Echoes of Jingle Bells in January....

Remember that time that I disappeared from blogging and never even posted anything about pretty much the entire month of December? Yeah, me too. Here's the Nordyke Christmas at a glance. Now that theres actually snow on the ground, it feels more like Christmas now than it did a month ago!

Christmas Eve:

Christmas Day:

Throwback Thursday: Nordyke Clan.

My aunt and uncle are coming down from Wisconsin this weekend. Their daughter (my cousin, cause I'm pretty sure thats how that whole family tree thing works) is in some sort of volleyball tournament at Wartburg. And why not come say hello to the fam when you are only half an hour away?! I think the question is more why come down at all, but anyways. They are coming and so they are now the topic of this week's Throwback.

Margaret is third or fourth in the line of my dad's siblings, but the second and last girl. But don't let the femininity trick you, she's definitely a Nordyke when she opens her mouth. That must be why the look of lack of amusement on my face is totally present as she snuggles up in this picture. And her husband is the farthest one away in the picture. But I think my favorite part of this picture is John's stache that he is working, so 1980s. SOOOO 1980s.

We used to go visit Chicago and get together with all my dad's brothers and sisters several times a year. As a child of stubbornness and a general disdain for socializing, it was not my favorite weekend trips. They generally slowed down, happening less and less often, and now I think its pretty much down to weddings and the occassional high school graduation (not that there are many left of those).

Although now I suppose I should add volleyball tournaments to that list....

Appropriately titled, Easter!

The family gathered. The food was made. The food was demolished. Baskets were given. Chocolate was consumed. Easter success!

I might have made broccoli salad, corn pudding, carrot souffle, and Tim slow roasted the pork, but Grandma brought the chocolate pie and cheesecake!

Attendees frequently look as though they are in a food coma.....

Deep in thought.....

Or about to be consumed by the floral arrangement.


Sydney seemed to think she was the featured guest of Easter

Making appearances everywhere and with everyone!

Including his own seat at the dinner table. My mother could not spoil that cat anymore rotten!

And then of course, boys doing boy things!

Last Little Bits.

Serious Somber Business.

Throwback Thursday: London Calling!

Sometime around 2002, the young Nordyke clan went to England and Scotland for three weeks. I say around 2002, because I am already losing my mind with old age and don't remember. But really moreso that it would involve doing math to figure out the actual year, and frankly, I went to film school to AVOID math.

Anyways, London came up on our Spring Break trip this year, and it makes me want to go back. I adored London and other cities visited. And I feel like I can more appreciate more of the history this time, more than when I was 15/16/17 and all I cared about was shopping, the amount of sheep, and finding nonweird ketchup for my fries. And the fact that we drove the whole trip, and I was crammed into the back of a tiny tiny car with the suitcases and my 10 year old brother.....