these past few weeks 2012 has started off pretty rocky. I’ve been working long hours, cranking out lots of reports, and handling all the major bumps in the road that seem to appear each day. I’ve learned to take life day by day lately and combat adversity with strength. My team is losing one of our great team members to another company after tomorrow and the news came as a surprise and has been upsetting. Our current team of six works together as this great cohesive unit and I can’t imagine who could fill the shoes of the team member we’re losing. They’ll be some tough times during the transition, but I wish him well in his career change and know we will make it through.

With all that has been going on, I decided to take this past weekend to recharge at home with my mom. It was just what I needed. An early, quiet night in with her on Saturday, followed by a dream Sunday. I cashed in on a gift I had received a while back - an in-home massage. It was such a treat and just helped to relieve all the stress I had been building up. We spent the afternoon doing some retail therapy, ran into my mom’s friend Beth at the Apple Store, and even got mom set up with an instagram account (!). We lost track of time, and although the Superbowl was about to start, we enjoyed watching most of the first half while dining at the bar area of a favorite restaurant, Wildfire. The rest of the evening was my kind of Superbowl watching - in PJs, snuggling on the couch in the basement, and eating some of our new favorite ice cream. What is it about moms that they know just how to get you out of a funk? I love my mom for this.

And now, at this moment, Kim-one of my best friends since childhood-is in the air flying from Boston to visit me in Chicago for the weekend! Tonight will be a reunion celebration at Big Star with our other great friend Ashley; a repeat of a delicious BYOB brunch at Birchwood Kitchen this weekend, possibly hitting up the Vintage Bazaar on Saturday, Dose Market on Sunday and just savoring our time together. 

I’m really grateful for the friends and family that continually help me keep things in perspective and get me back on track.