chicago + st pattys #2 + surprise!

On Friday I travelled to Chicago to surprise Kirby, one of my best friends. Our other best girls were in town -- Kristin, Kimber bean, Hales, and Al and they were all in on the secret. The plan was that I would arrive Friday night, take the train to Kirbys house, and tada! surprise her. BUT my plane was running late, and the girls were heading to a party and kirby was getting antsy and wondering why they hadn't left yet and why everyone insisted on hanging around at her place. I finally got there, after allison insisted I take a cab, and then graciously paid for it for me (i so owe you al)... when i pullled up, kim and allison were outside and my cabbie said -- Look! they are already drinking. hahaha. i mean it was like 10pm. no biggie. even more no biggie that they were drinking the fine wine by carlo de rossi - from the jug. class class class! :D

I walked in the door behind kim and allison and just stood there staring at kirby until she made eye contact with me. ahhhhh!! she finally noticed me and jumped up and we both got so excited! i was so happy that i was able to make it to chicago and surprise her!!

friday night we went to a friend of kirbys for a house party - there were jello shots - which brought me back to tcu parties and/or some family functions (ha. i lvoe my fam). we got to bed early friday night to prep for saturday...

saturday was a loooong day .

we all woke up early. showered, got ready and determined our irish nicknames (your middle name plus your fathers name with a o' or Mc in front of it - hence i was ALLISON O'THOMAS), got decked out with gear from oriental trading - necklaces, buttons, hats, stickers, belts, suspenders, etc. and then let the day begin!

we had such a fun day. hanging out, playing games, playing beer pong, basking in the sun (yes it turned out to be a gorgeous day in chi town). we finished the evening up at plan b where kirby often works at and danced danced danced. i also made a new friend whom i sat on the curb talking to for about 30 min giving him life advice. i felt obligated once i called him a leprachaun to my friend, and then felt the need to tell him of course i didnt mean him and then he proceeded to ask me for advice from a girl point of view.. blah blah. it ended with me telling him that if he ever wants to find a nice girl he really needs to stop being an a-hole and to grow up already. he actually agreed and appreciated my advice. ANYHOW.

we woke up early sunday and said our goodbyes to kris and kim (they were driving back to STL). then we went for lunch at hollywood diner, where we sat in the booth that appeared to be themed with the beatles...and gone with the wind... i had the yuppie joe omelette (what??) but seriously considered getting the gypsy banquet omelette (yes im serious it was called that). then we ventured to wrigley field. took a few pics, bought my dad a tshirt then we headed to sweet mandy b's to satisfy our sweet tooth cravings.

the rest of the afternoon consisted of saying our goodbyes to allison, walking her to the train...hanging around the house, then walking haley to the train. then me kirbs and her roomie andie watched 'the changeling ' with angelina jolie -- it was pretty good. sad and intense, and if you are a mom and you watch it, you WILL cry.

this morning we woke up early, rob (kirbys boyfriend who i was ECSTATIC to finally meet) dropped us at the train station where we said our goodbyes -- i headed for o'hare and kirbs headed to work.

it was SUCH AN AWESOME weekend. i love those girls so very much and i think it is so wonderful that even though we all live in different places that we are able to see each other so often. i miss our days in fort worth when we could be together anytime and all the time - but our reunions are just as sweet and i am always counting down and looking forward to the next time we are together -- DESTIN, FLORIDA -- memorial day 09 -- hooray!!

[[more photos to come... eventually..]]
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all of us girls with sweet reza (one of our tcu boys who also lives in chicago) in the background. -- kimber bean, hales, kris, al pal gal, and kirbs. <3