This week sure flew by! I’ve spent more time in Chicago this week than Michigan, mainly because it was our mid-winter break. Instead of sitting around Holland while all of my friends went home, I decided to make my own plans with friends and family. This was probably one of the most jam-packed weekends I’ve had in a while, so I have quite a bit to relay on to you.
Friday: I was able to get a ride into Chicago from my friends David and John, which was really nice because the only other way I was to get there was by taking the train a day later. Once I made it to Chicago, I met up with my friend Shannon (who I grew up in California with) and we got together with a bunch of her roommates and friends and went out to dinner. It was probably one of the most relaxed places I have ever been and the owner was hilarious, so that was a definite bonus. After we ate, Shannon and I were pretty tired since we got a really late dinner, so we headed back to her apartment and had girl talk until we both fell asleep.
Saturday: When Shannon and I woke up, she had to go volunteer for a couple of hours but upon her return we went out to brunch at a super cute restaurant called Jam n’ Honey. I’ve never been so excited for an omlet before in my life! Since Shannon had to study the rest of the day for a midterm, I headed over to my brother’s apartment for the remainder of the weekend. I hadn’t seen him since Christmas, so it was fun catching up and having deep conversations about most areas of our lives. It was especially nice because it was his birthday this past weekend and I loved getting to spend it with him! After talking up a storm, we went to Target and got some groceries and decided to make a dinner that my mom makes back at home. As the dinner was cooking we thought it would be fun to watch some throwback shows such as “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” Man, I miss that show!
After eating, we watched a movie and then headed to a comedy show that night. I had never been to a comedy show before so this was quite the experience. It was a non-profit one that was created by people in their 20s and it all took place in what felt like a joined apartment. The really cool thing that happened was that each person with a ticket rolled a dice and whichever number it landed on was the amount of money you got back from your ticket. The show ended up being an hour long and it covered a bunch of different types of comedy but I was starting to fade because I was so exhausted (I nearly fell asleep on the CTA… yikes!). Once we got back, Brian and I were too tired to even function, so we went to bed. His couch had never been so welcoming and comfortable!
Sunday: When we both woke up we decided to make waffles/pancakes and continue watching some old television shows. This time we opted for “Even Stevens” and “Lizzy McGuire” and I’m glad we did because they brought back some great memories. Brian and I thought it would be beneficial if we got some homework done so the rest of the morning and early afternoon was dedicated to just that. After getting our fill on academic stuff, we took the Metra up to Kenilworth and had a birthday dinner with my aunt, uncle, three cousins and their significant others. The last time I was there was freshman year, so it was really nice to visit and see everybody! We had veal, fettuccine, salad and angel food cake. I’ve never had veal before, but I wouldn’t be opposed to eating that again. When the evening was wrapping up, Brian and I went back to his apartment and Skyped with my parents because we hadn’t talked to them in a while. It’s always nice to have a chat with them and have a family conversation, even when we’re thousands of miles apart.
Monday: Brian had to work so I was on my own making plans. Luckily, my friend Kristi was in Chicago as well so I made my way over to her place. We caught up for a bit and got some food at Whole Foods (which was amazing by the way). Since it was a relatively nice day we walked around the city, going in and out of shops and just had a relaxing afternoon. It was much overdue! Fortunately Kristi has a car, so she was able to drop me off at Union Station where I took the train back to Holland to wrap up my long weekend.
A bunch happened, right? Even though I may not have gotten a ton of sleep this weekend, it was definitely worth it and I loved getting to see people that I rarely see during the year. It was a total treat and I hope it happens again soon! I hope you all enjoy the rest of your week and try to stay warm (I hear it’s going to be in the low-teens this weekend!)
Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @hopeleslie15.