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

Advent Calendar Tree (each ball is numbered)

I-70 Closures

This is why we headed back home from Kansas City yesterday instead of today. The majority of I-70 across Kansas was either "Completely Covered" or "Closed" by this morning. Good thing Siscos thought to check the forecast...

Topeka Zoo and I-70 Diner

We were originally planning to return to Colorado on Sunday, but all of a sudden there was a winter storm alert for all of Kansas along I-70 starting Sunday morning. Fortunately, we decided to head back Saturday and as it turned out, we got home just as the snow at our house was beginning, and starting Sunday morning, Kansas did indeed get something of a blizzard. We had a beautiful day to travel, so we were definitely going to try a stop or two along the way (Papa's always moaning about missing all the museums, big balls of yarn, etc.). We chose the Topeka Zoo. It's a modest zoo, but just perfect for a 90-minute stop. The only other lengthy stop was the highly Sisco-rated I-70 Diner in Flagler, CO. All the photos are here.

Nelson Art Gallery and Plaza Lights

Tracy and Matt headed back to Colorado this morning; Sam had a flight out of Denver early Saturday morning back to school. Matteo and AJ stayed with Nana and I for another day or so in Kansas with the Siscos. We spent today at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri. Like most great museum's, they have a "scavenger hunt" guide for kids which Matteo and AJ completed, and then some. AJ became fascinated by the fact that we didn't know who made some works or even who was pictured in some works. And there are plenty of those at the Nelson. We followed up with a treat on the Country Club Plaza with which to enjoy the lights that were just turned on Thanksgiving night. Then dinner and a movie at Vickie and Rob's, The Santa Clause. All the photos are here.

We got the scoop from a docent on this Caravaggio painting of
"John the Baptist (John in the Wilderness)." You would NEVER get
done learning about all the pieces in this one museum alone.

Thanksgiving

The gathering was at Laurie and Andy's again this year. All the photos are here.