INTRODUCING MS ISLA JO

Ms Isla Jo is my first Grand-baby, born to my son Jonathan and his wife Callie on July 5th 2010!! SO, now that I'm a Grandma, I have to come up with a name for her to call me. Some being bantered around are Grammy, Nana, or Grannie!

My first job is to brag!! I'm having a little book made so I can show people who want to see pics of her AND even those who don't (ha ha!) I'm going to put some on here so you can enjoy them

8/23/13. Update My name is AmmaB.  Callie's sister came up with it and I love it...very unique
Don't you think?!

My Sister, Marcia, came up in April and we went to THE SEARS TOWER LEDGE!

MARCIA'S VISIT August 2009 MISC.

It's amazing how much we did in spite of our trip and my teaching.


We ate out a lot! Christie treated us to brunch at Mill Race Inn very close to where she lives in St Charles. It was pouring rain, but we had a window seat and it was kinda cool!



We met my friend and piano student Peggy at Village Links Golf Course for lunch.




Marcia at Wheaton Bible Church


Wheaton Bible Church



Barb getting coffee


Marcia in Church



After church one Sunday, we went to Houlihan's, one of my favorites! I got Stuffed Mushrooms - stuffed with cream cheese - ooo ooo, so scrumptuous, but not my sister's favorite. She got a steak salad








One major event was the wedding of Michael and Julie. Julie was Christie's roomate and Christie was in the wedding. The wedding was at our church.

Julie's Dad giving her away -- I love this picture -- you can see Michael in between them grinning away!

Julie and Michael saying vows



Julie and Michael saying vows





Julie and Michael outside of church


Christie and Julie outside of church



The reception at Prairie Landing Golf Club in West Chicago


The room was beautiful.


The night started out with a cheese/fruit/cracker buffet.


Dinner started out with a salad, very unique and delicious


Main meal, Chicken or Steak


Cake

Michael and Julie cutting cake




GREAT PIC OF ALL 5 of my kids



Barb and Marcia


CHRISTIE!

















Christie and Nickie

Jonathan and Callie

Nickie and David

































The day after the wedding, we all got together and had pizza!



My sister helped me with a bunch of things while here.
One was to help me organize my dining room closet. AND, when I say organize I DO MEAN ORGANIZE. We went to the Dollar Tree and got all kinds of baskets and containers. And, then came the job of tossing, tossing, tossing. She was really tough on me and made me get rid of bags of stuff I hadn't used. I have to admit it feels great to have less....as they say.....less is more. Here's the result.




She sewed a whole basket full of of things to be mending, helped me organize the kitchen cabinets with baskets and cute new things:

My new MAN!

and new toaster oven


My TV was acting up and we couldn't get proper reception.
Here we are trying to fix it.
I hope you're beginning to see how much fun we had!!

Marcia working with tin foil






Barb working in the upper stratosphere

Jonathan fixed this for me by attaching a cable to the antenna on the roof.




Then we tackled the shed!

Exhausted Marcia



I didn't get to do any gardening these three weeks, but everything thrived!


THANK YOU MARCIA!

MY SISTER COMES A CALLING! NAVY PIER AUGUST 2009

The highlight of my Summer was a visit from my Sister who lives in Florida. We planned to go to Navy Pier (I knew she would love that!) visit relatives in Iowa we've not seen in a long while, and going to Wisconsin to see three towns we use to live in: Racine, Whitewater and Franksville.


We took the train to Chicago and a Taxi to Navy Pier - luxury to the fullest for us!
We walked through Crystal Gardens first. and then did some sightseeing. Marcia was enthralled with the buildings in Chicago so we had pictures taken with the City in the background.









Marcia had to put up with my need for a coffee break!
































As part of a 3 event package deal we got on line, we had reservations at the RIVA restaurant. a show: CIRQUE de SHANGHAI , a BOAT CRUISE and a ride on the FERRIS WHEEL!

Here we are at Riva's Restaurant. We got great seats with a great view. We took our time over a delicious lunch.>





While we were there, Jonathan called and wanted us to join him and Callie and her family on the beach to watch the Air and Water Show. Marcia got some awesome pics.




We couldn't believe we found him and this was done all through our cell phones!










Callie, Jonathan and Barb



MARCIA on the BEACH






Here are some pics of the Air and Water Show with the Blue Angels!

























NEXT WE WENT TO CIRQUE de SHANGHAI an amazing Chinese entertainment with skills around: Hoop divers, plate spinners, chair climbers, hat jugglers and unitard-clad creatures in inner tubes bouncing and rolling in ways that seem to defy more than a few fundamental laws of physics!







BALL BALANCING ACT





KEEPING the BALLS in MOTION






AND.......


BALANCING ON CHAIRS







THEY ALL LAND ON THEIR FEET!






NEXT WE HAD TO RUSH TO MAKE OUR BOAT CRUISE and WE WERE SO GLAD WE DIDN'T MISS IT. THE NIGHT WAS CALM, WARM AND THE SKY BEAUTIFUL! IT WAS A DUSK CRUISE so we got one for 45 MINUTES INSTEAD OF 30 MINUTES.







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NOW TO CATCH OUR TRAIN BACK TO GLEN ELLYN, WE HAVE 2 HOURS TO GO ON THE FERRIS WHEEL, STOP AT BUBBA GUMPS and GET A CAB BACK!








THIS WHOLE DAY WAS PHENOMENAL BUT I DO THINK THE TIME AT BUBBA GUMPS WAS A HIGHLIGHT FOR MARCIA!!! THEIR WHOLE FAMILY LOVES THIS PLACE and SHE FOUND A T SHIRT FOR BOB. THEY TOLD US WE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT ABOUT 45 MINUTES TO GET DESSERT AND WE COULDN"T OR WE WOULD MISS OUR TRAIN. WHILE SHE WAS LOOKING FOR THE T SHIRT, THEY TOLD US A TABLE HAD OPENED UP. WE ORDERED THE HOT COOKIE SUNDAE AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS WAS THE BEST DESSERT I HAVE EVER HAD! THE HOT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE COVERED THE WHOLE BOTTOM OF THE PAN WITH TWO HUGE SCOOPS OF VANILLA ICE CREAM ON TOP DRIZZLED WITH CHOCOLATE SYRUP AND WHIPPED CREAM ON TOP!

WHAT A GREAT WAY TO END THE DAY!