Thanksgiving on the Other Side

After much planning and effort by Karen, the stars aligned and the waters parted (or the snows held off), and we made it to Chicago for Thanksgiving. Stopped at the Museum of Science and Industry for Holidays around the world, but also love the standing exhibits there. Checked in, and K had found a great rate back at the Palmer House.

The renovations are complete, and, thanks to Percy Jackson, the kids were into all the mythological art in the lobby. Y and K liked the Peacock theme... is that new? We finished the day in Pilsen at the Museo Nacional del Arte Mexicano, a beautiful little museum, and a great dinner at the Nuevo Leon.

Wednesday we started with Graham Crackers, Xavier's favorite Chicago comic book store. (Cool toys and a great comic selection, especially the graphic novel collections.) We wandered over to the Cristkindlemarket preview day in Daley Plaza, for some good German food on the hoof, warm cider and to goggle at the amazing handicraft. Bela longed for a handcarved dragon and cat, and even karen thought there were neat things. (She's not much a one for 'stuff'.)

Macy's made it clear that Christmas was coming, and both the kids dropped off their Santa letters to contribute to Make-a-Wish.

In the late afternoon we went for a couple hours to the amazing new Modern Wing of the Art Institute. It's gorgeous, even if some of the art is stressful. The third floor is my favorite with all the gorgeous early 20th century modern. The architecture is astounding. After the museum closed, we headed down Michigan Ave to the Mag Mile and the Lego store. (Now a must stop on any Chicago visit.) Ysabela got a neat Christmas village set, which became the Thursday night activity, and now the centerpiece of the dining room table, with the addition of an X-nativity.

Thursday was the parade, which was cool, and relatively sparsely attended, because of a bit of drizzle. It was mostly balloons, bands and folkloric dance troops. (Including the excellent Polish marching cello.) The kids were troopers for the full duration. The people who got there way early left about halfway through, promoting us to the front row.

I thought Rocky needed a moose, but he was just lagging behind.

Afterwards we had an amazing Thanksgiving dinner. Xavier is quick to count his lamb chops as the most amazing.

Afterwards, we revisited the Christkindlmarket, where we bumped into a Cirque de Soleil group promoting their new show, Banana Shpeel. I am proud to report that I officially have award winning schpiel, as we found out a few days later we won 2 tickets to the show. (Now how do we get there...?)

Friday we left early and had clear sailing out. Great trip, better than we could have hoped for.

All Hallow's Eve 2009

Always with the fighting, those Jedi.

Halloween was oddly sedate this year, with limited trick-or-treating, but fun nonetheless. Minnebos came, with thier usual infusion of fun, food and fantastic art and costumes. In particular this year, Gregg's buzz generating $50, award-winning pumpkin. Karen put on the usual feast and we had a great stream of trick-or-treater-visitors. Hank and Marilynn somehow avoided the camera, bu grandma manned the door for a stretch, and Henry took Bela on her rounds.

Except for the smiling, that's Quinlan Vos.



And I know you'll want to see THE pumpkin. Judging from the number of photos taken last night, it should be all over the internet by this morning.

The kids gave out sugar skull awards this year. (First annual?) Some standard and some creative categories.

Halloween'een we got to take Marilyn out to dinner for a slightly belated 73rd birthday celebration. We went to the Boatwerks in Holland, terrific place, then back home for stout cake.

Sugar Skulls!

Be sure to check out the Sticky Silverware on y-z-z-y. Experienced retailers have spotted that she's practically giving them away at 25% of most retailers. Get 'em before she comes to her senses!

This past Saturday was Sugar Skulls! Although the day started with the crushing news that the Minnebos were sick (surely you heard the wailing and sniffing from the 4 kids), our spirits were buoyed by Leslie and Michael and Aldo and Tere and their excellent skulling. It's just not the same without at least one professional artist to intimidate you. Plus I think we gave Aldo and Tere a scare about Michigan winters. Sorry!

Lots of styles this year, from the mostly frosted to most innovative use of menorahs. Check'em out! (Click on the images to enlarge)

Which do you like best?

Where They Are

The kids got their chores done, so we got to go to the movie today! Yeah!

I loved it. Thought it was one of the better movies I'd seen this year. It was amazing for taking the book, and imagining why things in the book are the way they are. Great connections among the characters, between Max's wild life and home life... very intense emotionally. Visually, it's just about perfect. The special effects are seemless, and the Wild Things are amazing in physicality and in voice actors. Max is very convincing with his sparse dialogue and expressive eyes.

As to whether it's too scary for kids, Xavi says "it was kind of scary, but it was not creepy. Big dramatic scariness, and not creepy scariness. It is scary, but big, and just in one place."

It's not fluffy funny exciting... it's full of deep intense emotions like sadness, frustration, rage and joy. No woo hoo, but whoa. And maybe a long satisfying howl.



ps. On the pix, Karen says, "and I pose in front of Judith. I guess that's appropriate." Which was a very Judith thing to say.

Wild Things

OK, there's probably something off when the dad is the most excited person for a family movie, but I'm getting really geeked about Wild Things. Here's some resources to get you geeked, too.

Reviews at Rotten Tomatoes, and by my favorite critic. EDIT: Kids-in-Mind breakdown for parents. There has been some chatter about too scary for kids, but my impression is that it's scary in exactly the same kid-friendly-scare that the book is.

Trailer. (Best send up of the trailer. Blame the Werksma's for showing us.)

Ultra cool art gallery of Wild Things art. (Scroll past the gallery opening shots to see the art. That's where I saw that picture by Mark Masztal up above.) Really shows how loved this book is among illustrators.

And here's this cool interview with the man hizzelf, Maurice Sendak, about being an illustrator.

Water Thing

Art on the Street

"I've never been a fan of painting, but ... wow." -Xavier Golden, 10/10/09

Grand Haven had its own little art competition (Grand Haven Tribune story) and celebration this weekend - spinning off the very cool ArtPrize effort in Grand Rapids. Despite the chilly weather there were 50 entries or more - here's the story of two of them. It was windy and chilly, but the kids, including friend Brandon were really troopers. Mom came soon after we started with supplies, gallery services, and the photo ops.

In the process. Xavi was definitely the main man on his and dad's, setting the scene and choosing the topic. ("You can paint the background.") Ysabela needed to paint dragons, and she and Brandon worked out the colors and composition.

Last week we had a game night with the granperes. They taught them Cheat Your Neighbor and CLR. Both the kids displayed an unhealthy interest in gambling with poker chips.

Sugar skulls are coming.

October Catsup

Since this a blog, it just makes sense to go in reverse chronological order. Doesn't it?

The new magic set, Zendikar, is out. We played with the black and white theme decks last night - our own little family release party. This is Ysabela playing a vampire deck on a skull tablecloth licking a Blood Pop. The second shot is actually from going to see Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, which was a very fun family film with lots of good themes and hearty laughs. (See this neat Sojourner's article about it with terrific connections.)

Note that we do ask Xavi to pose for pictures, too, but he says no a lot.

The busiest weekend in September was Irish themed. For once the Muskegon Irish Festival got great weather to go with the great music and good for you beverages. This is us at the end catching the excellent group Slide IE, who were bursting with energy.

Ysabela got a chance to get on stage with Seamus kennedy for the Unicorn song. He's a bundle of chuckles, he is.

The day before was the biennial Notre Dame-Michigan State game. Our good friends the Websters came up, and Jo hung with KXY while Johns went South (Bend). First time John has had me to a game where the good green lost - but a great game and beautiful day all around.

The weekend before we tripped down to Carmen's for her 75th birthday. (That little girl? No way!) We spent some time chatting, did birthday dinner at the Bolles Harbor Cafe, visited the little channel walk at Bolles Harbor, and went back to Carmen's for healthyish birthday carrot cake.

The surprise of the weekend was getting to see Batty Old Aunt Carol. She had cool Korean malas (meditation bracelets) from Neko Chan for us, but she was the treat. The kids were happy to meet the ninja from all the stories.