My World Series Experience

Pictured above is my experience of the Chicago Cubs World Series!

The first two pictures, which were taken at Wrigley Field, are from last Friday, the night of the third game of the series. A small group of us had gone out to celebrate a birthday (insert confetti and salsa dancing emojis here) and, while passing the stadium on the way back, decided to stop off and walk around! Thankfully, we went in the middle of the game (around the sixth inning, as you can see) so it was pretty tame. There were a lot of police officers, so we felt very safe. The streets were pretty empty, most people crowded around the windows of bars, trying to get a glimpse of the screens with the game on. We wanted to go back either Saturday or Sunday night (the other two nights the games were played here in Chicago), but it just didn't work out with homework, etc.

Then, last night, the night that they won (!) I watched the game with just a few others on campus. Once that final out happened and we knew the Cubs had won campus went wild. The last picture is one I took from the stairwell of how many people were out in the plaza. Students were out there - the plaza and the streets beyond! - for several hours. I ended up staying in, observing some of the honking and hollering on the streets from the top bunk with my knitting while listening to an artist I discovered on Spotify (Sons of Korah - they put psalms to music!) which is about the most Rachel thing I could ever do. (;

These games brought up several interesting thoughts with friends, ranging from how cool it is to be here when they (finally!) won again, to the pointlessness of all this and the ridiculous amount of money that went into it. I can see both sides of the spectrum, but lean towards the latter. Every time I think of how "cool" it was to be here - to experience the hours of noise following the end of the game and the unity of the city - I immediately think of how prideful and insignificant it really is. Don't get me wrong, I would love a shirt that says something along the lines of "I Was in Chicago When the Cubs Won the World Series", but I could only wear it with the knowledge that I bought it just to show off how cool I am. That's my conviction about it all. It is a cool experience and something to talk about, but it's also just a silly game in which we pay people way too much money to entertain us. (:

- rl

Chicago Riverwalk

Another Sunday afternoon spent in the city. Ok, so this Sunday was not nearly as exciting (or extended) as the adventures of last Sunday, but it still included a new experience! This past weekend was the opening of one of the final parts of the Chicago Riverwalk Renovation.

When I think of a riverwalk I think of the one in San Antonio. The San Antonio Riverwalk is a site (sight??) to see! There are shops and restaurants right on the riverfront and it goes on for miles (or at least it feels like it). This Chicago Riverwalk is nothing like that...at least not yet. There are a few restaurants on the north side of the river and it only extends about half a mile, from what I can tell.

This outing was with a few good friends. Just a quick walk down to it with a stop at Trader Joe's on the way back. Oh, how I love being able to say that. I have yet to stop feeling thankful to God for this time in the city. To live in such an urban an environment for this time of my life is incredible. Particularly for me because I love getting to know where things are and how to get to them.

It's funny - a lot of my friends are stressing out this week over all that they have to do, and, while I do have a little less than they, I have had a lot of peace. I've been finishing assignments at a reasonable pace, not getting caught up in the stress. This is not unusual for me at the midway point of the semester. The craziness hasn't really slowed down, yet I have a much better handle on how classes are and what they require. I have developed a deeper interest in what I am studying, therefore making assignments easier because I am (at least a little bit) excited to complete them. Praise the Lord!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to start brainstorming what my next sermon will be on for my preaching class...

- rl

Open House Chicago

This afternoon we ditched homework and went out for an annual Chicago event - Open House Chicago! I remember seeing the advertisements for this event my freshman year and yet today was the first time I actually got out there! And, believe it or not, we didn't end up at any homes. However, we did run around to a few really unique locations (the Lake Point Tower garden, Columbia Yacht Club, and Blackstone Renaissance Hotel Suite of Presidents - one which we literally ran to get to before it closed!) that would not have been possible without this event! These are just a few pictures from the afternoon. There were so many shots I wish I could have gotten, but our time crunch and a decent amount of other people present prevented me from doing so.

This post is yet another attempt to get back into blogging. I have recently been encouraged by some loved ones to start blogging again, so we'll see how this goes!

- rl

My First Dinner Rolls

On Saturday night, I made my first dinner rolls! I thought they would go well with our steak dinner, and they did! Thankfully, we had a few friends over, one of which is a baking master, so he was able to answer a few trivial questions I otherwise would have guessed on.

I used this recipe and loved it. Next time, I think I'll add slightly less flour because it tasted to me like there was a little too much. Also, I would love to find a nice honey butter mix to put on top of the rolls for right as they come out of the oven or something. Overall, the recipe was not too bad and I really look forward to getting to make them again soon!

Before I made these, I also mixed together the steak marinade. I used this recipe, which was a tad complicated, but I think my family liked it. Honestly, I could hardly tell because steak is not necessarily my favorite meat. I can never seem to spend less than a few minutes chewing on one bite. I'm much more of a chicken girl. (:

- rl

(Healthy?) Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

I was first drawn to this recipe because I was curious how strawberries and oatmeal would taste together. I read the instructions through a few times before gathering the ingredients and I wasn't sure whether or not I would add the glaze on top. They are advertised as 100 calories each, but that is only if you cut them into 16 squares (I did 9) and if you don't add the glaze (I ended up adding it). I went in expecting them to be 100 calorie breakfast bars, when in reality they're probably at least 200 calories and taste more like a dessert.

I was talking to a friend from school last night and when I mentioned all the cooking I've been doing (which is not particularly usual for me) she remembered me posting pictures of these bars and commented on how good they looked. She wasn't wrong. I think these look so, so tasty, but I was kind of disappointed by them. I'm not sure if I added too much glaze or something, but they are very squishy and fall apart easily. I think that I was confusing oatmeal and granola's unique consistencies. I have eaten the bars alone, but mostly have been adding it to my oatmeal each morning.

I may end up making these again sometime if someone mentions that they'd like to try them, but I don't necessarily see them as something I'll be craving in the future.

- rl