Thanksgiving in Chicago

No 80 degree Scottsdale weather this year. We stayed home for Thanksgiving and it was wonderful! Our friends Tiffany, Shelly and Kaitlynn joined us for Thanksgiving dinner. We cooked a big Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings--I even made my Granny's dressing and David was in charge of our first turkey ever to cook . (Fresh, free-range turkey by the way--from the butcher--none of those frozen butterball's for us!). Anyhow, we took full advantage of all Chicago has to offer and in spite of a recovering sick girl with an ear infection, we had a great time.

Who needs New York, Macy's and Rockefeller Center??? Come to Chicago for the Thanksgiving State Street parade and lighting of the Daley Center Christmas tree instead. Second City?? I think not!

Walking to the parade--
hard to tell but it's snowing in all these pictures

Watching the nutcracker float by

Ella is getting colder while
Big Bird is approaching in the background

Big Bird!

Papa, Ella & Popeye
Ella was thrilled to learn about Popeye
and how he loves spinach just like her!
(Really--it's one of her favorite vegetables)

Massaging the turkey before the roasting

Kaitlynn enjoying all of Ella's toys before Thanksgiving dinner

Papa, Ella & the Joan Miro sculpture in the background
Waiting for the lighting of the tree

Santa and the mayor lit the tree

I love bratwurst!
At the Christkindlmarkt after tree lighting

Watching the toy train at the Christkindlmarkt