{Virtual Coffee}

Good morning.
It took a lot to get out of bed this morning.
It is one of those days when you just want to pull the covers up a little farther and stay there
all day--or for another couple of hours anyway.
It's freezing.
Okay, so it's not actually freezing but it is in the 30's and Winter is officially here.
Blahhhh. I am pretty much never ready for Winter.
Yet here is is. Again.
But anyway--grab a cup of coffee and let's chat.
Pancakes anyone?

So if we were really meeting for coffee today....
I would have to tell you about our shopping trip Saturday.
Saturday we made our annual family trip to Chicago by train.
We have been doing this for....maybe... 9 years or so? I'm not sure but some of
my cousins, several aunts, uncles, my mom, my sister and I all went.
I think there was around 20 of us this year.
We always have so much fun but it is a long, tiring day of shopping and eating.

I love visiting the city and one of my favorite things is to just people watch.
I also love seeing all of the architecture and the the window displays and all that big cities have
going on. I don't think I would ever want to live in a city this big myself, but visiting is fun.
We ate lunch at The Grand Lux again this year...yum. That place is so good.
I got the warm goat cheese salad and we all shared an order of these delicious beignets.
Oh Lord, they are to die for.

1.beignets, 2. my niece w/street performer, 3. niece at lunch (how cute is she?) 4. inside of church

We had to see the huge 26-foot Marilyn Monroe statue before it is gone, I think it is
supposed to be there through the Spring.
You just walk under her and look up immediately, even if you didn't intend to.
Every single person I tell ya.
And this church.
Wow.
They were having a holiday open house so we stepped inside and it is one of the most beautiful
churches I have ever seen in person.
I love churches, I love old churches, it amazes me the work that used to go into churches.

If we were really meeting for coffee this morning, I would have to tell you who I saw
in my little old town on Friday night...and if you knew just where I lived it would be pretty
funny to you.
Ben Affleck was having dinner at a restaurant in town,just a few minutes from my house
and I saw him with my own two eyes.
Too funny.
He was looking pretty shaggy with a full beard and a bit of gray hair, but it was him.
First Matt Damon, then Ben Affleck...wonder who will be next? ; )
So tell me how your weekend was, what have you been up to and are you
in full Christmas mode yet?
We're getting there...now to start making more progress on my shopping!

Thanks for stopping by here today....link up so we can all join you for coffee!