Thanksgiving in Mitchell, South Dakota

Here, in no particular order, are some photos from last week's trip to South Dakota.

This was our first time playing in a new, nice play area in O'Hare. The boys loved it, and it certainly helped to pass the time.

Josh playing at the Mansons' family-room coffee table,

Okay, this is a holdover from Sam's birthday party

Sam at the play control tower in O'Hare

Sam volunteered that he does an impression of a deer. Here it is. Immobile, of course.

Sam on the plane with his new favorite stuffed animal, Stuffy, so called because until recently he has a hole through which you could see his stuffing. (He's actually Library Lion from the book of the same name.) He remains "Stuffy" although I sewed up the hole--adding a shiny penny to the stuffing first. Sam noticed him when his class had pajama day and everyone brought stuffed animals. Sam's never bonded with a stuffed animal, so it's interesting to see him do so now

Aunt Ruth has a cool new job at a local museum of local history. It's a great museum with a collection of historical building moved to the location (a school, a train station, and old house, etc.) as well as a great collection of art by South Dakota artists, particularly Harvey Dunn, a native American artist who produced some beautiful work. Here, though, Susan and Ruth and Gene are with Aunt Glenda and Uncle Alan and their daughter Liz, son Michael and grandson Bay, with Lewis and Clark in the background.

Katie and Josh playing a game where they push one another over

Josh, flying, courtesy of Katie. Behind are the steps he learned to slide down

Gene and Josh enjoying some breakfast

Katie making paper snowflakes with Sam

Sam in the (unheated) one-room school house moved to the museum grounds

According to Sam the best part of the trip was seeing Jon and Katie. He wondered why they were so unusual, and when we asked what he meant by that, he said kids their age don't usually like to play with kids his age. So true! They were both great. :-)  Good to see Jon's girlfriend Layne again too.

I don't have photos of it, but Aunt Ruth treated us all (sans J) to a performance of the Nutcracker by the Moscow Ballet. Very well done! And that after throwing Sam a supplemental birthday party in her museum, a party complete with cousins Lizz and Michael and Aunt Glenda and Uncle Alan. 

A great time thanks to the great hospitality of the Mansons! Really good to see Gene again too, who kindly treated us to breakfast, twice. Need to go back soon, and not just for the food. :-)