kidding around

As I mentioned earlier today, we are having a very blustery day today in the Chicago area. In fact, when I was getting out of my car today the wind actually pushed me into the car. No joke and I don’t weigh 90 lbs- we all know that.

While Simon and I were walking to our car in the school parking lot, his fun turkey hat blew off! Instinctively I just started running after the crazy thing…I was laughing thinking that Ellie is probably smirking from her classroom or absolutely horrified. Here I am running around like a maniac, hair all over the place…Penny in one arm…my other arm wildly trying to catch the runaway paper turkey!

The photos below of my Si- acting a bit like a silly turkey…if there was audio to this, he would be telling you all “happy Thanksgiving”. I’m actually grateful that he has no school for the next 10 days.



Notice the snow on the deck…and yes, I noticed LA is 85 today. So all my friends and family in that area, there are parts of the country at the opposite end of the spectrum!

As I write, the weather has become frigid and snow is falling! This morning as I was rushing the kids into school, our faces had that plastered smile look on our face and our cheeks were rosy. Kind of odd to say, but there is something to say about living in the Midwest and the comaradity you share with those who HAVE to brave the cold. So- when I got home I immediately started my chicken stock for some good tortilla soup tonight.

Below are my stockings I have been working on. It really hasn’t involved a lot of time, just time to do it! As I began to figure out the design and all the possibilities, I discovered there were too many options. I decided to limit my fabric selection and design to very simple creations. I like the outcome. After each completed project I always learn something new about myself or a trait is confirmed. I discovered…I am NOT a perfectionist, I love simplicity, I like to create things that my kids will hopefully treasure, I have a love/hate relationship with my sewing machine (I prefer to handstitch).

I am so happy to have a new image on my blog. I am such a visual person and lately my camera trouble has really brought me down. I now have had to resort back to our digital video camera and with the lack of sun- my images may be more infrequent. So, maybe if I hint enough I will get my own camera for Christmas and hey, my birthday is 3 weeks later so maybe I can get a REALLY nice camera and call it a holiday!

I need help.

I am determined to get a lot of my Christmas shopping done in the next 5 days. I don’t have A LOT and want to be done before December so I can enjoy my family and I anticipate in being incredibly busy with work (what’s Christmas without cookies, right?) by the way, check out my sister/bro.-in-laws new website: moveablefeastgeneva.com (sorry for the lack of link…I’m lazy).

Anyway, Simon REALLY wants a remote controlled robot and I need help. If anyone reading this has any suggestions please advice. He also want a rocket, but I would prefer NOT to be changing batteries every other day.

Also, I think Ellie would enjoy a sewing machine. She is 7 and is artistic/creative/ I bought her a vintage styled children’s Singer machine last year, but it was an expensive piece of Ebay crap. I think an inexpensive, basic machine would be fine…any opinions?

Fortunately my 2 older kids ages are very happy to please. Give them a stack of paper and crayons and they are ecstatic. But at Christmas, I do like to indulge them a bit…and anything that helps us get through the winter duldrums and I say it is a good investment.

Checking in for now…

Kids-
Love all 3. They are so perfect in their odd, fighting and grumpy ways! I am forever humbled that I have my children and that they teach me so much.

Simon and I have had some rough words and I am trying to figure out how to “handle” a 4 1/2 year old. He is my sweet, emotional son and I am at times boggled with the words he uses when speaking to me. But, after we had a tense time before bed last night, and I admit, I lost my patience…he reminded me that everyone has God in them and that when we hurt one another with words/tones of voices we are hurting Him as well. Good reminder for me, and hopefully he will be reminded as well. Simon is an incredibly intuitive boy and I am so grateful for him. I look forward to see what becomes of him. On a side note, he is obsessed with Go Fish- I love watching his face light up while playing…this game has struck an enthusiasm that is hard for him to contain.

Ellie is a busy reader. She is just crazy for “Ramona” books and her nose is always in a book. I love her and I am so tempted to take her out of school and homeschool her again. She is so full of ideas, creativity and joy. I need her energy during these winter months!

Penelope is now 19 months and such a KID! She is so busy ALL of the TIME and is talking more. She has now given Nathan the name, “Pie Pie”- funny since it is a mixture of Ellie calling him “Poppy” and Simon calling him “Chai Chai”.

Craftiness-
I have about 4 projects going right now. Presently my family’s stockings are getting me all jazzed. I am hoping to finish them today to post tomorrow or so…

Weekend-

This weekend was full of all sorts of stories and emotions, but I will have to restrain myself for a few more days. Sorry for the ambiguity of the above statement…maybe it’s a tease? be sure to check in next week.

Since my last post was reflecting on 19 years ago, I thought I would go along with the theme of time. I discovered these photos on our computer awhile back (they were stored before I was even interested in this sort of stuff). They were taken while Nathan’s parents were visiting us from the Philippines.

I can’t believe this was my life “pre- 3 kids”, “pre-Penny”, “pre- our family is complete”! It’s hard for me to imagine life with just 2 clowns.

This was taken when Ellie actually would hug and kiss her brother without a reward.

The kids and me with my mother-in-law at the Shedd Aquarium. Penelope is obviously making her existence well known.

I love this shot of the kids. They are forever playing with their Magna Doodles. This is a portrait of Lola…Nathan’s mom. I think great work for a 5 year old.

Nineteen years ago today, my mom, sister and I were traveling from Pittsburgh,PA to Naperville, Il.This was not a visit- my parents decided to move. I remember feeling so physically ill that I could not even see past to the next day. Along the road my mom said “a penny for your thoughts”…boy did I have some thoughts and they would have put me in trouble!

The only positive thing to this whole big idea my dear parents had was that we would be near to my oldest sister. So we pulled up to our home with my dad and sister to greet us. We had to leave out Beagle back in Pittsburgh so our family was very incomplete.

As my sister Susan and started to explore the area, we began to think we had moved to farm country. Everything was SO flat, gray, cold, windy, and farms all around (now, unfortunately those farms are malls and car showcases). I had never been more sick that school year…in fact, I faked sick more than you can imagine. I remember my plan was to miss at least one day, preferably around the weekend.

Obviously as time went on, we slowly adjusted to life outside of Chicago, but it was never easy. Pittsburgh was the only home I knew and I so desperately wanted to go back.

After high school I decided to get out of the midwest completely. My parents were kind enough to let me go to California. I stayed for 9 years and loved it…but, Chicago began to tug at me. I guess having a child made me want my parents to be more around (Nathan’s are overseas). When we finally made it to Chicago and Nathan got a good job teaching art and I had a job with my sister…that sick feeling took over again! Poor Chicago, I really do love you…we just had a rocky start.

So now, when people ask, “where are you from?”, I have no clear answer. For so long my heart was in Pennsylvania then California…but I live in Chicago…at least my kids will hopefully have a more clear answer! Looking back I am so happy I had all these changes and adjustments…they contribute to who I am and the yearning to explore more…who knows, 5 years from now I may be writing from across the world!

Things that I love about my home (present one!)

My parents can see my kids often

I work for my sister and her husband’s successful catering business

The change of seasons

The museums/culture in Chicago

The many prairie paths, forest preserves, and farms

Very friendly people

Great restaurants

Illinois is more centrally located to family than Cali.

Our Parish (St. Joseph Orthodox Church)

Hey, I could go on…that’s good!

We have really had a pretty decent Fall. Since we were seeing drought conditions this summer, everyone was assuming that our Fall would fizzle. But, that is not the case! We have had warm weather, pretty colors and just the right amount of dreary days (not too many.).

This past weekend, we had a few rain storms with some wind which knocked a bunch of leaves into our yard. I think it is so beautiful and the sweet smell of leaves is intoxicating. It smells like a perpetual pancake in our front yard. The kids and I have had a lot of fun making piles, jumping in them and having “leaf fights”. Too soon there will be snow and I won’t be up for trudging around. I don’t know, if there is no hill in your yard why be out there? Especially in Chicago where it can get pretty bitter.

Our tree from the perspective of our front door.

Pumpkins from our patch in action. I have filled the rest of our window boxes with our pumpkins. And used the remaining to create topiaries for either side of our front door. We harvested about 12 pumpkins. The kids and I had fun cutting them from their vines and carrying them to the front yard.

On Saturday, my 2 sets of visitors converged at the Kane County Flea Market. This market is pretty good and very close by my house, so it makes a nice Satuday/Sunday afternoon. It meets all year long (rain, snow, sun, chilly, hot), I’m not sure if there are too many people outside under the big shelters in January…I’ll need to check that out this winter. Anyway, most of the vendors carry antiques, “vintage” (an overused word) everything, and basic junk. I LOVE it. But while poking through the market, I couldn’t help but think about my tried and true Thrift store. That place is really THE place to be…so glad none of you live me near me, I’d have some competition.

It was especially fun because Ellie came along and had $1.25 burning in her pocket. She had a witty perspective on everything from a $250 children’s tea set to some tacky purses.

So the above image was my only find. after purchasing these sweet tea cups and saucers ($1 a pair), I have concluded that collecting such objects might be fun. I just need to make sure Penny doesn’t get a hold of them. I actually have found a few children’s cups and saucers at my favorite place, but have decided to wait. What will Nathan get me for Christmas if I buy everything…HINT HINT.

So after our trip to the Flea Market, I had to take Shannon to my store. Below are my finds…

Shannon actually surprised me with this. I pointed it out to her, but decided to restrain myself. Remember, I have to give Nathan something to buy me! BUT, I was very happy to see it appear on my kitchen table on Monday morning.
She was sly!

Every girl needs a sailor dress some time in her childhood. I just happened to find the best one and yep, $1.50 was the price. Unfortunately I have to wait until Penny is 4 or 5. I know that will come all too quick.

Fun scarves for a total of 32 cents. I especially love the dotted one…the holly I think will look cute as part of a Christmas wrapping or something.

This well made patchwork quilt made Simon’s eyes sparkle! It’s colorful and HUGE…Si loves to make hide outs and roll around in blankets…forget the legos, give him blankets. Well this one is great and 100% polyester…don’t get close to any flames!

I visited my favorite shop on Sunday again, but with my sister Kim. She needs some furniture for their new office space and so we had fun finding some great pieces. I loved introducing her to the place and only did because if she is there, she needs to come see us since we are 2 blocks away OR she needs to invite me to go with her!

We all had so much fun seeing this little girl over the weekend! It was the first meeting for Penelope and Nathan and they fell in love with her immediately. The only thing missing was seeing her big brothers and Dad-

On a side note- I had an aggravating relationship with the camera this weekend and didn’t shoot as much. I’m glad that these images at least survived.

I am just about to scramble out the door to pick up our good friends up at the airport. They are flying in from San Antonio with their daughter and we are all eager to have them stay! Since moving back to the Chicago area from California (they are from there too!), we haven’t made the kind of friendships we made while in college. Life just gets busy and when you throw in 3 kids, socializiing doesn’t always happen. Often I just want to be alone!

We plan to visit the city, hang out, eat great food, drink great wine, go the Kane County Flea Market (Shannon and I), brew beer (Nathan and Ben), and basically show them our lives. Perhaps scare them from having any more kids!

I also am excited for my sister and Jane’s visit. They fly in tomorrow and I get to pick them up! 2 trips to Midway in less than 24 hours. I love it, really, I do. I love the anticipation of guests! I can’t wait to see Lulu. Nathan, Penny and Matt (my bro.-in-law) have not met her yet, so there is much anticipation. My attention will be divided, but that’s fine.

By the way, the above photo is from Si’s room. I snatched these pretty vases at my favorite thrift store. I love the colors. Now all we need are our guests. And yes, that babe is Simon at 4 months. Times slips by so quickly.

I won’t be writing until next week, but you can be sure there will be lots of photos and stories. See ya.