The Long-Awaited Baby Bump Road Trip
From Kurt…
Stomach Flu Sucks -
I have survived! I think…it’s still dicey at times. The good news…Jennifer is still healthy. Oh, she wanted me to remind myself that getting a flu shot is a good idea sometimes. Thank you for all the get well comments….Sully, your “Colon Blow” reference was very funny. Also, I found out something that I didn’t know before, and it FREAKED me out…if you choose to go with Maalox, Pepto, etc. to help your stomach recover, do not be alarmed (or panicked as I was) if your “deposits” are a different color. That freaked me out…and that’s when I went to the doctor.
The Baby Bump Road Trip -
So, as suggested in earlier comments, I made Jennifer pose in front random places as we made our drive towards Chicago….at every rest stop we stopped at, I snapped a photo of Jennifer…behold…the wonders of I-80 (with a cameo from I-88)! Yes, Jennifer is wearing a shirt that says “I’m not fat…I’m knocked up”. I buy her the classiest things sometimes, ha ha)
Somehow we made it past the Mitchellville rest-stop…but here Jennifer is at the Amana Colonies one.
I don’t remember where this one was…hmmm…
Beautiful…Wilton?
Exit #300…the Ole Miss
At the Dekalb Oasis on I-88 (my favorite one…one day I will get Panda Express to go…just to try and eat Chinese food while driving)
On the way there, it was due to Jennifer that we stopped at every rest stop…on the way back though, it was all my doing. Seriously…I felt awful.
The Bachelorette Party -
The reason for our trip back to Chicago was to celebrate my sister’s bridal shower and bachelorette party. (I was just Jennifer’s driver…I wasn’t invited to either (thankfully)).
The bridal shower was at great pancake house known as “Walker Bros.”. They have AWESOME pancakes. While Jennifer joined the party, I ate lunch with my dad and grandpa. It had been 10+ years since I had their famous apple pancake…but it was just like I had remembered…oozing cinnamon and topped with ice cream…it’s fantastic. We even bought a frozen one to have when we got back home.
After the bridal shower, Jennifer and the girls had a couple hours to relax…but then it was bachelorette party time! My mom and had rented a limo for the party, and it’s so funny…I’ve been in a limo plenty of times, but I think the last time my mom and sister had been was when a limo took us to the airport back in 1996…suffice to say, they were excited. I wish that was still the case for me…remember when you used to see a limo, and started wondering who as in there? Now, you just assume it’s just some corporate guy.
They went off to the Kitty Kat Lounge in Chicago. It’s a female-impersonator/drag queen? place (help me with out the terms here Nathan, I’m a bit lost on this one). From what Jennifer told me, it was a great time…and they had great food, and some great-looking martinis (I’m sure Jennifer would have tried out a few if she was able to…instead it was a couple rounds of “Safe Sexes on the Beaches”. Jennifer said that she went with the eggplant paremesan for dinner…wow…fancy.
Jennifer said that everyone loved the entertainment…I can’t recall the name…Tanya Ta-Ta’s? No, that’s not right, but that’s good name!
Jennifer and “Tanya Ta-Tas” (note: not real name, can’t remember the name)
Jennifer and my mom
What The Guys Did During the Bachelorette Party -
While the girls were out celebrating…my dad and I did some good quality bonding time. First, I figured out his wireless internet problems and solved that. Then, my dad showed me his new purchases for his model railroads. Model railroading has always been a hobby of his, but now that everyone is out of the house, he finally has more time to enjoy his hobby. He finally got a train that hadn’t run since he was a kid up and running. Well done!
Then, we did something that I don’t think I had done with my dad since 1991…we went to the mall. That’s right…my dad and I went to the mall!! I had to…and here’s why…the mall by my parents’ house is massive, and they have a “Clark Street Sports” inside. This is hands-down my favorite store in the world…they have the greatest selection of Cubs/Bulls/Blackhawks stuff ever (I suppose they have White Sox and Bears stuff in there, but I don’t pay attention to that garbage).
I walked in, and immediately collapsed in front of all the Blackhawks shirts. Tons of them…every player t-shirt available. I was in heaven…but I didn’t go there for me…I went there for MJ and Jennifer. I found some very fun stuff for MJ (hats and socks, Cubs of course)…some maternity shirts for Jennifer (Cubs of course), and a new stocking hat for me (a mighty, mighty impressive Blackhawks one). Pictures of these will be seen later on in the week, I promise. Jennifer loved the shirts, and the stuff for MJ is wicked cute.
A HUGE Omission -
It was near the start of the Winter Olympics that I ran down my favorite all-time sports movies right? Well, that list was completely wrong…I left out my all-time favorite sports movie…ever. COOL RUNNINGS. I love that movie…it’s AWESOME! That movie has comedy…that movie has tons of heart…and the movie has John Candy…and Doug E. Doug. “Some people say you know you can’t believe…Jamaica, we have a bobsled team”. I cry at this movie…when the bobsled flips (not a spoiler alert…it’s what really happened in the ‘88 games)…and they carry it over the finish line? I lose it.
My Beard -
Today is the last day of my beard…I have been growing it for just over a month or so…It has helped keep my face warm while snowblowing. Today, though, it goes away…Jennifer will be very happy that the “brillo pad” on my face is finally being shaved off. Last night was going to be “Fun Mustache” night at basketball…but I was too sick to go…so, I missed that. I will make sure I get a photo with my ’stache though. I will assume that I will look sketchy, yet mysterious.
Good bye beard…this one was the thickest one I had ever grown…it will be missed.
Johnny Depp -
He’s an AWESOME actor…but again, here’s another example of people getting too excited. He’s starring as the Mad Hatter in the upcoming Alice in Wonderland movie…great. As some critic wrote “Depp was born to play the Mad Hatter.” I’m fine with that…except I also remember hearing “Depp was born to play a pirate”, and “Depp was born to play Willy Wonka”, and “Depp was born to play Sweeney Todd”, and “Depp was born to play the cocine dealer from ‘Blow’”…you can only be born once…we have to pick a role…I’m going with Jack Sparrow. Is it me, or does that new Alice movie look just way too weird?
Tomorrow’s Blog Tease -
The Des Moines Register is doing a “Favorite Morning Show” contest….I looked at the pictures…I’m not in them…I was never interviewed…so, tomorrow, I will put up my profile, ha ha! (apparently my manager a.k.a. wife is not happy that I missed picture day…she thinks it’s Ken trying to push me out the door, ha ha!). If you have some time, you can vote for us here. http://desmoinesregister.upickem.net/engine/Welcome.aspx?contestid=14734
AWESOME is as AWESOME does!
March 4th, 2010 at 9:58 am
It’s a really long response as I had to answer Kurt’s question! Sorry!
Kurt… Nest time read the Pepto bottle; it even has the ‘warning’ on there. I do think it is funny you went to the Dr for that though. We are all glad you are feeling better, sick on a road trip = top of the SUCK list! The Jennifer pictures are awesome, she still looks just as beautiful as ever, and I love the shirt BTW. I have lots of classy shirts like that but they aren’t quite as appropriate. Lol
I actually teach a class on occasion called Transgender 101… Here are the basics:
Transgender (TG) – Someone with a gender identity conflict – This can be used as an umbrella term
Transsexual (TS): A person whose birth sex and gender are in conflict (sex is what you have between your legs, gender is what you feel inside) MtF= man to woman transition, and FtM= female to man transition.
Crossdresser (CD): Someone who dresses in clothing of the opposite gender. (Formerly known as Transvestite, but this is now considered a derogatory term) Crossdressers make up 75% of the TG community and 90% of all CDs are heterosexual males.
Drag Queen/Female Illusionist & Drag King/Male Illusionist, could also be referred to as ‘The Art of Male/Female Impersonation: This is a term used for those who dress as the opposite gender for entertainment purposes in either an exaggerated or true image. ‘Drag Queen’ is often misused to mean any male in Female clothing, which is incorrect.
So to answer your question: I think that is a photo of Kathryn Cole who I would assume to be a MtF TS (as it looks like she has either taken hormones to grow breasts, or has had implants, the rest is a mystery). Generally ‘Queens’ don’t make permanent alterations. (Never thought I would be commenting about this on here!)
I’m glad to hear the ‘brillo pad’ is going away. Jennifer I’m with you 100% on this one, it is ok to look at but it sucks to be next to. I tell Jake ‘your face is mean’ when he has been too lazy to shave. Or I call him red-beard; he totally has an Irish beard.
Alice looks way to weird, I found out this AM that Jake and his friend Ellen bought us tickets for the 3D showing Friday night, it will be packed and I will hate it simply for that reason. I’ll give a review on Monday.
As far as voting goes, ya’ll are getting my votes but who the heck are these other people? Wow, didn’t realize we had so many Morning Shows. haha
March 4th, 2010 at 11:14 am
Glad you’re feeling better Kurt! I agree w/ Nathan & Jennifer - you will look better w/o the beard. I’m partial to clean-shaven men, though.
Nathan, I’ve missed you! I tried to spot you at the play Fri. night, but decided stalking up & down row N looking for 2 men & asking everyone if they were Nathan would be a bit over the top. In answer to your question yesterday, I love Italian food, too. My faves are Mezzodi’s, Christophers, & Johnny’s. I can’t pass up the bruschetta.
March 4th, 2010 at 11:50 am
i love italian food too. my faves are fazzolies, nancy’s sunday spagetti night with boiled ham and butter, and olmsetad
ariba!!!!!!!!
March 4th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Glad to hear you’re better. You probably wasn’t able to pay attention but you’d missed two rest stops before you got to the one at Tiffin. I have two daughters, so with three females in my family, I’m extremely familiar with all rest stops, everywhere (pregnancy not necessary). Johnny Depp is one of those extremely gifted actors that was “born” to channel any character. Paul Newman, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Denzel Washington are some others that are, as well, to name a few more.
I agree that you had a glaring omission with “Cool Runnings”. Another good one that you’d probably never seen, but should, is “Rollerball” with James Caan. It’s action scenes are a little too much of many things; however, it’s insight into professional sports (even of our time) is somewhat dark and probably closer to truth than we’d care to admit. The same can be said about Paul Newman in “Slap Shot” and all sports’ rampant commercialism and chase for dollars.
With baby coming, be prepared: less basketball, bowling, eating out, etc. and more time at home with the family, whether you like it or not…….
Lots of time to catch up with the 50-60 years of cinema to which you’ve not been exposed, yet…….
My experience speaks.
March 4th, 2010 at 10:23 pm
Hey I know that Tanya chick! Wait…Tanya is a Tom?! Oye
March 5th, 2010 at 10:21 am
Yea! Baby bump pictures of Jennifer! whoo-hoo! Thx for honoring my request…. she’s just so cute! But um, if the number of off the road pit stops are any indication already this early in the game, you’ll have a lot more to add to your baby bump blogs, as it gets much harder to control the bladder as time gets closer ! Congrats on the sold house, that is awesome and good luck with finding a new home… going to be so exciting, your first home as a family!