Christmas in Chicago

Dad, me and mom at the Chicago Diner

All the gifts under my beautiful christmas tree (a pine tree branch door hanger set atop a candle holder n the middle of the dining table)

After church

White Christmas in Chicago

Handyman, Dad, keeping busy

Mom helpin prep Christmas dinner

Mom and I cooking

You know me....gotta take pictures of the food... Christmas Dinner

Cashew Cheeze Pesto with tomatoes and crackers

Awesomely colorful brussel sprouts and beets....so cool!

Yummy plate of greens, brussels sprouts, beets, dressing, potatoes, squash and mushroom gravy

Chocolate Chestnut Tart with Coconut Whip Cream

View of the city at dinner

Christmas portrait

Todd, me and Kiley

View from my bedroom on christmas night...you can kinda see the red and green spears on the Sears Tower

On Thursday my parents arrived on the train to visit me for the weekend; a very pleasant comfort for a heartfelt holiday. Their train was 4 hours late but it worked out perfectly for me to go pick them up from the station right after I got off work. We immediately drove up to a cool vegetarian diner up north of downtown to eat dinner. After a great meal in a funky atmosphere we dropped by my store to pick up some last minute groceries and to tour mom around since she hadn’t seen my workplace yet. Friday, I had to work a crazy day at the store, although it was quite enjoyable because of all the holiday excitement and change in tasks. We ran around picking up holiday dinner orders and helped all the last minute shoppers. The lines were huge and the aisles were packed; quite a site. While I worked, mom and dad enjoyed a day of shopping on the Magnificent Mile, walking around downtown and dropping by the Christkindle Markt before meeting me at Lou Malnati’s for an early Christmas Eve dinner of famous Chicago style pizza. We enjoyed our meal in the somewhat quiet restaurant before heading home for an hour and then off to candlelight church service. After church, we attempted to drive around Chicago to see some scenery but the snow and fog made it a little difficult. When we arrived back home, we changed into some comfy jammies and opened our Christmas gifts. Quite a different Christmas than what we are all used to but so thankful to be able to spend it with some family. Christmas day began with a little trip to the gym by my mom and myself before we started the dinner preparations. After working out, we made some coffee, had a little breakfast, made some family phone calls and began the cooking. The kitchen was in full function between the oven, stove, crockpot, and toaster oven. Dad helped out with a few handy man tasks around the house while we took over the kitchen. In the afternoon, my cousin Todd and his daughter Kiley came in from the suburbs to join us for dinner. We enjoyed our dinner, had a great visit, and then finished the evening with a movie and a skype date with Levi and his family. Like every other event or holiday these days, it flew by, just like that. This morning we walked to a diner for breakfast, visited with Sari and then it was back to the train for mom and dad and off to Montana. So happy they were here, and, as usual, it never gets any easier to go our separate ways. I’m so appreciative and very thankful for the effort put forth by my parents to visit, especially knowing the holiday circumstances. I know it isn’t always easy to know where I am or where I’ll be next but I’m always gonna be somewhere accessible. Thank you Mom and Dad! Love ya! Merry Christmas everyone! Wishing you many many blessings now and always.

ChristkindleMarkt Chicago

Me and friend Jamie

My Souvenir Gluehwein Mug

A couple nights ago I finally made it to the ChristkindleMarkt in downtown Chicago. It is an imitation of the WeinachtMarkt that originated in Germany and Alsace. They street markets associated with the celebration of Christmas during the four weeks of Advent where they sell crafts or handmade items such as nativity scenes, nutcrackers, toys, books, and ornaments; treats such as lebkuchen, gingerbread, and candied nuts; and you can enjoy German food such as bratwurst, sauerkraut, potato pancakes, and curry fries while drinking Gluehwein (hot mulled wine) or Eierpunsch (an egg-based warm alcoholic drink). If you look back on my blog last December you will read about me experiencing this for the first time but in the originating country of Germany. LOVE IT! Jamie and I went in the below zero weather and drank a little hot wine while walking around a little bit but spent most of time huddled in the big warming hut. Really glad that I finally made it up there before Christmas but it was also a bit heartwrenching at the same time. Seeing all the familiar treats, drinking the wine, and hearing bits of German being spoken tugged at my heart-strings as it reminded me of Germany and how I miss being there. Maybe one day I will make it to German WeinachtMarkt again. I’d say it’s a pretty good possibility ;)

Ethiopian

Tonight Sari and I went out for a Holiday dinner before she goes on vacation this week for a couple weeks. We decided to try an Ethiopian restaurant north of downtown in Uptown. It is only my second time eating it but I remember enjoying it not only because of the dishes but because of the eating experience. I got a vegetarian sampler with lentils, yellow peas, spinach, and beets/carrots. You eat it with your hands and can scoop it up into a spongy bread called Injera. It is a crepe-like flat bread. Most of it was delicious ;) A couple things had some spice in them that I couldn't quite figure out and wasn't too fond of. Still enjoyable.

Hanukkah Dinner #2

This is really my first experience being around such Jewish traditions. Growing up you just assume EVERYONE celebrates christmas. I guess I just have never been in a place so heavily populated but I love experiencing new cultures and traditions. Another check on the list of new things. Last night, I was invited to a belated Hanukkah dinner at Sari's dad's house with her family. Of course we had the traditional Potato Latkes in addition to a variety of other foods. I mixed up a big salad to contribute. We made the 45 minute drive up north through the crazy snowfall that the city was being hit by yesterday. Thankfully it wasn't as stormy in the suburbs. After dinner the candles on the menorah were lit as they sang a song in hebrew. Then the kids got to open all their gifts. It was fun to sit and watch. A great experience with a very welcoming family.

Hanukkah Dinner

The Menorah with the three candles lit

The potato sludge

Me fryin with the awesome wrench handle

Jamie throwin' em down

Cooking

The latkes....nice and greasy

Yesterday was Day Two of Hanukkah and what better to celebrate than with some Jewish friends and Potato Latkes. Last night my friend Jamie invited me over to a little dinner party with others to just hang out and make Traditional Potato Latkes. Latkes are traditionally eaten by Ashkenazi Jews and other people who are hungry during the Jewish Hanukkah festival. The oil for cooking the latkes is reminiscent of the oil from the Hanukkah story that kept the Second Temple of ancient Israel lit with a long-lasting flame that is celebrated as a miracle. (And let me just tell you, we used about 2/3 of a large bottle olive oil in making them. Jamie kept saying, “It’s all in the oil, it’s all in the oil.”) Potato latkes or pancakes are shallow-fried pancakes of grated potato, flour and egg, often flavored with grated onion or garlic and seasoning. They may be topped with a variety of condiments, ranging from the savory (such as sour cream) to the sweet (such as applesauce), or they may be served ungarnished.
When it comes to events of food culture and tradition, I get really excited cause I love it and nutrition gladly goes out the window for me. I was happy to attend, although it would have been a bit more enjoyable if I still wasn’t a little under the weather and my stomach a little sensitive. All that oil didn’t really agree with me later and I’m glad I passed on the wine because the combo would probably have been worse. My dad would have probably just told me to take a shot of blackberry brandy and it would all be good ;)
When I got there after work, Jamie and her boyfriend Eric had already shredded the batch of potatoes and mixed the ingredients. I took over frying which I haven’t done FOREVER. We were using all the tools in the kitchen including a big wrench since the pan we had didn’t have a handle. It was awesome ;) Three candles on the Menorah were lit as Jamie and Rachel sang a little prayer. Then we visited, ate latkes, had drinks (water for me) and I learned a few things about Jewish tradition, all the while, reeking of fried food ;)

An evening with the girls

The girls of the evening....Marlo, Ashley, Me and Jaclyn

Just like old times....now just a little older

Senior picture pose ;)

Jac and I

On the way out of the restuarant before the 'throw down'

Jaclyn tackling me in the snow

I then tackeled her after a quick ride the car and we made up

Taking down Ashley next

One more time in the deep stuff....snow angels

It just so happened that I wore clothes that the snow really stuck to

Sunday Jen, Tyce, and Teagan gave me a ride to Billings so that I could make my flight back to Chicago Monday morning. The great thing about flying in and out of Billings is that I get a chance to see a couple of my bestest buds from high school, Marlo and Ashley. It is great because although we may only see each other once or twice a year we always pick up where we left off and enjoy every minute of it even if it is only a short while. We spent the afternoon with all the kids and then were able to sneak away for a couple hours for a little girl time. Marlo, Ashely, Marlo's younger sister, Jaclyn and I went out to dinner and then had a little fun in the new EXTREME snowfall that Billing was getting that day. Before dinner we I had mentioned that we were going to make snow angels after dinner and no one opposed. Little did I know that when leaving the restaurant, Jaclyn give her camera to Ashley in order to capture herself tackling me to the ground. It started a fun domino of events in the snow. Marlo was luck that she had hurt her knee earlier that day falling in the snow and we were considerate enough not to cause her more injury. We were home early but it was a great time with close friends, in a familiar part of the country, visiting about new happenings and reminiscing about the old. I love and cherish forever friends.

Thanksgiving Weekend with Zach and Fam

Zach, Jen, Tate, Tycelee, and Teagan

The Puzzle

Tate, Tyce, Teagan and I

Teagan showing off evidence of her Tyce's secret tatoo parlor.....blame it on Auntie

The girls....Tyce, sister Jenny, Teagan, me, sister-in-law Jen, and Ainsley

Auntie and the kiddos....Teag, Tate, Ains, and Tyce

Me and smiley Ains

Despite the change in plans, I had a fun time with Zach and Jen and my neices and nephews. We played games, watch movies, made food, and visited. Very layed back. It was nice just to wear my sweats around and not have to really get ready for anything. I gave the kids their christmas presents early, so they had alot of fun trying them out. Tate learned the how to do Mad Libs and loved the funny stories they made while learning about adjectives and nouns. Tycelee and Teagan made cards for everyone with the card making kit. At one point while I was doing a little school work and Jen was painting, Tyce and Teagan decided to plaster themselves in the tatoos that auntie had provided. (They apparently did believe in saving some for later :) )

We also kept busy for a couple days on a very difficult puzzle that turned out to be quite addicting. It was left out and when ever we passed the table we could sit down and work on it a little bit. It was fun because we all pitched in and a couple times just Zach and I were sitting there working on it while the kids ran around the house.

On Saturday afternoon, Jenny, Brock and their daughter Ainsley drove through on their way to Boise. It was great to hangout with them for at least one night. I hadn't seen Ainsley since she was 2 months old so it was so fun to get to hold her, play with her and give her some lovins.

I love having a bunch of us in one house: playing games, running around, cooking, visiting, and just hanging out. Family time, much needed.