MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Best wishes to everyone celebrating Christmas.

I am in Chicago with the family for Christmas with my 90-year-old mother Angela.  We got our wish this year for a white Christmas with a few inches on Christmas Eve.  The Chicago Bears completed the perfect Christmas by winning on Sunday. Even though the Browns are the worst team in the country without a single win this year, none of us made any assumptions given the record this year.

We took my Mom to St. Mary’s of the Lake for midnight mass (though it is no longer actually at midnight and end regrettably at 11 pm).  This is my childhood church where I have literally spent every Christmas of my life. It is a gorgeous church and I love the fact that it is now part of the tradition of my four children.

Last night, I made our traditional Cioppino soup — a tradition started by my late father, Jack Turley. I hated the soup as a kid so fate has left this tradition to me. I am now as addicted to the soup as my father was.

I cook the beef as well as the Yorkshire pudding, horseradish. and other traditional dishes for the dinner.  We will have the entire family clan over to the house. A total of 29 this years.

Despite the latest loss of the Bears, we are all in good cheer and it is wonderful to be home in Chicago.

The Turley family wishes everyone a happy and safe holiday. I will be toasting our blog family tonight and give thanks for the wonderful community we have created at this site.

Best wishes,

Jonathan Turley