We are off to our friend Tom's house for a New Year's Eve celebration tonight, our last as DINKs (Double-Income-No-Kids). So that is good excuse to party hard all night long, right? On the other hand, Rachel can get as crabby as a toddler nowadays once it gets past her bedtime. So perhaps an early exit will be in order for us tonight.
Be safe and have a wonderful night, everyone!
-alan
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Housing 2.0
Is 2011 the "year of the move" in the Allmen family?
During our time in Michigan, we heard a fair share of housing wish lists from family - and that on top of the condo that my parents will be moving into this spring.
Today, we took one step closer to realizing our own wish.
After a morning drive through one of our target neighborhoods, we met with 2 different mortgage lenders to talk about financing a loan. We had a lot of questions answered, and now have mortgage pre-qualification forms in hand to talk to a Realtor...when the time comes. We would ideally close on a house in the early summer, but the question is when to start looking. Look too hard now, and we may find something too soon. Wait too long, and we may be left homeless come July 1.
We have given some thought to neighborhoods - whether to stay in our current location or move elsewhere in the city. I feel satisfied in staying in the neighborhood, if we can find something in our price range. We may not, though, because property values remain high and there are less single family homes in the area. Our experience working in CPS also makes us picky about schools, so Rachel's pregnancy has led us to weigh the performance of the local schools as a factor.
As we have heard time and time again lately, now is the time to buy! Happy house hunting in 2011!
-alan
During our time in Michigan, we heard a fair share of housing wish lists from family - and that on top of the condo that my parents will be moving into this spring.
Today, we took one step closer to realizing our own wish.
After a morning drive through one of our target neighborhoods, we met with 2 different mortgage lenders to talk about financing a loan. We had a lot of questions answered, and now have mortgage pre-qualification forms in hand to talk to a Realtor...when the time comes. We would ideally close on a house in the early summer, but the question is when to start looking. Look too hard now, and we may find something too soon. Wait too long, and we may be left homeless come July 1.
We have given some thought to neighborhoods - whether to stay in our current location or move elsewhere in the city. I feel satisfied in staying in the neighborhood, if we can find something in our price range. We may not, though, because property values remain high and there are less single family homes in the area. Our experience working in CPS also makes us picky about schools, so Rachel's pregnancy has led us to weigh the performance of the local schools as a factor.
As we have heard time and time again lately, now is the time to buy! Happy house hunting in 2011!
-alan
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Christmas in Chicago, 2010
The Christmas season in Chicago has come and gone, but not without a fair amount of excitement and activity. As Rachel likes to say, "You're so much fun on vacation!!" I am hoping that this is a compliment to the amount of fun I initiate on vacation, and not an indictment of my boring non-vacation life...
We got dressed up on Sunday to go downtown for Messiah at the Harris Theater. It was a lovely performance - Rachel's first time to hear the whole thing. We loved the quality of the music and the uplifting content (entirely Scripture refering to Christ). Just the right message in time for Christmas - though it is interesting that tradition has shifted to have this performed at Christmas instead of Easter, since the content is more closely aligned to that holiday. But I digress.
Since we were downtown, we walked over to State Street to see theMarshall Fields Macy's windows, which are traditionally decorated with some kind of fairy-tale, Christmas-themed story. I wondered if there was some subtle advertisement embedded, because when the boy in the story who was trying to prove the existence of Santa asked his father, his father replied that if it is in the newspaper it must be true. Phil, did your people have anything to do with this?
We also went to Chinatown to visit with Solomon, Rachel's co-teacher from China who has since enrolled at a Catholic university in Iowa. He was in town for the day and it was a pleasure to see him. He is off to do some work at a Chinese parish in Los Angeles for the holiday, and is thinking now about doing some work in Chicago during the summer. However, some people are telling him that the south side of Chicago is too dangerous and he must stay away....so we will see.
The only problem? The bitter cold. But Rachel is well prepared for that these days.
On Monday night, we went to see Sarah and Dave and take part in the "Miller Family Christmas 2010." We are not traveling this year to see Rachel's parents for Christmas, so this was the opportunity for there to be some Miller fun in Chicago before we went to Michigan.
It was a lovely dinner - turkey with all the fixin's. Their Dad would have been fat and happy to eat that food.
We exchanged some gifts, and got some sweet PJs. I do not think mine fit.
The night was not without some drama. Shortly after arriving, the CO detector started chirping. Sarah paced the apartment, confused as to whether she should be preparing to evacuate the building or get started on the green bean caserole. Dave then called the city, and the fire department sent a truck over with its lights blaring. The massive, stereotypical lieutenant barged in and assessed the situation while his sidekick trailed him with CO detector in hand. They stayed for 10 minutes or so, but clearly were not overly concerned with the potential health risks. They recommended opening a window, having the gas company check the oven, and left with some passing remarks about the dangers of new windows locking up a house too tightly not allowing fresh air to circulate.
Merry Christmas!
We got dressed up on Sunday to go downtown for Messiah at the Harris Theater. It was a lovely performance - Rachel's first time to hear the whole thing. We loved the quality of the music and the uplifting content (entirely Scripture refering to Christ). Just the right message in time for Christmas - though it is interesting that tradition has shifted to have this performed at Christmas instead of Easter, since the content is more closely aligned to that holiday. But I digress.
Since we were downtown, we walked over to State Street to see the
We also went to Chinatown to visit with Solomon, Rachel's co-teacher from China who has since enrolled at a Catholic university in Iowa. He was in town for the day and it was a pleasure to see him. He is off to do some work at a Chinese parish in Los Angeles for the holiday, and is thinking now about doing some work in Chicago during the summer. However, some people are telling him that the south side of Chicago is too dangerous and he must stay away....so we will see.
The only problem? The bitter cold. But Rachel is well prepared for that these days.
On Monday night, we went to see Sarah and Dave and take part in the "Miller Family Christmas 2010." We are not traveling this year to see Rachel's parents for Christmas, so this was the opportunity for there to be some Miller fun in Chicago before we went to Michigan.
It was a lovely dinner - turkey with all the fixin's. Their Dad would have been fat and happy to eat that food.
We exchanged some gifts, and got some sweet PJs. I do not think mine fit.
The night was not without some drama. Shortly after arriving, the CO detector started chirping. Sarah paced the apartment, confused as to whether she should be preparing to evacuate the building or get started on the green bean caserole. Dave then called the city, and the fire department sent a truck over with its lights blaring. The massive, stereotypical lieutenant barged in and assessed the situation while his sidekick trailed him with CO detector in hand. They stayed for 10 minutes or so, but clearly were not overly concerned with the potential health risks. They recommended opening a window, having the gas company check the oven, and left with some passing remarks about the dangers of new windows locking up a house too tightly not allowing fresh air to circulate.
It's a boy!
Last week, Rachel and I went in for her doctor's appointment, during which she had her second set of ultrasounds. It took a good hour to take pictures, mainly because the baby was uncooperative with the ultrasound tech. I don't blame the kid, because she kept jabbing him with the wand to try and get him to flip over. So even though a few shots were missing, we did see enough to learn that we are having a boy.
Since we are on vacation, we (Rachel) are using the time to do some research about potential baby products. We registered some gifts yesterday for upcoming baby showers, and Rachel continues now to look at various Youtube clips of reviews of baby products...let the consumerism of parenthood begin.
And here is the updated pregnancy photo...just do not call her fat! (she is getting some of that already!)
-alan
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Hallelujah!
That title has more than one meaning - but everything going on in life of late gives one reason to celebrate.
First, Christmas break has arrived. I had a half day at school yesterday, during which I announced to my Honors class that I was having a baby boy.
Speaking of - we went to the doctor on Tuesday and learned via the ultrasound that we will be having a boy. Everything is going well, and the baby is healthy. Great news, right?
I did not make any other "announcements" to my other classes, but the news spread like wildfire through the rest of the grade.
We kicked everyone out, literally, at 11:30 and freedom was upon us all. I stayed to clean up my classroom and finish grading the science fair boards. I was pretty close to the last person in the building when I left at 4.
The other reason for the title is that we will be attending the Apollo Chorus' live performance of Handel's "Messiah" tomorrow afternoon downtown. I am very excited to see it; the last time I saw it live was when my brother performed it when he was in a choir in Michigan. But the most memorable part of that was being super tired and not appreciating it; I cannot remember how long ago it was or what led me to stretching out on the pew in the audience mid-performance. Perhaps it is best that my memory is hazy.
Finally, we enjoyed attending the taping of this week's "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me." It gave us a greater appreciation for the show and how it gets put together. We did tune in this morning as we ate breakfast, just to hear how much creative editing they do - it is more than you think! It was a funny show, and we have faces to put with the voices we hear on the radio. Best part? We each got a free travel mug, with Carl Kassell and Peter Segal's faces on the sides. Jealous?
-alan
First, Christmas break has arrived. I had a half day at school yesterday, during which I announced to my Honors class that I was having a baby boy.
Speaking of - we went to the doctor on Tuesday and learned via the ultrasound that we will be having a boy. Everything is going well, and the baby is healthy. Great news, right?
I did not make any other "announcements" to my other classes, but the news spread like wildfire through the rest of the grade.
We kicked everyone out, literally, at 11:30 and freedom was upon us all. I stayed to clean up my classroom and finish grading the science fair boards. I was pretty close to the last person in the building when I left at 4.
The other reason for the title is that we will be attending the Apollo Chorus' live performance of Handel's "Messiah" tomorrow afternoon downtown. I am very excited to see it; the last time I saw it live was when my brother performed it when he was in a choir in Michigan. But the most memorable part of that was being super tired and not appreciating it; I cannot remember how long ago it was or what led me to stretching out on the pew in the audience mid-performance. Perhaps it is best that my memory is hazy.
Finally, we enjoyed attending the taping of this week's "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me." It gave us a greater appreciation for the show and how it gets put together. We did tune in this morning as we ate breakfast, just to hear how much creative editing they do - it is more than you think! It was a funny show, and we have faces to put with the voices we hear on the radio. Best part? We each got a free travel mug, with Carl Kassell and Peter Segal's faces on the sides. Jealous?
-alan
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Glee?
The members of my school's newly-formed cheerleading squad all received their uniforms today, and have since changed into them for the school day. Looks like a TV show around here. Actually, there is probably as much drama here as on any show...
We will be going to the doctor today, where Rachel will be having an ultrasound. If the baby cooperates, we will know the gender by 4pm this afternoon!
-alan
We will be going to the doctor today, where Rachel will be having an ultrasound. If the baby cooperates, we will know the gender by 4pm this afternoon!
-alan
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Cookie extravaganza!
The Christmas season is here for sure. Our social schedule is full to the brim with various engagements - holiday parties, musical events, and the like. Add to that Rachel's Model UN conference this week, and we are busy folks. So, we had to add "Alan and Rachel Cookie Baking Extravaganza" to our shared Google calendar, so that we could be sure to have time to bake for the holidays. We are well underway in baking a variety of treats for our coworkers, Bible study, and other friends.
Don't let the picture fool you. Rachel actually did some of the work.
On the menu are walnut cookies, peppermint bark, sugar cookies, and peanut butter kiss cookies.
I like baking, but I still feel the lingering effects of a trying few days - science fair, Rachel being gone downtown, and some church meetings all took a toll on me. I would like some rest, but alas the December sprint is on. A somewhat full week of work begins in the morning....along with an NU basketball game, Rachel's OB-GYN appointment, a taping of NPR's "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me", some holiday parties, and who knows what else. Much fun but the week feels daunting at this point.
In other news, our lamp broke. It is one of those floor lamps that comes in several sections and screws together. Problem is, the metal piece holding the bottom section to the base practically disintegrated. Ideas, anyone? Eric??
-alan
Don't let the picture fool you. Rachel actually did some of the work.
On the menu are walnut cookies, peppermint bark, sugar cookies, and peanut butter kiss cookies.
I like baking, but I still feel the lingering effects of a trying few days - science fair, Rachel being gone downtown, and some church meetings all took a toll on me. I would like some rest, but alas the December sprint is on. A somewhat full week of work begins in the morning....along with an NU basketball game, Rachel's OB-GYN appointment, a taping of NPR's "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me", some holiday parties, and who knows what else. Much fun but the week feels daunting at this point.
In other news, our lamp broke. It is one of those floor lamps that comes in several sections and screws together. Problem is, the metal piece holding the bottom section to the base practically disintegrated. Ideas, anyone? Eric??
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Pregnancy pictures - a few to see
Once Rachel's pregnancy was confirmed, I was sworn to electronic secrecy. For the weeks that followed her first OB-GYN appointment, we would tell people about the pregnancy, but then quickly swear them to e-secrecy in fears that some distant acquaintance would find out from a 3rd party and get offended. It was a prudent practice, but as the weeks dragged to months the silence on the blog on the subject became the norm as I awaited the green light from Rachel to let all the world know. Given her insistence on waiting, I informed her that when the time came, SHE needed to be proactive in posting some pictures because other people were waiting for updates. After her last doctor appointment, she did just that - but only on Facebook. [Sadly, she has again forsaken this blog. Perhaps I should change the name to reflect its status as Alan's blog??] So I had been waiting for her to post, but as one not-to-be-named reader not-so-subtly complained, the statue of limitations on e-secrecy have been passed and specific mention of the topic is in order. So with that, I bring these pictures as Rachel is on the eve of the halfway week of her pregnancy.
The big update for week 19 (which is now ending) is confirmation of the baby's kicking, which has become noticeably more frequent with each day. The baby's little feet have produced a prodigious amount of giggling in the past few days.
Baby shower plans are well underway, and Rachel is hot on the consumer trail....trying to figure out which products she would like best. She has sworn that year 1 with a child does not have to be expensive, but listening to her speak of the bevy of available products on the market, can I trust her frugality to overcome the overwhelmingly cute marketing forces out there??
So in all, hooray for the baby. Let it be official in blogdom. Just say no to e-secrecy.
-alan
The tree revealed!
Here are some pictures of our tree - a 7' Fraser fir we got from Home Depot. I suppose we should have bought one from a corner lot in the neighborhood somewhere to support local businesses, but for the price, selection, and prior good experience it seemed like the best option. Throw in a $5 wreath, and you can't beat it.
This weekend we also went to see a play called the "Book of Liz," a comedy about a woman from an Amish-like community and her process of self-realization. It was a very small theater, and we attended with a large group of NU alums - part of the "Holiday Kick-off" thrown every year by our friends Angela and Chris. Prior to show, we had eaten a tasty meal at a Latino steakhouse...but were late in arriving to the theater. They told us to use the bathroom prior to the show, because the show was 90 minutes with no intermission. Come to find out, there was only 1 bathroom and it was behind the stage. Hmmmm. The show started 20 minutes late because of us. Oops. But...it was a fun night and a good time to spend with old friends. There was even a special guest in from out of town, and an engagement announced!
This week is the school science fair. I suppose I should be excited being a science teacher and all, but I would be lying. Between this and Thanksgiving break, I have not taught much chemistry since early November.
-alan
This weekend we also went to see a play called the "Book of Liz," a comedy about a woman from an Amish-like community and her process of self-realization. It was a very small theater, and we attended with a large group of NU alums - part of the "Holiday Kick-off" thrown every year by our friends Angela and Chris. Prior to show, we had eaten a tasty meal at a Latino steakhouse...but were late in arriving to the theater. They told us to use the bathroom prior to the show, because the show was 90 minutes with no intermission. Come to find out, there was only 1 bathroom and it was behind the stage. Hmmmm. The show started 20 minutes late because of us. Oops. But...it was a fun night and a good time to spend with old friends. There was even a special guest in from out of town, and an engagement announced!
This week is the school science fair. I suppose I should be excited being a science teacher and all, but I would be lying. Between this and Thanksgiving break, I have not taught much chemistry since early November.
-alan
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Celebrate!
The first snow of the year is always a festive occasion. The flakes outside are huge, yet are drifting lazily as the breeze sends them to and fro. I am sure than come March, I will detest the late winter snow flurries....but right now it is fun to watch.
-alan
-alan
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