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!