A Vacation Alphabet - Part 4

J is for Journey Companion
A long road trip can be a good test of just how well two people get along. Our drive to Colorado and back was the longest road trip Travis and I have taken together, and I just have to say, there's nothing quite as sweet as having the perfect companion for the journey. Not that either of us are perfect (far from it!), but our vacation this summer was just one more compelling illustration of how we are perfect for each other. Love you, hubs.

K is for Kaleidoscope

That's what this sculpture reminded me of as I gazed up at it, squinting against the strong Colorado sun.

L is for Landmark (and the obligatory photos we take with them)

 

The alphabet continues on the other side of the weekend!  

A Vacation Alphabet - Part 1

A couple posts back, I wrote about how preparing for a vacation gets me all stressed out, and how even once I'm actually ON vacation, I have a hard time relaxing. And so because I felt myself an abecedarian when it comes to knowing how to kick back and get away from it all, I charged myself with the task of creating a Vacation Alphabet. The intent was simply to challenge myself to take notice, to reflect along the way. Which is good, because if the intent had really been to learn how to relax (and then practice so doing) I would have failed miserably. A relaxing vacation does not involve getting up at 3:00 on multiple days (or ever). A relaxing vacation does not require a person to be on their feet for 7-12 hours at a time, besieged by sun, wind, rain, and hail. A relaxing vacation generally does not involve riding in a car until stir crazy. And so, I can't exactly say that I had a relaxing vacation. I did, however, have a WONDERFUL time. Made some INCREDIBLE memories with my family. Spent precious face time with friends I love DEARLY. And drank in the tremendous BEAUTY of God's creation. Here are a few of the highlights, ABC-style.

A is for Accomplishment 

EARLY Sunday morning, Travis, my dad, and I abandoned the comfort of our beds and stumbled bleary-eyed out to the car. (As if waking in order to leave the timeshare by 4:00 wasn't bad enough, the fire alarm had gone off in our building at 2:30am, mandating our pajama-clad evacuation, after which we huddled together in the cool of the night for about half an hour before allowed to return to our unit.) We arrived at the trail head for Mt. Quandary as the sun was coming up, and began the 5.9 mile round trip hike to the summit and back. This was my second 14er, Travis' 21st, and my dad's first. As we began hiking through the trees, we had no idea of the EPIC JOURNEY the day would hold for us. It was a LONG day. It was an arduous hike that took its toll on all of us, especially my 69 year-old dad. We encountered sun, wind, hail, and rain during the 11 hours we spent on the mountain that day. We felt our hearts pounding in our chests, our lungs gasping the thin air, our knees protesting the pounding of coming down all those rocks. But WE MADE IT to the summit and back down to the car. And we did it TOGETHER. And that is an ACCOMPLISHMENT, achieved with the two men I love most, that I will remember always.   

at the summit of Mt. Quandary

B is for Baby & Boulder & Bus

After we parted ways with my parents in Vail, we got to spend a few days of quality time near Denver with friends Rachel & Eric and their baby, Ty. On the day Travis & Eric climbed Mt. Princeton, Rachel and I took a trip to Boulder to visit the their farmer's market. Ty gets fussy during long car rides, but singing calms him down. Enter: a long, strange rendition of "The Wheels on the Bus." Rachel and I sang a reprise on the way home from church the next day, causing Eric to exclaim, "What kind of bus is this?!" The kind that provides an outlet for my litany of animal noises. Among other things, the bus had doggies, kitties, cows, chickens, and monkeys. Lots of monkeys. :)

cuteness himself

C is for Cairn

In July 2009 I hiked my first fourteener, Mt. Evans, with Travis by my side. I added a word to my vocabulary that day: cairn. Do you know what a cairn is? A cairn is "a mound of stones piled up as a memorial or to mark a boundary or path." I learned that cairns are essential to finding your way on the mountain, to following the trail you are meant to take. Because the Rocky Mountains are indeed very rocky, a pile of stones off in the distance doesn't necessarily stand out when you scan the horizon. Sometimes you have to really look for them. Likewise, the trail ahead isn't always clear. Hiking Evans, I turned finding cairns into a bit of a game. It was a simple game that consisted of: hike along, and when you find the next cairn, yell "CAIRN!" Really. That's it. But there's something about it that I find amusing and engaging; I become like a kid, excited at finding each successive item in one of those "hidden picture" activities in magazines for kids. (Anybody else out there grow up with Highlights?) So when we hiked Quandary & Sherman on this trip, I played my game. I searched for the cairns, and loudly announced my discoveries. When you've left the trail head behind, but you're still a long way from the summit, focusing on the peak is discouraging (at least to me); focusing instead on reaching the next cairn, and then the next, and then the next, is much less daunting. Each cairn is an indication of where to go, and as you look back, proof that you've made progress, even if it doesn't seem like it. There are a lot of parallels between hiking a trail to the summit, and life. Cairns are important to the journey.

Travis and I with a cairn and the view--OH, the VIEW!--at the summit of Mt. Sherman

Stay tuned for Part 2, coming soon!

Back in the Saddle

After an un-premeditated (would that make it post-meditated?) six month hiatus, I am gingerly climbing back up into the blogging saddle. Some of you have wondered what caused me to fall off the wagon back in December (if you'll allow me to mix metaphors). Some of you have pointed out (in person) that I stopped writing, which means you'd lost track of my comings and goings, cookings and musings, and isn't it about time that I post something new? (Mom, it's nice to know you check in every once in a while). And one of you sent me a short, simple email that pulled a tight string around my heart and caught me off guard (thanks, sweetheart--I needed that).

And so here I am, returned. I have a handful of reasons for why I've been absent (some of which might better be termed "excuses"). I could expound, but instead I will simply list: job stress & mental fatigue, technical difficulties, laziness, ennui. As for why I've chosen Tuesday, June 14th to make my return to the blogosphere: I'm waiting for the hubby to get home and it's too early to start preparing dinner but I'm hungry and have already had two snacks so I need a distraction. (Not as profound as you expected, right?) And because that same hubby told me he misses reading my thoughts. Ditto that for my mom. And because it's about time I choose to slough off the stress and disinterestedness and instead return to finding wonder in the every day, and the inspiration to share my discoveries with others. (Even if that's just my husband and my mom, because everyone else gave up on me as a blogger three months ago.) And because, if you haven't noticed, I am about to explode with six months' worth of pent-up parenthetical asides. 

And so, with a mingling of anticipation and trepidation, I click "Publish Post" on the first musing of 2011.

First Flakes of the Season

In honor of the first flakes of the season, seen here in Chicagoland yesterday, here's a sweet little reminder of good times from my childhood...Mom coming into my room on snowy mornings and singing, "Here comes Suzy Snowflake, look at her tumbling down..."

It Just Keeps Getting Better

Yesterday was my one year wedding anniversary. Last week as I looked through our wedding photos again all of the excitement, joy, wonder, and elation of that day came rushing back to me. Our wedding day was glorious, indeed, but it was just one day. That one day, however, launched a lifetime of us, the first year of which has been the best year of my life so far. 

Travis and I celebrated our first year of marriage in a number of different ways all weekend long. Since the traditional 1st anniversary gift is paper, I surprised him Friday evening with a blanket of origami hearts. We enjoyed a low-key, low-budget date night at home (we made pizza together and watched Letters to Juliet) to counter-balance our not-so-low-budget celebration to come on Sunday.

On Saturday we met up with Travis' sister and brother-in-law and our niece at the Apple Festival in Long Grove, followed by dinner at their place. Since my sister-in-law was instrumental in how Travis and I came to meet and fall in love, it seemed very fitting to spend part of our anniversary weekend with them. As we were driving away from Long Grove we were even blessed with the sight of a HUGE rainbow. We pulled over and I managed to get a shot, which captures just a portion of its size and beauty.

 This photo is 70% about my SIL and niece, and 30% about the people in the background who were dancing with their dachshunds.

When we arrived home Saturday night I found surprise number one waiting for me: a beautiful flower arrangement showcasing the colors of autumn that I love so much. Tucked in the arrangement was this sweet note from my thoughtful husband, which constituted his "paper" gift to me.

My love for you is like the colors of autumn:

Deep, Rich, Bright, and Warm.

I offer these flowers of the fall along with my heart.

- Hubby

Surprise number two (my hubby LOVES to surprise me) came Sunday afternoon in the form of where we went for dinner: Art Smith's Table 52 in Chicago, where we indulged in gourmet comfort food, including THE BEST macaroni and cheese EVER. So creamy and rich, however, that even between the two of us we only finished half the portion, and took the rest home. Though I had declared I couldn't possibly eat another bite of mac and cheese, when the dessert menu came, I pored over the options with great interest. Trav asked how could this be, when I had just announced myself stuffed? I explained that "dinner food" requires its own distinct space in the stomach, while dessert (especially chocolate) possesses the ability to simply fill in the cracks and crevices around the rest of the meal, and so there is virtually always room for dessert. He shook his head at me in wonder and bemusement, and then agreed to share a slice of the 12-layer chocolate cake. He's a good man.

Dinner was followed by the Broadway in Chicago production of The Lion King at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. I've wanted to see this show for years and years. It was both familiar (in story and music) and brand new (in amazing costumes and voices and gorgeous set design) and held my rapt attention from start to finish.

 The whole weekend was a wonderful celebration of our first year as husband and wife. And as one of "our songs" (Amazed by Lonestar) rightly says, It just keeps getting better.

Sam's Elvis Face

My niece Samantha is now two months old. Baby faces are home to a multitude of expressions. During our visit this weekend, I captured this one. My SIL tells me it makes a regular appearance on Sam's little mug. I think it's adorable, don't you?

City Dog Goes to the Country

ANJING'S FIRST ROAD TRIP: This series of photos documents the weekend I (hereafter Auntie Suz) took my nephew (aka best friend's dog) on a road trip to Michigan to visit my in-laws and meet my niece (aka sister-in-law's brand new baby). Narrated by Anjing (the dog).

 On Friday afternoon, Auntie Suz was all over the place. 

I could tell something was up.

 Then Uncle Travis came home and they loaded up the car. Road trip!

 I like car rides. Usually after a while I just lie down and go to sleep. About half way there, I was rudely awakened by what they called a Silly Satterlee Sing-a-long. Those people are crazy.

 Look Mom! I'm in Michigan!

 We stayed at a house where they had this thing called a "fenced-in yard." I'd never seen anything like it! I could run all over the place without a leash...

 ...and pee anywhere I wanted, whenever I felt like it. It was great.

 This was my kingdom for the weekend.

 I mostly ruled from the porch, where I took naps in the shade.

 Auntie Suz wanted to get a photo of me with the pretty flowers. 

I wanted to give her a kiss instead.

 Uncle Travis and I played lots.

The people there were obsessed with this tiny human they called a "baby." It made lots of noise and smelled funny. At first I wasn't sure what to think so I growled at it. That didn't go over real well, so I decided I should be friendly instead.

 One afternoon Uncle Travis took a nap. 

This is when I decided it was time for him to wake up.

 Auntie Suz, where are we gonna go next?

Treasure Hunt

Yesterday morning Travis and I were awakened at quarter to six by a brusque knock on the door of the guest bedroom at my sister-in-law's house. It was his dad, telling us it was time to get up and get ready to hit the road. What warranted such an early start? The Elkhorn Antique Flea Market in Elkhorn, WI. My in-laws came into town for the weekend ostensibly to visit their kids, but really to be closer to the big event in WI on Sunday. My in-laws are big into antiques and invited Travis and I to come along. It was my first antique show, whereas as a kid, Travis was compelled to attend countless of these events with his parents, whether he liked it or not (he didn't). Time changes you, though, and having a wife and a home gave him a new perspective.

What helped us both enjoy ourselves yesterday was that we were on the hunt for a specific kind of treasure. Since settling in Oak Park, we've had the idea that we'd really like to hang a stained glass window pane in our home as art. Oak Park and Forest Park have their share of antique shops, but the windows we found were rather pricey, and none of the designs "spoke to us" loudly enough to warrant shelling out that kind of cash. An Elkhorn veteran herself, Travis' sister assured me that if we were going to find a window we loved at a more reasonable price, the Elkhorn Market was the place to find it.

After wandering through what felt like an endless maze of booths and displays spread out all over the fair grounds, and seeing many different stained glass windows of various colors, designs, and prices, we found the one that "spoke to us." It said something like, "Well now, would you look at me? Ever seen anything so fine? Check out my colors, my framing. I'm even ready to hang! Hold me up to the light and see the sun shine through. Wouldn't I look great in your living room? Take me home!" We listened to the compelling pitch, considered her superior beauty and finishing, and conferred amongst ourselves. Then Travis bartered, we made the purchase, and brought her home. Here she is in her new environs, followed by a close up so you can appreciate our treasure in detail.

 

The other thing that helped us enjoy ourselves? Fair food. BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, roasted corn on the cob, cheese curds, and bakery-fresh cream puffs and eclairs. Yum.

(What does it say about me that I carried my camera around an interesting venue for over 6 hours, and the only thing I felt compelled to photograph was the pastries?!)

A Year of Deer, Episode 6: Venison Goulash

The recipe for this meal came from my sister-in-law, Jamie, who made the dish for us (albeit with beef) when we were over to their house for dinner a few weeks ago. Jamie is pregnant, and one of her strongest food cravings has been for tomatoes. With diced tomatoes, tomato juice, and ketchup, this recipe definitely hits the spot! If you're not pregnant, and just happen to love tomatoes (like me), it's still a very satisfying meal. I made it with a pound of ground venison and served it with cheddar chive biscuits.

The Ingredients: 

The Finished Product:

The Verdict: Delicious! I will definitely make this again, either with ground beef, venison, or turkey. The only downside is that I now have half a can of tomato juice left to use, and I have no idea what to do with it. Maybe I'll just have to make another batch and freeze it for later!

Bonus: For dessert we had the last two servings of the apple cranberry bread pudding I made Tuesday evening (isn't it BEAUTIFUL?!) as a way to use up the rest of the Hawaiian bread that had come to our SuperBowl party with spinach dip (which I meant to send home with Jon, but forgot - sorry Jamie!). This was my second bread pudding in recent months, and I think my appreciation for bread pudding is now rivaling my affinity for trifles. (It's a dessert duel! Which sweet will win!?!)

Our First Christmas

Getting married in October ushered in a whole new era of firsts. While last Christmas was our first as a couple, this was our first Christmas as husband and wife--sharing a home, establishing new traditions, and reveling in being our own little family unit. Here's our home, decorated for the holidays:

Travis was a really good sport about letting me deck out Brutus for the holidays.
He even helped hang the ornaments from the antlers!

We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day here in the Chicago area. On Christmas Eve we enjoyed dinner out with my Dad's side of the family, then my aunt had everyone over for dessert and games. Three of the six cousins on that side of the family got married this year, and it was fun to see how Travis and my cousin's husband liven up our family gatherings. Now that all of the cousins are adults, and the rest of the "adults" are seniors (sorry Mom and Dad, but it's true!), our get-togethers have a new feel. I think there's a greater appreciation for the value of family, and the ability to relax a little and not take ourselves so seriously (which does not come naturally for Swedes). It was a great night.

Christmas morning dawned cold and clear. My family would be coming over early afternoon for Christmas dinner. After sleeping in a bit, Travis I got up and discovered the contents of our stockings, which we had filled for one another the night before. Then we got the turkey in the oven and started in on prep for the rest of the meal. The turkey was primarily Travis' domain, while I took charge of the side dishes. Dessert was a gorgeous (and delicious!) Caramel Apple Pecan Pie, which I ordered from my friend Charity's newest endeavor, Pie Notes. The turkey turned out well, the mashed sweet potatoes were a hit, and much to Travis' delight, we had lots of leftovers. The day after Christmas we used our new Cuisinart Griddler (a great appliance!) to make Turkey-Stuffing-Cranberry Sauce Paninis on Swedish limpa bread. Best sandwich I think I've ever made. Travis snapped a pic:

Weekend Highlights

What a full and fun weekend! The highlights:

Friday evening: enjoying a relaxed date night dinner at Ethiopian Diamond restaurant in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood. Yum.

Saturday morning: sleeping in, then making homemade buttermilk waffles with our new waffle maker. Yum.

Saturday afternoon: discovering the Garfield Park Conservatory, a leafy green gem in the midst of urban sprawl. Beautiful.

Saturday evening: sharing dinner at Cosi on Michigan Avenue, window shopping on State Street, watching fireworks on the river, and returning home to cozy up by the "fire" (a cluster of candles in the fireplace) and roast marshmallows (using the telescoping roasting forks we received as a wedding gift) for s'mores. Yum.

Sunday: having my parents over for Sunday dinner (which consisted of my first attempts at pot roast and butternut squash, both deemed a success), followed by church and a viewing of the Amazing Race.

The Second Half of the Whirlwind

Well, if you've been following along (see previous post) you know it's been a busy month! Trips #3 & 4 followed those recounted below, in quick succession, and I am now coming up to breathe...just a bit. I will be packing my suitcase again this Thursday, but this time it's for a week spent across town, where I will be house & puppy-sitting for friends while they are on vacation.

Trip #3 was up to Mequon, WI for the wedding of my cousin Molly to her groom, Andy. Here's my family with the newlyweds at the reception:
Trip #4 was to Michigan this past weekend. We drove up Friday night, enjoyed a leisurely Saturday morning, and then Travis and I split up, he for a bachelor party (of sorts) with his friends and me for an afternoon and evening with his friends' wives (who I am happy to count as my friends as well) and their gaggle of kiddos. Sunday afternoon brought my first bridal shower (the registry kind, at least) which was hosted by my new sister, mother, and aunts-in-law, who possess some serious hospitality and culinary skills. The gorgeous spread of food included two cakes (one strawberry, one lemon), a cheesecake (Aunt Carolyn's specialty), ganache-filled brownie bites, cream puffs, chocolate-covered strawberries, an expansive fruit tray, and two tasty dips--spinach and artichoke. I could further describe these scrumptious delights (the recollection alone has me drooling), but I suppose I will just let you survey the feast for yourself:
The shower was so much fun! After allowing guests to arrive and mill around a bit, Jamie welcomed everyone and then Travis (who was there for the first part of the shower) and I shared the story of how we met and how he proposed. To some it was new, to others a story that has been heard (or read) a few times already, but it was well received by all and Travis was praised (quite deservedly) for his creativity and thoughtfulness. After this we played a game where I had to answer a series of questions about Travis. I was glad for each query I was able to answer correctly, but it was to the guests' advantage each time I got one wrong, for then I drew the name of a person who would win a prize. After this everyone was invited to partake of the refreshments, which were heartily appreciated by all. Then came the opening of gifts. So many gifts! It felt like four or fives Christmases all at once. And after this, more mingling and chatting with family and friends and grazing on sweets. I could not have asked for (or even imagined!) a nicer shower. Thank you to my new family and friends in Michigan!

Birthday Weekend Report

On Friday I turned 29, and beginning that afternoon (which I took off from work), the whole weekend was celebration. After leaving the office, I used those few extra hours to run some errands and do some shopping...I came home with a new top and skirt from Ann Taylor Loft, birthday presents to myself, I guess you could say (purchased using my $15 off birthday coupon. Let's hear it one more time for birthday coupons!)

Aside from taking a break to get ice cream with friends (free with birthday coupon!), Friday evening was largely spent getting the apartment ready for Sunday afternoon, when Travis and I entertained his family and mine. That evening I also received part one of my gift from Travis, a cute and very comfy shirt he picked out for me all on his own. I decided to wear the shirt with my new skirt to the next day's morning activity (see photo at right) which remained a mystery until we arrived at the Art Institute of Chicago, where we spent the next several hours wandering through the galleries and taking in the art.

We ended our time in the museum's new Modern wing. The architecture and design of the new wing itself is great. The modern art itself...well, I guess I just prefer art to look pretty and like it required actual talent to create it, rather than have art make a statement by presenting disturbing images...or none at all. One multimedia exhibit in particular, entitled "Clown Torture," was just that...and I generally don't mind clowns.

The evening's activity, which also remained a surprise until we pulled up to Navy Pier, was a dinner and fireworks cruise on Lake Michigan. I had asked Travis to give me an occasion to wear a beautiful dress I'd found crazy-on-sale in a little boutique in Oak Park, and he delivered with a wonderful evening of good food, beautiful views of the skyline, dancing and fireworks. It was a humid, drizzly night, so we watched the fireworks from the covered area at the back of the boat instead of going up to the top deck, but it was still very romantic. We attempted to get a good photo, but every time a gust of wind came and blew hair in my face. This was the best of the bunch...makes me laugh.
Sunday's family gathering was a celebration of not only my birthday but also my mom's and brother's as well as Travis's, plus Father's Day. After dinner (which thankfully turned out tasty - I took a big risk and made 3 dishes I'd never made before...pulled pork sandwiches, slow-cooked beans, and coleslaw) we enjoyed cake and ice cream, capping off a wonderful weekend.

Holiday Highlights

Eek! It's been over a month since I last posted. Time to get something new up here. I'll kick off the year with some a review of the holidays. I was able to take the last two weeks of the year as vacation from work, so my time off matched Travis' time off from school. We relished the freedom, spending lots of time together and with family and friends.

We kicked things off by attending Christmas services at Harvest (on Saturday) and at First Baptist in Wheaton (Sunday morning). Travis got his first glimpse of the sanctuary where we'll be married next fall, and met LOTS of people I know from my many years there who had heard about our engagement and were eager to wish us well.Christmas Eve morning Travis and I went snowshoeing at the arboretum. We experienced our own "Christmas Miracle" when we found Travis' cell phone and keys he'd lost there the day before (when we'd gone for a brief afternoon romp through the snow). Despite the several inches of snow and some freezing rain that had fallen overnight, we came across both items (near where Travis had taken a flying leap into a snow-covered bush, causing the items to fly out of his pockets, which neither of us realized at the time) AND when Travis got home and plugged his phone in later that night, he found IT STILL WORKS! He could give the cell phone manufacturer a great testimonial on the durability of their product, that's for sure.

Snowshoeing (etcetera) at the Arboretum

Later that evening we gathered for dinner with my extended family. It was "the year of the fiance," as I and two of my cousins added our beaus to the mix. Christmas Eve held an undercurrent of sadness for me this year, as the event that had always revolved around my grandpa was punctuated my his absence. I'm glad the family still came together, though, and we enjoyed conversations, games, and laughter back at my aunt's house after dinner.

Travis and I hosted Christmas Day for my immediate family at his house in Chicago. In typical Johnson-family fashion, it was a very relaxed, low-key day of food, presents, and Pixar animation.EARLY the next morning (5:45 to be exact) we hit the road for Michigan. An ice storm had hit overnight, but Chicago's salt trucks had done a good job on the city's roads, so we didn't realize how bad and far-reaching the storm had been until we found ourselves at a stand-still on the highway, just over the Indiana border. The road was a sheet of ice, and we learned the highway was shut down across the entire state of Indiana. And so there we sat, locked in place by the unmoving cars and trucks around us, for THREE HOURS. Thankfully we were able to stay warm enough, even with the car off most of the time. The only food we had in the car were the cookies my aunt had sent home with us Christmas Eve, so those became breakfast. Finally, traffic had shifted enough (every hour or so people up ahead of us became restless and created false hope by moving their cars up a few feet) that a brave soul from behind us was able to squeeze between the two lanes of traffic and make his way up to a break in the median where he pulled a U-turn. We wasted no time in following his lead! We took the next exit and then proceded to slowly follow ice-covered Rt 12 all the way around the lake and into Michigan. Finally, TEN HOURS after we'd left home that morning, we pulled into his parents' driveway in Michigan, rather bedraggled and stir crazy, but gratified that when put to the test, we were able to enjoy the ride and amuse ourselves for 10 hours without any conflict or irritation between us.

We spent that evening and the next two days with Travis' family, exchanging gifts, eating yummy food, playing games, and generally relaxing. It was great. And the trip home only took the usual 4 hours, which was quite a relief!

Family Photo with my New Sister & Brother-in-Law

Monday night (Dec 29th) I received my Christmas present from Travis, which was dinner at Trattoria No. 10 in Chicago, followed by A Christmas Carol at the Goodman Theater. Dinner was scrumptious, and the play was really well done. Another amazing date!

With my Clean-Shaven Fiance After the Play

Allison & Alex hosted the TU New Years bash this year. The festivities started Tuesday afternoon when friends started arriving from all over the midwest. This year's gathering had more of a chill vibe than years past, which was to everyone's liking. We prepared and ate meals together, played games, told stories, caught up on each other's lives, threw a baby shower for Chris & Janelle (which included a hilarious game of "Pin the Beard on the Baby"), and reflected with thankfulness on our enduring friendships. This was our 10th New Year together!

Chris Playing Pin the Beard on the Baby

My two weeks of family, friends, and freedom wrapped up on Saturday, Jan 3rd with wedding dress shopping. I found my gown in the first boutique we visited (though we went to another before making the final decision, just to be sure). The dress isn't exactly what I'd envisioned myself in when I was poring over bridal magazines, but when I looked in the mirror and saw myself as a bride (veil and all--there's something about putting on the veil that makes you go from a girl in a pretty dress to a bride), I knew it was the one. That evening Alex & Allison introduced Travis & I and Nate & Bethany to their new favorite place for shabu shabu in Chicagoland, Shabu House in Niles. We quickly understood why this place is the best around for this type of cuisine, and we'll be returning for more!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yes indeed, as of last Thursday I am 28 years old, which puts me undeniably in my "upper twenties." While perhaps in two years I will "freak out" about 30 as it seems so many women do, I am actually feeling really good about 28. It's a good thing, too, because this year my birthday turned into a rather big deal, with celebrations spanning several days and involving various collections of people.

The festivities began with my boss taking me out to lunch on the 26th, my actual birthday. Dave gave me choice of restaurant, and I gravitated toward tapas (as I often do) at Mesón Sabika, a delightful restaurant set in a beautiful old mansion in Naperville. Dave invited Travis to join us, and we shared my favorite dishes (queso de cabra and datiles con tocino) and tried a few new ones as well (medallones de solomillo and polla al ajillo), along with the trusty stand-by, patatas con alioli. Yum! I topped it all off with a birthday profiterole.

As if that wasn't enough delicious food for one day, that evening was our family dinner at Buca di Beppo to celebrate my birthday and Tim's, which is the day before mine. The salad, pastas, and entree were delicious, and we wrapped things up with chocolate and vanilla gelato, which Buca serves by the pint along with an ice cream scoop and a painter's palette-type tray filled with cute petite ice cream cones. Forget pasta or pizza...gelato is Italy's greatest gift to the world.

Friday evening was spent with my new roommate, Melissa, and her family who were in town for a few days. Late Saturday morning I met up with Suzy to spectate at the Great Cardboard Boat Regatta in Glen Ellyn. We were there to cheer on our friend Jim, who along with 4 of his buddies has competed in the event for the last several years, winning various awards and distinctions. This year their cardboard creation was fashioned after an electric guitar. Measuring 35 feet in length and weighing over 300 lbs, it was a sight to behold on land. Sadly, it did not fare so well in the water. The guys exploded from the starting line and sped along the straightaway, but had difficulty turning at the first bouy. The wind and the water and the sheer weight of the boat did them in, and the crew got a rude introduction to the murky waters of Lake Ellyn. They went down, but they went down in style and greatly entertained the crowd, which was sad to see such an impressive boat unable to finish the course. You'll get 'em next year, Jim!

I went into Saturday evening anticipating surprise number One. Travis had been planning something for weeks, and although I am admittedly hard to surprise, he did a very good job of keeping me in the dark and throwing me off the scent. My only instructions were to show up at his house at 5:00 on Saturday, looking cute. I left my house early in order to beat the storm that was rolling in, and pulled into his parking lot at 4:30, almost ruining the whole surprise (though unbeknownst to me at the time). I was told to pull around the block and wait until I was summoned, which I did, brimming with curiosity. He came to collect me at 5:00 and led me up the back steps and into the house...at which point I was confronted with 10 of my friends yelling "Surprise!" And indeed it was. I think it was probably a good 2-3 minutes before I could form an intelligible sentence and fully grasp the situation. Once I'd had a few minutes to reconcile my expectations with reality I recovered my ability to speak and started giving hugs all around. The party continued my the running "delicious international food" theme - Travis had ordered carry out tapas from Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba, where we'd first met, and other friends had contributed sangria and sides and dessert. It was such a gift to spend time enjoying good food, talking, and playing games with friends I hadn't expected to see.

When it came time to open cards and gifts I learned the identity of birthday surprise #2, which Allison & Alex had planned months in advance. It was a ticket to see the Cirque du Soleil show Kooza the following night! I'd never been to a Cirque show, but had heard Allison & Alex and other friends rave about them, so I was super excited. The show was incredible. According to the production notes, Kooza "is a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil: It combines two circus traditions – acrobatic performance and the art of clowning. The show highlights the physical demands of human performance in all its splendor and fragility, presented in a colorful mélange that emphasizes bold slapstick humor." As such, it incorporates a lot more of the "traditional" acts you might associate with a circus--clowns, trapeze, high wire, juggling, acrobatics, contortionists, etc. However, being Cirque, these are all accomplished with great artistry, set to riveting live music, and follow a story thread that's woven through the whole show, beginning to end. I am now one of those people who would say that if you have the opportunity to see a Cirque du Soleil show, do it!

After the show, the birthday celebration continued and delicious international food made another appearance with dinner at Quartino, a restaurant that serves Italian food in the tradition of tapas--small plates for everyone to share. The food was excellent, and the gnocci especially stood out as probably the best I've ever had. Yum yum yum.

And so now it is the Wednesday after my birthday, and you'd think I'd be done celebrating, right? Nope! Yesterday I redeemed my coupon for free ice cream at Cold Stone and called it lunch, and tomorrow I'm meeting Bethany for a birthday dinner at Houlihans.

So, when all is said and done, my birthday has been VERY happy (and drawn out) and I'm reminded anew that I have truly WONDERFUL friends. And, I've probably gained a few pounds. :) (But it was worth it.) Thanks to all of my friends and family, both near and far, who celebrated with me!

Banking Memories

Today was my grandpa's funeral, where we both celebrated his long and full life and mourned his physical absence in our lives from here forward. My dad invited me to prepare and say a few words, which I'd like to post here, in loving memory of Sture Johnson, 1909-2008.

When I was in fourth grade, Grandpa helped me build a wooden bank for a school project. Today, I don’t remember what the project was all about, but I do remember how special I felt working alongside my grandfather—measuring, cutting, sanding, nailing, and staining. It was a simple project for someone who was a carpenter by trade—who had built the very house he lived in—but to 9-year-old me, the process was complicated and involved, my grandpa was strong and able, and the finished project was marvelous (shown in photo...judge for yourself). :)

Today, my bank holds no coins. Instead, I’ve filled it with another kind of treasure—memories of my grandpa, things I appreciated about him and will remember always. I’d like to share a few of them with you:

I used to play checkers with my grandpa on the beautiful hardwood checkerboard he’d made. He beat me—every single time.

I remember tagging along with my dad and grandpa to attend my brother’s track meets. I went in large part because I knew there was a good chance we’d all go to McDonalds afterwards. Grandpa liked to give me a hard time about my excessive use of ketchup.

My grandpa appreciated a good buffet restaurant, and made friends at those he frequented. Through one of those friendships Grandpa even helped me get a college scholarship from a golf course…despite the fact I’ve never once golfed.

My grandpa loved hosting our family gathering on Christmas Eve. He would clean and cook and bake for days. My grandpa was an incredible baker, turning out perfectly browned loaves of limpa bread, impossibly thin pepparkakor cookies, and amazingly rich pound cakes. The secret ingredient in his pound cake is apricot brandy…but don’t tell anyone.

Finally, my grandpa believed in me. Whatever it was, he was sure I could succeed. If I were a contestant on Wheel of Fortune, he was confident I’d win big. If I would just practice enough, I too could be a great bowler in the Johnson family tradition. These days I do most of my bowling on a Nintendo Wii, but I can still hear Grandpa’s coaching, telling me, “It’s all about how you follow through.”

In Loving Memory

Sture Johnson

1909-2008

In loving memory of my dear grandfather, who passed away on Sunday, March 9, 2008 at the age of 99. I will miss him tremendously, but am so thankful to have known him and had him be such a big part of my life for 27 years.

P.S. Grandpa's life-long affection for the Cubs (and his opinion about changing the name of Wrigley field) was the focus of an article in the Chicago Sun-Times last Thursday (which included a photo of Grandpa on the front page!). You can read that article here, along with a follow-up obituary, which tells more about his life. (Note: the years my aunt is quoted as providing for when he stopped driving and moved into the nursing home are wrong...it should be 2004.)