"Springtime" in Chicago

We made our annual springtime trip to Chicago last weekend. It's not actually spring there yet (nothing's blooming, and there were snow showers the day we flew in), but we still had a good time and spent some time outside. This weekend was especially fun for two reasons:

1. All of the Scott siblings and their significant others were in the same city!
2. We went to Baconfest!

Baconfest is an annual celebration that takes place in a few different cities. Dozens of restaurants make small delicious things with bacon. I was a little worried that I would be completely sick by the end of two hours of sampling, but I paced myself. A lot of the foods didn't even include that much bacon.

Chocolate-bacon mousse and a macaron that somehow involved bacon. The mousse was amazing. 

This donut was soooo good. Maple frosted, stuffed with some sort of sweet cream cheese filling, topped with caramelized bacon.

This was one of the last things we tasted. A burger made of pork shoulder and bacon, on the most delicious brioche bun. Alex was skeptical about taking a bite of anything else, but he agreed it was worth it.

The crew. Taylor is more of a last-minute guy, which means he and Ana didn't get tickets (they sell out in like 10 minutes). We met up with them later.

The only acceptable activity after all of that eating is walking. We walked four miles to Wicker Park, a fun part of the city with lots of shops and restaurants. We went to a really cool vaguely Mexican-themed bar there. By then, I was ready for a snack.

Guacamole-YUM

We made our way back to Alex and Liz's apartment and played Rock Band for hours. Taylor and Ana (the young ones) made it out to a dance party around the corner afterwards, but the rest of us called it a night. 

1/3 of our band. In real life, Taylor is the drum player and Ana plays guitar.

The next morning, we said goodbye to Taylor and Ana, who had a morning flight. The remaining four of us went to brunch and walked around the neighborhood (Boystown) before it was time for Taison and me to pack up and head to the airport. When we got back home, the only things that sounded appealing for dinner were veggies.

Post-Baconfest dinner: veggies, tomato soup, and water

9 Months

Dear Julian,

It's been nine months since we met you on that night in July. I carried you for nine months before that night, and I have thought of you every hour of every day in the nine months since. I thought of you a lot today, especially.

When I think of you, I try to focus on the happy things. How cute you were, how playful you were in my belly. But sometimes I can't help but feel sad when I think of you. I miss you so much, and I just can't understand why you couldn't stay with us.

Daddy and I talk about you a lot. We talk about how awesome you were when you were with us, and how awesome your spirit is. We know you are still with us, and that makes us happy.

Love,
Mommy

One of my favorite pictures of me and Julian-enjoying breakfast on a sunny April morning 

I am a Bostonian

When I turned on the news yesterday afternoon and saw the footage of the bombing, I broke down in tears. Part of it was the timing. Losing a child so recently makes me feel even more strongly for others who suffer loss. Part of it was the location. I walk down that block at least once a week. I get acupuncture a few blocks away. It's within walking distance of Symphony Hall and my office. Part of it was the circumstances. A beautiful day full of expectations for happy endings shattered so suddenly by the unimaginable. 

Next month marks four years that we've lived in Boston, the longest time I've lived anywhere since college. I didn't realize until seeing that footage that I have become a Bostonian. Sure, I'll always be a Virginia girl. My heart will always skip a beat when I touch down at Dulles, and I will ALWAYS complain about the Boston weather. But, I realized yesterday how much this city has found its way into my heart.

This tragedy has revealed the true character of Bostonians. They don't spare many smiles and greetings on a day to day basis, but when it really matters, they come together. Even though we still plan to leave this city in a few years, I will always have a soft spot for Boston. I kissed Taison for the first time here. I got (legally) married and had my first child here. I learned the significance of the song "Sweet Caroline" here. Even as I shed horrified tears yesterday, I was proud of this city and glad that I live here.

Tonight I Feel Like...

...this:

Kind of tired, definitely comfy-just like Coco laying on Momma Scott's lap. It's been a busy week at work, and I'm enjoying some couch time now. It's also still chilly enough outside to appreciate being snuggled under a blanket. Spring has gotten off to a very slow start here. Usually I would complain (and I have a little), but I've also realized that the warm weather will be hard for me to deal with sometimes this year. We had a nice 70 degree day earlier this week, and I was in tears by the time I got home from work. All of the chubby bouncing babies were out. One happy little boy danced on his father's lap a few seats down from me on the T. He was the age Julian would have been now. Others nestled against their mothers' chests in their Ergo carriers, no longer shielded from the outside elements by blankets and hats. It all makes me miss Julian.

I'm still looking forward to a lot of the same things I get excited about every spring. My favorite pair of magnolia trees in the park down the street are about to bloom. I've already started some seeds for my vegetable garden this summer (tomatoes, peppers, carrots and radishes). I love that it's light out when I wake up and when I come home from work. And, I'm getting antsy to swap out my tired winter wardrobe for the spring and summer clothes that have been packed away all winter. Those clothes will have to stay in their boxes for a few more weeks I think. We had more rain today and yesterday. You know what they say about April showers, though.

Kitchen Adventures: Epic Fail

These look like some pretty tasty waffles, right?

No, these waffles were terrible.

My attempt at making brunch last Saturday failed comically. I was all set to make a banana-walnut version of my favorite waffle recipe. I have made waffles using this recipe MANY times since my dad introduced it to me last summer. This variation was inspired by one perfectly overripe banana that had been sitting in our fruit bowl for a few days. I was planning to throw it away, and was excited to have found something better to do with it. I mixed up the batter and made the first one-it looked scrumptious, but tasted very, very wrong. I quickly realized that I had accidentally grabbed the baking soda instead of baking powder. The most basic of kitchen mistakes. This was after I had accidentally flung melted butter across half of the kitchen and before I realized that the bacon was slimy and funny-smelling.

So, I told Taison, who thought it was all hilarious, and we abandoned brunch at home and went to Johnny D's : )