The Family Bash

Four dalmations, Cruella DeVille, Tigger and tiny tiger, a Nebraska corn husk, a cowboy, Elsa and Minnie all attended our annual family brunch at the City Nest.

They humor me so much and I thank them for that!

This year the brunch included mummified hot dogs (with raisin eyes).

And mini clementine "pumpkins" with other fruits to be dipped in a cream cheese-based dip.

We needed all the leaves in our table to seat this group.

It was one boisterous brunch! Bingo, an eyeball game (ping pong balls) and a two spooky stories next.

And then we got ready for a walk into Lincoln Square for a bit of Trick or Treating.

We lucked out with a really nice day!

The three oldest had a blast getting candy, and the two youngest had their first experiences 

with a bag and candy finding each other.

Wishing you the sweetness of this day however you celebrate today!

H. A. P. P  Y.    H. A. L. L. O. W. E. E. N.   

Is it Really Over? (Summer 2016 Highlights)

Outdoor concerts. Birthday parties. A sweet wedding. Family visits. Trips to the cabin. Touring a Viking ship. Seeing a friend in his acting debut. A visit to Pictured Rocks. Celebrating our 40th with our "kids." Gardens. Parks. Ice cream. Home projects.

It's been great!

CABIN TIME

North Woods dock action---before and after replacement, thanks to Paul.

BIRTHDAYS:

Carter is one!

Harper is one!

Kaden is three!

(Not to mention the five grown-ups featured in the last blog.)

WEDDING:

Congrats, K and M!!

FAMILY VISITS:

Linnea from Colorado.

Becca and Derek from Massachusetts.

Lindahl siblings from Texas and Michigan and their families.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

Way to steal the show as a rabbi, Mark!

THE DRAKEN VIKING SHIP COMES TO CHICAGO:

PICTURED ROCKS:

This panorama cracks me up...yep the alien is yours truly!

We loved being with Marny and Tracy there!

DINING AND PAINTING FOR OUR FORTIETH:

GARDENS:

ICE CREAM:

Oh my goodness, it really has been fun and I 

DON'T WANT IT TO BE OVER!!! 

I hope you and yours had a great summer, too!

Adding Color(ing) to a Christmas Gathering

Whew! It's been a whirlwind of Christmas these days, and it has been wonderful. But not exactly restful. You know what I'm talking about here, don't you? Not only did we enjoy the 24th and 25th with our immediate family - especially in our "Biggety Bed" set up in Wes's home office with the Grands singing away in the early morning hours with an ever- changing cast of little characters  - we enjoyed a FULL house! Congrats to our kids for surviving this 24 hour togetherness!!

(The quilt shown here was made in 1976 as a wedding gift to Wes. It used scraps from those groovy fashions I sewed for myself in high school and college. Far out, huh?  But I digress.  This post is supposed to be about coloring, not colorful.)

I purchased a couple of coloring books at Walmart back in November, hoping to get a little down time to color a festive picture.  Didn't happen.  I hoped to bring the books out when we had our 24 hours of 

Family Togetherness.  Didn't happen. Post - Christmas we had a larger family gathering in Michigan and I packed the books and markers along just in case...and it did happen!

First it was Miss E, Miss M and K-Man with me. He left and we were joined by Grace. Then Laena.

Then Anne. Then Renee.

And then it happened. The realization that all this hype about adult coloring does bring you calm. We chatted and got to know each other better. We relaxed. We exercised our brains with color combinations and patterns.  We oohed and ahead about each other's work. We didn't need to have more food. We were being fed morsels of fellowship and love. All through the simple act of coloring!

May today bring color you way!  Any way you can get it. 

Perhaps even a trip out to buy your very own 

coloring book to bring on the post- holiday calm through

marker on paper! It works if you just make it happen.