A Trip to The MCA

We took a family trip to the Museum of Contemporary Art over the holidays to see Bruce Mau's exhibit - Massive Change. Very interesting, thought provoking work.



This is a model of a genetically modified chicken. No feathers, so no plucking required.



Jack was mesmerized by the floor to ceiling images here.

Christmas 2006 (Pt. 2?)

These were photos taken with Grandma Lee's camera.

This was the meager assembly of gifts prior to the arrival of the evening's guests.


The "pile" had grown considerably by the time all had arrived.

Before we sat down for our Christmas Eve meal, we all attacked the gifts ...


Livy got so warm, Aunt Bee had to help her "strip" down for action.


Jack begins to attack the package which held his Thomas The Tank Engine play tent.


Grandma Lee watches the "unwrapping" with the joy of a mother and grandmother.


While Livy goes strong, Jack begins to "run out of gas" and needs the help of his mother to unwrap the various "Thomas" engines and cars from "Nana" and "Boom-pa".


This beautiful floral arrangement was a created by Bee and given as a gift to Lee.


And finally, while the president huddled in Crawford, TX with his advisers, chewing over the direction to take in Iraq, Gracie was enjoying a good chew on a Christmas gift toy image of "Dubya" himself. I hope his left leg ached him!!

Christmas 2006 (Pt. 1?)

There are probably a lot of pictures worthy of being posted, so I'll just post a few of mine. Lou may want to make a follow-up post with some that he took with his camera.

Christmas Eve 2006 was another fun night in Western Springs. Sarah, Tom, and Olivya were vising from Wisconsin, and Grandma Mary was back in town from visiting in California. Lou, Angela, and Jackson came from LaGrange and Leighton and Sabine came from Berwyn.


The Christmas tree hasn't had a haul like this under it in a while.


Livy and Jack hadn't seen each other in a while, so they got to hang out with the family.


We all got to open up our presents early this year, before dinner.


Then we all sat down to a meal of pierogies, fish, and potatoes that was, in Jack's words, "dee-licious."


We wrapped up the evening with a nice stroll through the neighborhood to see the decorated houses and luminaries lining the streets.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Christmas Dress Rehearsal 2006, Addendum 1

These were several photos taken by Grandma Lee's camera.


For me, it was great to have all six of us in one place at the same time, again.


To joke along the line of that famous commercial, "When Laura speaks ... "


"... Leighton listens!!"

Christmas Dress Rehearsal 2006

We had a nice little pre-christmas get-together in Western Springs. Larry, Jr. was in town from Marquette, MI and Laura was in from Vero Beach, FL. So on Sunday, 12/10 we had a mini early Christmas with all the kids together.


We got to enjoy a nice home-cooked meal.


We did a partial gift grab-bag swap for the ones who don't normally get to swap presents in person.


Even Jackson got to get in on the fun.


And best of all, all four kids got to be together for the first time in about a year.

New Family Member

In case you didn't hear, a very good friend of mine, Tom Bisping, passed away a month ago. Tom's family was unable to find anyone to take in his cat, Charlie, so Sabine and I have taken him in. We are in the process of getting him introduced to our cat, Skunk. He's a cute little guy, who's just a little bit freaked out at the change in homes. Here are a few pictures of him.