Winter:1 Chuck&Rachel: 0

You guys. It's cold. Lately Chuck and I haven't felt like doing much of anything that involves going outside, even for just a minute. With the exception of work, we haven't left our apartment much because frankly it's just too much work to get that bundled up all the time and also, staying under a blanket on the couch just seems like a better idea than going out there.  Winter is defeating us.

When we HAVE ventured out into the cold and snow, here's what we've been up to.

A couple weekends ago, my friend Kate invited me to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships which were held in Boston at TD Garden. She received tickets from her family as a Christmas present and I was lucky her husband was out of town and she asked me to go to a couple of the sessions! We spent the entire day there and saw all of the Pair's finals and the Women's Finals. It was especially exciting this year because the winners go to the Olympics in a couple of weeks! It was also fun because Kate knows basically everything about figure skating so not only did I get to enjoy the skating, but I got to learn too.

Here are a few of the skaters you'll see competing in the Olympics in February.

Meryl Davis and Charlie White

Gracie Gold

Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir

This past weekend, we drove to Connecticut with our friends Clayton and Christen to watch Louisville play UConn in basketball.  It was a big game because it was College Gameday, so we were the game of the day. The arena is small, so tickets on stubhub were WAY expensive, but luckily we were able to score some cheap tickets from the UofL ticket office a few days before the game!

Before the game, we found one of the only restaurants in Storrs, Connecticut, and it happened to be Chuck's Margarita Grill. I think the restaurant was made for us! We spent a few hours there, eating appetizers, our meals, and of course, enjoying margaritas.  The game was pretty intense because I would guess the stadium was 75% college students. In the middle of the game, their coach got thrown out and things got really heated, but luckily no one bothered us. Louisville came out with a victory which made the trip a lot more fun than if they had lost like they did last time we drove to Connecticut to see them play.

Other than those two events, we've pretty much been hiding in our apartment, watching football, watching movies, cooking food, and... yeah that's about it.

We also saw this gigantic teddy bear at the grocery store.

We lead an exciting life.

It's Christmas!

We've been in Christmas-mode for the last two weeks. Christmas parties, shopping, Christmas movies, hot chocolate, candy canes, decorating... And this week it's been snowing. A lot. It definitely feels like Christmastime!

Two weekends ago we hosted a Tacky Christmas sweater party.

Last weekend we went to a friend's party and binged on Christmas themed food.

Saturday and Sunday it was about 12 degrees and snowing, so we didn't venture out of the apartment too much except to go to Target and to go see Catching Fire.

Monday Chuck took his last final of the semester and that night we went on a date. Back in August, my 1st anniversary gift (paper-themed of course!) to Chuck was tickets to see the Celtics play the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 16th. When I bought them, I totally forgot about the whole "finals week" thing but luckily for us, it worked out that Chuck's last final was Monday afternoon.

I chose the game against the Timberwolves because this season they picked up a recent graduate and one of our favorite players from UofL- Gorgui Dieng! Gorgui is a rookie so we weren't sure if we'd see him play or not but sure enough, he got to play several minutes! He ended up getting 4 fouls so then he got sent back to the bench, but while he was in it was exciting. We were really conflicted about which team to cheer for so we cheered mostly for the Celtics and then just for Gorgui individually.

Number 5 in the blue! That's our guy.

Chuckie wore his Louisville hat for Gorgui. :)

Now the week is wrapping up and tomorrow I'll join Chuck in Louisville (he left Tuesday) and we'll  spend lots and lots of quality time with our families and friends.Wherever you are and whoever you're with, I hope your holidays are great!

Casinos and the Cardinals

Wow. November has officially kicked our butts. We are exhausted. Two weekends ago we were in Connecticut all weekend with Chuck's dad. The day he left, we drove to Virginia Beach for Thanksgiving. Now we're back in Boston and after a couple of ridiculously early bedtimes, I think we're ready to tackle December.  I'll slowly be updating the blog with our recent adventures, starting with our weekend in Connecticut.

Back in September, Chuck's dad turned the big 6-0.  As his gift, we bought him (and ourselves) a ticket to see the Louisville basketball team play UNC in a tournament at the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut in the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.  Basically we forced his dad, (also named Chuck, so don't get confused) to come up and visit us in the Northeast!

For the weekend, the Chucks and I stayed at the Foxwoods Casino, right down the road from the Mohegan Sun. Chuck (the dad) arrived at Foxwoods on Thursday and we arrived late Friday night. Soon after we arrived on Friday night, the Chucks ventured into the Poker Room and I held down the fort in our hotel room.

Saturday we took our time getting ready and then headed over to the Mohegan Sun for Louisville's game vs. some team I already forgot the name of. We originally didn't have tickets to this game, but were able to buy them for 5 cents a piece, 2 hours before the game, on Stubhub. Yes, you read that right. FIVE. CENTS.

Louisville played like crap but ended up beating the team pretty easily. After we walked around the Mohegan Sun a little, we headed back over to Foxwoods where we relaxed a little before we had a nice dinner in one of the nice restaurants in the casino. After dinner, Chuck headed back to the poker room while Chuckie and I walked the from the Foxwoods casino to the MGM Grand and back, and did some great people watching. To illustrate how far we walked (inside, it's all connected), here's a picture of the two casinos.

 Yeah. We walked for quite a bit.

After a drink at the Hard Rock Cafe in the casino, Chuckie headed down to meet his dad in the poker room and I headed back to the hotel room to my pajamas and Kindle. Note: I'm the WORST person to take to a casino. I enjoy the restaurants, shops, decorations and people watching, but I hate the gambling. It's not that I'm against gambling, it's that I don't know how to play most games, I hate slot machines, and the one game I do know and like, roulette, takes all my money way too fast and makes me sad. I do not enjoy losing money for fun. Unless I'm losing it on horses at Churchill Downs. On Derby Day. Actually I hate losing money then too so nevermind.

I digress.

Sunday morning we got our things together, checked out of the hotel and headed to the Mohegan Sun again for some lunch and then the main event- Louisville vs. UNC.

The game was really exciting until the end when Louisville lost. Womp womp. On the up-side, we had great seats and got to see our team in person for only the second time in 2 years! We also got to see Dicky V, our old coach Denny Crum, our athletic director Tom Jurich, aaaaaand a million North Carolina fans.

On Monday, I had to work and Chuckie had class all day, so Chuck entertained himself during the day and then that night, we took him to the North End. We had a drink at the Green Dragon, one of our favorite spots in Boston, and then a good Italian dinner on Hanover Street. Unfortunately I forgot to take any pictures on Monday, so you'll just have to imagine the 3 of us doing those things.

Like with all our visitors, the weekend went by way too fast and Tuesday morning, Chuck left to fly home. After school and work, we started our (long, rainy, really long) drive to Virginia Beach for Thanksgiving! More posts coming soon....

Football and Modern Dance

Friday, Chuckie and I got to see Louisville play football in person for the first time in almost 2 years.  Lucky for us, they had a road game at UConn in East Hartford, Connecticut, just a little less than 2 hours from Boston! Our friends Ana and Jose came with us and fully committed to being Louisville fans for a night. The game itself wasn't the most exciting game ever and it was super cold outside but that didn't stop us from having a blast.

After dinner at a place called "Margaritas," we drove to the stadium and found parking in a field a million miles from the stadium. Not really, but it felt like it.  I couldn't get over the fact that everyone, even pass holders/season ticket holders, park in a field! It was so different from Papa John's Stadium, but in a good way.  UConn's football team may be 0-8 but their fans still tailgate as if they're 8-0. We didn't have much to tailgate with except a backpack full of beer and a little speaker for music, but really, what else do you need?

We sat in the Louisville section and met a lot of Boston residents who are UofL alums. They get together at a local restaurant for most of the football and basketball games, so I have a feeling we'll meet up with them in Boston in the future.

Ana and I took a bathroom break at one point in the night and on our way back to our seats, I spotted Mike Marra and we asked him for a picture. Although when I first saw him I think I said "Hey! You played basketball! But I can't remember your name!" I'm sure he really appreciated that. His friend told me, "I'll give you a hint- it starts with a Mike" and as soon as he said that I yelled "Mike Marra!!!!!!" So he knew I was legit.

Also please notice Ana throwing up the L. She's a really good and committed fake Cards fan and this is why I love her.

We thought the team would come over to their fans who stuck it out to the end (it was pretty cold, y'all) but only 3 players came over! And now Damian Copeland and Hakeem Smith are our favorites because they shook every fans' hand and said "Thank you for coming. Thank you for supporting us. Thank you for being here."

So that was Friday. In two weeks, we're heading to Connecticut once again, this time to see the basketball team play in a little tournament!

Saturday we switched gears and instead of Louisville clothing and football, we got dressed up and went to a dance show. Sami's BFF Ines, who you've seen on the blog HERE before,  attends the Boston Conservatory for dance and she's a-maz-ing (both at dancing and just at being a lovely, wonderful person). So Chuck and I went to see her dance in the fall showcase at the Conservatory. It was so fun to see Ines on stage and we got to meet her entire family which was fun too!

Sunday we relaxed from our busy weekend and I got myself hooked on another show on Netflix, Mad Men. Chuckie's not watching this one with me because he actually has to do some work sometimes and isn't allowing another show to distract him like Breaking Bad did. So I watch a few episodes of Mad Men and then I update him on the crazy antics of Don Draper. It was a good weekend.

This Thursday, Chuck and I are headed to Chattanooga, Tennessee so he can visit an Amazon fulfillment center (I'll explain more after the trip) and we can spend the weekend with one of our favorite friends of all time, Branden!

Louisville- The 2013 National Champions

We did it. We won the National Championship!

And it couldn't have happened to a better group of guys. Having a husband who is a megafan, I know way more about these players than the average person should really know. Chuckie makes sure I know where they are all from, how tall they are, what they've said after each game... I follow them on Instagram. He tells me their stats after each game. And even though we've lived in Boston and Seattle for this entire season, we have found a way to watch almost every single game this season. So I can truthfully say, I feel like I know this team personally and I could not be happier for them. The hard work and humility has paid off! Congrats, Cards!

Anyone who knows me and Chuckie knows that we are BIG Louisville fans. We own way too many UofL t-shirts, way too many UofL blankets, and just way too much UofL STUFF in general. But we can't help it- we just love the Cardinals!

Though we both went to the University of Kentucky for college, we both grew up Louisville fans. My parents have always cheered for the Cards and my grandpa was one of the biggest UofL fans I've ever known. He held season tickets to football and basketball for years, and refused to give up his season tickets until he was almost 90 years old and just couldn't physically go to the games anymore. He was a superfan, for sure.

Chuckie grew up in an all Louisville household too. One of his sisters was a Louisville Ladybird (the best dance team in the country) and his brother-in-law set records as a wide receiver for UofL's football team. Chuckie used to be a ball boy at the basketball games and has had Louisville posters hanging in his room for as long as I've known him. And if you have ever watched a football or basketball game with him, you know he is a passionate (and kind of intense) fan. Thank God my family raised me a Cards fan or I don't think Chuck and I would have ever worked out.

Louisville has not won or even played in a National Championship game since 1986, the year before we were BORN. So to say we've been waiting for the Cards to play in or win a National Championship for a long time, well that's an understatement.

Yesterday was the longest day ever. The anticipation of the game was rough. And right before gametime, we were both so nervous we couldn't sit still. Chuck couldn't eat. I couldn't stop burping. (It's what I do when I'm nervous. I know it's weird.) We had a couple of friends over to watch the game with us. While the rest of us sat and watched the game, this was Chuckie.

He does not sit during games.

I wish more than anything that we could be in Louisville celebrating in the streets and attending the parties and parades. But we are celebrating in Seattle and will remember this for the rest of our lives! Finally, we've witnessed our team take the biggest trophy of all. Ahhhh. Victory is sweet. And now if you'll excuse me, I have to go find yet ANOTHER job so we can afford to pay for all of the National Championship paraphernalia Chuckie is about to buy.

Easter Weekend

Easter weekend this year was extremely exciting for us here in Seattle for multiple reasons.

For starters, Thursday night as I left work at Niketown, I saw I had several missed texts and phone calls from my best friend Elizabeth. As I was walking outside, she was calling again. Seeing as it was midnight on the east coast and a school night for Liz (who is a teacher) I knew she must be calling about something important. When I answered, she told me that her boyfriend Shane proposed to her earlier that night! Liz and Shane are engaged!

 

Chuckie and I are so so so so happy for them and all the excitement ahead!  They are going to be so happy together and have a beautiful wedding and life. The hardest part of being in the LGO program is that we are not home and able to celebrate in person with our friends and family when good things happen to them. But, that's just part of it and just means when we ARE together in person, we have to celebrate that much harder. :)

 

 

Friday after work, Chuckie and I had dinner and then colored Easter eggs!

 





They were brown eggs, so the colors came out really different!

Saturday we drove up to the outlet mall and did some shopping, had lunch and then came home to prepare for my parents' arrival. That preparation included buying some tulips. Because it doesn't feel like Easter until you have tulips, right?

My parents arrived late on Saturday night. For their first day in town, Easter, we went on an Easter brunch cruise on Lake Washington and Lake Union. A few weeks back we had been looking for something to do for Easter while they were here and found this brunch cruise online. My dad bought the tickets and we've been praying for good weather ever since. Well, the weather more than delivered.  It was the sunniest and warmest day in Seattle since we've moved here. It could not have been more perfect. (Well, except for my eye infection that appeared Sunday morning. Would have been a little better without that.)

Our boat!

Bloody Mary party.

Parents on the front of the boat.

As soon as we stepped onto the boat, they handed us champagne. That's my kind of boat cruise.

After the cruise, we headed back to our apartment where we changed into our Louisville shirts and got ready to watch Louisville vs. Duke to see who would go to the Final Four. But I already knew we were going to win. Just look at my perfect Midwest region bracket for proof.

It was so nice to watch the game with other Louisville fans (my parents) instead of in a restaurant in Seattle alone like we usually do. It was also nice to have my mom here so that when Kevin Ware went down with his injury, I wasn't the only one in the room crying.

After the victory, we went to our favorite Seattle hangout, Yardhouse, downtown and had some drinks and appetizers to celebrate. We walked to and from the restaurant and had some amazing views along the way.

It was the perfect ending to a perfect weekend. We did much more with my parents during their stay, but I'll have to save all that for another post or two. Too many pictures for one post!

 

A New Routine

A lot has been happening around here lately.

For starters, I turned 26 last weekend. It was one of the best birthdays I've had in a long time. When we woke up Saturday morning, Chuckie asked what I wanted to go do and of course, I said "donuts." If you know me, you know donuts are my favorite food. So what better way to start off my birthday than with some fresh donuts and coffee?

After donuts, I had an interview with Niketown in downtown Seattle for a part time position, which is in addition to the other two part time marketing/arts jobs I already have out here. Then Chuckie and I went shopping at Banana Republic because we had a Friends and Family discount for 50% off everything and we both had gift cards. Then, only 2 hours after my interview, I got a call from Nike letting me know they'd like to hire me and could I start this Monday?! Um, YES! So now I have 3 jobs.

The evening of my birthday, we decked ourselves out in Louisville apparel and headed to a hole in the wall bar a few minutes from our apartment to watch the Big East Championship game. Louisville pulled out an amazing win- the best birthday present! Then we were off to another bar to meet up with friends and participate in the early St. Patrick's Day celebrations! Like I said, a GREAT birthday this year.

Oh yeah and one of Chuckie's gifts to me was Girl Scout Cookies. Does he know me well or what?

 

So that was Saturday. Monday I started my new job with Niketown, and on Tuesday we moved apartments. Because, you know, we haven't moved enough times this past year already so we wanted to add one more move just for fun. No but seriously. The apartment we were in was ok for a little while. But there were several things about it that we decided we can't deal with for 5 more months. First of all, it was in the basement of a house. We had no windows, no ventilation, crooked floors, and probably some mold from occasional basement flooding. Also, it was a studio- so basically all just one big room, which is not ideal for hosting visitors.

 

So we found this new apartment through the same company. It is also fully furnished, so moving would only require moving our few belongings we brought to Seattle, in a better location close enough for Chuck to have a 10 minute walk to work and close enough for me to walk to Niketown, a one bedroom so much bigger, a designated parking spot, and a brand new kitchen and bathroom. Oh yeah, and we have tons of windows. I am not exaggerating when I say my overall mood has improved SO much just in the few days since we moved here. I think it's the windows.

Oh and I love what we named our WiFi router.

View of the Olympic Mountains from our living room? Ok!

We love it.

So, in addition to turning 26, getting a new job and a new apartment, we're also trying to get out of the rut we've been in lately where Chuck gets home from work, we make dinner and then proceed to spend our evening watching Raylan Givens mess some people up on our new favorite show, Justified. And while we love our Raylan Givens and plan to keep watching so we can catch up to the current season, we have a new plan to start getting a run in or some type of exercise after work before the dinner and Justified routine starts. I know it's not a profound idea- this is what most normal people do on a daily basis. So we need to become normal. We need to get healthier and stop being so lazy. Plus, now that I'm working at Nike I'm required to wear the Nike Fuelband so I gotta hit my daily Fuel points goal, people!

This weekend we're looking forward to watching a lot of basketball and exploring more of Seattle. My parents come to town next weekend for their Spring Break visit- I can't wait.

Happy Friday, everyone!