Happy New Year!

Just wanted to do a quick post to say Happy New Year to everyone! Here's to a happy, healthy and fun-filled 2009 for you all. And now it's time to start thinking of some resolutions...

Holiday Fun

We hope all of you had a nice Christmas, whether you were celebrating traditionally or doing the movie and Chinese food thing like us. We've had a great couple of days off to just enjoy some time together and with friends.

On Christmas Eve we headed over to Tom and Kristin's to help them celebrate Christmas Eve. Since they are couch-bound this year, they weren't able to get home to see their families. So we tried to substitute as best as we could. We ordered in dinner from Angelina and it was really yummy food. And then we just hung out and got a chance to catch up, check out the progress they've made on their nursery and admire all their pretty Christmas decorations. I love Christmas decorations. I always tell Jody it's a good thing it's not our holiday because I'd probably spend way too much money on whatever decorations I could get my hands on. It works out best to just admire our friends' decor.

On Christmas, we did our usual Christmas tradition of going to a movie and getting Chinese food. We saw "Slumdog Millionaire," and it was an awesome movie. The way the whole story unfolded was really neat and the movie was so well done. It's a bit of a tearjerker, but what isn't these days? I mean, I'm tearing up at just about everything I see or read lately. Jody was completely dry-eyed in the movie.

We also got a chance to introduce Charlie to one of our favorite dogs: Hire's dog Lafawnduh. We love Lafawnduh. She's an adorable blood hound and has such a funny little personality. We really thought she and Charlie would hit it off. But, Charlie was being so annoying and wouldn't stop barking at her to get her to play with him. Lafawnduh was way too mature for Charlie and just kept her cool as Charlie tried everything he could to get her to play. They finally got to run around and play a bit in the park, but as soon as they were back inside Charlie was back to his loud barky, still-a-puppy self. Poor Lafawnduh may never come back to visit!

All in all, it's been a great way to celebrate the end of the year and the whole holiday season. Hope you're all having fun with friends and family, too!

Happy Pooch

Charlie got in on the Chanukah celebrations tonight with his new blue-and-white Chanukah toy. He loved it so much that his eyes went totally possessed in these shots...still pretty darn cute, though.

It starts with a game of tug-of-war with Jody...an all-time favorite.

Success. Overpowering Jody...at least on the rug. The wood floor is another story.
Time to roll around and figure out how to tear this thing apart.
Back to assumed evening position...keeping the new toy close at all times, of course.

Happy Chanukah

Tonight is the first night of Chanukah. It's always fun when Chanukah comes in the same week as Christmas. With it being so ridiculously freezing outside today, I can't think of a better thing to do tonight than celebrate, light some candles and stay inside! Hope you are all staying warm and to those of you celebrating tonight and for the next 8 nights, have a very Happy Chanukah!

Is This Nesting?

So last weekend it hit us that we have really done nothing to prepare for the baby in terms of getting the room ready and whatnot. We hadn't started started shopping, researching, etc. until last weekend. Yes, a lot of that is superstition on my part, but with the countdown on it's probably time to plan, right? After brunch last weekend with the Stierwalts, Steve and Jeremy, Catherine, and Tom, some panic definitely started to creep in. I think it started when Tom was talking about how he and Kristin had already ordered several cribs only to have their orders cancelled--and they started ordering in October. (BTW, they're due within a week of us.) At that point I was convinced our child was going to have to sleep in a laundry basket. Thus, the panic.

Later on as I explained to Beth my newfound realization that we are so not prepared, she said that I must be hitting the nesting phase. No way, she couldn't be right. This is nesting? I mean, the word "nesting" sounds all warm and fuzzy. Uh, not so much. In reality, apparently nesting is comprised of panic, insomnia and fatigue. I feel so misled.

Luckily, Jody and I are feeling a bit better now. We've both been doing Internet research, reading "Baby Bargains," talking to friends and realizing that if we don't have everything all set before Baby Schwartz comes, we'll survive. Plus, we're going to hit the 'burbs this weekend to see how this shopping thing goes. I'm dreading the Babies R Us experience, but I guess it's just another pre-baby right of passage. And don't worry, the whole laundry basket idea has been shelved. We have a pac-n-play from my parents already that can tide us over if all else fails.

A Little Self-Promotion

Since people are often asking me what kind of thing I'm writing these days, I figured I could start posting some of my stories up here for anyone who's interested in reading them. That gives me a chance for a some shameless self-promotion and gives you all a chance to waste even more time on the Internet. Your welcome.

This year was a slower year for me than last year, partially by my own choice and partially because the economy sucks. So, this year the majority of my work came from several business-to-business magazines and all of the work I do as the Managing Editor of Nurses Lounge magazine. But, I'll try to just post some human interest stuff and some niche articles that may interest some of you.

For now, here is an article that is in the December issue of Today's Chicago Woman. Click on this link to get to the story:
http://www.tcwmag.com/interviews.aspx?interviewID=56

This was a really tough piece to write because it is such a tragic story about a young woman facing ovarian cancer. But, when I met Kelly at a Starbucks in the Gold Coast for the interview, I was struck first of all by how much she looked like Reese Witherspoon and how young she was. Then she just totally blew me away with her positive attitude and outlook on all of this. In the end, I was really happy to get to tell Kelly's story and spread the word for her.

Bump Watch

We're officially into the last quarter, hitting 30 weeks this weekend! I'm still feeling pretty good, just a bit more tired and a lot more chubby. Jody's been awesome at helping me out as I lose steam and find it harder and harder to get up from sitting or laying position!

I haven't posted belly pictures through this, mostly because I just never really felt that whole glowy pregnant thing. But, we have been taking the pictures, and people have been asking. So, here goes: bump shots of the last two months. 23 weeks (top) vs. 30 weeks (bottom):

Ron Santo for the Hall of Fame

I can't imagine that there is a bigger Cubs fan on the planet than Ron Santo, so maybe I am biased. Anyone who has listened to one of his radio broadcasts will confirm that the man must bleed Cubbie blue. What ever he may lack in broadcasting acumen, he more than makes up for in enthusiasm.

This week, Ron Santo was denied entrance to the Hall of Fame (HOF) by the Veteran’s committee. The former Cubs third baseman led the balloting by the Veterans Committee but still fell nine shy of gaining the necessary 75 percent of the votes by the 64 living Hall of Famers. Santo received 39 votes, or 61 percent. No one on the ballot came close to getting in, the fourth straight time the Veterans Committee has failed to elect a member.

Santo makes perfect sense to me here in the Tribune: "Everybody felt this was my year," he said. "I felt it. I thought it was gonna happen, and when it didn't … what really upset me was nobody got in again. It just doesn't make sense. It'll be eight years now that they've voted and not let anybody in. And personally, I feel like there's a lot of guys that should've been in, not just me."

I agree with Santo, what is the point of the Veteran's Committee, if they never act?

Rick Morissey of the Tribune take is a good one. He wrote: "It's the question we Santo-ites have asked ourselves for years, and it's the question we were asking Monday when he again was denied entry into the Hall of Fame. This is not about our eyesight.

We see a player who was a great player during the 1960s and into the '70s. Santo hit .277 with 342 home runs, knocked in 1,331 runs, was a nine-time All-Star and won five Gold Gloves.

No, our eyes are fine. This is about the eyes of the 64 members of the Hall of Fame Veterans Committee. Santo received 60.9 percent of the ballots cast. He needed at least 75 percent.

Is there an optometrist in the house?

And no, this isn't a matter of having our heads in the sand behind third base either. We've asked for the facts to be given to us straight. We've looked them in the face. This isn't a sentimental journey. Think what you want about Santo as a Cubs broadcaster, but separate it from his playing career. During one of the best eras for pitching in baseball history, he distinguished himself against the likes of Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Juan Marichal, Bob Gibson and Tom Seaver."

So it's simple to me. On a list of deserving candidates for the HOF, Santo is alone at the very top of the list. I realize the HOF is supposed to be exclusive, but, at what price? Santo has earned the HOF on his career numbers alone, without a boost from his broadcast contributions.

I agree with Santo whole heartedly: "It wasn't going to change my life," Santo said. "I'm OK. But I know I've earned it."

So here’s to the crusade that will culminate in 2 years. Ron Santo - HoF 2010, Ron Santo HoF 2010, Ron Santo - HoF 2010.

Graham Update

One of the highlights of the Thanksgiving trip was that I finally got my chocolate covered graham cookies! Thanks to Christine for recommending the Starbucks cookies to tide me over. They were really good and chocolately, but just not quite the same as my childhood favorite.

After hitting tons of different stores in Chicago and searching the Web, I had pretty much given up hope on finding these. But, when we got to my parents' house on Wednesday night, my mom was all excited and took us up to the guest room where she had four bags of Keebler Fudge Shoppe Deluxe Grahams waiting for me. Fist bumps all around!

After I told my mom about this craving, she too joined the search mission for the elusive cookies. She just didn't tell me that she eventually found them at one of her local Ann Arbor grocers. Although I gave one bag to Lisa and accidentally left one bag in my parents' pantry, I still have two big bags that should last me the rest of the pregnancy.

Aren't moms the best?! Thanks, Mom!

Ann Arbor Thanksgiving

We had a great time up in Ann Arbor for Thanksgiving this year. My parents had a full house with us and Charlie, Josh, and Lisa and her fam. It was so relaxing and so much fun. I swear, my parents' house is one of the only places where I can truly unwind. I love going there.

We had a great turkey dinner for Thanksgiving, and we also finally celebrated my dad's 60th birthday with all of us together. We were supposed to all come in for it in January, but Lisa was too pregnant and Josh couldn't get away, so we had to wait until now. At least we squeezed it in before his 61st!

We then spent the rest of the weekend eating, walking, playing with the kids,watching the entire new season of Entourage On Demand, and lazing around the house. Good times.

Well, we did get out a bit: We went to coffee every morning with my dad at Portofino, our favorite coffee shop by my parents' house. Jody and Josh hit the Ann Arbor bar scene one night. Lisa, Josh and I all made it to the gym. And, Jody and I tried to go to the Michigan vs. Penn State women's volleyball game, but it was sold out. We thought no one would be there with it being Thanksgiving weekend and all, but since Penn State is the No. 1 team in the country and has had a totally undefeated season (not even losing one set) the place was packed. Other than all that, we were mostly lazy.

It was so much fun to see the kids too. Adam has gotten so much bigger and he really has an adorable little personality. He is a total sweetheart and is just the cutest little guy ever. Edin is still so much fun and you can have real conversations with her these days. She's a smart one too! She really listens and absorbs everything around her and it is just pretty awesome to watch.

Prior to the weekend, my mom and I planned to take Edin to get her first proper haircut, but we ended up both being too scared to take her. We didn't want to be the mean aunt and mean grandma! After Jody and I left on Sunday, though, my mom gave Edin a trim herself. I haven't seen the new 'do yet, but apparently my mom's haircutting skills have improved since I was a little girl and suffered through many uneven cuts. I'm still planning on coming through for Edin with a proper salon cut when (hopefully!) Lisa and the family come in to Chicago this January. We'll see.

It's been tough getting back into the groove of work again since being home. But, it's going to be a busy couple of months before the baby so we've just had to buckle down.

Hope you all had great Thanksgivings too! Here are a couple pics from the weekend...

It's A Boy

Congratulations to Riz and Samira, who welcomed their baby boy Aydin Isaac to the world this Thanksgiving weekend! We can't wait to meet him, and we're excited that soon-to-arrive Baby Schwartz will have a little buddy down in Tampa!