Julmarknad

I'm the eldest daughter in my family and so growing up I would get to be St. Lucia (the times we celebrated this way) and on Christmas morning would wake everyone up wearing a wreath of candles on my head and serve hot cinnamon rolls. I thought it would be cool to have my own children become acquainted with some of the traditions of their heritage and took them to a Swedish Christmas celebration (and bazaar--Julmarknad.)

Messterpiece

Beau went with some buddies to an art studio, where they could go into a music studio and jam to some music on DRUMS FILLED WITH PAINT!  They also did science projects, cooked, and created loads of artwork. 



This makes me laugh because Beau is standing at the bottom of a slope--and he still kinda dwarfs his friends.  We have created a very large child!  One who would still very much love to be carried and sit in my lap all the time.  My sweet big boy.

Beau's Friend the Mayor

Don't Throw Tantrums

We went with friends to the Parade of Lights in Chicago.  It's a pretty cool parade, Mickey rides high on his carriage and waves his wand to turn on Christmas lights all over the Magnificient Mile.
But it was so packed that

Don't be jealous... :)

 The past few weeks have been filled with sunny days and high 70's/low 80's weather.  We know it won't last so we're determined to live it up!

Fire Station Tour with friends.

Easter

PART I: Bunny stuff

Egg Hunt at church.
This image actually captured a hilarious moment.  Despite pleas and encouragement,
Button put her foot down and refused to pick-up (or accept) a single egg during the
hunt.  When we got to the car to go home, she became very upset.  We convinced
Beau  to give her his basket.  Here he is SO proud of himself for doing a good deed as
she immediately assumes ownership, motioning "don't you dare come near my eggs!"
Her spunkiness makes us laugh so hard!!  How we love our little children!

Beach Bums

Little Chicagoans

St. Patrick's Day Parade

The slightest movement and her whole head will disappear into the hat.
(How cute is she?)

Snowmageddon II?

Naaaah.

While I think it's been a disaster for the road service crew, from our perspective, it's just been a bunch of snow.  Our apartment is toasty.  We've never lost the internet, phone or tv.  Our fridge and pantry are stuffed.  (Not at all like last February in Virginia when we went days without heat or a means of communication. And the city was not equipped for snow removal whatsoever.)  Since we travel by foot regardless we were not cut-off from the grocery store or even play dates.  And school/mid-terms/interviews for Dustinn never slowed to catch a breath.  

The saddest part of the storm was that hundreds of commuters on Lake Shore Drive got caught in the blizzard and had to abandon their cars and get to safety (see video).
There were also whiteout conditions (lack of visibility; losing orientation in storm) and 18-foot waves.  (We did walk to the beach last night and saw something very cool--waves frozen mid-cusp.)

And, yes, we must carry a snow curse.  Virginia's storm was the worst in snowstorm in 90 years.  Then we move to Chicago and this storm ranked #3 of all time.  Our location just happened to coincide with the nucleus of both blizzards.
And neither blizzard compares to danger and panic caused by an earthquake when I was a little girl in San Francisco...and, well (totally switching gears) it has made us grateful that there is a prophet of God on earth, who speaks with God and gives divine guidance such as having our houses in order and food storage but also warnings to safeguard our families spiritually.

Thank you thoughtful friends (Brant, Julie, EC, Amber) that have warned us and checked in on us.