a very frozen birthday

I mentioned the other day that Ally & I were going on an adventure. Tuesday morning we flew to Cleveland, Ohio. This is what we wimpy Texas girls saw out the window of the plane as we approached the frozen land of Ohio....

 Lake Erie was beautiful but brrrrrr......

 This is a homecoming of sorts, as we were all born here, but left 16 years ago when Ally was 2. She doesn't really remember winters like this!

 Some of you are aware that Ally struggles with a chronic nerve pain disease called CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome). If you're one of those medical people who enjoys reading these things, you can read more about CRPS or RSD here. I don't tend to dwell on these things here on my blog, but in recent months Ally has had a difficult relapse and struggles with pain and mobility. The best doctors in the field are here, at The Cleveland Clinic, so we hopped on a plane and came to get her answers and treatment.

It just so happens, I had a birthday yesterday.  Such a treat to spend my birthday with my sister and Ally. They took me to dinner at PF Changs and my dear friend Annie joined us there as a surprise! They spoiled me with lovely gifts and wonderful conversation. Check out this fabulous collage my sister, Diane, made for me to hang in my studio....

Come on, admit it, your mom made you some of those clothes in the 1960s too! What a wonderful flashback!

I'm so thankful to have my sister here, welcoming us into her warm home and loving us! Here's the view out her front window.....

 Have a wonderful, warm day friends!