Chicago Trip Pictures & 10,000th Visitor/Winner

Below are some pictures I took Friday night when we visited my aunt, uncle, and cousins in Chicago (about 45 min to 1 hour from our house, depending on traffic). It was sooooo much fun. I loved every second and did not want to leave. It's always so great to reconnect with my family up here. I hate that we don't get to do it more often. All my cousins are away most of the time though, with college and jobs in other states now.

I don't remember if I've mentioned this yet, but about a month and a half ago or so, I got a Mac at work. I thought I'd never, ever want one again after years of bad experiences on them a number of years ago. I was wrong. I LOVE IT! The new Macs really are so incredibly nice. I was also able to get a laptop so it comes home with me often now since it's so convenient, and I get to play with my pictures in iPhoto. It's really great. So below are my Chicago pics, courtesy of some playing in iPhoto...keep in mind I'm not a professional, these are just for fun!

As I mentioned before, I ended both my weight loss and photography blogs to utilize my resources and energy a bit better. It just means you'll have to put up with some of that stuff here now instead. So, it could take some downloading time and for that I'm sorry. But I just couldn't not share these pics with all of you!

The last one before the people pictures is my attempt at capturing O'Hare airport for you from the road. What...can't you tell?! My cousins Rebecca and Jenna are so great and so much fun, I'm so glad I got to see them. The last is a shot of all of them minus my cousin Jesse who is working hard at his job and schooling in CO. The day after we visited, Jen was heading back to school in CA. Next weekend Becca returns to her home in CA. *sigh* I'm so glad I got to share this time with them. :)

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Congratulations to my 10,006th visitor, Kayren of Everything's Coming Up Daisies!!!! No one else contacted me or sent in a picture, so Kayren was the closest and therefore the winner! Woo hoo for Kayren!!!!!

She sent me a couple of pictures and I loved hearing the challenge it was to photograph the proof...eventually choosing a daisy that would help with the focusing, and taking off the flash so it wouldn't glare. There was just something very exciting to me to see my blog on someone else's screen...it was so exciting and fun! Anyway, here is her picture:

Soooo cool, huh?!?! Okay, maybe it's just me that is so thrilled by this.....

Kayren, you have won a paperback Outreach edition of the ESV (English Standard Version) Bible!! I'll be in touch with you shortly so we can arrange shipping. More to come about Kayren in my next post.

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I'm having a TON of pain these days. I think I might have hurt my foot. Either way, it's been really nasty, awful pain. I just can't begin to describe how bad it's been. I'm pretty miserable and can barely walk.

Sorry this post took me so long everyone! Happy Tuesday!