Chicago Panorama

I recommend clicking on the image to expand it. One thing that I think is really interesting about this photo is that you can see a striking contrast between the old and new buildings. The old buildings are out in front (along Michigan Avenue) and have a brownish/yellow tint to them... the new buildings tower in the background and have a greyish/black tint. The older buildings almost look like they are fortress walls protecting the city behind it.

It's really interesting to look back at old photos of the Chicago skyline and see how much it has changed over the years. 

The Holiday Blur

In my mind, the holidays always have a slow start... there's a lot of anticipation and planning involved (especially if you're hosting an event or traveling somewhere). However, once they get started, they go by rather quickly and can be a bit of a blur. These are a few photos representing that "Holiday Blur".

Miniature Christmas

Each year, my brother, father, and myself would purchase miniature North Pole figurines and buildings for my mom. My brother and I would be responsible for building the village... and each year it kept growing (to the point where we had to add an extra table). My mom still keeps the tradition alive, but to a much smaller extent.

Stockings Hung On the Chimney With Care

Waking up on Christmas morning, the first thing I would do was run down the stairs and look at all presents that had been "delivered". It was definitely one of the most exciting times of the year. This was the first view I would get of the Christmas tree and fireplace in the background. My brother and I were allowed to open up any presents in our stockings... but had to wait until later in the day to see what was under the tree. It definitely helped build up the excitement. 

Oh Christmas Tree

The Christmas Tree is the centerpiece of a house during the holidays. However, when I was young, it was my least favorite item to decorate (which is probably why I've never gotten one for my own apartment). We would spend hours putting the tree together, hanging lights, replacing broken lights, unwrapping ornaments, hanging ornaments (there were hundreds upon hundreds). My brother and I would actually go in shifts. Each year I tried to convince my mom to reduce the amount of ornaments... but each one had special meaning to her and brought back memories. Therefore, I was never successful.

These are a few photos I took of my parent's tree this holiday. Can you see the tree underneath the ornaments?

Lighting Up the Christmas Spirit

When I was young, one of my favorite things about this time of year was looking at all of the houses decorated with lights. It always felt kind of "magical". My family never went overboard with the decorations on the outside of the house (maybe went a little overboard on the decorations inside the house)... but it always looked quite nice.

These are a few photos I took of my parent's home this year... my mom and dad are still keeping the tradition alive.
(wonder how much power is wasted during this time of year?)

Christmas Time

I was looking through the photos I took during the Christmas holiday and tried to find one that I felt best represented the feeling of this time of year. For whatever reason, this one caught my eye... fireplace heating the room, stockings hung with care, ornaments on the tree, colorful lights, dark setting, warm colors... can't help but get a warm/cozy feeling looking at this setting.