Best Friends

On Tuesday, Layla and I were hanging out and talking about whatever. She says to me, "Mama, Daddy my BEST friend!" So heartwarming! And then, a moment later, "Not you, Mama. Only Daddy my BEST friend!" Crushing.

Then in the car on the way to school Wednesday she seemed to have a change of heart.

Layla: Mama, Daddy my BEST friend.
Beth: That's wonderful Layla, Daddy is my best friend too.
Layla: You too, Mama. You my BEST friend. We all BEST friends together.

Layla grabs Jason's cheeks and tells him she loves him.
Priceless.

Nice Knits and Swedish Stuff

This past weekend we were so lucky to have our Cousin Laurie in town! Actually, Katy was here too, but we didn't get to see her. Katy was competing at North Park for a scholarship and our schedules were not connecting. I don't know if they had these when I was looking for college, but if so I was not among the gifted to be invited for the scholarship weekend competition. We are so excited at the prospect of Katy being here in Chicago!

Laurie met up with Layla and I in Andersonville, nearby to North Park, for brunch at Ann Sather. It is well known as the go-to for Swedish food in Chicago. The Andersonville location, surprisingly is not the original although the neighborhood is known for its Swedish-American roots. Right next door is the Swedish-American Museum. It has a terrific exhibit for kids to play in which demonstrates the immigration story. I would love to spend more time at the Museum without Layla (although I hate saying that) so that I could read and learn more in the adult exhibits.

Ready to head to the city for brunch. New sweater from Grandma Carol and her 'puter in hand. She is so excited about pancakes!

Layla in her Swedish garb, tending to her animals while preparing to leave her village in Sweden.

Her stuga (farmhouse) in Sweden.

There is a boat you can get on to go to America. It doesn't actually move but you go on in Sweden and come out the other side in America. It's pretty clever and the kids were really enjoying it.

She is so happy to be in America! Here she is in her new stuga.

Fishing in the river and tending to her garden in America.

My New Hobby

For awhile I have been interested in our family ancestry and toying around with ancestry.com. I love watching the "Who Do You Think You Are" on NBC (the new season stars tonight). If you have been using Ancestry.com for awhile and kept running into their membership 'walls'. You have to buy in to get to the next layer of information. Needless to say, I finally gave in. My curiosity overwhelmed me.

Knowing that my grandfather was born in Illinois and having seen Lindahl Bros. Construction company I was curious to know if there was any connection. Also, there is a building on Lake Street in the West Loop with a carved limestone header over the door which says Lindahl. So far I haven't found any connections, but I did find a record of my Great-grandparents marriage in Chicago in 1900. My dear friend, Courtney, works at the County Clerk's office and went to the trouble of actually finding the license for me. How cool is that?!!?



There are some other fun and interesting things I have found. If you are interested let me know and I will give you access through Ancestry.com to my tree. It is rapidly expanding (Thanks to Jill for sharing hers with me) and I am learning about new family members all the time. The 1940 census will be added to the online records in April and able me to expand further into more recent generations.