Chicago

Matt and I were in Chicago a couple of weeks ago. We were both working during the day, so we really only had the evenings to explore, but that was fine, because the city was definitely more stunning at night!

Here are some of the snapshots we took while there:


Dex was a good boy for most of the trip, but when he got restless, a little tug-of-war did the trick.




And a few kisses to mommy and daddy when he was feeling lonely


Our hotel room was so colorful!


The room had amazing window seats with curtains you could pull closed behind you.. so cool!




This was the night we went to the aquarium on Lake Michigan, and definitely got one of the best views of the city.


Sears Tower takes center stage. I didn't get a full perspective on exactly how massive it is until you're standing right under it, though. Wow.


Another view of the tower.


Chicago's skyline is so stunningly beautiful.


Who's this?


Freezing our butts off while waiting for our cab outside of the aquarium.


front of the aquarium


On one of Dexter's evening walks (which he LOVED.. he did not know what to think about all of the people and activity that he got to witness!) I noticed this striking sky. I love how the buildings themselves are reflecting the color!




This was the night we went to the top of the Hancock Tower (a little shorter than the Sears Tower, but this one is said to have the best city views because of where it sits). Since I have an irrational fear of heights (flying freaks me out), it's a miracle I even went up there.. even though I didn't stay very long. Ha. It went like.. "Ok, yeah, that's nice. Wow, beautiful view *snaps a few pictures* Where's the elevator?"




This was the view Dex has as he did his twice-daily business on the bank of the Chicago River.


On the way home from dinner one night.

Yo

I'm working on getting a better template where the sidebar doesn't go all wonky if I try to use anything other than this current set-up. Maybe then, I can actually post stuff that I want visible at all times. Like this playlist. Until then, all content is going to have to be in individual posts.

I should have some more pics up soon. Promise!

For now, here are my top 3 all-time favorite Rascal Flatts songs. The ones I can listen to a million times over and never get tired of them, and usually the first ones I skip to every time I pick up my iPod. Enjoy.

Wowies

So.. wow. Matt and I saw Rascal Flatts last night in Nashville, and it was definitely the best live music performance I've ever seen! I had head-to-toe goosebumps for most of the show, and it takes a whole lotta talent to do that to me!

We only took our point & shoot (we were told before we left for Nashville that no professional cameras were allowed into the concert, bummer) but I'm still totally happy with how most of the shots came out!!

Even though it was less than a 3 hour drive, it was still Dex-boy's first major car trip. Here he is near the beginning, looking perky..

Then about a half hour in, dropping fast..

He finally gave in and snoozed-out for the rest of the trip, cuddled against the seat. Don't you just want to eat him up???

War protest bus we passed on the way in. We later saw them in downtown Nash setting up shop on the main strip through the Vanderbilt campus. I hope they, um, accomplished whatever it was they were trying to do?

Dex 'n daddy in the hotel room. Dex did not know what to think about all of the cars and people downtown.. he thought it was the coolest thing ever. Though this hotel was nice (downtown Sheraton), my only complaint is that they are advertised as pet-friendly, yet there is NOWHERE to walk your animals! The concierge actually said "Good question" when I asked her where we should take Dex to do his business. There is seriously no grass downtown, short of walking 3 miles to Centennial Park just to let him pee. We ended up just walking him in a bed of ivy we found across the street (it was either that or coax him to climb into one of the flower pots sitting around, so... yeah.)

We brought Dex's crate with him, since he still sleeps in it at night (and he considers that his haven and goes in there for security) and he still is not allowed free roam of our house while we aren't there, but he was scared in the hotel room and would just howl when we tried to leave him in there when we left for the concert.. so we ended up letting him roam free in the room when we left, hoping and praying that his potty training skills would serve him well.

Outside of the arena (last time I was there was in '99 for a Backstreet Boys concert. Yeah, I was a total teenybopper. Deal!):

I have no idea how Matt managed to get such FANTASTIC seats just 3 weeks before the concert, especially in Nashville. Hello? But look at how close we were to the stage!! Best birthday present EVER.


In our seats.. pretty giddy after seeing how close we were sitting.

Opener.. Jason Aldean

Time for my boys! How can you not love a group that comes out and announces right off that they are so glad to be back home with all of the "double-fisting biscuits 'n gravy eating rednecks" of Tennessee?

Joe Don spent a lot of time on our end of the stage:

This was during the acoustic set, where they sang music from their new album (coming out on the 25th!) and then each of them picked any RF song they wanted and sang it solo while playing their instrument. This was one of my favorite parts of the whole concert, because even though their harmony is unmatched, individually they have such amazing voices! They also picked some of my favorite lesser known songs from their 4th album that I wasn't expecting them to sing at all! Woohoo!

The killer set. This pic doesn't show it, but every flat surface was a display screen (even the ones on both sides and on top of the stairs that aren't lit up in this shot)

Jay

Gary (I think he looks like he's in serious pain when he sings, but hey, whatever gets that awesome sound out!)

Jay again

Us in our seats

Cell phone salute just before the encore (Life is a Highway, which I totally predicted would be their encore song, but they also sang their own version of Journey's Don't Stop Believin', which sounded awesome)

Just outside of the arena, with famous music row in the background (RF actually got their start at open mic nights in one of the bars on that street)

Goofing off at the hotel later (Dex was a total rock star and didn't mess up the room at all! it was pristine! He's such a smart little man now!)

Dex posing with mommy (and a lesson that no, ISO1600 is not usable in extreme low light on a point 'n shoot camera when trying to shoot natural light. o wells!)

Matt having less luck getting Dex to pose with him

Saturday morning, we were feeling pretty sorry for poor Dexman, who had been dragged all over the place with no real fun just for him, so after a quick breakfast we took him down to Centennial Park, which is also the location of Nashville's Parthenon

I LOVE this picture. Dex has such a look of sheer bliss on his face! It looks like he's laughing!

I'm now TOTALLY rabid to shoot a wedding in this park. We don't have anything massive and cool like this here!

'nother view of the Parthenon

On the way home.. total Corgi face. It kills me how he sits with his paws rolled up under him. I swear he learned it from the cats.. I've never seen a dog who sits like that so consistently!

And that's that!

Hark, a post!

Matt and I have been noticing that our number of "personal photos" has seriously waned, partly due to the fact that our point & shoot takes poo pictures, and neither one of us wants to lug around our SLR set-ups just for day-to-day shooting.

So.. a remedy! I've been wanting to upgrade our point 'n shoot for a long time, and friday I placed an order for the Canon SD800 to replace my current SD450. The 800 has a wider angle lens (for all of those long-armed self portraits, ya know), IS (image stabilization) and the best part... the best best best part? It goes to ISO1600, which, when you're as anti-flash as the two of us, is a must have! Though, I'm quite sure that on a point 'n shoot the 1600 side of things is going to be just barely usable, but we'll deal. I like grain!

So now, Matt will claim the SD450 and the 800 will take its place in my purse as soon as it arrives. I can't wait!

In a few weeks we will enjoy our FIRST weekend off since May!! I'm so excited! We are trying to decide between a weekend road trip over to Asheville to visit the Biltmore House (Matt's never seen it, and that's just one of those things you HAVE to see at least once!) and let Dex frolic in the gardens, or a Rascal Flatts concert in Nashville. Tough call.

In other news, I chopped off all of my hair. ALL of it. Check it out:



I should have done this years ago, it's so much easier to deal with now!

The other day we baked cookies together. I warned Matt to keep the mixer on a high enough speed to avoid burning out the motor with the thick dough.. but he didn't consider the fact that it's not smart to immediately switch to said speed after adding a sizely amount of dry flour!



The chef and soux chef (your call to which is which)





And here's a shot of us in our typical sleeping position, just before falling asleep 2 nights ago:



And since no post is complete without zoo pics, here's full grown Dex, on the old couch that he has now claimed as his own:



Good thing we don't use that couch anymore.

And Mr. Orange Man, showing off his bald tummy (he also enjoys showing this off to any couples who come to meet with me. He's so attention-starved and mistreated.. can't you tell?)