the Polk Brothers

Meet Chrisitan and Brayden - born November 1st

Who looks more uncomfortable?

My cousin, Molly, gave birth to twin boys about 8 weeks before Christmas. Many of us were meeting them for the first time. Here is my cousin David getting his first chance to hold Christian.

What's that...?

...what do you mean his arm is hanging out?

Christmas Day Tree

by Peg and Craig Hill

Christmas Eve Tree

by Pat and Bob Cook

Christmas Flashback

These photos were taken in December of 1999. I went with my good friend Sun to her friends house to visit her and her son. It was time for him to go to bed but he was wound up with new toys and visitors. Finally, Sun got up and just whipped him into those pjs. He didn't see it coming, but didn't fight her either.

Christmas Corner

I took these from my window. This is the view in my apartment. What the photo cannot capture is that these lights are BLINKING and chasing and things are spinning.

HO HO HO!

To be clear, these photos were taken in Winter 2004/5. The decorations have only gotten more out of control since these were taken. Also, the music has gotten louder and more annoying. Tons of people come here every year and park the wrong way on my street. They leave garbage, mittens, gym shoes and food wrappers all over the place. The news comes. It's awesome. I have a little mantra of reminding myself that, "this house brings a lot of people joy" HO HO HO! and all that shit.

This is the view from the sidewalk in front of my house. I will take some shots from my window tonight so you can get a real feel for my view.

Crazy Christmas House

I live directly across a narrow street from this Christmas monstrosity.

Daley's Picasso

Winter in the Chi.

Milwaukee and Western

This apartment was awesome we had a crack dealer across the street and there used to be lines of cars down the block with their blinkers on waiting to pick up. Next door was a methadone clinic so there was no shortage of crazies lingering on the block or trying to break down the door of the clinic (they closed at 4pm, but dope heads have a bad sense of time. They were always showing up at 5 or 6 and having melt downs on the street)
This is Jen with her sister.

This guy passed away as well.

I should post images of all my crazy old roommates. Lord knows I have plenty where that came from...
* not everyone in these photo was crazy - rather it was a crazy time.

Good Times (1996/7)

Duck and Jen

These are a few old shots from 1996/7. They were taken in a loft on Milwaukee and Western. Some of you who follow the blog may recognize the bottom picture. Duck (Jeffery) Collins passed away on Memorial Day of this year a few weeks before his 29th birthday. He is shown here with his long term girlfriend (at the time), Jen, who lives in Thailand now. I am posting these for the old crew. Memory Lane.

Middle Child

Here's Shane. A ringer for his daddy.

Big for a little guy

Chris just turned 4.

Day After Thanksgiving

Click here for more picks of this expanding brood.

MIA

Group git down on stage for the last two songs. They came out for an encore and killed it again! We love you M.I.A.!
Gratuitous photo of my outfit. Sorry, I'm turning into an old Asian woman.

M.I.A. House of Blues

Chicago, baby! This party was LIVE! I've heard a bunch of people dogging the HoB lately, but I have to say I have seen some AMAZING shows there, and this was one of the best! The crowd was awesome and the Cool Kids killed it as an opener. For the show M.I.A. brought the goods and pretty much rocked our faces off.

that sh!t was HOT!

New bangs for a new tattoo

well, not really, more of a coincidence. This shot is almost a week after the tattoo was done.

This photo was taken the day after.

The making of 'Hold Fast'

my new atttoo by Nick Colella at Chicago Tattoo. One hand down and one to go...

This is the marker guide

"Before"

Best trip ever!! Kenya via Amsterdam 2007 (Jessica as co-pilot)

Me and Jess at 40Theives bar in Mombassa. Can't wait to get back there!
Kavita brings style (as well as metallic spandex) to all of East Africa!

We had so many great meals on the coast! This is a shot of Taco and Kavita, best buds.

Thank you to the wonderful new friends we met in Kenya. We laughed like old friends - can't wait to do it again with you, in Chicago, Nairobi, or anywhere else in the world!

A few parting shots

Indian Ocean - Diani Beach

Queen B (as in Bandit)

Bhavna, our gorgeous and generous host in East Africa. The Bandit Queen of Kenya.

Nothing but good times

We flew from Nairobi to Mombassa for a little vacation within a vacation. We had an amazing time! the group of us did a lot of eating, sleeping, goofing off, horse laughing and chilling in general.
p.s. don't I look tan!

Brothers from another mother

Diani Beach, Kenya, East Africa

Mombassa, Kenya

Jessica in the resort pool at Diani Beach.

Transition

One more picture in the Mid-west...
let's go back to Africa photos and start in a pool in Mombassa.

My dog and my sister

enjoy the lake on Labor Day in Wisconsin.

Minnesota baby