whatever

for lorel.

last week was parent’s night at church for jr.high youth group.
they are nuts.
during the singing they are jumping up and down
and yelling and body slamming.
just like it’s supposed to be.

jim is our church’s youth pastor.
what a calling it is.
it has to be.
if you feel comfortable & willing to spend hours and weeks
and years serving and teaching this age group….
it has to be from God.
and i am so glad.
they need it.
they need someone to listen.
someone to talk to to who can build them up, set an example,
have fun and let them be crazy.
jim is focusing on a theme of
Don’t Waste Your Life.
sounds like good advice to me.
i am so thankful for jim…and our church…and how kids are important there.

i love chicago.
i think i do because i feel like i know where i am going…
most of the time.
it’s full.
full of people and life and noise and action.
i love the shopping.
i was loving the no kids factor.
oh how i miss walking into pottery barn or crate & barrell
whenever i felt the need.

the apple store was so cool.
it’s just tables & tables of all their products
and you can try everything out.
then upstairs there was a theater where a tech guy stands all day and gives talks on iProducts…everything they do. i think if craig got in that store we would never get him out of that theater.
standing there about 2 minutes i learned 2 new things about my own computer.
very cool place.

everywhere you look there are flowers.
in the city.
they make you stop and take notice…
it’s such a different setting than a yard or park.

and i am in love with cloud gate sculpture.
my sister pointed out how cool it would be to be here in different weather.
why didn’t we go back at night?!!
i regret that.
i could spend a lot of time here.
it’s a camera lover’s dream.

my sister & i went to the art institute.
i had never been.
just never did it.
all the paintings you’ve seen in books in real life.
it’s strange.
and now for my ode to ferris bueller.

kind of sad really that i’m in the art institute and i kept thinking of movies!
that’s just me.
i can memorize movie lines
and i love watching the same movies over and over.

we had a wonderful time just hanging around chicago.
i never saw any of my IL. friends or even talked to them!
but there just wasn’t time.
we were having too much fun to even take a break.
it was good to be back.

the trip home was longer than we cared for…
but pretty.

and then when i drove home at 7:00 am monday morning…
even prettier.
it was so perfectly kansas
and felt so much like home.

this past weekend i got to go back to chicago
for my cousin’s wedding.
i haven’t seen him in at least 5 years.
and i have never seen him look happier.
he married an amazing woman.

this picture went all glowy from the lighting…
but look at this room.
“isn’t it beautiful?”
it was.

and she was.
wow.
i could’ve maybe worn a dress like that back in 6th grade…
she’s so tiny and cute.
gorgeous.

watching them through their wedding was just adorable.
they must have whispered “i love you” 25 times.
and her smile is so genuine and sincere.

officially mr. and mrs.
way to go!
you did it.

it was across the street from the art institute on michigan ave.
these are the lions that greet you.
way cool to be here for a wedding.

i absolutely loved getting all dressed up.

this is my other grandma.
not the exercise ball grandma…but just as sweet.
she is such an elegant lady.
always dressed up no matter what.
she told me she misses wearing high heels so much.
“the shoes were my thing!” she said.
and she laughs so easily.
i am so glad she was able to make to chicago…
and to be there for brian.
she even listened to mom’s iPod on the plane…

and my sister lorel…
isn’t she wonderful?
isn’t she beautiful?
i salute you.
what a great time we had together this weekend!

wait…how did this picture get in here?

my mom and aunt jan.
they were party animals…
dancing on the tables…lampshade on the head.
oh…i hope their co-workers don’t read my blog…
how embarrassing for them.

me and my mom and sister…
our dad is tall.

all the cousins.
all grown up.
and our new cousin julie.
congratulations brian and julie.
thank you for including me in your special day.
i had so much fun.

more chicago girl’s weekend photos to come.

i am off to chicago for a wedding.
see you all next week!

this is the girls and friends at lauren’s volleyball game.
it was hot.

they are together everyday.
they share a room.
they share their toys.

it’s not always sweet but usually.
talby has taken on the role of teacher.
she shows annie what to do.
she encourages her to try new things.
she teaches her songs.

annie is so happy to included.
but wants it to be equal…”i not a baby!”
yet she still needs help.
and talby gives it willingly.

they are so much fun to be with.
to hear them talk to each other…
watch talby be patient…
see them giggle and be goofy.
very few people can understand annie’s words…but talby can.
i pray that this bond gets stronger.
it is so real and genuine.

yesterday annie said “talby my best friend.”
it was precious.
and when i told talby she was beaming.

i am so glad i get to be their mom.

last week i took talby to the nursery while annie was at school.
it was a last minute thing.
i didn’t have my camera.
i seriously felt sick about it.
and you can see why.
4 days later i took annie back when talby was at school.

it was even better.
on talby’s day the pumpkins were still in boxes from the truck.
on annie’s day they were so displayed so beautifully.
it was just so pretty.
with both girls we spent over an hour each time
looking…
touching…
marveling at god’s creations.

there were so many mums just waiting to pop!
all the mounds of flowers everywhere around us.
in every fall color.
the pumpkins were in all shapes and sizes.
i wanted this big one but couldn’t justify the cost.

annie picked out this little one first thing.
she carried it the whole time.
she loved to feel each one especially the big bumpy ones.
we counted and stacked and rolled and compared pumpkins.
they had gray/blue, some were almost brown, almost red,
almost yellow and the white.
one variety is called the cinderella…how cute is that?
and then another is called hubba hubba.
it is so funny to hear annie say hubba hubba.
don’t you love the twisty twirly dried up vine?

isn’t it mysterious how plants grow?
fascinating to me.
we bought 2 purple mums…i hope.
we’ll see when they open.

if i had an extra $750…
i might buy this fountain.
(and then craig would have a stroke and i’d have to return it.)
it was pretty neat…complete with moss.
i bet that part is free.
and this statue…look like any one to you?

it was such a wonderful way to spend a morning.
twice.
we came home with these baby pumpkins…
as much as her dress could hold.

welcome fall.