noticed my mom was calling. It's on the rare that she calls so early in the morning, so immediately my scooby doo ears raised and I answered very quickly. I then sat on my bed, crying, with Sven on my lap, Boris rubbing against my legs and Mike holding my hand while my mom told me that my new baby niece was going to have to be delivered 9 weeks early. Apparently the baby wasn't getting enough nutrients in utero as was expected for a baby at 31 weeks. The doctors said she was 5 cm smaller than typical growth. Courtney, my sister, was checked into the hospital Thursday night, they had given her a shot to help develop the baby's lungs. The doctors were hoping that the baby would stay stable enough to wait 48 hours for the steroid to be fully effective. My folks were on the way to Sioux City and I was immediately making plans to get on the road myself.

Three hours later I'd taken care of a few last minute things at work, Mike had gotten out of work for the weekend and we were on the road traveling across the rolling corn fields of Iowa. We arrived around 7:30 p.m. and went straight to the hospital. At this point, everyone was optimistic. The doctors had a plan and the baby's heart rate was stable. Courtney was pretty uncomfortable, forced to stay in bed with a heart rate monitor strapped too tightly around her stomach in order to locate her tiny baby's heart rate. We were all stressed, but happy to be together. Courtney's c-section was scheduled for 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning.

Saturday morning, after a sleepless night that included a restless Lucia crawling into bed with us around 3 a.m., we were off again to spend the day keeping Cour and Drew company at the hospital. Between chess on the computer, white-board hangman and forced happy conversation, we passed the time. Everyone was nervous for the day and delivery that lay ahead, but we were all trying to stay strong for each other. We were so blessed by the outpouring of support from all corners of our collective life. Courtney, as usual, impressed me with her natural ability to stay collected and positive despite the stressful circumstances. We said goodnight and took Lucia back to the farm and had one more sleepless night.

Sunday morning, we headed back to the hospital. Waiting around for the baby to be born is not a feeling I want to experience again anytime soon. The boys had fallen into a deep computer chess addiction by this point, which was a welcome distraction for all of them. We had 'Father of the Bride' on in the waiting room to offer moments of repreive, but mostly we were tense to finally find out that both of our girls were doing well. Thankfully, that's exactly what happened.

The delivery went exactly as planned and Lyla let out a few delightful cries right as she was born. They immediately put in a breathing tube as a precaution and rushed her up to the NICU. The better part of an hour later and we were able to talk to an adequately-medicated Courtney, who was looking wonderful and feeling relieved for the best-case-senario birth of her 1 pound 6 ounce beautiful baby girl. Cour and Drew named her Lyla, after my father, Lyle. They chose Leone for her middle name, which has a long legacy on the Rambow side. It began with my grandma Donna Dee's mother, Leone who died when Grandma Donna Dee was just 16, was passed down to my aunt Ronna Leone, then to me, then to Ronna's grandaughter Sophie Leone (who was one of Mike's and my flower girls) and now to precious Lyla Leone. At the risk of sounding incredibly cheesy, it is my sincere hope that the strength of the women in our family through the years will be passed onto Lyla and help her in the great struggle that lies ahead.

Today Lyla is 2 days old. She is doing incredibly well despite the circumstances. They have already removed her breathing tube and she is breathing on her own with the assistance of a nasal tube which allows her to breath natural air, but makes it easier for her to inhale. She has been upgraded from her IV to small normal feedings. Her lung and digestive functions are operating normally and she is very active, kicking and squirming. We could truly not be more thankful for how extrodinary Lyla is and how well things have been going thus far. Lyla will require the care of the incredible hospital staff for at least another six weeks. If things continue the way they have been going, we are very optimistic she will grow up to be a very healthy, bouncy little girl ready to jump in the lake in no time at all.

Thank you to everyone who has said a kind word or offered up a prayer for my darling niece. It is a very humbling feeling to have so many people in our lives who support and care for us.

xoxo c.

A remark made as a result of mediation.

So it's been over a month since my last post. I just reread it and it is almost comical how optimistic I was about that weekend, not knowing that my good friend Breanna would pass away just hours after I posted it.

She was 28, weeks shy of her 29th birthday when I was to see her at the Luther Crest reunion. She was beautiful, whip smart and had an amazing laugh. She was a gifted writer and teacher. She had an uncanny ability to put life's annoyances into perspective. She had an appetite to learn and a thirst for creative cocktails. She had a beautiful voice and loved to share it. She was a person surrounded in light. She and Chris had been married for 3 years and had a beautiful 15 month old daughter named Karley. The doctors still don't know what happened. Earlier in the day she had returned from a trip to New York with her students, and then, without cause or notice, she slipped away.

It goes without saying that something like that really makes you sit back and reflect on the fleeting nature of life and how a gal is living hers. I've been trying to not be passive. I've been trying to appreciate. I've been making trips to Minnesota I ordinarily wouldn't take. I've been burning the candle at both ends, staying up too late, waking up too early, running too many miles with no rest. I've been trying to let little things go that ordinarily would have fired me up. I have tried to pay close attention to how I treat the ones I love. I've been trying to pray more, curse less and give more hugs. I've been trying to count my blessings more and air my grievances less. I have not always been successful. I have had one of the worst work weeks in the history of my life. I have contemplated making changes to better my circumstances, yet have actually done nothing. I have hated myself for it and cursed myself for allowing negativity in. I have struggled to understand life and how in a flash it ends.

I suppose these are all part of the grieving process and I suppose I have felt these things before and I suppose I will feel them again. Isn't it interesting how we age and grow and feel we accumulate a firm grasp on life, yet no matter how much wisdom we think we have, we actually know nothing? (Full disclosure, that is not an original thought, I want to say Aristotle?). And in my plagiarism, I find truth. On that note, I will leave you with more brilliant words I could never write:

I just want my life to true
just want my heart to be true
just want my words to be true
want my soul to feel brand new

Love to you all. I am blessed to know you. Sorry about the deep thoughts, not my usual fodder, I know, but I am pretty incapable of anything else right now. If I do not know you - wow, there are people I don't know who read this? Amazing. And welcome.

It's just tequila and the beach, that's why it's salty when we kiss...

Happy Friday all! I am in the mood to not be at work. This weekend is going to be fantastic and here's why:

1. It's Prairie Fest in Oswego! Last night I was able to sit on my back patio, sipping a Jameson and Ginger, (aka Jimmy, Jinger, Redheadedstepchild, Blarney Stone) and listen to a pretty decent cover band over a lovely campfire. A+

2. Keith Urban/Dixie Chicks/Eagles at Soldier Field on Saturday night! Extra bonus that H is coming after a refreshing Hawaiian Vacation and Lacey and her fam are coming down from Minnie. I could not be more excited! A++

3. Prairie Fest 5k Sunday morning! I hope to run it in under 28 min - setting really high goals, I know. B+

4. Mike is running the Warrior Dash in Joliet Sunday afternoon wherein he will climb walls, roll in the mud and jump over fire! Fantastic! A+

5. Alfonso introduced me to a sweet radio station some time ago and I have been jamming to this song. I decided it's my official weekend anthem. A

Hope you all have a fab weekend!

cheers!

Guess what?

The Blackhawks won the STANLEY CUP! Celebration ensues!

Fill it up again!

I am pretty bored at work right now. It's summer and it's slow and my boss is out of the office.

After exhausting facebook, creating a new budget and stalking all of my usual blogs, I have compiled a list of songs I will never be sick of hearing.

In effect, these are my 'desert island' songs that could be played on repeat to more enjoyment each time. This is in now way a comprehensive list - just what I could think of this morning whilst listening to Cities 97.

I invite you to add or subtract to my list as you see fit. Here they are, in no particular order (except the first song is there for a reason - probably my favorite song of all time):

1. Into the Mystic - Van Morrison
2. In My Life - The Beatles
3. Nightswimming - REM
4. Plush - Acoustic - Stone Temple Pilots
5. You Were Mine - Dixie Chicks
6. Sitting on the Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
7. Murder in the City - Avett Brothers
8. Fire and Ice - Garth Brooks (apparently Garth does not enjoy to have his songs on youtube, so you can choose to watch the lost video or not, let's face it, Kos will watch).
9. The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
10. Change is Gonna Come - Gavin Degraw version
11. This Year's Love - David Gray

Coin it!

So, here's your chance to be creative! Sometime over the winter at a fantastic Irish Pub, Heather, Katie, Alfonso and I were introduced to the wonders of Jameson combined with Ginger Ale and a twist of lime.

It seems the phenomenon is spreading, because last night, our buddy Ryan was talking about how it is his favorite new drink.

However, 'Jameson and Ginger' just doesn't seem like a worthy enough name for this tasty libation.

Your challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to come up with the most creative and/or best name for this cocktail. The winner (chosen by me) gets a bottle of Jameson to be delivered the next time the winner comes to my house.

GO!

This is why I hate rain...

Here's the thing about being a pug-dog owner: Pugs are awesome and will be your best friend.

They are very lovable and sweet and cuddly and goofy looking and fun to watch run about and take on walks.

They will tilt their head from side to side when you ask them questions and run to greet you when you arrive home from work.

They will snore and snore loudly when they are taking a nap with you on the couch, and for the most part, this is very adorable.

They will even be adorable when they wake up in the middle of the night with their whimpers because they are afraid of the thunderstorm going on around them. However, when you try to calm their sad little shaking body down by cuddling them in YOUR bed whilst trying to fall back asleep at 2:00 in the a.m., their snoring becomes considerably less adorable. Missing the hours of sleep between 2:00 and 6:30 in the a.m. becomes an issue when you must arrive at work at 8:00 in the a.m.

This is when coffee, not your pug-dog, becomes your best friend.

"Ha! I have kept you awake with my 'adorable' snoring and intermittent shaking and now you have to go to work and I have to take an all-day nap on the couch! Good thing I'm so damn cute and sweet that you will never stay mad at me and instead you will feed me carrots and other assorted delicious foods when you get home! I have bested you again!"

If I had a penny for everything I love, I would have many pennies...

In an effort to spread happiness through positivity, here is a list of things I really love right now:

1. Harmony illustrated by the following two bands:

Lady Antebellum, particularly this song.

and

direct from my Schne-provided Avett Brothers Collection this diddy.

2. This fellow here:

As well as the rest of the team, Target field, pretty much anything Twins baseball related.

3. The Dairy Hut in Oswego is up and running! I enjoyed my first vanilla chocolate dipped cone the other night and it was GLORIOUS!

4. It's finally warm enough for me to wear these shoes:



I quite like the blue color - perhaps I need to purchase another pair...

5. Gin, tonic and green olives.

and finally...

6. THIS is happening:




Are you happier now? No? Well, I gave it a go anyway...

Wouldn't kick him out of my bed...

Now for a new installment on the blog called, "I wouldn't kick him out of my bed."

The first installment will be dedicated to the late, great Paul Newman.

Facing facts, I know, he has passed away. I know, he is 60 some years my senior. I don't care. I'd follow those blue eyes anywhere. I quite enjoyed him in Cool Hand Luke, loved his banter in Slapshot, and fell in love in The Sting. Paul was unlike any other.

However, let's be clear, the Paul Newman in my bed is not 80 years old. Rather he looks like this:



You're welcome.

Now, your turn. Who's an older fellow or lass of your choosing? (Mike, Jennifer Aniston isn't old enough to qualify, pick someone else).

I'm pretty sure I have early onset Alzheimer's. Today I woke up begrudgingly and got ready for work and arrive in-or-around 8. Around 9, my boss e-mailed me, "What are you doing here?"

OOOOOOh yeah, I switched a shift because my mother-in-law is coming to town on Thursday and I wanted to be able to go with to pick her up from the airport. Blast!

Seriously, get your kicks with me now, because in 10 years I won't remember who you are. Sorry in advance.

I imagine it's time for me to make my obligatory one-post-a-month for April. Big props for anyone who actually reads it in April, as I know checking my blog on any kind of a regular basis must be a frustrating ordeal. Today is abnormally slow at work. My boss is out for the afternoon and I didn't start until 12 - so I have no assignments from her, which I rely on to keep me busy before I start supervising student workers in the evening. I am generally in a sour mood today - not really sure why, but here are some potential reasons:

• It's only 40* today - boo, bring back the 70s!
• I am out of coffee
• I decided today that any cuteness I once had is officially gone. I need a tan now so I can start to feel a little bit better about my appearance
• Coldplay is playing on cities 97 right now. ish.
  

And now to break my funk I will list things I have to be happy about:

• Kos is coming out to the burbs this weekend - IF his sore throat clears up. If that does not happen, you can go ahead and mentally move this bullet up into the first set
• We will hang with Kate and Alfonso at their new casa and enjoy the delicious cuisine of the Jalapeno Grill - HELLO tachos nachos!
• The Twins are in town and Mike and I are attending the Sunday game
• Schne recently sent me the entire Avett Brother's collection and I have been enjoying it immensely - thanks again, b.s.!
  
• I discovered a really tasty new Riesling last night that is not too sweet!
  

There, I have one more happy than sour, so I can be done. Enjoy the rest of your April (or May, as the case may be).

c.

suit up

In a manner of speaking. My friend Erin alerted me to these today and I thought you all might enjoy purchasing one or more of these shirts. I haven't looked around the site much, but I'm sure there are more to be had. Here are the two I found to be worth a dime.

http://tanga.com/photos/424949/large
http://tanga.com/products/prestige-worldwide-boats-hoes-t-shirt--3

enjoy.

smokey robinson

Today marks the first day of "lose weight - 2010 edition." Mike and I are on a plan (that he made and is enforcing) to lose 5 pounds a month for the next 6 months while concurrently training for a half marathon. He made me weight myself in front of him and then proceeded to write said weight down in a chart and hang it on the fridge. As you can tell, I'm super jazzed about it. I am hoping that writing this lofty goal aka saying it out loud, will make it come true.

So, cut to 8:47 a.m. and I'm sweating it out on the treadmill. Enter giant blond lady wearing an equally giant white sweatsuit. She starts her walk and as she goes faster, her "I just smoked a whole pack of cigarettes" smell hits me smack in the face with brute force. I had to fight the urge to vomit all over her giant white sweatsuit. There is no worse smell when trying to excersize than smoke. I would rather she be ripping ass the whole time.

Now, don't get me wrong, I fully support anyone's right to smoke. But the smokers I know somehow manage not to smell terrible. Isn't there a conscious effort amongst smokers to freshen up before they walk into a packed work out facility and begin to sweat? Don't you like, keep a bottle of Febreeze in your car or something for emergencies such as these? Help me out, Marlboro lovers - what are the secrets to not smelling like smoke so that I might share them with smoky cloud lady at the gym tomorrow (see how I'm pretending I'm going to work out two days in a row? nice, huh.)

You've had two pair of gloves this whole time?

YEP! We're off to the Rockies tomorrow!!!! I am so excited that I'm not even mad about my 3:15 wake up call to get to the airport in time.

We are skiing Breckenridge this year and I can wait to see how many spills Mike takes in the first 5 minutes. Last year it was 8. Here's hoping it's a little better this year!

Meggy, Balls, Diddy, James, Al, Sarah, Kate, Jason - see your arses in CO!

cheers!

don't tell me secrets...

because it's hard for me to keep them. i will keep them, but i won't be happy about it. you know who you are. i hope the plan is still in tact for the end of the secret. then i will not have to think about not telling it anymore!

thanks,
Chelsey

okay, fine.

One more blog, you buggerfaces.

I just saw this picture and it made me happy and not because I particularly care about Fergie or the fact that she has a crazy bufont hairdo while on a JOG. Check out Josh Duhamel's hat! Way to stay true to your roots, Minot!

bon voyage

I think...this is my last blog.

Blogteam, disassemble!

To the 3 of you who read this, Da Svidaniya.