ICE CASTLE in Chicago!

Crazy "ICE CASTLE" from a big warehouse fire last night! You've seen burnt-out buildings before, but have you seen what "laying water" does to a building the next day in below freezing temperatures?

1/22/13 firefighters in Chicago responded to a factory fire on 37th/Ashland. It became a 5-11. Since it was 1 degree that night, this is what resulted the next day.. they were still putting water on it when we got there the next day. Later on that night, it rolled again.. Enjoy!

 

More photos can be viewed in my public album on facebook here: "Ice Castle" by Kara Leigh Photography

 

 

 

 

Fallen Chicago Firefighter will be missed!

This would be any firefighter's family's greatest fears. You just do not want to get that call. I am very thankful that my husband was attending our son's football banquet with us, and not out on this call. Praying for his family.. and his extended firefighting family. My husband knew him, Capt. Herbert Johnson, he was one of his instructors. "Great guy.." was his first response when he heard who he was. Followed by how sad it is, and what a great instructor he was when he taught as well.

Here is a link to the article. 

'Loved by everybody,' firefighter dies after South Side blaze

Hurricane Sandy visits Chicago!

So, this is what Hurricane Sandy is sharing with Chicago, besides the high winds. This was Lake Shore Drive this morning. It is pretty rare to see cars pulled along side the road, and traffic security trying to honk and move people. You can see Navy pier in the top right photo in the distance, and North Ave. Beach in the top middle distance. 

It *was* beautiful. The waves were crashing over the wall where people normally jog or bike. The water level was at the same height, the waves obviously were larger than that. 

Just giving a little peek into what Lake Michigan looked like from our neck of the woods. This storm has effected the entire country, hasn't it?

Hope everyone is staying warm and safe. Oh, and something funny? Want to know the song that met me at the door when I got back into my car?

But the waves are calling out my name And they laugh at me Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed

The waves they keep on telling me Time and time again "Boy, you'll never win! You'll never win!"

But the voice of truth tells me a different story The voice of truth says, "Do not be afraid!" And the voice of truth says, "This is for My glory" Out of all the voices calling out to me I would choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

- Casting Crowns "Voice of Truth"

A little bit of this and a little bit of that..

Hey Everyone! 

I know I've been MIA for a while now. 

We have had a very interesting (for lack of a better word) last year or so. I haven't been feeling so bloggy. Our family has had some twists and turns. I struggled with whether or not to be open about them (as it may help others going through the same thing), or going silent. I obviously chose the latter. All is well, though. Sometimes the road just gets rocky.

Here are some thoughts.

          *Raising teens is hard, raising a teen daughter is like holding back the tide.

   *There are reasons parents don't want their kids to date until 18...

               ....we should have been one of those parents...
                    
That's all I really need to say, I think. I do believe that if the Bible says over "Do not fear" over 365 times, I pretty much have to believe each one of those can cover each day of the year. I also have tremendous faith. I know that He has great plans for our kids. I know that we need to give them to Him and let Him finish the work He has started. I am fully leaning on this verse, but now as a mother, for my children!

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. - Philipians 1:6

 

Our oldest is going to finish her senior year near where my parents live. Our decisions were based on numerous things. A few of them included - being in a better area, having better schools, family around, better friends, better influences in general, and a church that is solid. She seems to be doing amazing. All sorts of great things are headed her way, and I am giving God all the glory! The Holy Spirit is at work in her life, and I love seeing and hearing the results of His work when I talk to her on the phone and talk to my parents. I do know that God is in control, and things happen for a reason. They just do. The majority of time we don't get why things happen the way they do, but seeing the ending result...or that road leading to that, is so inspiring! God is Good...all the time... all the time...God is Good!

Here is a photo of her right before we took her to the airport. There wasn't a dry eye for miles..

She is beautiful, she is strong.. and that reminds me;

“You are Braver than you Believe, Smarter than you Seem, and Stronger than you Think.”

- Winnie the Pooh

I love, Pooh! And, I love this girl!

I've also been working on my photography business.  And, my second born is a freshman now and off to High School, and all the sports that come along with it.. Baseball ended, and football took over! His first game was last night, and here's a pic of him as WR

and of course I had to throw in another. Him as QB..

and, since I am his mom, I have to throw in the last play of the night. The touchdown!! 

Yes, he's number 9! You think I'm proud, be glad his dad doesn't have a blog! LOL


I also turned 40 last week. [boo hiss] But it was wonderful! We went to the lake and watched the Air and Water show from a boat. Beautiful! Then we cruised along the river, and it was absolutely the most wonderful birthday!

We also have a friend, Lissa Lauria, who started The I AM Movement. Our little one wanted to be one of the faces, so here she is! 

 

This foundation is to help everyone understand how important they are. How to think everyday about how wonderful God made you, and to remind yourself that you are worth more.. anyway, visit her site!

THE I AM MOVEMENT

There is also some exciting news on the home front, I will save that for my next entry. I'm off to work out (now that I'm "over the hill"), and spend some time with the family.

Our New Mayor

Chicago now has a new mayor,  Rahm Emanuel. Right now, this is all I can really say. Just sharing some thoughts.

City unions guarded about Emanuel's victory

Police officers, firefighters voice concerns about pensions

Martin Ramirez cleans the streets and sidewalks in downtown Chicago Wednesday. Ramirez, a Streets and Sanitation worker for 23 years, says he is uneasy about his job security. (Nancy Stone, Chicago Tribune / February 23, 2011)

Leaders of several unions representing city workers weren't ready to take on Rahm Emanuel a day after he was elected mayor, despite his campaign promise to press for benefit reductions because of the city's looming budget crisis.

"I don't think anybody really knows what to expect right now," said Chicago firefighters union president Tom Ryan, who left his congratulations to Emanuel in a voice mail Wednesday. "It's definitely going to be an adjustment period."

Both the firefighters and police unions backed the candidacy of second-place finisher Gery Chico. Ryan said he plans to "proceed with caution" as Emanuel prepares to take office in May, while police union president Mark Donahue promised to work with the new mayor "as diligently as possible."

Donahue said officers are worried they might have to pay more into the pension fund.

"The most important aspect is the integrity of the fund," he said. "We'll do all we can to maintain the integrity of the fund and benefits the officers have earned."

Ryan and other union leaders said Chicago's pension shortfall is the biggest issue facing city employees. Growing pension obligations account for about half of the $1 billion-plus budget hole expected next year.

Emanuel was the only major mayoral candidate who did not rule out cutting pension benefits for existing employees.

Michael Shields, a police pension board member who is also running for union president, said retired officers are concerned their pensions could be "diminished or impaired."

"What I don't like is that retirees are calling and saying, 'Mike, what's going to happen to my fixed income here?'" Shields said.

"We knew when we took this job we weren't going to be rich," one police officer said. "But don't make us poor."

(read the rest of the article here) 

After The Storm - Chicago Blizzard 2011

Well, we made it! Thank the Lord we didn't lose power, only some hours of sleep as the wind howled and beat against our house. We supposedly have 18-20 inches of snow, but who could tell as it turned into mostly huge drifts due to high winds. They said they were up to about 45mph. The downfall of that is the cars are burried on the street. The wind packed them pretty high and tight! 

Dear hubby went off to work at 6:30 a.m. and made it to the end of the block. Stuck! Some neighbors helped push, but had to resort to walking home, getting the snow shovel, and hoof it back to unbury the car. Finally got it off the street, and into a parking spot that also had to be shoveled out. Some really nice kid picked him up after his 3rd attempt to get to work. He had a 4x4 truck and got him there swift and sound! The firehouse has a snowmobile, so that will help add to the transportation woes. 

It's looking like the plows are getting the streets back in order. Lake Shore Drive was completely shut down last night. People were waiting in their cars for hours to get through. Here's an article talking about the 900 cars stranded for up to 12 hours long! Here is a little clip of an interview. Another example of people taking care of people. There are genuinely nice people out there!

“It was a fascinating experience,” he said. “You saw everything from firefighters on snowmobiles and a cross country skier in the southbound lanes. One woman knocked on my door. She had granola bars and bottled water, and she was just trying to give them away to people stuck in their cars.”

Something else pretty shocking, was that CPS closed it's schools. They haven't done this in over 12 years! Didn't matter to us, we aren't leaving the house!

Oh, and if today wasn't enough, we're now in for a  Deep Freeze!  Anywhere from -5 to -20 temperatures coming our way. YAY! *sarcasm* Hey, if we lived near a mountain (or at least a HILL) I would be elated with this weather. But sadly, the land is flat. No place to ski...

Stay warm, my friends! Don't drive anywhere.. it's not worth it!

(editors note: I am placing watermarks on photos now due to someone stealing them from websites. Although these are not the best photos in all the world, they are mine.)

Chicago issuing blunt warnings: Storm imminent!

Chicago warned: Brace yourself

Commuters trudge to work through a dusting of snow on Wells Street in Chicago this morning. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Tribune)

With a blizzard barrelling toward Chicago, emergency officials offered some blunt advice this morning:

 "Every Chicago resident should brace for a storm that will be remembered for a long time," said Jose Santiago, head of the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications. "There is no reason to believe, at this point, that the storm will miss the city."

The blizzard warning for Tuesday and Wednesday forecasts up to 20 inches of snow. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph will create whiteout conditions, making travel nearly impossible, possibly flooding stretches of the lakefront and knocking down power lines.

The snow is expected to hit between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. today, falling  at 1 to 2 inches per hour. The worst is expected to come between 9 p.m. today and 5 a.m. Wednesday with a snowfall rate of 3 to 4 inches per hour, Santiago said. Lake effect snow could add an additional 6 inches.

Winds are expected to reach 50 mph inland and 60 mph near the lake, where authorities have issued a lake shore flood watch from noon today until Wednesday afternoon.

Waves at the shoreline are expected to reach up to 25 feet, Santiago said.

The Chicago OEMC was to open its emergency control center at noon. The multi-agency center will be located on the third floor of OEMC's office building on Madison. From there, authorities will monitor conditions around the city through street cameras, Santiago said.

Santiago reminded drivers they must yield to emergency vehicles and should not drive unless absolutely necessary.

Landlords must also remember that heat must be kept at 68 degrees during the day and 66 degrees at night, he said.

Residents in need of shelter can head to local warming shelters, libraries, and police and fire stations, Santiago said.

"This storm will task the cities resources and test the patience of Chicago residents," Santiago said.

Chicago's Department of Streets and Sanitation will utilize its full flee of 274 trucks plus 120 garbage trucks with quick hitch plows to clear main routes and Lake Shore Drive.

Department head Tom Byrne reminded residents that cars parked on streets with a 2-inch snow ban will be towed. "We will relocate cars if necessary," Byrne said. "This is a matter of public safety."

Byrne also said that snow cleared from cars should be put on parkways instead of the street.

The Streets and Sanitation Department will be receiving assistance Wednesday morning from the Department of Water and Transportation to help dig out critical areas around the city.

The Chicago Transit Authority plans to run longer trains more often to keep tracks clear of snow and the third rail, which powers the trains, from icing over.....

 (read more here)

Day 2 - Taken from my 365 project blog

A great start to a new year is always spending it with my awesome man. Today we celebrated being married for 18 years! We have gone through so much together. We've laughed, cried, celebrated life, mourned loved ones, locked arms trying to raise three kids, supported each other, and taught each other what it is to be partners. It's not easy at times, but if you can let things roll and trust that God will help you all through, you can make it! I say this after 18 years of marriage, 19 years of being together. After all this, I love this man, I'm thankful for this man, and I support him.

There. Enough mushy stuff, here's to my 2nd day! We went downtown to an amazing dinner, it was so lovely I forgot to take out my camera. Plus I thought, that's a little tacky, to grab my camera and take a picture of the cute dessert they brought us "on the house" complete with candle! After we had several bites, I thought. THAT should have been my 365 photo! Oh well, live and learn. 

I do love clocks. I could take a tour of old clocks around the city and put them all together. In fact, I may do that! So don't be surprised to see several clocks show up in the next year. 

Okay, I read about night time shots in my manual today. I realized that I didn't need a flash at night. Let the lights take on their own tone. So here is the old Marshall Fields clock (before it became..ahem..Macy's) on the corner of State and Washington. I used to work across the street and just came to love seeing it every day.

365 Day 2 

Night time.

My thoughts: I love the old feel of the stone, the coloring, and the old lamp posts. It probably still looks a lot like it did so many years ago. I'm sure I'm not the only one that loves and appreciates that old clock.

Feel Good Story!

Feel Good Story! Sometimes it's nice to just say, "Awww!!"

Coyote rescue from floating ice in Lake Michigan

December 17, 2010 11:40 AM | No Comments

Coyote drifting on patch of ice in Lake Michigan this morning. (WGN Channel 9)

A Fire Department boat rescued a coyote spotted floating on a patch of ice hundreds of yards out on Lake Michigan this morning.

The coyote was seen around 9:30 a.m. off Fullerton Avenue, curled up on a piece of ice barely bigger than itself.

A coyote rests safely in an animal rescue truck after the Chicago Police and Fire rescued it from a patch of ice on Lake Michigan. (William DeShazer/Chicago Tribune)
As a helicopter hovered overhead, the Victor L. Schlaeger fire boat slowly approached the coyote. Several times two crew members bent over to snare the coyote, but it kept drifting away.

Finally, the stern of the boat slid toward the coyote and a crew member snatched him with a long-handled snare and pulled him aboard.

The boat then sped to Belmont Harbor, about an hour after the coyote was spotted. There was no immediate word on his condition.

-- Staff report

Beautiful (cold) day in Chicago!

Today was super cold in Chicago! Hope you are all staying toasty warm! This is the time I'm dying to have a fireplace in my house. I don't understand why every house built here doesn't have one. Oh well - fingers crossed for Christmas! I had a great time taking photos today along the lakefront. I went to the Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, Soldier Field, and Navy Pier. Good thing it warmed up to 24 degrees today!

All in a Week's Work..

This past week seemed to just fly by. We were running around with family schedules like crazy. But looking back at my pictures, it looks like we had fun! Do you ever race through life then look at your photos later to relive them and enjoy the moment? I seem to do that a lot! Here are some highlights of the week. My husband worked a lot, got 3 fires, currently conditioning with a football team, and we are all tired!

 We went downtown and visited where our oldest spent a lot of time. At the new American Girl Place, Chicago where she played "Kirsten/Kit/Julie" in the American Girls Revue for 3 years. Sadly, they don't have the shows at any of the stores anymore. 10 years and now it's gone. Stores sometimes just don't know a good thing when they've got it. Now it's just another (beautiful) retail store.

   

Our middle one playing football after a downtown school session with some of the kids and his last year's teacher. Pretty cool for a teacher to get out there to hang out with the kids.

This little guy got chased up onto my kitchen windowsill by our dog. I was wondering why the cat was up on my counter when I came back downstairs! There he was.. I decided to reward him with peanuts and almonds.

  It's not fall until you have a picture of kids in trees. After the Feed My Starving Children packing party, the kids let loose some more energy before we went home. What a great opportunity to see kids help. Schedule a packing party with your church or kids group..etc. We loved it and are going back again very soon! The kids wound up packing enough boxes to feed 25 children for 1 year!

Chicago Weather Today!

The wind blew up to 60mph all night long! There were severe storm watches, tornado warnings and supposedly the biggest storm the Midwest has seen in years. I had a little one at my side about 4:00a.m. Luckily for her, the couch in our room was open and beckoning. I woke up to beautiful clouds. Some as dark as night, some that looked like a bright, summer day. I think I just want to take pictures of the sky every day. I love it! I will have to take my camera with me a little more often. Here 's a little peek at our homeschooling view today.

In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. - Hebrews 1:10

10:00a.m.

10:30a.m.

 11:30a.m.

 1:30p.m.