Happy Easter!

It was a beautiful day in Denver and Nick and I had a few friends over to celebrate Easter/ the Masters.  I decided that since Nick's golf knowledge gave him a super unfair advantage the best way to do a pool was a random draw of names...and what would you know luck was in my favor as I drew Oosthizen, Couples & Watson.  Um, where was this luck in the mega millions lotto drawing?  We enjoyed the weather by grilling and playing bags and then a fire to end the night - such a great day!

Leaving the LQ with our stash - we're all about the boxed wine

Robyn's first beer in 40 days!

Total domination = $80 richer!

Lindseys Final Fling

Back to Chicago again to celebrate Lindsey's final bash as a single lady this weekend, the countdown is on -- 3 weeks til the BIG DAY!  Lindsey is my best friend from Iowa - we lived 2 doors down from each other in the dorms and continued to live together for the next 3 years in Iowa City.  When 5 guys moved in next door to us we quickly became best friends, and for Lindsey, she found her future husband, Brian A.K.A 'Shants' (he's been known to wake up after a night out wearing his shirt as pants) - hey, they're not going to let me say anything embarrassing about him at the wedding so I might as well do it here :)  I arrived Friday night to head out with Brian, Lindsey, and Becki to celebrate Brian's 28th birthday.  We hit up Old Town/Wells and Lindsey suggested we do a signature drink crawl - look how the idea has spread!  We knew we had a big day ahead so we tried to take it easy ending our night @ Bacci, 4 GIANT slices of pizza and 30, yes 30, mozzarella sticks - the beginning of a weekend of consuming food... 

Saturday was Bachelorette Day!!!  We bridesmaids surprised Lindsey with a Chicago Fat Food Tour.  We started at Pizano's for deep dish and classic Chicago pizza followed by, brownies @ Sarah's, The Drake Hotel, cajun food @ Heaven on 7, Hot Dogs @ Downtown Dogs, Cheeseburgers @ The Billy Goat Tavern, then to the Allerton Hotel for churros & chocolate.  Oh, and some random restaurant stopped to give us butter biscuts - like we needed more food.  I reached a level of fullness I never thought was humanly possible - then, had to go put a dress on :)  

Pizano's with Aunt Phyl, Jamie, MJ Colantino, Lindsey, Becki, Ami, Jenny and I

  

Jamie & the happy mother of the bride

The Drake Hotel - apparently has one of the #1 most beautiful women's bathrooms in the world - who knew??

Heaven on 7

Jenny, Becki & I enjoying our hurricane

Billy Goat Tavern

Last stop @ the Allerton Hotel

We all got ready at the Hyatt with some champagne & laughs and got ready for a fun night ahead.  The night started at Lindsey's with an amazing spread of food & drinks, tons of gifts and all her friends joined us.  We hopped on a trolley and busted out our best dance moves - it was an amazing night and got us all pumped for the bigger party on April 28th.  Since I left my camera at the hotel this is the point where the pics stop but hopefully Amy will share some from the rest of the night....or maybe it's better this way :)

Like A Polish Danica Patrick

Say hello to my new MINI Cooper S!  I'm loving it and my new British accent I have while I drive it.

That's What She Says!

There isn't a better place for a big ol' Irish family to celebrate St. Patrick's day than in Chicago.  To celebrate the holiday and two others born on the day - my dad (Patrick, obviously) and my Grandma Audrey, who turned 80, the whole family headed to Chicago for the weekend.  It was kicked off with a delicious steak dinner & cake at Kate & Joe's house  followed by a whole weekend honoring my Grandma's 80 years... the weekend is best told through pics... 

 Loading up the trolley...

We all jumped on board ready to take a trip down 'memory lane' with Grandma as she took us to her old schools, homes, and places she worked.  Kyle, Kellie, Kate & Joe getting ready for the 5 hour tour...

  

Dad explaining to Grandma that she would be the 'tour guide'.

What a good looking couple! :)

They aren't so bad either :)

 And then... "The best way to keep the party rolling" ...broke down on the side of I-90...

So we waited all had to wait on the side of the highway for the new trolley to arrive.... good thing for road sodas.

It was leaking green!

Here comes the new trolley...

On the road again!

Stopping at the family's old home - the 7 Shaw lineup.

Family Pic - Notice the one person not looking at the camera because someone was to the right of me messing with me... thanks Nick!

Somewhere along the tour stopping at the home my Grandparents moved into right after they got married, as my Grandma was explaining the home my Grandpa grabbed the microphone from her and goes 'That's what she says!' - We gotta give the man credit for attempting to throw a 'That's what she said' joke in there even though he was a little off, but it quickly became the theme of the weekend. 

Strike a pose, Kel!

 

After the Trolley we headed to Uncle Randy & Aunt Donna's place for some great dinner and a dance party..who am I kidding...it was a 3 day dance party! Dance WIDE! 

The March birthdays!

 

Kick'n off St. Patrick's Day @ Carlos & Carlos!  A cousins pic: Kate, Kellie, myself & Courtney

Mom & Me :)

Crazy ladies!

The Birthday Girl - 80 years!

 The crazy ladies recruited another crazy lady :)

Following Carlos & Carlos we headed to the Metropolis for an improv show called 'Flannigan's Wake' - the entire thing was completely improv and at one point they called my Grandma up there to sing 'O' Danny Boy' and she did AMAZING!

 Dad opening up his gifts.  Dying at the fact that he got 3 'Awkward Family Photo' cards.

A shot of the March birthday crew!