OK, so, not that we remember but other stuff happened last weekend besides an amazing Packers win.

I knew it would be a crazy weekend (Sunday) so I made the choice to lay low on Friday night. Had a couple glasses of wine and, I'm sorry to admit to you, I caught up on "Jersey Shore." That's one of the best ways to remind myself that my life is not nearly as dysfunctional as it could be.

Saturday, however, was a different story. After a few hours scouring the sales racks trying to find "the perfect outfit," enjoying a latte from Alterra and, as usual frantically trying to get ready by the time I promised I would be, I was finally out the door. As a side note, boys will never understand what women go through trying to look perfect, and for who? The same guys barking at us to "hurry up!" Give us a break guys, even Kim Kardashian doesn't wake up with her hair done.

So it was off to Chicago to the Winter Wonder Bash benefit supporting Cystic Fibrosis research for a cure. We (my best friend, her husband and their pooch, Max, and I) passed up an opportunity to hit up the Mars Cheese Castle, a favorite spot, with great bloodies and arguably the best bar munchies for miles around. We were in a hurry so the Castle will have to wait till next trip. We made it to "The Windy City" just in time to meet up with another of my favorite couples at their apartment on the North Side, have a glass of wine and head out again, this time to the South Side.

The Bash took place at St. Laurence High School, with cold beer, good Chicago food, a raffle and live entertainment, and all for the price of an admission ticket. The guest of honor, an adorable girl with never ending energy, reminded us all that there are more important things in life than football.

I was surrounded by Bears fans, but the teasing and game talk was all in good fun. We all agreed, "may the best team win," and what do ya know, they did! The band was excellent (I'm biased. My boyfriend is a guitarist in the band and I…

The flu I had all last week decided it wasn't done with me and came back with a vengeance on Friday evening.

I was supposed to head to a friend's birthday party at Spin, but it was taking all my energy just to attempt to make myself presentable and less "boogery." I did make it to the party, but after four large glasses of ice water and a handful of coughing fits I knew it was time for me to stop spreading the pandemic and head home.

Spin is such a great people watching spot it was hard to walk away from the action, but a very necessary choice. I had been planning a big thirtieth birthday party for my boyfriend the following night and there was no way I was going to miss it stuck at home in a Nyquil haze and Kleenex shoved up my nose.

The next morning I woke up ready to get tons of stuff done to finalize the party details. I had some surprises up my sleeve and I'd already decided that even if nothing went as planned, the point was to have fun. I got less done than planned but that's often the case on Saturday afternoons. The time just slips by on weekends faster than it does on weekdays. Decorations, check. Food ordered, check. Surprise slide show of embarrassing pictures from his childhood, check.

The party kicked off at 7:30 in the downstairs lounge at Karma, 600 E. Ogden Ave. I always find it a little daunting to plan parties because, of course, the worst fear of any party planner is the whole thing is a flop and you disappoint the person you threw it for. Luckily that wasn't the case. Everyone seemed to have a great time and the staff at the bar was great and really helpful.

Steve, the manager, had called me earlier in the week and assured me everything would be set and ready by party time. I'd pre-ordered a bunch of appetizers for everyone but I didn't have time to eat any of them so I can't tell you how they were. By the time the party started to empty out there was nothing left over but a few straggler wings so it must've been good.

I love hosting event…

As I get older, New Year's Eve seems to have less and less of a draw. It's a magical holiday filled with expectations and anticipation, whether it's who you're going to kiss at midnight or what the New Year will hold. But the actual event of finding something really crazy, fun, and over- the-top to do usually doesn't live up to the suspense.

This year I went with a group of friends to Turner Hall for a '70s funk party. We'd discussed dressing up in our best disco get-ups but, in the end, opted for more modern party outfits. Getting cabs down there was a breeze. The party, on the other hand, wasn't really what we expected.

The music wasn't the "Get Down, Get Down" we anticipated and, in the background on the humongous big screen, they were playing a bizarre mash up of clips from orgies, burlesque dancers putting on lipstick and, I think, a few car accidents. I began to forget I was at Turner Hall and started to think I was living in A Clockwork Orange.

We left and headed to McGillycuddy's where I came to realize I have grown up a little. The majority of the girls on Water Street were of college age, of course, and most of them made the classic college girl mistake of leaving their coats at home so they wouldn't bog down their skanky outfits with something sensible.

Of course, the minute the bars let out it was impossible to get a cab, and unlike at 10 p.m. when we'd left the house, it was now bitterly cold and windy out. We walked along Water Street begging for cabs to stop for us. I think I was delirious from the cold. I actually found myself clicking my glittery heels together and repeating, "There's no place like home, there's no place like home!" I'm not positive it had anything to do with a little Oz magic but after about the fiftieth time I said it, a cab pulled up and rescued us. Hello 2011! If I had it to do over, I would've made other plans.

The next morning, I was sure my guy pals would come to their senses and decide not to go through with the Polar P…