Friday, April 27, 2007


Here's Yesicka and her daughter Mary Jo who came to my house for lunch the other day. Ann Marie isn't in the picture because she was at school. We enjoyed talking together, playing with Mary Jo, and sharing some time. Yesicka is like another daughter for me and her daughters call me "Grandma Joan".

Monday, April 23, 2007


Kelly's New York friends gave her a baby shower on Saturday and here they are on the front steps of Tom and Kelly's house in Maplewood, New Jersey. Kelly's mom was there from Orlando and her sister from Washington D.C. Then on Sunday afternoon Tom and Kelly attended another childbirth preparation class. I think they are now very well prepared and the baby has lots of very beautiful things. There are about three weeks more to go before the baby's due date. If any of you haven't met Kelly, she's in the middle of the top row of the picture, looking (and perhaps feeling!) quite pregnant with my third grandchild.

Tom and Kelly bought an 80 year old house on a quiet street in Maplewood, which they moved into in January. We saw the house before they moved in; now the living room is finished with fresh paint and excellent placement of furniture. Maplewood is an especially good place for them to live because Tom can walk to a train which
takes him to his office in the city plus the neighborhood is a quiet, charming place.

Thursday, April 19, 2007


Finished Projects
Here's a couple of things that I just finished. The first is a leaf lace shawl, which has been stretched and blocked so that it is drying on my basement floor. This is a very interesting and easy pattern. It's the second time I've made it so this time it went really quickly.






Next is a baby set. When we visit Steve and Marta, there is a wonderful Chinese restaurant where we enjoy eating. The wife of the owner is a young lady who arrived in the U.S. about 5 years ago and has become a good friend of Marta's. She is expecting her first child, a baby boy, in June, so I finished up this sweater set for Marta to give to her. I think every baby should come into the world with a few hand made things, and I love to make baby things!

Maybe spring is really here at last? Temperatures should hit almost 70 degrees this weekend!

Monday, April 16, 2007



Our Latest Pictures
Here's Kelly who is expecting our grandchild in less than a month! We are all so excited! Doesn't Kelly look great? She and Tom will be wonderful parents. They are attending prenatal classes this week, getting ready for the birth of their first child.













Next is this beautiful photo taken by Tom this weekend at their lake house in the Pocono Mountains of New York, about 2 hours from New York City. The view of the lake is so beautiful and Tom always has had an artistic touch with a camera.








Steve and Marta are making some improvements on their home. Here is their new stove. The plans include a new countertop coming soon.
















Also installed were new light fixtures in front of their house. I think it looks very nice!
Weekend Pictures

Steve and Marta had an event to attend on Friday evening so we went to their house to stay with Gabriel. Here is a picture of them ready to go out for the evening. Grandpa and I took Gabriel to eat at a nearby restaurant where he enjoyed a hot dog with catsup.







Gabriel eats very well for a boy who is not quite 3 years old. He doesn't eat too much, but he can eat everything. On Saturday evening we all went to eat at a Chinese restaurant. Gabriel can eat every kind of food. Here you can see him enjoying lo mein and practicing his skills with chop sticks.

Friday, April 13, 2007


Leaf Lace Shawl

I love lace knitting. A little more attention and precision is required, making it more interesting to work on. The shawl in the picture I finished a couple of weeks ago, knit from an angora and wool blend, in an easy to remember pattern, Leaf Lace Shawl. I'm now working on another version in white cotton. This shawl was presented to Yesicka yesterday for her birthday and she is modeling it in the second picture.


Tuesday, April 10, 2007



Easter Pictures

Here are some pictures from Easter weekend. First, here are Cathy and Sasha at their store in Elgin, Illinois. You can see lots of cell phone accessories behind them. Next are my favorite pictures of Scarlett and Gabriel. Gabriel had an Easter Egg hunt and really enjoyed searching for his treats from the Easter bunny. He's really into cars, trucks, and airplanes. Scarlett is very sweet and loves to talk about animals and books. Grandchildren are so much fun!




Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Getting Ready for Baby V

Last night Tom put together the new stroller for Baby V. The big question: who will ride in this stroller? Baby boy or baby girl? What will be his/ her talents and personality? What will he/ she see in a lifetime and what are the contributions to the world? This baby's great grandfather's life began when automobiles were a new invention. During his lifetime he was able to see men walk on the moon. What will Baby V see? We can only imagine.

Sunday, April 01, 2007


The Dahlem Center

The Dahlem Center on South Jackson Road is a great place to take a walk in any season. This afternoon we decided to go there, enjoying milder temperature and sunshine. It's too early for many signs of spring; trees are just getting little buds for leaves and wildflowers aren't in bloom yet. I did see a very small snake, but it scurried away from me as quickly as it could. The Dahlem Center has trails leading through the woods, across prairie fields, and over walkways constructed on the wetlands. It feels far away from home, reminding me of walking in national parks. My son Tom loves to take photos here. How lucky we are to have this center conveniently available to us!




Spring is a time for new life. Here's the latest picture of Kelly at 33 weeks. Isn't she beautiful? The baby's room is decorated and the furniture is in place. The prospective parents are attending classes on childbirth and baby care, getting ready for the new little one. Kelly and Tom are going to be great parents! May 13 is circled on our calendars. Having a baby is an expression of optimism and faith in the future. So wonderful!