Home making...

Our Christmas tree

Lake Michigan-walking distance :)

A Christmas tree makes a house a home. So does furniture, making your own dinner, and endless boxes that are finally unpacked (well, mostly)!  This new apartment is slowly, but surely becoming home. It's quite a transition, I have to say, and it's not always an easy one, but it's worth it to say that I love being home in Chicago. For the past 7 years I've lived in New York, I've tried to make a Jane sized dent in the New York City mold, but it never quite fit, no matter how much I wiggled and squeezed and tried to wear stylish boots. It's a hard place to fit into fully, and what ALL my other friends who've left there to make a new place home (or gone back home, which seems to be the case more often than not), it's the people you miss.  I miss my friends, my BECA crew, and even my students like crazy. Ca-RAZY! I haven't found a new teaching job here yet, so I have nothing to compare to my past school life and career, but I miss my friends, my happy hours, and I sorta, kinda miss the unpredictability of New York City.  But all that being said, I feel happy in Chicago. I don't know if it's because we found the most perfect of perfect apartments for us (which has gas, heat, hot water, a gas stove that works, and a gas fireplace- all magical!), because this city seems more down to earth, because I live 5 blocks from a beach on Lake Michigan, or the homes with Christmas lights that adorn our street. I can't really pin point it, but I'm much more relaxed.

Shopping downtown Chicago

Ryan has started his new job this week, which was a big change for both of us.  Since we've basically been inseparable since July, we've gotten used to each other in a way that has been very good for us, and learned even more ins and outs of being married to each other. He's been my buddy, my goofball, my helper, my annoyance (and vice versa), and my always available hug for the past 5 months, so it's hard to be separated. But, we both have plenty to do. We've had fun shopping for the new furniture that were must haves for our new place. We went downtown Chicago last weekend, to have a last hurrah date at the Museum of Science and Industry, then shopping in the Watertower shops, then we found a yummy sushi restaurant right around the corner from our apartment. Tonight will be his office Christmas party, so I spent last night finding a new festive top to wear to meet and greet the new firm.  I'm also still busy putting things away, and we just got all the Ikea furniture for the guest bedroom delivered, so that means many an hour with a hex wrench and cartoon pictures showing me how many things I'm not doing wrong.   Sounds fun, right?

Transitioning from the traveling mindset to the nesting mindset has been a little weird, but not as hard as I thought at first. We didn't have much time at our new apartment before we traveled back to New Jersey, visited New York quickly to spend time with our future Godson, Rowen Hexom, and then drove down to Virginia to spend Thanksgiving with the Daniel clan at a rental lake house in the hills of Virginia. There was lots of fishing, eating, and spending time with our nephews Luke and Warren. :) Toddlers have a LOT of energy. It was a good holiday, pretty quiet, and was good Daniel bonding time. The stuffing was amazing.

Thanksgiving with the Daniels

Upon returning to our new apartment late Sunday night after Thanksgiving, we still didn't have heat/gas, but the gas company came by on Monday morning, which was the answer to all our prayers. It was becoming unlivable! Other things that contributed to making this place more homey was the much anticipated arrival of Mama Risdon! She saved the day when she saved our kitchen last week from utter disorganization! It was great to have her here, and it really did make it feel more comfortable. Our new couch arrived from Macy's, which is lovely, light green, and you sink back in to it and never want to get up! Love it!

View into the kitchen

Our mantel

We had a few friends stop by last week, and this week as well, and entertaining at the peninsula in our kitchen makes it feel great! I really love our living room and kitchen. The journey for the Christmas tree was combined with a stop in the grocery store, mainly because the trees were being sold in the Jewel parking lot.  It's real though, and creates a great smell.  I've found my ornaments and decorations, and our mantel is now set up above our fire place. Slowly, very slowly making our new place our home. It's becoming so cozy...I think I'm gonna like it here!