One Year: A Love Letter to Chicago

One year ago yesterday, we were moving into our apartment in Chicago. It’s crazy how much has happened in the past year. In honor of my time here, I decided to write a love letter to the city that stole my heart.

Dear Chicago,

I owe you an apology. This time last year, I wasn’t super confident about my year here. At the time, my hesitation made sense. I was leaving a job I loved and moving away from family and friends. The first time I got to visit the city was when we were looking for a place to live.

As a self-proclaimed nomad, I’ve never felt a true connection with the other places I’ve lived. Imagine my surprise when I felt an instant connection with you. As soon as our moving truck pulled into our building, I knew I would love it here, and I can't really express why. I just felt a strong sense of belonging.

After that first impression, my love for you only grew. Lake Michigan became my favorite place in the world. I feel closest to the Lord when I’m by a body of water. It serves as a constant reminder to me that no matter what happens in life, God is always present. If I’m feeling stressed, all I have to do is go to Lake Michigan to feel completely rejuvenated and at peace.

The thing that has surprised me the most is how beautiful and clean you are. I could spend all day relaxing at a park, wandering around and looking up at all the stunning architecture, or taking a boat trip on the Chicago River or Lake Michigan. I don’t even have to leave our loft to feel connected to the city. All I have to do is look out my balcony and take in another breathtaking sunset or admire the view of the Willis Sears Tower.

Of course, I have to mention the amazing food. I don’t think I’ve had a bad meal since our move here. It’s nearly impossible to pick a place to eat when every restaurant sounds amazing.

Chicago, I’m so thankful for you and our time here. You will always have a piece of my heart. A year ago, I was practically dragged here kicking and screaming. I never thought I would feel the same way when it was time to leave. Home is where the heart is, and I would follow Christopher anywhere, but I sure wouldn’t complain if someday we make it back to you.

Love you always.


Linking up with Kristen and Gretchen

Best Things to Do in Vegas If You Don’t Gamble or Drink

Las Vegas is one of my favorite places to go for a long weekend, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people dismiss it as a vacation destination because they don’t drink or gamble. I think Vegas sometimes gets a bad reputation due to its Sin City nickname when the city has so much more to offer. Today, I decided to make it my mission to share why I think Vegas is a fun place to visit.

See a show
My favorite part of visiting Las Vegas is definitely watching a show. I’m a huge fan of Cirque du Soleil (though I think Le Reve beats all the Cirque du Soleil shows in Vegas) and have enjoyed several comedy shows and musicals. Click here for a guide to my favorite shows in Vegas.

Eat
Once upon a time Vegas was solely known for its buffets. While it still has good buffets (check out my favorite Vegas buffets here), the whole food scene on the Strip is seriously amazing. Whether you want a delicious snack after a day at the pool or a fancy meal for a special occasion, you can’t go wrong with your options in Vegas. Stay tuned for a future post about my favorite restaurants.

Wander through the hotels 
One of the best things to do in Vegas is to explore all the hotels. If I had to pick, my favorite hotel would be the Bellagio with its conservatory and gorgeous fountain, but all of the hotels have unique experiences. Go up the replica Eiffel Tower for a gorgeous view of the Strip at Paris. Ride a gondola at The Venetian. Check out the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay.

Relax
Another great thing about hotels on the Strip is their amazing pools and spas. I love spending the day on the lazy river at the MGM Grand Pool or in a cabana at the Bellagio. The best part is the pools are open during the winter for those looking for an escape from the cold.

Try Coca Cola from around the world at the World of Coca-Cola
For just $8, you can try 16 Coca-Cola products from around the world (and eight ice cream soda flavors for an additional $4) on the top floor of the Coca-Cola store. It’s such a fun experience to watch the faces of your friends and family as they taste the flavors.

Shop
Vegas has some of the best shopping around. On the Strip, I love shopping at the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace, the Fashion Show mall, Las Vegas Premium Outlets-South, Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, and The Shoppes at Mandalay Bay. If you feel like leaving the Strip, my favorite places to shop are the Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas and Las Vegas Premium Outlets-North.

Go to a museum
I have only recently discovered that Vegas has several museums worth seeing. Of course, Madame Tussauds at The Venetian is always fun, but next time I’m in Vegas, I plan to check out the mob museum in Downtown Las Vegas and The Neon Museum.

Get out of town
As much as I love being on the Strip, I love taking day trips to see the gorgeous scenery in the area. The Grand Canyon is the obvious choice, though it takes over eight hours round trip, which doesn’t leave you a lot of time to spend at the Grand Canyon. If you want to visit the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, I recommend spending the night at a hotel close to the Grand Canyon or booking a plane or helicopter tour from Vegas. If you prefer to take a shorter day trip, I love the Red Rock Canyon and the Valley of Fire State Park. We visited the Valley of Fire State Park last time we were in Vegas, and I would love to go back!

Curious about my favorite place to stay in Vegas? Check out my Instagram for the answer! 

Have you been to Vegas? What’s your favorite thing to do?

Baylor University: When Sexual Assault Hits Close to Home

Today, my heart hurts. I ache for the sexual assault victims and how my beloved university has failed them countless times. I have been hesitant to comment until we knew the results of the Pepper Hamilton report, and I was sick to my stomach reading the results of the investigation.

I especially hurt for those fans who call Baylor the “scapegoat” and say this problem has occurred many times at big name programs without the head coach and president taking the fall. That’s not the point. We shouldn’t point fingers at other schools when our school failed women. Baylor chose football over sexual assault victims.

I will never stop loving Baylor. It’s where I met the love of my life and pursued my passions. At Baylor, I grew and was constantly challenged in my faith. My love for the school is unconditional. Some of my favorite memories are associated with Baylor football. I will never forget Baylor Homecoming 2010 when, after an insane rainstorm, we stormed the field after Baylor became bowl-eligible for the first time since 1995. I have always admired Coach Art Briles and how he overcame tragedy to become a successful football coach.

Although my heart bleeds green and gold, I will never make excuses for the awful decisions made by the university and football team. After failing so many times, the first step in the right direction is to fire Coach Art Briles and demote Judge Ken Starr. Now is the time for humility and forgiveness. We can’t change what happened, but we can make sure it doesn’t happen again.

May 2016 PopSugar Must Have Box Review (+ Huge Discount)

My May 2016 PopSugar box came super late this month, so I haven’t been able to post it until now. Compared to the last few PopSugar boxes, the May box was pretty disappointing. Still, I thought the box was worth what I paid for it, and that’s all that matters to me.

PopSugar is having a huge sale on their subscriptions until tomorrow, so if you are curious about PopSugar Must Have boxes, now is the time to try it out since they average about two sales a year. Check the bottom of this post for all the code details.

Note: This post contains referral links. If you decide to purchase a PopSugar box, I would love it if you used my link.

Bluma Project Capri Bracelets ($44)
I am not a huge fan of the tassel trend, but these bracelets are actually pretty cute! I love that they are made by artisans in the Philippines.

Spongelle Spongology Body Buffer ($20) 
I usually don’t love when PopSugar repeats brands, but I really like Spongelle. The smell is a little stronger than I like, but I will definitely use it.

Kocostar Foot Therapy Foot Exfoliation Wrap ($9.50)
I’ve never done a foot exfoliation wrap before, but I think it will be fun to try out before summer starts.

Happy Spritz Breathe Deeply Spray ($25)
I am allergic to essential oils, so I didn’t try to spray this. I will be passing it on to a friend, though!

Gaiam Foldable Yoga Mat ($24.95)
Since this yoga mat is designed for travel, it is thinner than regular yoga mats. I can’t think of a reason I need a travel yoga mat, but it will also make a good gift.

JimmyBar! Peanut Butter Clutter Bar ($2.49) 
Chris loves getting bars in my PopSugar boxes, and I think he will like this one. It is made with only simple ingredients: dates, peanut butter, crisp brown rice, peanuts, almonds and honey.

Special Extra: Hint Caffeine Kick Water ($1.69)
I’m not sure if Chris and I are brave enough to try water with cayenne pepper in it, but it’s an interesting concept.

Special Extra: Revlon Volume Length Magnified Mascara ($9) 
I am always up for trying a new mascara, so I was excited to see this one in the box.

As I mentioned above, PopSugar is currently having a huge sale on its subscriptions. You can get $10 off a one-month subscription with the code SPRING10, $20 off a three-month subscription with the code SPRING20, and $50 a six-month subscription with the code SPRING50.

What do you think about the May 2016 PopSugar box? What is your favorite item?

Chicago Travel: Chicago Cubs Game at Wrigley Field

Christopher and I have been trying to go to a Cubs games since we first moved to Chicago, but the timing never worked out last season. I was so excited when the Cubs had a home game on Mother’s Day that worked with Christopher’s schedule! It was an absolutely gorgeous day at the ballpark for us to see the Cubs play the Nationals.

I only became a baseball fan a few years ago when I needed a sport to get me through long summers without football and basketball. For a long time, I thought it was a boring game that took too long, but once I learned the rules, I ended up really enjoying it. Chris and I are Texas Rangers fans, but we decided we can also be Chicago Cubs fans since they are in the National League.

Besides cheering on the Cubs, I wanted to visit Wrigley Field because it’s the second oldest active ballpark in the United States (the oldest is Fenway Park) and the oldest National League ballpark. Built in 1914, it has been the home of the Chicago Cubs since 1916.

It’s always interesting to see the differences between ballparks. Even though it wasn’t fully grown, it was neat to see the famous ivy-covered brick outfield wall. I was also amused by hand-turned scoreboard and had to sneak a few peeks at it to see how the Rangers were doing!

Of course, you can’t go to a ballpark without trying some food. Chris and I opted to share some chili cheese fries and a cheeseburger…because calories don’t count when you’re at a sporting event.

Chris and I have a knack for picking games that don’t end in regulation. This game lasted 13 innings and was five hours long. We ended up leaving in the ninth inning since we were taking the “L” train and wanted to beat the crowd. The game took so long we were able to see the Cubbies win when we got home!