"Houston, mission accomplished, we had a great time..."

I got little information out of Drew & Alex as they raced home from a great night at the Planetarium to switch gear and leave again for up north. I did hear from both of them that it was awesome.

Here are the patches Alex received. I can't wait to hear more.

And the winner is...

Wisconsin
For one week a poll was on this blog to help us make a decision about what to do over Thanksgiving. The question was "Do we go to Wisconsin or stay home for Thanksgiving?" The answers to choose from were:

• Go up north with friends - that's the least you can do since you just drop them off and run off to work every school day.


• Go up north - you need to get away.


• Go up north - you're just going to wash your dogs then complain on tree cutting day how dirty they get rolling in the mud.


• Go up north - your kids are old now, they're not cute anymore.


• Stay home, your kids will always be cutest first.


• Stay home - get to Grandma & Grandpa's early to get the best seat to hold Cora.


• Stay home - since when are appletinis part of Thanksgiving?


• Stay home - what's a family photo without your dogs?

Out of all the votes posted, only two choices received votes, the ones above in italic. An overwhelming number of people suggest that we need to go up north because we need to get away.

We are excited to pack our bags for a change of scenery but best of all, a great time to be thankful for great friends.

The Girls Going to the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival

For more than 40 years, the trees along North Michigan Avenue have been illuminated to signal the official start of the holiday season in Chicago. Ash & I will take the train down, take the water taxi to Michigan Avenue to witness the magical lighting of more than one million lights along North Michigan Avenue from Oak Street to Wacker Drive, culminating in a magnificent fireworks show over the Chicago River.
Ashley discovered after reading through the internet that Corbin Bleu from High School Musical will perform before the parade.
We plan to be part of setting the record for the World's Largest Holiday Carol.
After the parade and fireworks we will go to see the famous "Windows" at Marshall Fields, I mean Macy's.
This is part of my checklist of things to do someday.

The Guys Spending the Night at the Adler Planetarium

Blast off! with an all-night pass to the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum. Explore museum exhibits, build your own tools to discover the wonders of the night sky, and peer through our telescopes to gaze upon the celestial wonders of our Universe.

Drew & Alex will join scouts and leaders for an amazing experience of staying overnight at the Adler Planetarium Friday night. Then Saturday morning they are off to the woods of Wisconsin for deer season. I haven't figured out the words to write to Alex's teacher to let her know he will be missing school to go hunting. I am hoping these days and nights of exploring the sky and the woods will be lessons that could never be replicated in the classroom. This is a a lot to check off the ultimate guy list of things to do.

Northeast Illinois Council Boy Scouts of America

OK here is the dilema...

1. Do we go up north for 4 days with our friends to their cabin tucked away in the woods in Wisconsin; kids play with their friends exploring the outdoors; adults talking, laughing and perfecting the appletini; cut our Christmas tree that when we get it home will probably be too big but beautiful just like Clark Griswold; but... it occured to me today, how can we cut down our Christmas tree and take our annual family picture without our dogs?!

or

2. Politely thank the friends for the wonderful invitation (we have said for years that we want to go up north but have yet to go up - will they think we don't like them and eventually stop inviting us?); enjoy the day off of school (the day before Thanksgiving); go to Grandma & Grandpa's where can enjoy family (this year holding Cora will be a much awaited addition to the entertainment and eat too much; the kids inevitably end up watching tv or going on the computer; then drive home late that evening; then traditionally go see a Christmas movie the day after Thanksgiving and finally traditionally cut our tree at a Christmas tree farm and take our annual family picture with our dogs? Will there be like a timer going for holding Cora? "Your time is up, it's my turn..."

I am really hoping we can make Ashley's Tuesday night lessons at Northwestern short and sweet but frequent stops to visit Cora.

Please share your thoughts by voting in the poll to the right.