And its July...and crazy hot too!

I get sad after the Fourth of July because its the official middle of summer.  The glass is half full.   Usually my friends and I have a ton of things planned for the summer, but our highlight is usually Pitchfork, and Mary-Frances's birthday.  Pitchfork was this weekend, and thanks to Josh Berman, Mackie's brother, he got Mackie and me VIP for the whole weekend.  It was super fun, of course, I only brought my camera on Sunday, but hey, at least I remembered.  Bill's friend Bridget flew in from LA for the concert weekend too, and she was super fun to have around.  Can't wait to have another friend to visit when we go out there!

So in the midst, while friends are all coming and going from vacation, Bill and I have nothing planned until October when we're flying to Montara, CA to visit his good friend Bob and wife Rachel for Halloween.  Apparently, its off the hook in Montara.  We're excited.  With Bill's work schedule, its impossible for us to travel in the summer.  I am looking forward to a weekend in Milwaukee for Mary-Frances's Birthday though!

Back to Pitchfork... on Friday we enjoyed Robyn, Modest Mouse and Broken Social Scene.  Saturday was the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Wolf Parade (where Mackie and I camped out 45 minutes early in VIP to have a killer spot) and LCD Soundsystem.  Sunday was the HOTTEST DAY EVER and we had a blast with Major Lazer, Big Boi and Pavement.  It was so freaking fun!  And can I add, the free beer was great, too.  And popsicles.

Mary-Frances & Jeff

Bridget & Mackie

Julie & Todd

Bill whistling for Big Boi

Julie & Bill

Julie & Mackie

Lots and lots and lots and lots of fun!!!!!!!  I like how I name myself in the photos, like the one person that reads this doesn't know me!!!

Oh Rachel, I miss you so!

My wonderful friend Rachel was in Chicago for six weeks, from May 14 - June 22 and she stayed with Bill and I.  Rachel and I have a long strange history though working various jobs together, but our friendship was really bonded when she and her boyfriend James moved into good old 2350/52 W. Ohio.  The four of us were like Melrose Place, minus the fights, the sex scandals and drama.  Just good old fashioned fun, gardening, parties, and Cubs games.  On the roof of course!

Regardless, Rachel and James moved to Los Angeles in November, right after Obama's election.  It's been a long time, and here is hoping that the pilot she was working on Chicago gets picked up, because we need Jamesy and Rachel back!!!! NOW!  And as a thanks to Bill & me, Rachel bought us a ridiculously generous gift certificate to Longman & Eagle, just voted Best New Restaurant by the Chicago Reader!  And that also means Date Night!

Lenny the Dog

Bill and I are still grieving over the loss of Victor Pants. Its one of those things that with time, it doesn't hurt as badly, but we still love Victor and he will always be such an important part of our lives.
We were not actively looking for a new dog, it has only been four months since he passed away.

My parents were actively looking for a new dog, and when I was at their house the day before Memorial Day, I was perusing petfinder.com, and this picture jumped off the page at me.

Wowzer!  I sent in my application asap and called furiously to the Chicago Canine Rescue.  Long story short, I have never fought so hard for something in my life.  They wanted Lenny to be in a home with another dog, and I told them all about Chainsaw downstairs.  They wanted us to have an 8 foot fence, I told htem Lenny would never be outside alone.  And then we met him.  And it was love at first sight.  We took him for a long walk.  Then we went the next day and walked him again.  Then on Tuesday we had our home visit, and Lenny was dropped off.  Lenny was a little scared of the stairs, and he walked in and peed in front of the dog bed, and on the fridge, and on the plants on the deck.

I was worried that he would be in the house, but that was that!  We have him on a totally organic high protein food - he's underweight and he needs to gain more before he can be neutered.  He's so amazing and transitioning so well.  He jumps in bed and follows Bill around everywhere.  He's so awesome. 

I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried to begin with.  I cried a lot about Victor - would he be mad, would he be sad, would he be happy?  Has enough time passed?  I'm feeling guilty, etc.  So many feelings.  But I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.  We got Lenny.  He is happy with us.  He already loves us, and we are quickly falling in love with him too.  We are a family again.  I still miss Victor, though, and that feeling will never go away.  I just hope that they would be friends.

One Year Wedding Anniversary!

We had an amazing one year anniversary!  We went to A Tavola for dinner, and then we went to the Garfield Park Conservatory the next day! After the Conservatory, the guys had their Wiffle Ball Game, and I got to throw out the first pitch!   It was so fun!  This is a short blog, the pictures are so awesome!

And May....

So far this month has been wild.  My great and amazing friend Rachel got a gig in Chicago for 6 weeks and she is staying with us.  She made us cookies, has done more dishes in a week then either Bill or I have ever done, and she was here for Victor's Celebration of Life party.

Rachel & Me at our wedding.

Sadly, we kept losing the camera and don't have pictures of the party, but the memories are great.

Victor and me a couple days before our wedding.

This Sunday (May 23) is Bill and my one-year anniversary.  This time last year I was 15 pounds lighter, had an amazing tan and awesome hair.  What a year can do.

Saturday night Bill is taking me to A Tavola for dinner, my absolute favorite Italian restaurant. 

And we're spending all day Sunday together, probably heading to the Garfield Park Conservatory and somewhere awesome for lunch, like Revolution Brewery in Logan Square.  Although the Hawks are playing, maybe they will have TV's.

I can't believe a year has already passed, I loved our wedding and it will always be the greatest day of my life.  

Julie is....I mean Bill is...cooking Part Six

Ahhhh Pork.  The best I have ever had was in North Carolina with the Carmona's.  Bacon, bratwurst, and of course the slow-cooked spicy pork burritos.  Heaven.  We attempted to recreate it.

Cooked for 9 hours and seared with a dry spice rub, cooked in beer, adobo peppers and spices.

And the best part is how it falls apart. 

And of course we had many, many people over for dinner that night!

Fun Times on a Road Trip!

Erica and I LOVE visiting our friends Sara and Charles, and their kids Sean and Scarlet in Pekin, IL.  Sara, Erica, Charles and I all went to ISSA, the Illinois Summer School for the Arts for a couple weeks for two summers when we were Juniors & Seniors in High School.  Long story short, although its an AMAZING long story, Sara & Charles fell in love and have two amazing kids.  Erica and I were roommates when we were 16, and now we are still the best of friends.  There will be references to our beautiful Kristin, too, throughout this blog, and she was also at ISSA. I think for all of us to still be such amazing friends after 16 years is quite remarkable.  Quite possibly amazing.  Two weeks, two summers in High School.  I can't imagine my life without Sara, Charles, Erica and Kristin.  And of course our beautiful Sean McCash, who passed away 10 years ago that really tied us all together.  He is who Sara & Charles's Sean is named after.
It took Erica and I 4.5 hours to get to Pekin (stupid roll over on I-55 @ 294) but it was so well worth it.  We had a blast with our lovely friends.