Grumpy and his wife and possibly the DIS Food Porn Queen are going to Disney

[KatMark]

Well, the event turned out not to be so bad. The food was so-so (no pictures, sorry). Here we are before we left the house:

Mark making a face:

Me trying NOT to laugh (yeah, that didn't work):

They all took a picture on the Chicago Spirit but my scanner isn't working at home so I'll have to take it to work and scan it there and insert later--it's really not a bad picture.

We boarded the Spirit of Chicago:

We had the buffet which included salads, rolls and butter, tilapia, beef tips, au gratin roasted chicken and a fish (I didn't like the fish--it was very dry and I don't think it agreed with me as my stomach is bothering me today).

After we ate, we went upstairs on the deck and I took some pics of the view of Downtown Chicago. As much as I want to MOVE away from Chicago, we do have a beautiful skyline:

We went back below deck to the room we were in for the bosses speech. He thanked everyone who has made the company what it is and then singled out those that had been there the longest: Mike -- 21 years, Laurie -- 21.8 years and the man who has been with me from the beginning (and actually before that at the previous company for two years) -- Grumpy, oops...I mean Mark.

We sat and visited with Mark's coworkers ande there was music and dancing. Then it was back upstairs to the upper deck for the fireworks. Now, the fireworks were nice and all, but they just ARE NOT Wishes! Here are a few pics (I'm still working on how to work my camera settings so these aren't great):

Continued in next post.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Love the pictures, you look gorgeous!

We had such a good time that morning too, its funny how you can know someone without meeting them face to face, then you meet them and its like you've known them forever! That makes no sense but you know what I mean.

You sound like my brother. He loves Chicago but he'd love to not live there!

Face it, we all need to move to Florida.

Have a great weekend and say hi to Mark for me!

 

[KatMark]

After the fireworks, it was back for more socializing and dancing and then a few pictures as we were docking and walking back to the bus:

All in all, a very nice evening.

Markie has two softball games later this afternoon (and I have to try to clean some of the house), but I hope to finish up the last day at Disney World later tonight.

 

[englishrose47]

Great Update Kathy !! Chicago does look beautiful ay night !!I loved the lit up Ferris wheel!!The fireworks were pretty cool too!!!

As for Amy's comment about our Dis friendships I know exactly what you mean Jordan , Winkers and Blue are just like family !! D Jay is the comedian of the Family!!!!!

 

[LuvvsMickey]

Well, the event turned out not to be so bad. The food was so-so (no pictures, sorry). Here we are before we left the house:

Mark making a face:

I spy a Partylite sconce.

Oh, and you two clean up pretty good! I'm glad you had a nice evening. And the scratch ticket win? The same thing happened last year... do I see a trip to Fulton's part of the itinerary now?

 

[tinacaplan]

Very nice pictures of you and Grumpy! Glad to hear you had a good time. I am pleased to report that my backyard wedding was a lot more fun than I anticipated, too! And Chicago is a beautiful city. I couldn't stop looking every which way when I was there. Seemed like everywhere I looked there was a building from the architecture class I had taken in college.

 

[KatMark]

Love the pictures, you look gorgeous!

We had such a good time that morning too, its funny how you can know someone without meeting them face to face, then you meet them and its like you've known them forever! That makes no sense but you know what I mean.

You sound like my brother. He loves Chicago but he'd love to not live there!

Face it, we all need to move to Florida.

Have a great weekend and say hi to Mark for me!

Thank you, Amy. You are very sweet. I hate having my pic taken, but it turned out not to be too bad of a pic.

I do love Chicago; but having lived here for 52 years, working downtown for 35 years, I just need a change of pace (and neither Mark or I can handle the winters anymore).

Great Update Kathy !! Chicago does look beautiful ay night !!I loved the lit up Ferris wheel!!The fireworks were pretty cool too!!!

As for Amy's comment about our Dis friendships I know exactly what you mean Jordan , Winkers and Blue are just like family !! D Jay is the comedian of the Family!!!!!

We really have a beautiful skyline--day or night. The Ferris wheel is huge; I've not been on it in over 15 years (Grumpy hates fireworks).l

I have made some of the best friends here on the DIS--and I'm glad to count you as one.

I spy a Partylite sconce.

Oh, and you two clean up pretty good! I'm glad you had a nice evening. And the scratch ticket win? The same thing happened last year... do I see a trip to Fulton's part of the itinerary now?

Good eyes! That is a Partylite sconce (there are two of them...one on each side of the quilted hanging on the wall). Did you catch the Mickey in the background, to?

Thank you for saying we "clean up pretty good." Every once in awhile we put some effort into it. No, we won't do Fulton's this trip; we'll do a special dinner in Naples.

Very nice pictures of you and Grumpy! Glad to hear you had a good time. I am pleased to report that my backyard wedding was a lot more fun than I anticipated, too! And Chicago is a beautiful city. I couldn't stop looking every which way when I was there. Seemed like everywhere I looked there was a building from the architecture class I had taken in college.

Thanks, Tina. Glad that the backyard wedding went well (and Max made it to 9 p.m. too!).

 

[glennbo123]

Congrats to Mark!!

And very nice pictures. Cute that you two were clowning around a little.

 

[Tiger.Lily]

Oh man I got behind! But I'm caught up again.

Congrats on the scratcher win!! That's just awesome.

And great pics of you two! Looked like a fun evening!

 

[Stefy]

Looks like you both had a great time and congrats to Mark on being there from the very beginning

Your dress is lovely, you looked very beautiful in it

 

[KatMark]

Congrats to Mark!!

And very nice pictures. Cute that you two were clowning around a little.

Thanks, Glenn. Mark's been with his company from the beginning and I've been with mine 35 years.

Oh man I got behind! But I'm caught up again.

Congrats on the scratcher win!! That's just awesome.

And great pics of you two! Looked like a fun evening!

Thank you. It was a fun evening. Thanks for checking in (better go see if you updated your PTR).

Looks like you both had a great time and congrats to Mark on being there from the very beginning

Your dress is lovely, you looked very beautiful in it

Thank you, Stefy. You are very sweet.

 

[KatMark]

Okay, I scanned the professional picture. I'm not sure how good it turned out, but here we go:

 

[that's nice]

Love the pics of you and Mark... His face seems to look thinner.

Looks like you two had a nice dinner on the boat. The Chicago skyline looks really nice at night.

 

[englishrose47]

Great Pix Kathy!!!

 

[MickeyNicki]

Not sure if I'll get an update up tonight or on Sunday (tomorrow have to do laundry, get my hair done and then it is the 25th anniversary cruise for Mark's work), but I wanted to tell everyone that our tickets for the Halloween Party are paid for. I had a $20 winning lotto ticket and bought two $10 instant tickets and we just won $515. This pays for the party tickets and we can take Nicki and Todd to dinner and Nicki and I can go for massages while on Marco Island.

OMG WOMAN!!! You are lucky, that is sooo awesome!! I cannot believe how much you won, you must feel amazing! Ok, I need to run to the corner and get me some scratch offs...send me luck ok?? Massages and facials??

Todd asked if you would just hurry up and get here so we can go out and laugh our butts off!

Okay, I scanned the professional picture. I'm not sure how good it turned out, but here we go:

Gorgeous darling...and Kathy you look good too Just kidding...you both look so great and happy and I miss ya...how many more days?

The other pic of you guys before you left the house, the one where you are laughing..well I could "hear" you laughing when I look at that picture

 

[brookelizabeth]

Thanks, Brooke. And please do post if you see the windchimes--I really like them.

Will do!!

Is Mark giving himself the bunny ears in this pic?

Sounds like a really enjoyable night! You look fantastic by the way!!!! I love the Chicago skyline pictures... it will always be "home" in a way to me!

 

[Stefy]

Okay, I scanned the professional picture. I'm not sure how good it turned out, but here we go:

Aww look at you two, so sweet

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

Cute picures.

 

[MEK]

Great pictures Kathy. You and Grumpy look like you had a great time. Sounds like a fun evening, minus the dried up fish. I like you last firework picture Good practice for when you get to Disney!!!!!!

 

[onelilspark]

You guys look so happy in your pictures! I do love the Chicago skyline. Everytime I visit I remember how much I like it...then I hit traffic and don't miss it so much (Not sure if you know I went to Valpo and did my internship in Elmhurst, IL, so for a summer I drove through the city every day! )

...also: I need to go buy some scratch offs