Not Santa....But Mama Smulsk is "Coming to Town!"

Long time, no see! I'm back and ready to blog again. I don't know what happened to me, I guess I fell off the blog wagon. I really like to just write a bunch of posts at one time instead of one everyday or so. I really need to get back on it regularly otherwise I forgot what happened!

Anyway December was a busy month and after I put up the Christmas tree (below) the month was in full swing starting out the first weekend of December when Chris' mom came to Chicago from Rockford for the day and night. She usually comes in to town in December sometime to go to dinner and shop a bit.

She got in Saturday morning and we headed downtown to have lunch at Cheesecake Factory on Michigan Avenue which could have been our biggest mistake! The rest of the free world had the same idea and the various lines they had going on in that place was RIDIC! You have never seen anything like it, that place is SO big the chaos was in full force. But after about an hour and 15 minutes or so we were seated, I really can't believe we waited that long! But well worth it as I die over the tex mex appetizer and cobb salad there (this is a Nina "meal specialty" and long standing tradition that Nina, Ann and I split somewhat often). After our late lunch we were off to Bloomingdales. Chris' mom bought him a few things, she really likes to go crazy shopping for him but he never wants anything so she really likes showing him everything in the store asking him if he wants it - it's quite entertaining actually :-) They hit the jackpot when she was able to buy him his favorite Kiehl's face lotion. This guy is a lotion fanatic! Side story: he has more lotion products that he puts on his body and face than anybody I have ever seen!? I guess it's better than nothing at all so he stays "youthful," or that's what he tells me. But between his body wash, loofah-ing, face lotions, body lotions, eye creams and his beloved Kiehls'....OH! And don't even get me started on when Nivea discontinued his favorite face lotion, I thought he may jump out the window. I'm getting off the subject, I may do a future post on his lotion obsession, I know Chris is super excited for it, haha!

After lunch and shopping it was actually time to eat AGAIN!? I was really nervous about it because I was still full from Cheesecake Fact. We had reservations at Terragusto in Roscoe Village which I do love this restaurant but I could barely eat because when I sat down I thought I was going to explode I was still so full!

All in all it was a lovely day and evening to hang out with Chris' mom and she was on her way back to Rockford the next day and I was on my way to California to visit my Grandma and Aunt Diane!