Thanksgiving in Chicago Day 3 '11

Day 3 - over sleep, pack, eat, check out ... start walking (in the wrong direction) to find our bus stop ... Waited for a bus that was never going to come but finally got on the right one and off we went to the Science and Industry Museum.

We are not sure why this large statue of Marilyn Monroe is in Chicago but it did draw a bit of a crowd ....

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ....

I was hoping to get some good shots with the tree but the flash would drown out the tree and no flash meant you could not see the kids.

Trees decorated from every country.  They were soooo cool!

Chris climbed to the ceiling ....

and waved!

This thing was weird.  You stuck your face in it and it would capture an image of your face and put it on the juggler.  If you look closely you will it is Chris' face on the juggler.

We saw an Omnimax movie on how they built the first transcontinental train track.  REALLY cool!  Kids were not as impressed.

And we got to rid in a simulator.  They put us in this pod thing and closed the door.  The entire thing moved around to simulate the movements we were watching on a movie screen.  We were like on this crazy sledding journey.  It was wild.  AND no one got sick!!

This was a cool exhibit.  It was the first German U boat captured.  They had the audio from the attack playing.  They also had this video of how they got this boat (submarine) into the museum.  AMAZING!

I wish I could say this was some neat exhibit but it's just the kids realizing they can fit into the benches that are mounted on the wall.

Snooooooozzzzzzing in the bunks

One minute!  I mean, can't you see I am busy?

Yes, we were both on this trip!

Do you see my little peanut Acacia in front of the tree?

Ummmm ... gingerbread houses ... just like the ones we make!

We could have stayed at this museum for the entire visit and still not seen everything there was to see here.  We will be going back to this one for sure!  But, we do have a three hour drive ahead of us and we have to eat dinner.  We still have not seen the Willis tower and the hotel manager gave us free passes to ride the Navy Pier Farris wheel.  Since we had been to the Willis tower twice we figured the third time will be the charm.  More buses and walking but we got there.  The line to get in is wrapped around the building.  The guards are screaming it's a THREE hour wait!!  But, alas, we had purchased tickets to all these Chicago attractions through the CityPass program.  This gets you into the attractions like a fast pass at Disney!!  We did have to wait to get through the security (about 40 minutes) but after that we were up.  We were in the elevator with people who really did wait 3 hours to go up.  I did not tell them I thought they were stupid.

I could not figure out how to get my camera to take a good night shot.

They had these little glass rooms you could walk out onto.  Glass floor, walls and ceiling.  It felt like you were just going to walk right off the building!

The kids had no problems with this sensation.

I, on the other hand would not look down.  Just take the picture already!!!

Back to Marilyn

and the Chicago Tribune

I told Chris to go check out what she was wearing under her dress ....

and that is the answer! 

A successful trip to Chicago!!  Until next year!!

5th Grade Orchestra Concert - ' 11

Acacia continues to play the violin and has added the flute to her musical line up as well.  They had their first orchestra concert last week.  The tradition continues.  She wears the same outfit and instructs me to be at the school early to curl her hair.  I really am impressed with how great they sound.  Acacia was chosen to read at this one because she had perfect attendance for large and small group classes and rehearsals.  She was very proud of herself!

You asked to see it - EAR '11

Some of you have hear the story already, but for those that need the explanation ....

It's Saturday afternoon Oct 29, 2011.  The four of us are having lunch at Noodles.  It's all good.  Chris starts messing around with his ear (just tugging on the lobe).  Randy says he's noticed Chris doing that a lot.  I replied acknowledging the same.  But, whenever I asked Chris if there was something bothering his ear he would reply ... "It's just waxy."  Randy and I talk a little about whether we think he should be seen.  Maybe in ear infection or something when his sister just blurts out "Maybe his ear is bothering him because he had an eraser stuck in it."  Randy and I look at her like she is nuts and why would she say such a thing.  But, then we look at Chris.  Who is looking at us like - "... I guess, maybe, there could be an eraser stuck in there."  Now, Randy and I look at each other both think "You have GOT to be kidding me!"  Calmly we ask Chris what the story was.  He starts by saying, "In the beginning of third grade ..."  (I pause here to remind you the beginning of third grade means September 1st.  Today is the 29th of October.)  He goes on to say he "might have stuck a pencil eraser in his ear to get the wax out".  Again Randy and I look at each other in complete disbelief (but not really) and are thinking to ourselves ... not my kid.  As luck would have it, an immediate care clinic is literally right next door.  Randy takes Chris over while Acacia and finish up at Noodles.  Five minutes later Acacia and I walk over and are taken directly to the exam room.  As we walk in we here the Dr say, "Yep!  I can see an eraser in there."  Randy is sitting in the guest chair with his head in his hands, just shaking it back and forth in complete disbelief.  The Dr tried for about fifteen minutes to get it out but Chris was screaming in pain and kept asking if he was getting a shot in his ear.  OK - next step - Children's Hospital Pediatric ENT for the "foreign body unlodging".  Well, this has to wait until Monday.  Jumping ahead to Monday, Randy takes Chris in.  They have these crazy bionic like binoculars with super great light, a camera and TVs so the parents can see what is going on in the ear.  The Dr is able to get the eraser out fairly easily and Randy is thinking it's all good.  But, low and behold the Dr says "Wait!  There is something else in there."  And proceeds to pull out a wad of paper.  OK - fine.  Dr gives Chris the big lecture on not putting anything smaller than your elbow in your ear and they are free to go.  YEAH!  Oh, and Chris has some weird tattoo on his forehead the entire time too.

Chris is thrilled with the attention he is getting (not).

This is the "tube fairy" - as in ear tubes ... It was Halloween after all.

Sadly, the story does not end here.  November 11th (11 days later) I am at work and I get a call from the Oregon school nurse.  She starts by saying "Everything is OK."  Well, OK then.  She goes on to tell me that she has Chris in her office and that from what she can see with her little ear scope joby thing that Chris has an eraser stuck in his ear.  I literally replied (loudly) - "Are you flipping kidding me??"  The nurse, not knowing that Chris just came from the hospital to have this corrected 11 days ago tried to calm me down.  She went on to say she could not get it out.  Sigh.  I called Randy.  I wish I could have told him to his face because over the phone I knew he was in more shock than I was.  He for sure thought I was joking and it took me telling him everything the nurse had to say for him to believe me.  He then went on to say he would be too embarrassed to take Chris to the hospital again for the same thing so soon so I would have to do it.  OH - and when the nurse called me she told me that Chris VERY specifically told her NOT to call his dad ....

Chris and I walk into the hospital a few hours later only to have the same nurse come and start lecturing us again.  This time it was not as easy to get out.  It took a few different nurses and the Dr leaving the room several times to find "the right tool".

Super cool bionic binoculars

Again, Chris could not be more excited ...

He is now eraser and paper free.  It's been 9 days since he's been free from this and we are hopeful that he is done putting whatever in his ear.  He also now has ear dopes that are supposed to help with the itching.  Although, after I took him the second time, we went back to my office so I could finish up with some work.  I gave him some paper and markers to draw with and what was the first thing he did???  Stick the dang thing in his ear!!  Now, whenever I walk by him I just pick up whatever I can find and try to shove it in his ear.  So far, my purse will not fit and neither does my finger nail file. 
Some of you have requested to see the actual items that have been pulled from his head.  So, if you really want to see them ... here they are.

Voila!  Two erasers and a wad of paper.

Trick or Treat!! '11

The day finally came!!  Chris was almost as excited for Halloween as he is for Christmas!  He was counting down the days at least two weeks out!  Both kids got to wear their costumes a few times before the big day.  School, after school, couple different parties - so we did get some good use out of them this year!

Anyway, the big day!  They each had a friend over and by chance their costumes were kind of matchy!  Acacia and her friend, Jane were both Goth (ish) ...

Notice the lip and eyebrow rings??  Totally Goth - RIGHT??

The boys were Ninjas (not to be confuses with the red, blue or black Power Rangers costumes from years past)

We had the fire pit out again and this year the s'mores were a BIG hit!  I went threw a full size bag of marshmallows in addition to 300+ peaces of candy!!  Kids were blown away when they realized they could have candy AND a s'more!!

And we had sub sandwiches compliments of Jane's mom!

By the time the night was over we probably grossed at least 40 pounds of candy between the 4 kids.  Actually it was realistically more like 55 or 60 as I know Joel's bag alone weighed in at 28 pounds.  Lots of folks were giving out the full sized candy bars!!

The kids and I sat on the floor a couple days later and sorted it all out so everyone gets the kind they like (including mom).  Most of it is stored away but the kids each get a bowl out at a time.  This is not helping me with my goal ... at all.