Opening Day 2011

 Hope springs eternal here in Chicagoland.  Even after suffering an opening day loss to the lowly Pirates, 6-3, I am still looking forward to this season.  Perhaps it is because for the first time in the last several years there are no expectations of grandeur.  Baseball is back and life is good!  As one lifelong Cub fan said on the bus leaving the ball park, "Being a Cubs fan teaches you how to handle losses in life."  So true!  The highlight of the day may well have been Robert Redford throwing out the first pitch.  Here are some pictures.  Enjoy!

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 Getting Ready.

 It's Opening Day!

 Kerry Wood is back where he belongs!

 Present the colors!

 The Natural and Woodie confer.

 And here's.....

 ....the pitch!

Play Ball!!

The Girls Visit the Folks

 Summer and Rachel spent Feb 16-23rd here vacationing in tropical Chicago, why not?!!!

We shopped til we dropped, then shopped again.  We ate at their fav' restaurants.  The 19th we spent the entire day in the City.  We really should have been at the other end of the beast.

 The Bean has become our favorite photo-op and hang out.  The Art Institute was not open yet, so we decided to shop(no surprise) at Marshall Field's.  Hats were the first to indulge in.

 Doesn't Summer look fab?  Where is a Hat Holiday when you need one?

 After Hats, we graduated to the Jewelry and Junior floor.  Who knew Wonder Woman would be dowstairs selling MAC makeup?  We did and posed properly.

 We shopped til lunch, and boy did we shop, so we took a taxi to the Hancock Tower and elevated ourselves to the 95th floor for Sat lunch buffet, yummy!  We had a great week and sent them back to Idaho.

Snowmageddon 2011

Wow!!!  Did we ever get a bit of snow!!  Over 18 inches overnight!!  McHenry County was officially closed this morning.  Here are some pictures and a couple of videos to show you what it was like.  Hans, Tom, and I spent three hours with the snowblower this morning clearing it all away.