It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

The snow has fallen! The house is getting adorned with holiday cheer and family memories are sprinkled throughout the rooms. The tree is decorated now with family photographs and glass ball ornaments from the past. Here you see my dad, Elom Nelson, as a young man in his air force bomber jacket. To the right is John as a second grader with his blond hair. Okay, so I love to hunt for unique items in thrift stores...these "icicles" were found at Lamb's Farm and this year, they found their place hanging with IKEA snowflakes in the front picture window. With our recent snow overnight, they sparkle like the glistening snow outside. These two Carl Larsson kids remind me of my own two and how much they loved the snow when they were younger. John made amazing snow forts at the end of our driveway, and Anne always liked the "right" (read: must be pretty) snowsuit. It's fun to find vintage chandelier pieces to hang on the tree in the living room to look like icicles. Keep warm. Keep safe. Keep the wonder.

Ah...to be a Cat!

These are two recent photos of our cat, Marshmallow. She is now 16 years old and still amusing us! In her earlier life, she played right along with Anne and John...riding in the basket of a bike and dressing up in Cabbage Patch outfits. Now, she mostly likes to find interesting places to sleep and rest. She likes to cozy up in my work-in-progress quilts and just last week crawled inside this afghan by a book I had just finished reading, Artemis Fowl. This pose is just how I found her slumbering and I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a pic.

Sweet Home Chicago!

We had the opportunity to spend this past weekend in a very nice hotel right on the Magnificent Mile! Not only the excitement of that, but the city is alive with the pre-Christmas bustle and Mickey Mouse coming to light the trees along Michigan Avenue with much fanfare at the Light Festival Parade...which we saw and experienced firsthand with our immediate family! After a delicious meal at Bice, we walked over to State Street to see the windows in the place formerly known as Marshall Field's (don't get me started on this one!) and saw the Mary Poppins windows, then took the escalator all the way up to the Walnut Room to see the huge tree there designed by Vera Wang. Happy holidays to one and all!

I'm Thankful for my North Park Friends!

What a year it has been for our family! Lots of changes, and one very special addition...a son-in-law! But what hasn't changed is the love and gratitude I have for my friends from North Park: the Rholls, the Danz', and the Johnsons! Thanks to all of you for at least 33 years of friendship! (Okay, so Mark came along a little later and didn't go to NP, but three out of three sons did!! And Sue and I have been friends even longer that this!)

Reminds Me of Sweden

Today reminds me of late fall weather in Sweden...kind of gray, cloudy, with a chance of snow. We were there at about this time last fall visiting John at SVF for the Thanksgiving holiday. We had a wonderful time hanging out together taking multiple fika breaks, visiting nearby towns, walking around Jonkoping, visiting Kosta Boda, checking out Swedish thrift stores and "UUU-bay", eating and shopping at IKEA, having pizza at the Evergreen, meeting and spending time with Alex and his family as well as the students - Swedish and American - who were in John's program. Can I just say here, in this very public forum, how much I love and enjoy being with my family? They're the best!

They've Got my Vote

By this time in the election year, we have all had it with negative TV ads and persistent phone calls! So, here I give you two candidates I'd cast my votes for as cutest daddy and daughter. We are blessed to have Laena as our niece/God-daughter and Paul as brother/brother-in-law.

Great Concert!

Last night we attended the Gospel Choir concert at NP. It was rockin'! The singers filled the front of Anderson Chapel with their bodies and voices. And Rollo as leader is inspirational to watch as he directs the 150+ singers! Here are pictures of our son, John, with the choir, with his sister and the Johnson sisters, and with his brother-in-law and fellow singer, Paul. Great time!