Baby Baptism Bonanza!

This cough of mine is getting on my nerves.  I'm still sick and it's been approximately two weeks.  To make matters worse, my mom ended up getting the same thing this past weekend.  She's feeling a lot better than before, but there's definitely something going around.  Bad cough, wheezing, and slight fever.  The weather has been very humid and in the 90s.  I believe the humidity is what is making this thing stick around.  Luckily this week the temperature finally dropped a bit will not reach 90 degrees. I think that will make this easier to deal with.  Take your vitamin C kids!  These flu symptoms last a while!
Last week on Sunday was my friend's baptism for her baby.  He's barely 4 months old but he's growing so quickly.  She is currently in the process of relocating to Michigan and we're going to miss her dearly.  So much is happening to my friends around me.  I'm cherishing these moments together because who knows when we will all be together again.
I was pretty sick that weekend.  I had my company work party that Friday and I made the mistake of going out later for a birthday party.  I went home and took a power nap which made me feel a little better.  With the suggestion of my mom (who wasn't sick yet) I took an Allegra and started sucking on some Halls cough drops.  She figured I was congested and maybe I needed to clear out my nasal passage.  It sort of did the trick.  I went out to Parliament and then Shay to end the evening.  I had a good time.

Birthday party at Parliament.  This dress is over 10 years old!  I can't believe I went out feeling sick.  I probably won't do that again anytime soon...

The next day I decided to take it easy.  I met up with some friends at Montrose Beach and felt I needed to "pretend" I wasn't sick so I could get over this thing quicker.  It's hard being sick in the summer!  The weather that day in particular was barely 80 degrees so I wore jeans and a T-shirt.  I watched my friends play volleyball and went home afterwards.  I went to bed in good time since I knew we had to be up early for the baptism.  Everyone started to send out group textes on who was driving.  It looks like a plan!
Well of course things didn't work out the way we wanted to.  Our designated driver woke up late.  Not to mention it was getting dark.  Storms were coming in but we didn't have time to worry about that.  We had to get ready!!  Everyone was running behind but it was still ok for the time being.  That is until the storm came in.  That changed our course completely.
My friend had already picked up our other friend.  But she forgot her card for the baptism!  She ran back to her apartment and that's when the monsoon hit.  Thunder, lightening, and strong wind gusts came out of no where.  My friend ended up waiting out the storm before she returned to the car with the card.  My friend in the car called me to let me know what was happening.  We were 20 minutes behind schedule and we ended up being 20 minutes late.
We felt terrible.  Driving to Indiana is not easy.  There's construction going on and eventually it goes down to one lane for a while.  We were backed up in traffic.  Once we exited we were right there at the University of Notre Dame, but the campus is big and it took us a minute to find the right building.  We all walked in together while the baptism was taking place.  We felt terrible and we could tell our friend seemed upset.  So much for that.
Our other friends arrived SUPER LATE so that didn't make matters better.  They ended up leaving later and got the bumper to bumper traffic in downtown Chicago.  We did our best to take as many pictures as we could and after the ceremony we happily posed along.  It was an overwhelming experience and by now it has passed.  On to the luncheon!

We made it!

He's adorable!!!

Lunch was held at the Morris building on campus.  We made our way over to help out with the decorations.  Eventually our other friends arrived.  We loosened up a bit and caught up with everyone.  So many people drove out for this baptism.  The baby is well loved.  Everything was beautiful.  I'm so proud of them.
I wore a dress I won off ebay.  I wanted a longer dress but sleeveless since I knew it was going to be hot that day.  People liked it.  I always have a hard time finding dresses for occasions like this because I feel I'm not dressed up enough.  I wish I had some dressy wedges but I don't.  I wore my black fancy Gucci heels that make me look 10 feet tall.  I figured since the dress was midi length I needed high heels to pull it together.

Dress is BCBG with accordion pleats.  I loved how it flowed!

I have to accompany my mom to a wedding in 2 weeks.  It's being held at their house in Evanston.  I've been on ebay constantly looking for something to wear to that.  Since it's at their house I figured I didn't have to dress up as much.  Last night I won a dress so hopefully it will arrive soon in time for this wedding.  All I could do is wait until I receive it to see if it will work out.  I won it at a steal so I'm not worried about it so much if it doesn't work out.  I could still wear it for my vacation.  We'll see.  Until next time!   

Branka's Baptism!

Since I have some upcoming events that include baptisms, a baby shower and a work party, I took the opportunity to go shopping downtown on Memorial Day Monday.  In the retail world, there's a ton of sales and I figured I might get lucky and find something in the process.  Yeah right.  Unfortunately, no such luck, but it did give me a satisfied feeling I didn't spend money I something I didn't like.  When my friend was visiting in town from Italy, I lucked out finding two dresses I might use for my birthday or a vacation.  Too bad they weren't what I was originally looking for.  Back to the drawing board I guess!  lol

Leading up to the weeked, I stepped out Saturday night for a bit to help a friend celebrate his birthday.  It was pretty low key, but I knew I had a full day ahead on Sunday, so it was ok.  I had no idea what I was walking into for this baptism.  It was for my friend who had a baby last July, and it was time to baptize her son.  Since his father is Serbian, they decided to hold the service at Saint Steven of Decani church in Albany Park.  She was being baptized as well, so it was a special occasion for the both of them.  I had no idea what to expect.  I knew something was up once I walked up to my friend's car when she picked me up.  She was wearing a cocktail dress.  I was wearing a striped silk tunic with beige dress pants and wedges.  We both said at the same time, "What are you wearing??"  lol.  She asked me if I wanted to go upstairs to change but we were running late.  I didn't think I was under dressed until I got to the church.  Almost every woman there was wearing a cocktail dress!  Almost every man there was wearing either a suit or a dress shirt and tie.  I felt embarrassed but I still think I wasn't in the wrong since we were going to a church service.  What do you think?
The service was about an hour and a half and most of it we had to stand up for it.  I clearly had asked my friend about the dress code last week at the Memorial BBQ, and she told me point blank, "Wear whatever.  And wear comfortable shoes."  No biggie.  For the most part, most baptisms I've went to I've seen women wear a range of things for the church service.  I guess it depends on the people and the church altogether. 
After the service, food and refreshments were being held at the Evanston Country Club where my friend originally had her baby shower.  My girlfriend flat out told me more people will be there and they will be all dressed up.  I guess that was a hint for me to go home and change.  I wasn't prepared for this.  I understand it's better to be overdressed than under dressed, but this was ridiculous.  I knew I couldn't pull off my look at the country club, so I agreed to go home and look through my closet.  I pulled out a silk dress I wore back in Italy two years ago.  The other dresses I own are either too clubby, too formal, or too casual.  It was frustrating but in the end, everyone loved my dress.  lol.  I got lucky finding it on ebay but I'm glad it came in handy. 
Back at the country club, there was a deejay, and a singer along with a person playing the keyboard.  This was a big thing!  We slowly found a table and were ready for the festivities.  A special hot buffet was waiting for us.  It was pretty intense dancing to Serbian music on board daylight!  We had a great time and took a ton of pictures with a professional photographer.  I can't wait to see them!



What a wonderful ceremony!

Time for the festivities!

It difficult to get babies to look at the camera!  lol

What an amazing story to share once he gets older!

Memorial Day BBQ!

Sunday on Memorial Day weekend my friends decided to throw a BBQ.  Who could pass up an invitation like that??  Me and my friends made our way to Skokie for some backyard fun.  The weather was HOT and the food was delish!  It was nice catching up with everyone.  So many things are coming up for the summer; it's getting harder to figure out how to plan for some of it.
Number one for me has always been:  what to wear.  I am NOT a dress person.  Yes, I've worked in retail over the years, and I know how important it is for women to find a flattering dress for these summer occasions.  And it's not easy.  I've been shopping online for the past 4 years and have completely ruled out shopping at the mall.  I've been the same dress size for years so trying something on has never been a problem for me.  It's more of scrambling through tons of dresses that drive me crazy.  Not to mention, I'm pretty much always on a budget.  If the sky was the limit, then yes, life would be much easier.  But I'm not wealthy so I have learned how to shop for myself over the years.
What I have learned:
Let's face it.  You're not a little girl anymore.  You pretty much know what looks good on you by now.  When it comes to certain occasions, look for what has worked for you in the past.  You know your silhouette.  If  you have a great pair of legs, then don't wear a maxi dress.  Show them off!  If you have a tiny waist, don't wear an empire dress.  Stick to dresses that accentuate your body and not hide them because of whatever trends are happening this season.  For the most part, up to this point in your life, it's been trial and error.  But you'll never forget those times when people have come up to you to tell you how great you look!  Those are unforgettable moments!
What's your color??  I have a friend that always wears black because she feels it looks best on her.  She feels more confident because it slims her down and she doesn't feel so exposed.  I have another friend that wears rich colors like magenta and royal blue well.  It looks great on her skin tone.  Everyone has a color! 
Do you have a favorite brand or shop that has always been your go-to for shopping?  I have 5 brands; shops that have worked for me in the past.  I usually luck out when I shop there.  I usually start there before branching out to other stores. 
Now that you're "aware" of what has worked for you in the past, it's time to know what occasion you are shopping for.  I have a couple of baby showers and baptisms coming up, as well as a work function.  For the most part I know I will be looking at day dresses and work dresses.  It narrows down your search tremendously when you know what you're looking for.
I have yet to find my dresses.  Over the years, I have managed to look for good deals online and out and about.  There have been times when I've bought a dress because of how well it fits, despite knowing where I would wear it to.  My rule of thumb has always been to get the dress.  You never know when something pops up.   

The calm before the storm...part 2

After that crazy long Friday night, I relaxed a bit on Saturday.  Towards the evening my friends were meeting up in Wicker Park to watch the Cubs game again.  I made my way down there later on, since I'm not a crazy sports fan anyway.  Regardless, I knew I was going to have a chilled out night because I had a baptism to attend to in the morning.  We lost the game, which was a bummer for our city, but we still were in the running to head to the World Series.  Gotta love Chicagoans!  We're hopeful even when the odds are against us. 
Some of my friends headed home after the game, but I stuck around a bit longer.  Our next stop was Northside Bar & Grill where things got a little silly between us.  Since some of our friends ARE sports fanatics, I can understand people drowning their sorrows due to the loss.  I headed home after midnight since I knew I had a long day ahead of me.
Sunday morning I rode with my friend to the service.  I was glad we were a few minutes late, but my other friends by the way....tsk tsk.  I understand stuff happens but there should have been no reason more than one of us being SUPER late.  It just looks bad on ALL of us.  Regardless, everyone had an excuse.  Luckily it wasn't such a big deal in the end.  That's another resolution I will be incorporating for the upcoming year.  Not to be tardy!!
We headed downstairs for some light bites.  Our friend decorated the area beautifully!  I loved the soft shades of lavender she used.  So pretty!  Her daughter was adorable, too!  We took a zillion pictures with her.  I love that we got a chance to share this moment with one another.  A baptism truly is a special occasion and the fact that we were there together for this melts my heart.  I cherish my friends dearly.  Watching us move forward towards different stages in our lives means so much to me.  They are my rock...

Pretty dessert table!!



Everyone got a card which contained seeds to plant in your yard! 



The girl of the moment!  Zoe!!  She looked adorable in her white dress with lavender accessories!  Most of my friends wore dresses, but I showed up in pants and a cami.  I wore a cardi warp to cover up my arms.  I need more day dresses in my life.  Regardless, I love this pic!

It's baby season!

Happy Monday!  I can't believe the Holidays are almost here.  Technically I am done with my Christmas shopping, but sometimes, the unexpected happens.  It's always a good idea to stock up on items just in case you forgot someone.  I suggest getting a unisex gift, such as a bottle of wine, or a Christmas ornament/ decoration and having it handy so you're prepared.  That's my little tidbit for the day!  lol
I want to finish getting my events up to date, so let's continue with September.  This year in general, I've had 5 girlfriends who gave birth to their babies!  That's a lot of baby showers!  Back in April, we had a baby shower for one of my oldest friends who end up having twin girls in May.  They held their baptism at St. Alphonsus church.  It was seasonally warm that day, but instead of wearing a dress to this formal occasion, I wore my black skinny jeans with my studded ankle boots and a kimono jacket.  I knew I was going to be running around and my ankle boots have a low heel.  Sometimes it pays to be practical.  Regardless, the service was cute.  I love seeing how other kids are dressed in church.  Some of the outfits are simply adorable!
We went back to her sister's house where they were going to be serving the food and refreshments.  I loved how they set their dessert table.  A beautiful picture of the twins were displayed.  They are gorgeous!  I'm so glad I got a chance to meet them! 
It was a perfect Sunday where I got a chance to see my friends again.  Since most of them have families themselves, it's hard catching up to everyone.  These gatherings are the perfect opportunity to share what's going on with everyone.  I definitely look forward to these events.  It makes you realize how blessed you are...

The godparents holding the twins!  I've known this family for over 15 years!  They are wonderful people...

Check out the dessert table!  So cute!

Most of the girls pictured went to high school together.  I met them in my early twenties and am lucky to have them in my life!

The proud mother holding one of the twins!  I can't tell them apart!