Having had to put our precious Snowshoe kitty, Cleo, to sleep earlier this month, I thought it would be a very, very long time before I was ready to have another pet. Making that decision to end a pet’s life is a tough one, even if it’s the right one. So color me surprised that as of this weekend, I’ve got two little furballs running underfoot.

I couldn’t help it – I found myself wandering over to Petfinder.com just to peek to see what was available locally. Not that I was going to get anything, right? I was just looking. But then, I came across this:

Argh! How can you even think of looking away from such cuteness? North Shore, meet Moo. Of course, Moo had a buddy:

Oh, but is this little guy is a LOVER. How could I resist a kitty named Comet? After much sitting-on-pins-and-needles waiting, I finally got the call - we could come pick up these little guys!

We found them through a Petfinder.com link to Adopt-A-Pet, a Mount Prospect-based foster care organization for animals in need of a new home. You simply complete an application, then let them know if there’s an available pet that has struck a chord with you. Be warned - they check references - both the ones I had listed told me they got a call. This organization loves their animals, and want to make sure they are going to a “forever” home. When the kids and I went to get Moo and Comet, we were greeted by a foster mom with 14 cats in her home, only a couple of which were staying with her forever. (Gosh, I hope someone goes to get Jonah! Adorable!)

Seriously – while I don’t discount the allure of owning a purebred – we did, too – what an awesome way to bring a lot of love into your home, while doing something so beneficial. These cats and dogs are just as loving and adorable as purebreds, and need a good home! Check them out - I am SO glad we did!

Technorati Tags: Adopt-A-Pet, Mount Prospect Adopt-A-Pet, North Shore pet adoptions, North Shore Chicago pet adoptions, North Shore Chicago cat adoptions, North Shore Chicago dog adoptions, Glenview area cat adoptions, Evanston area cat adoptions, Northbrook area cat adoptions, Skokie area cat adoptions

Happy New Year, everyone!

What a whirlwind of a month it has been - between school parties, cookies, shopping, gift wrap, more shopping, holiday concerts, and family visits, the New Year is here, and the kids are wondering what the heck I am going to do to entertain them for their few remaining days of Winter Break. I told them we need to take a deep breath and re-cap everything we did LAST year, so we can first be grateful for what we did do, before we move on to what we can do. It doesn’t matter if you are new to the North Shore scene, or have lived here for years - it’s always nice to remember how lucky we have it. Here’s just a sample of what we took advantage of:

Northwestern University activities:

Want a chance to catch the Wildcats for free? Check out the Spring game, where kids can get up close and personal with the players - it’s one of my son’s favorites every year! And it’s the tip of the iceberg when it comes to having a major university on our doorstep. Concerts, art exhibitions, great sporting events (where even if NU isn’t the best team on the field, they play some of the best!), chances to participate in health studies - it’s all for the taking.

Chicago Botanical Garden:

I’ve blogged on this many times - maybe because I’m always in awe of how amazing it is to have such a great garden just minutes away. The kids love hanging out here in the summer, and totally dug Wonderland Express. I’ll cop to being a bit cranky about the parking fee, but I could always just suck it up and join.

Fort Sheridan:

This was one of those “get in the car and drive somewhere” days when we decided to check out Fort Sheridan. Also, because we were fortunate enough to live in a rare respite spot from the cicada invasion, and I wanted the kids to check them out. How cool is it to stumble on a giant hawk’s nest? Again, another totally free, fun, educational opportunity for the little ones in your life!

The Pool!

We on the North Shore are SO lucky to have park districts that really know how to do it right. Glenview’s outdoor pools are simply fantastic, and well worth the price of a season pass. I’m already counting the days…

And speaking of recreation…

If you’re looking for somewhere to live that has awesome recreational opportunities, the North Shore can’t be beat. In fact, Glenview is one of the few locales around to offer a U-5 soccer program for those little Beckhams. And I could post a gazillion pics of my kids at the Northbrook Ice Arena, but suffice it to say we spend a lot of time on the ice, and that rink is very nice and very warm. Skaters and hockey players on the North Shore aren’t lacking for a chance to skate.

That’s just a few of the many, many things you can do in the New Year - yes, we did venture out past our home turf - a lot - but I feel blessed to live somewhere that offers us the chance to not have to if we don’t want to.

This year? I’d like to check out the Skokie Lagoons more than we already have, get to Gillson Beach at least a few times, explore Skokie and Northfield’s Farmer’s Markets and start buying my coffee from Deerfield Bakery. I want to take advantage of Wilmette Theater’s children’s programming and catch a play at The Apple Tree for the hubby and me. Oh, I know I’ll think of more, and put together a much more impressive list, but for daydreamers, that’s not a bad start.

Technorati Tags: North Shore Chicago activities, North Shore Chicago recreation, Chicago Botanical Garden, Fort Sheridan, Glenview soccer, North Shore Chicago outdoor pools, Northwestern University Wildcats, North Shore Chicago youth hockey, North Shore Chicago ice skating, Northwestern University

Last call for fresh turkey at Foodstuffs!

If you’d like to get your hands on a scrumptious whole turkey or turkey breast for your holiday dinner, Foodstuffs is taking orders for local Harrison Poultry birds through Wednesday, December 19 - this week. Their price is $2.49 a pound for a whole bird (complete with pop-up timers!), or $4.49 a pound for breast meat. Pick up is scheduled for Christmas Eve, from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Foodstuffs is a gourmet wonderland, and during the holiday season, they offer all sorts of fabulous sides to make that meal perfect, and allow you to enjoy some the the holiday, too! And their cakes are killer - I just scarfed down a chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting. To.Die.For.

There’s four great locations on the North Shore:

Evanston:
2106 Central
847.328.7704

Glencoe:
338 Park Ave.
847.835.5105

Glenview:
1456 Waukegan Rd. (Carillon Square)
847.832.9999

Lake Forest:
255 Westminster
847.234.6600

Technorati Tags: Foodstuffs, North Shore Chicago catering, fresh turkey, Chicago holiday dinner catering, Evanston catering, Glencoe catering, Glenview catering, Lake Forest catering