Good, Better, Best. Never Let it Rest. 'Til Your Good is Better and Your Better is Best.

I'm an avid bloggie. Is that a word? No? I'm still using it. I read lots of blogs because they're like books that change everyday. And let's face it, people are fascinated by people watching and in my case, people reading.

But there's nothing more sure to scare the crap outta me than clicking on a blog, getting wrapped up in the first few sentences... then BAM, music! It gets me every time. I wouldn't care so much, but it's the delay that tricks me. You'd think I'd learn to mute the speaker on my laptop (and I do), but I have a husband who likes to watch CNN videos (cool factor is off the charts, I know) and leaves the speaker on.

Continuing with the tangents, I thought I'd update on the last week of our lives here at the abode. Just so y'all know we're still survivin'.

Last weekend, my incredible husband planned a surprise trip for us. We went to see Sugarland! And Mom, yes, they did perform "Little Miss" as one of their songs-- which I love.

It's alright, it's alright, it's alright,
Yeah, sometimes you gotta lose 'til you win (ain't that the truth!)
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright,
And it'll be alright again

I've never been in a smaller stadium in my life. No joke, the local Boy Scout troop was selling concessions. It was held in Bloomington/Normal, IL. We headed out of suburbia around 3pm-ish and drove on down to Hicksville to then eat a terrible dinner at Taco Johns. Ever eaten there? Don't. The concert though, was great! Casey James from last season's American Idol was there opening the show and Little Big Town followed before Sugarland came on stage. I saw a pregnant woman as we were leaving (of course, I have like preg-dar) and became a little sad we didn't still have our peanut cooking. Andrew was kicking away during two concerts last summer-- Bon Jovi (ultimate fave) and Brooks & Dunn. More concerts, no kiddo.

The next day, we headed up to a state park we'd been meaning to explore, Starved Rock. If you've never been to Illinois, let me take a moment to paint this mental picture for you. No mountains. Pretty much no scenery. Flatland. We're hikers, so land exploration leaves little to be desired. We thought the park was underwhelming, but we still plan to return. They claim to be the most beautiful place in all of Illinois. Oh boy. Given that there are only 13.3 total trail miles, we are vowing to complete all 13.3 of them. Since we're used to big hikes (like Mt. Whitney & Half Dome), doing the entire park in one day wouldn't be much of an issue-- but since we're here for the long haul, no hurry. We'd like to see it during the fall when the leaves are changing-- because if there's one thing that is impressive, it's the seasonal colors. We walked a bit and hiked through some canyons. Before leaving, we had lunch at their lodge and it was quite rustic and enjoyable.

Yesterday, I picked up our friend Jen from the airport and was able to spend the evening/morning with her. We went to Zumba together and had a late dinner at Giordano's. We had to order the Italian beef sandwich and deep dish pizza for her to try since they are Chicago staples. This morning we hit up the outlets and I dropped her off at a hotel where she will be attending meetings and trainings for the next couple days. Jen's one of those friends that no matter what is going on with you, she keeps it real. She isn't there to sugar coat or fluff things up. You can say whatever you want and fear not being judged by her. She's an amazing planner, totally fun-loving, spontaneous, and a great person all around. We have a connection to her as a couple because she played a pretty big role in us getting together.

I heard a stupid conversation that ensued at J.Crew today between and pregnant woman and the cashier (I seriously can't go anywhere), but I won't get into that. I'm just going to publish this and be thankful that I've had some good days lately spent with good people.