Christmas with Massachusetts folks

Gram, Papa and Uncle Dan visited us after Christmas, and we had fun with them as usual with a trek to the Art Institute, lots of building, and Dad (with sous chef Dan) cooking fancy schmancy lunches. Unfortunately, Mom was working each day and couldn't join us in most of the merriment.

At the art museum, we paired up to make animals out of paper, tape and pipe cleaners. Gram and Lincoln made an elephant. Dad and Levynn made a horse.

And Papa and Dan worked for a long time on the piece de resistance, a blue whale.

After they finally emerged from that project, Dan built with Lincoln in the family play area.

Back at home, those two also built a Lego tower, stacking brick upon brick until it was ready to topple.

And the boys built a wacky railroad with some of the cool new pieces Lincoln received to add to his collection.

Speaking of gifts, we just have to show you what we got for Dan, who is a wannabe chef like Dad.

In case you can't see it clearly, it has a photo of our kids and cousin Chloe, huddled together in excitement, and reads, "Uncle Dan is cooking!" Is that cute or what?

And Dan proudly donned the apron as he assisted in making Dad's signature dish, Salmon Mole, which we (the adults, at least) are eating here.

Oh, speaking of cute...


Thanks for coming!

But their visit was all too brief, for we had to pay some folks a visit of our own.

Merry Christmas to all!

We've had a great weekend ourselves, sticking with our usual traditions for Christmas Eve and Day in Chicago.

It's hard to believe, but this is our fifth Christmas here!

And for the fifth time - and fourth straight Christmas Eve (documented here, here and here) - we visited Santa, the very same Santa, at Hancock Observatory yesterday. Then we ate downstairs at The Cheesecake Factory.





Then we got an early start this morning, with the kids wishing us a Merry Christmas in bed at 5:55 a.m. Ho, ho, ho!

It was time for presents!





And a little nostalgia...

Skating the time away

The first day that both kids are home on school break just happened to be the day before Christmas Eve. So we just had to find something to wile away the hours. And we went skating!

Lincoln showed a lot more interest, sticking with it through several falls long enough for him to count nine laps around the rink. Meanwhile, Levynn showed significant improvement. Watch her "glide!"

Be grateful

Levynn's school winter assembly was today, and we all were there as Mom was able to take a break from work to catch the second grade's performance.


Isn't Levynn so lovely up there? Oh, wait. What's that, you say? Where is Levynn? She's hidden behind one of her best friends, the redhead with the tambourine! Last year a music stand was in front of her, now this!


But there she is, for the second song - and, thanks to her friend, she finally sees us, too. And we're grateful for that!

'Tis the season, Part II

Lincoln's class celebrated the holidays with a family party Mom and Dad attended this morning, their last day before break, and this evening we all returned to Navy Pier's Winter Wonderfest for some annual fun.

It's getting close!

Here are Dad and Lincoln, ready to start singing.


And this is our favorite tune, thanks to the accompaniments.

Ho, ho, ho!


Presents!

Ooh, for Mom and Dad? What could it be?

It's a lovely picture of Lincoln, in a frame of his own design!

Back in the classroom, this yummy meal was served for the kids.

"Is that hot chocolate?"

Meanwhile, Mom admired the artwork.




As for the evening...

Does this photo look familiar? We've taken this shot at least three of the four years we've gone to Wonderfest. Here are 2010 and 2008 (it's technically 2009, but only by a day). It's always fun to see how they've grown.

And by this time next year, Levynn may be too grown for much of Wonderfest. Alas.

After running around, we dined with Harry Caray.

At Harry Caray's, actually. (Wasn't that a little creepy?)

'Tis the season

And we were in the spirit this weekend.

Mom and Levynn went to the Joffrey Ballet's "Nutcracker" on Friday night, and it had Levynn dancing in the lobby during intermission. She loved it. Thanks for the early Christmas, Granddad and Susan!

We decorated the house yesterday (photos coming soon).


And Mom and the kids made candy cane cookies today for a cookie party tomorrow at the home of another of Lincoln's classmates.

Oh, and we also did a little decorating today, too.

Party weekend

Two in one weekend?

Levynn attended a birthday party for one of her best friends yesterday, and then Lincoln attended his first (without Levynn, that is; they went to one together last year) for a classmate today.

Levynn's friend hosted an in-home hair-and-nails party with these fancy cupcakes that her mom created.

And Lincoln's classmate hosted a dog-themed party featuring an acting workshop with two Lookingglass Theatre instructors.

Thanksgiving with Granddad and Susan

And it was a good one!

Mom cooked a feast, including this apple pie.

We built a gingerbread house.

We put Granddad to work. Thanks for the coat rack! (And thanks for some photos, Susan!)

We went to the Art Institute to see the annual wreathing of the lions.

We saw Artie the Lion, too, and Granddad - unlike the kids - wasn't afraid to say hi.

Inside the museum, Levynn that lovely girl worked on a paper wreath.

And while we were out, Dad and the kids went ice skating.

Mom, Levynn, Granddad and Susan also went to the Vienna Boys Choir concert at Symphony Center.

Yes, it was exhausting at times. But we sure had fun!

The reports are in...

Today, Levynn's first second-grade report card came home and Dad had a parent-teacher conference (the closest thing you get to a report card in Pre-K) at Lincoln's school.

Both were fabulous!

Levynn received another Principal's Scholar certificate with her straight As, and Dad was told, in short, that Lincoln just needed to "keep being wonderful."

Time change!

No, not that time change. We're talking about a 5K time change.

Dad was notified today that the course was more like 3.25 miles than 3.1 miles, a result of the semi crash that caused a last-minute re-route that morning. Each participant's per-mile time was adjusted today to reflect the new distance, giving Dad an unofficial 5K time of 25:28 instead of 26:40. Dad feels much better now!