Happy 94th Birthday Dad!

Today we celebrated my father's 94th birthday!  I baked this big cake....I actually tripled the recipe, making 3 layers in 1/2 sheet cake pans.  It turned out great, as did the celebration!






Here is Dad with my oldest grandson, his oldest great grandson!  He enjoyed the celebration.

Father's Day 2019

 Dad is 93.  Although he is in good health, you never know how many Father's Days he has left
with us, so a celebration was in order.  My brother and his family flew in from North Carolina, and my sister joined us, as well as a few other family members, and we had lunch at Dad's favorite restaurant, Himmel's European Bistro on Lawrence Avenue in Chicago.

I love so many things on their menu but tend to get the same things all the time.  This time I tried something new,  the chicken Marsala, and it was wonderful!  I would get it again, but there are so many other things to try.

If you are in or near Chicago, this restaurant is worth a visit!

 

Maria Kreiling   1929 - 2018

 



Maria Filko Kreiling was born on February 3, 1929, in Denta, Romania, a small rural German community, to Anton Filko and Eva Rischar.   An older brother died in infancy, her younger brother, Franz, is still with us.  She had hoped to become a Kindergarten teacher but the war prevented her from furthering her education.  She was active in the church, and since the town was small, a priest wasn’t always available every Sunday.  When a priest couldn’t come for Sunday Mass, she led the Word Communion Services for the congregation as a young girl. 

When WW2 broke out, her father was conscripted into the German Army, was captured and became a Russian prisoner for 7 years.  Maria, her mother and younger brother decided to leave Romania and made their way to Austria as many of the local Germans were either taken away by the Russians or the partisans and put into work or death camps.  They hitched rides, and walked, stole food from farmers’ fields, and did what they had to do to survive, until they reached a refugee camp in Austria. 

In 1996, my parents, my children and I were part of a trip to Germany, Austria and Hungary with the youth group.  One day while we were in Hungary, we had lunch in a restaurant along the Danube.  Just outside the restaurant was what looked like an area to launch boats.  It was actually a rope ferry to cross the river.  My mother gathered everyone there and described to us how on a very early Sunday morning, they crossed the Danube in place just like this one.  All the bridges had been bombed, so a rope ferry was their only way to cross the river.  She described in vivid detail how they had to keep the horses silent and quietly cross the river at dawn. 

 

We can only imagine all the hardships they had to endure during their refugee journey across Europe.  After a stay in a refugee camp in Austria, they were taken in by a local farmer in exchange for work on the farm.  They found some jobs, my uncle as a field hand, and my mother as a nanny/governess. 

My parents met, they dated with my grandmother along, and were married.  Shortly after that, Onkel Franz left for the USA.   My grandfather was released from the Russian prisoner of war camp and miraculously found his wife and daughter.  By the time I was born, and the entire family decided to immigrate to the United States, where my uncle was preparing an apartment for us.  Sadly, having joined the US Army, he was shipped off to Germany before we arrived. , My parents and I flew to the US on a US troupe transport plane and landed in New York on July 15, 1955, where we were met by relatives and put on the train to Chicago.  My grandparents came by boat. 

Once in Chicago, my parents enrolled in night school at Lane Tech to learn English and got jobs.  They both worked for 3M Revere for a number of years.  In later years, my mother worked at Neumann’s bakery, and then for many years at Schmeisser’s meat market in Niles, where she was responsible for running the front of the shop and making potato salad and gravies, sewing up goose breasts at holiday time and also babysitting the Schmeisser boys.    She never learned to drive but could navigate the entire city and suburbs on the bus better than anyone I know. 

She was very active in the German American Community.  She was the president of the Donauschwaben Women’s Auxiliary for 40 years, and ran the kitchen at the Donauschwaben from 1983 until her retirement not that long ago.  Cooking, baking and feeding people was her life.  She ran the kitchen that fed 500 people at a time, and made potato salad for German fest for thousands!  She cooked for her family too, and often showed up at one of our houses with a ziplock bag of Schnitzel in her purse for someone to take home.  When she couldn’t bake or cook as much anymore, she spent time teaching her granddaughters to bake and cook.  She taught them to be frugal and not waste food and told them “it’s expensive to grow a cow!”

She was so thrilled to become an Oma, and even more thrilled when the great grand children arrived.  You could see her eyes light up whenever these little people were around.  She was so very proud of her grandchildren, and their accomplishments.  They truly were the light of her life.

She had a deep devotion to our blessed mother.  She sang in the Donauschwaben choir.  She picked the hymns for the funeral mass herself many years ago, by telling Viki, “I like that hymn, you should sing it at my funeral.”   20 years ago, she gave Viki a book of Ave Marias and told her that she must sing one at her funeral.  She was always in control.

It has been a long, hard journey for her and for all of us, but she is now at rest.  Our faith tells us we will see each other again.  When you arrive at the pearly gates don’t look for her seated at the heavenly banquet, you won’t find her sitting there.  You will find her in the kitchen, directing the angels, supervising the meal preparation and teaching them to make Wiener Schnitzel. 

Merry Christmas

Christmas through the eyes of children is the absolute best way to celebrate! 

He Likes It, Hey Justin!

 Justin received the framed Superheroes Alphabet for Christmas.  He immediately found Batman, who seems to be his favorite at the moment.

 But the piece needed very careful further inspection!  He seemed fascinated for quite some time.

Here is the entire piece framed close up.  I am quite happy with how it turned out.  I would have chosen a different frame, but Justin's parents wanted a black frame, so that's what we did.

I Think He Likes It!

Peter seems to like the Superheroes Alphabet!  His parents hung it at his level so that he can practice his ABC's.  He is only 2 1/2, so he really shouldn't be in a big hurry.  He does point out the letters and the superheroes when asked. 

A New Generation

My granddaughter, age 3, stitching......Oma is so proud!

A Cross Stitched Cake!

My wonderful children had a surprise party for my birthday, and my talented youngest daughter Kristin made the cake! 

Happy 85th Birthday, Mom!

Today is my mother's 85th birthday!  Yesterday we celebrated at her favorite restaurant, Himmel's European Bistro.  We had a great time, and a wonderful meal.  I baked the cake.  When ever my mother baked a birthday cake, it was a nut torte with Parisian Cream Frosting.  I found her recipe for the frosting, but not the cake, so I found a similar one.  It turned out well, but I am still on the hunt for her recipie.  She can't remember it, nor can she remember where she put it, but my Dad is going to look through her recipies for me.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy 84th Birthday to my mother!

Why I haven't been stitching or blogging

Yesterday, my oldest son, Tony, married his high school sweetheart, Melissa.

The reception was held at Pinstripes; cocktails were on the Bocce Ball court, and after dinner some of the bowling lanes were reserved for the wedding guests. I was the best ma'am.

My Children Made Me Cry!

This portrait of my children hangs in the entryway of my home. It was taken in fall of 1985 by my late husband, who was a professional photographer. The portrait won a number of awards, locally, statewide and nationally. I won't go into the details, but getting four children to all smile at the camera was no easy task. Peter wanted to take the portrait with out any artificial light at all, so I had to hold up a giant reflector, to put enough light on their faces. I don't remember how many rolls of film he shot that day, but this was the first photograph, and the best one from that portrait session. That was then.......

....and this is now, 25 years later! My talented son-in-law, Jonathan, was the photographer this time, and I am sure there wasn't any less arguing going on during this portrait session. The "children" wanted to surprise me and recreate the first portrait, but posing was a problem. Tony couldn't sit down in the borrowed Lederhosen he was wearing! Mark is wearing his father's Lederhosen, which is very appropriate, as he was wearing his father's childhood Lederhosen in the first portrait.

This will rank among the best Christmas gifts I have ever received!

Beach Soccer

Did you know that the USA had a national beach soccer team? I didn't until a few years ago. My oldest son, Tony, is an athletic trainer, and has been assigned to travel with this team occaisionally.

This week, he is in Portimao, Portual, for an international beach soccer tournament. This is a picture of the stadium on the beach.

Here is a picture of the team. I hope they do well in the tournament.

This is the team doctor, on the left, and Tony on the right. He certainly looks like he is working hard!

The Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge...
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food and water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they miss someone very special to them; who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. The bright eyes are intent; the eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to break away from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. YOU have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Today we said goodbye to Sepp, my very first grandkitty. He waits for us at the Rainbow Bridge.....

Murphy's Mess

I arrived home on Friday evening to find this on my kitchen table. Murphy, Tony's 8 month old puppy (who is almost the size of a horse) found a ball of #8 perle cotton.

Tony tells me that he must have run around the entire first floor with it as it unwound. Murphy managed to wind it around every single piece of furniture and Tony had quite job getting it cleaned up. Dear boy tried very hard to wind it up nicely but eventually gave up and cut it a few times. I wish he would have taken a picture of the mess before he cleaned it up. I would have liked to have seen it.

Lucky for him, perle cotton isn't very expensive. If he had gotten into my silks, I wouldn't be laughing!

Logan's First Stitchy Gift

Logan was one week old yesterday, so of course Oma had to go and see him and cuddle him for a bit!

After seeing Logan, I went to my EGA meeting, and Debi gave me this cute stitched bib for Logan! Thanks so much, Debi, he will grow into it!

No time for stitching....

Who can stitch when this little guy needs cuddling? Here he is, sleeping soundly. What an angle!

Logan's Home!

Logan and his Mommy came home from the hospital Thursday afternoon. Daddy is still a mess, but getting better.

Oma went to help out.

Not much stitching getting done these days!

Here's Logan!!!!

Here he is, just about 2 hours old! He is just the most beautiful baby I have every seen!

IT'S A BOY!!!!!!

Logan Peter Rill was born this evening.

Mother and son are doing wonderful, Father is a mess!

Oma is going to see him now!!!!!