ONE week until holiday!

Let the countdown begin.....
Only ONE week until I'm in Chicago with my bff Stephanie! Windy City you better watch out! :)

As I watched my Lee (looove him!) at his homecoming in Chicago on American Idol last night I got even more excited about my upcoming holiday.

I have been to Chicago once before - Micaela and I flew there to pick up our childhood best friend Michelle. She moved here for awhile to live with us and so we drove her car back. The three of us on a 15 hour road trip back to Texas was a lot of fun (aside from one creepy motel stay on the outskirts of Tulsa, OK! haha it was night and pouring down rain to the point we couldn't see a thing, so we pulled over to the first roach motel we could find - that room STILL gives me chills when I think about it haha) - there was a lot of the country I had never seen before. It was October when we were there and FREEZING cold! So going again this time will almost be like going for the first time in a way. I'm planning to meet up with Michelle and I am SUPER excited!

We will be there for a long weekend and I've been trying to decide on what all I want to see so I don't waste a minute of the trip :) We have to squeeze in the wedding celebrations with our sightseeing plans so I have to be smart about time :) I've talked to Shelly since she grew up south of the city and she recommended a couple of hot spots for me to check out including as she described cupcake heaven and the best view of the city day or night while sipping a cocktail. I have come to adore Shelly and am so glad to have this connection to her :)

If you have any recommendations on things I should absolutely try and see while I'm visiting this beautiful city please send them my way :)

So far I really want to have my picture taken outside of the Chicago Tribune, Oprah's studios and at the Navy Pier. I also really want to go to the Shedd Aquarium. I LOVE aquariums!!! It's supposed to be the largest indoor aquarium in the world!!! I just can't miss that :) I love the sea and things of the sea!

I'm SOOOO excited!!! Chicago is the light at the end of the tunnel for me haha I CAN get through this week because I'm so looking forward to escaping the daily grind for awhile.

Thank you bff for giving me this fantastic holiday!