Thanksgiving

The kids have been out of school for the last week for Thanksgiving break, and we've tried to keep them busy.

Much of that has been all things Harry Potter, which has greatly interested them in recent weeks. We just finished the third book and its film adaptation; after we read one, we watch its corresponding movie. And they've been role-playing as Harry's friends Hermione and Ron.

We've ventured outside, too, of course - beginning with Chicago Public Library's annual Bookamania last Saturday.

We skipped the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival parade that evening.

But Mom and the kids stopped to see some of the parade's participants at the staging area, around the park across the street from our building. Lincoln here is trying to describe an instrument he saw, a saxophone.

We returned to the Children's Museum on Tuesday, and its "ice" rink was open for the season.

Mom had to work Thanksgiving night. So we ate a holiday lunch together before she left. Then, around dinnertime, Dad and the kids braved the rain to visit her and see the giant Christmas tree lit in the Tribune's plaza, pretty much kicking off a new holiday before the the other even ended.

We went to the Museum of Science and Industry on Friday, and there were more trees! This big one was decorated in honor of "Peanuts" creator Charles Schultz, for whom the museum currently has an exhibit.

Charlie Brown's little tree was there, too.

The museum wasn't all about Christmas.

And, today, Dad and Levynn went to Millennium Park for the first skate of the season with her new, single-blade skates.

It's back to school tomorrow!

School updates and more

There was no school today, to make room for parent-teacher conferences and report card pickups. But that doesn't mean we didn't fill the day.

First, Lincoln visited his preschool class with Dad. We learned last year that it's common for "graduates" to visit, and we had been encouraged to do so. This was as good a time as any. Six of his classmates remained, and the teachers were the same. So there was some familiarity for him, enough to stay for 45 minutes. There were hugs.

Then we all met Todd for lunch. We hadn't seen him in a while. More hugs.

After lunch, Todd walked with us to school. We met with the kids' teachers and received sparkling reports.

Lincoln, we learned, is in the strongest reading group and is "well-developed" in many of the areas. That's how kindergarteners are "graded:" well-developed, partially developed, or beginning to develop.

Levynn, meanwhile, continued her streak of straight As to at least six terms, dating back to first grade.

We're very proud of both!

From the kids' school, we followed Mom to Northwestern University's Chicago campus (across from Lake Shore Park, where the rest of us played). She had an appointment with an adviser in advance of winter quarter registration. She'll be taking a class!

"Thank you, Dad and Susan!"

She even got a student I.D., making her an official Wildcat. Maybe we'll be proud of Mom soon, too.

After that, we burned some time until American Girl unveiled its holiday windows, with hot chocolate and cookies. We seem to do that every year now.

Quite a day!