9 15/16 Out Of 10

Our Trip to Chicago

I. One

    A. The Drive

    B. The Waterpark

II. Two

    A. The Wedding

    B. The Party

III. Three

    A. Chicago

    B. Legoland

And to think I believed that all the outlining we had to do in the fifth grade would never be utilized later in life.

Patrick and I had a ridiculously perfect trip and I am so happy we went. Last night before he went up to bed he kissed my cheek in passing and said, "I love you" - as spontaneous an outpouring of emotion as I think I have ever gotten from him.

IA.

We listened to the second Artemis Fowl book and I tried to not worry too much about the fact that I am a terrible driver and we were swimming through sheets and sheets of rain. Patrick and I developed a system wherein I would stop to use the bathroom, he would insist he absolutely did not need to go and then fifteen minutes after we got back on the highway he would say, uh, I think we need to stop again.

This is how we wound up in the bathroom of the Mobil gas station outside of New Lisbon, Wisconsin less than half an hour after we toured the BP ditto of somewhere slightly north of there.

At Mobil I offered to wait outside the men's room for him but Patrick scanned the area and said he would rather go into the ladies' with me. Fair enough. I think eight is old enough to do a solo public bathroom trip but I also think eight is old enough to decide if he feels something is sketchy and would prefer to conduct his private business behind a lockable door guarded by his mother. Besides, who cares, really, whether a boy is using the stall next to you? It's not like he adopted the sink as a urinal.

So Patrick used the ladies' room and as he was washing his hands a pretty blonde woman with two equally pretty little girls said, "Excuse me." My heart sank. Because I was certain she was going to be quivering with outrage over the fact that my male child was violating this female sanctum and I was going to have to either smile weakly and confide that I was honoring my son's phobia about being out of my sight in odd-smelling public places and hope for maternal sympathy; or bristle aggressively and say, "WELL, Madam?"  

What she said was: "I'm sorry but... are you Julia?"

And I said, "Yes?"

And she said, "The blogger Julia?"

And I lit up with pleasure because how fabulous and flattering and BIZARRE is that? So she said nice things and I thanked her and Patrick said, "So you're famous."

There are probably many different ways a child can utter this sentence to his beloved mother - each of them tinged with awe and respect - but Patrick chose to incorporate air quotes around the word "famous" giving blog fame pretty much the exact quota of respect due. 

I still think it was awesome and HI SUE. I hope the rest of your trip was a pleasant one.

IB.

After we checked into our Queen Suite (which looked an awful lot like a Queen Room) I thought it would be nice to pose for a Mother-Son picture before we hit the waterslides. Patrick disagreed.

We both won that argument, sort of.

The waterslides were like being on a cold wet rollercoaster and I had forgotten how nauseous it now makes me to go around and around and... BLEH. I went down the twisty whatsit with him as many times as I could before I begged Patrick for a reprieve and dinner. He consented. Afterward I told him that I had zero interest in going back to the waterpark but I would if he really wanted to do so. The other option was for us to locate the giant four-story indoor playground. He said that sounded like fun, so I brought my book and my laptop and he grabbed the resort map and orienteered us through a maze of hallways to a truly impressive Habitrail for children. On the far side of the mesh walls was a bar and wireless internet - we were both happy.

IIA.

It was the best wedding I have ever attended. It was the wedding everyone pictures when they say they just want to have something simple with a few friends and family at home. The bride and groom each read a poem, the officiant did the three minute soap opera service (do you x take you y - ok, kiss) and then there was an elegant tea with sandwiches scones and champagne. Perfect.

IIB.

I took Patrick back to our hotel after the wedding. The plan was to change, get dinner and then take him back to my friend's friend's house where a babysitter was going to take care of him and her daughter (who Patrick liked already from the wedding) while we went to the reception/dance party.

We dithered and by the time we were ready to eat I realized it was Saturday night, we had no reservations and we needed to be in-and-out in fifty-five minutes. I called down to the concierge and explained my problem and she suggested that we just eat at their restaurant. I said, oh, can we? And she said, of course!

Full disclosure: the hotel was The James and the restaurant was some... I dunno... the chef had his cookbook displayed prominently on every available surface but I didn't study it... steak place that seemed to think it was all that and a taro nest of purple peruvian waffle fries.

So Patrick and I went down to the lobby and through the bar and I cheerfully told the maitre d' who raised his eyebrows at me that the concierge had said they might be able to get us in for a quick dinner and he... snubbed me. Snubbed me! He said they were not seating and *hand wave* they could probably get us a "quick dinner" at the bar.

I dragged Patrick (who was about to settle himself on the nearest bar stool - it's a weekend night and the bar sat about 20; if you were the bartender would you want one of your seats taken up by an eight year old? me neither) off to the lobby where I stood chewing my bottom lip and trying to decide how I was going to feed him and still get to my party. I finally went over to the concierge to see if she had any ideas.

She said, "Did you just call?" and I said yes but the hotel restaurant was not open.

She said, just a moment, and picked up the phone. Her end of the conversation went something like, "REALLY? Two people? REALLY? At this hour? REEAAAALLLLLLY?"

Then she hung up and smiled and said, "He can seat you in about five minutes."

I thanked her and when we returned to the maitre d' he said, "Oh. Great. The gang's back" and proceeded to send us to a table at the absolute furthest corner of the restaurant. That wobbled. In a cubbyhole. Next to the kitchen. I was amused by how pointed it all was but the waiter was very kind and I don't think any of the other diners were too bothered by the fact that we were sitting there eating and doing Patrick rules sudoku (one person has three minutes to complete a line column or box before handing it to the other person - it's very civilized.)

I'm still not sure what the guy's problem was.

Then Patrick took his first second and third cab rides, he hung out with his new friend, I danced briefly and an enjoyable time was had by all.

IIIA.

We decided to walk down to the Art Institute from our hotel and we took turns taking pictures.

This is one of Patrick's of the Wrigley Building. He loved the skyway.

The weather was perfect.

As you guys promised, he loved this.

He took this one underneath it.

I don't suppose I can sink any lower in your esteem after admitting that dinosaurs perplex me so I might as well tell you that art museums bore the beejeezums out of me. I just don't get it. Any of it. 

Touring an art museum with Patrick however... good god it was so incredibly fun. He had such visceral reactions and such strong opinions and nothing he said was ever what I expected - it was like being administered a series of low voltage shocks repeteadly over a period of four hours, which was the longest I could give him before we had to go check out of our hotel. He would have stayed all day.

We started with the miniature rooms, which I thought were charming and Patrick found only moderately interesting. Then we went to see the Impressionists and just as I was working myself up into an ecstatic sigh over how dreamy it all was Patrick dismissed the entire collection.

"I have one word," he said, casting a critical eye over the Monets and Manets that ringed the room. "PASTEL."

"I like them," I said.

"You would," he retorted and I think it was my second snub of the weekend.

I tried to run through the Asian art collection but Patrick practically tripped me and forced me to look at Buddhas and screens until my eyes were about to fall out.

"This does nothing for me," I said.

"But it is so old," he said. "Here. Someone carved this in the 15th century. Isn't that COOL?"

"No," I said.

Then we got into the modern wing and Patrick inflated to twenty times his actual size and began to vibrate with appreciation. Well, mostly. He loved Rothko, Jasper Johns, Ellsworth Kelly and Lichtenstein. He absolutely adored a two part thing by Cy Twombley that looked like scribbling to me. He liked the Mondrian. He wasn't a fan of Matisse. He spent a long time with one particular Picasso before he slowly nodded.

I just spent twenty minutes trying to find a link to this one painting so I could show it to you but the art institute site has defeated me. Suffice it to say it was a painting with color blotches on it and Patrick spent such a long time in front of it that I thought he had fallen into a trance. 

Trying to entertain myself (and stay awake) I asked: "What does it look like to you?"

He was silent for a minute and then said, "I see a mountain with people climbing up it and there is snow and mist swirling around."

I thought wow hey I'm starting to get this and said, excitedly, "Oh! I can see that too!"

Patrick looked at me and said, "I was being sarcastic. It's abstract. You don't need to see anything in it, you know. You don't need to be literal with it."

Snubbed again. 

I finally found a comfortable bench and handed Patrick my camera (flash turned off naturally) and told him to go amuse himself. He did.

He asked me to take this one and he chortled as he set it up. The joke you see... I'm laughing as I remember how funny he thought this was... the joke is that the piece in front of Patrick is a photograph of a woman looking at a painting. In the painting (Caillebotte) a man and woman are looking away. Patrick wanted me to take this photograph of him not looking at the photograph of the woman looking at the painting of the people not looking at her.

It was all very meta. He couldn't stop giggling.

IIIB.

My mom asked, "How was Legoland Chicago?"

I hedged, "Well... Patrick liked it."

Mom said, "What? Was it like Chuck E Cheese?"

"Stupider," I replied.

And it was.

IV.

Meanwhile back at the old homestead...

I was on the phone with Steve on Saturday morning. In the background Caroline and Edward were kicking up a fuss about something. Steve had just told me that Edward had woken him up in the night and he, too, now knew the joys of trying to sleep in the race car bed.

He said, "There are about three inches of snow on the ground and it's still coming down pretty heavily."

I said, oh heavens, and tried to remember where I had stashed their snow boots. Then there was a crackle and a hiss and Steve said, "Aaaand the power's just gone out. Bye!"

It stayed off for two entire days during which time Steve had the twins but no electricity, which means no heat, no water, no light, no television and no internet.

GOOD LORD.

He was very cheerful about it, though, and when I floated home with Patrick brimming with joie de vivre I didn't even murmur when he asked if, maybe, he could go meet up with his friends down at the Ffarm for a few days?

He left this morning and I think he earned it.

PS I have ads up after a bit of an ad shortage so please feel free to check out the nice people who have thrown change into my open guitar case.

This is a board book about Christmas elves that actually looks kind of cute. Also that reminds me I am on my perennial quest for a decent chocolate advent calendar, by which I mean an advent calendar that contains decent chocolate that does not taste like wax. Any ideas?

This is a book about the hazards of drinking cow's milk, a subject about which I know nothing.

This is a book about how to make cute little cakes on sticks, a subject about which I wish to learn more.

And THIS is a link to Clarity the jewelry maker.

Speaking of Clarity, several weeks ago she sent me an email and said that she appreciated the blog love we gave her and as a token of her gratitude she wanted to make me a little something. And I said no no no... well OK! She asked for my ring size and when I told her she laughed and said that she was always up for a challenge and the idea of making a dainty delicate BIG ring appealed to her.

I have very fat fingers, you know, and well you may laugh but one day I shall be able to survive for weeks on an ice floe because of all my stored resources.

A little while later the most beautiful ring appeared in my mailbox - all lacy silver swirls with a moonstone for Patrick flanked by two blue topaz for Caroline and Edward. It really is gorgeous and I love it and if you look very hard at that top picture of me and Patrick I am pointing at the camera with it.

Anyway she bought another ad and it is on the sidebar and she is a blog reader that makes lovely and very affordable jewelry to make people (like you. and me) happy. So check her out.

Comments

[Marsha]

I am looking two - count 'em - 2012 trips to the midwest in the eye and you have made me believe that they might just be not only endurable but fun, too. Please understand, I do not mean to malign the middle part of the country, the part that holds the sides together so nicely it's just that I don't always understand it. But it's o.k., because I can cross off the dinos, guilt-free, and keep the art and funny pictures and throw the lego thing to the curb, where I wanted it anyway. Thank you!

[Cat]

yummiest advent calendar:
http://www.harborsweets.com/Harbor-Christmas-Calendar-28-pcs-9-3_4-oz/productinfo/4815/

[mellie]

"PASTEL" Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

I have no chocolate advent calendar suggestions, but we have been having fun with the Lego version....Patrick would find it....quaint...and have lots of suggestions on better builds--my nearly 5 year old takes about 5 minutes to do each one but they are fun.

[Erika]

Darn, why couldn't it have been me that ran into you at a rest area in Wisconsin?

Oh, that's right, I would have had to leave Madison and get on the interstate. Never mind, then.

[missie]

The author of the cakepop book has a website/blog with her recipes. I've made her cake balls several times- they are scrumptous and there are never any leftovers! I'll have to pick up her book as a token of appreciation for her recipe that gets me invited to parties. :)

[Christine]

Your hair! It's all ... straight! And you look about 26 in that photo, you know.

[bethany actually]

Oh man, I enjoyed this post SO MUCH. I don't have a life list, but if I did I would now add an item to it: "Go to an art museum with Patrick." I do enjoy art museums but I have the feeling they'd be 100 times more enjoyable with someone as opinionated as Patrick at my side.

And isn't running into blog readers wild!? I actually ran into someone who recognized me in a public restroom once, too! It was in the same city where I lived, though. And another time someone emailed me after the fact to ask if that had really been ME she'd seen strolling down the street of a beach town in Delaware, and it had been! She was thrown by the fact that I didn't have Annalie with me, and I was 250 miles from the city where we live.

I think I shall check out the jewelry now, just in gratitude for such an entertaining post. I'm glad your trip went so swimmingly!

[JillyL]

just a comment to the advent calender searching -> we got our son the Lego advent calender instead of a chocolate one. He is super excited about starting it. We got it at www.mastermindtoys.com

[JillyL]

Sorry - wrote my comment before I read all the others. I see the Lego advent calender has already been mentioned.

[Doug]

Patrick has the soul of an artist - how fun!

[rupiedupie]

Hmmm...
How about an advent calender/with boxes in it, to be used year after year...that you fill with chocolates of your choosing?

Regarding boys and public restrooms, it's ingrained into this families social psyche, if either one of us feels sketchy about what's available, the boys go with me, into the ladies room. It's just not worth the risk. The only time I've ever considered sending them in solo, is if it's a one can bathroom that is empty and has a lock on the door...and I can wait for them outside. Unmolested.

I think perhaps, that restaurant maitre d' is the poster who sarcastically smack talks your posts from time to time.
Funny that you read them as a colonic cleansing female, I have always pictured them as a very, very small male w/ 'issues'. MAYBE he recognized you too.
'Famous'. hee hee.

SERIOUSLY fabulous photo of you and Patrick smiling. I agree with the other posters...straight hair?! You do look about 26. At first glance I thought it was a photo of Patrick with a cousin/relative or something.
Aren't mini vacations like that SO liberating?
Cheers to you lady!

[Val]

I'm so glad you guys had such a great time. How fun to meet one of your readers that way too! :)

[tgsdmom]

Happy lovely post.

Where are your curls? And have you lost weight?

[Kez]

Thank you for sharing this wonderful trip with Patrick with us. I'll be smiling for the rest of the day.

Glad you both had a great time!

[Sylvia]

Wonderful post (as always), and I also want to go to a museum with Patrick!

And, I had bought two beautiful pieces of jewelry from Clarity after a link you had posted a few months ago. She is lovely, and I highly recommend her work. The jewelry comes so quickly and is charmingly wrapped. Fun!!

[Sarah]

I am so very glad you and Patrick had fun. What a gift of a trip for both of you.

[Lioness]

You are all ridiculously pretty, and ridiculously photogenic. And then your children do the thing where they say things, and you do the thing where you write things, and it's all ridiculously fab.

[Stephanie]

I giggled uncontrollably at the last of Patrick's snubs. He is just too much.

[Lynnette]

Art museums...funny.

Maitre d'...ass.

Best thing I ever bought...a wooden empty advent calendar from Target, that I fill with good chocolate and candy. Or at least "kid good."

[Meegan]

You look fantastic! You are always a lovely woman, but geez-oh-pete did you lose weight? You are...svelte! And the curls? I don't think I would have recognized you in a rest stop. And by the by, since you were visiting my fair city I would have had my eyes peeled had I been anywhere near downtown. Alas, I live a few miles north and stayed close to home.

Sorry about Legoland. I did not recommend it because I've heard it's rather lame. I should have NOT recommended it.

I would LOVE to go to the Art Institute with Patrick. I love how he snubbed you. What a rat. But really, what an amazing kid. Great post, per usual. Thanks!

[SarahB]

Oh, lovely!

You made my evening with this post!

What fun!

[Clarity]

Hey you're wearing my ring, yayayayay! That makes me happy!! And how cool that you were SPOTTED, I would have had to give her an autograph whether she wanted one or not. I've read you for years and wouldn't recognize you in public if my life depended on it but I would absolutely recognize Patrick. I blame you for not posting enough pictures of your lovely mug!

[Noelle]

Yay Julia & Patrick! I'm so glad the trip was just a roaring success (minus the Legoland for you, that is). Steve only called me to let me know they were on day 2 without power literally FIVE minutes before it came back on. He was gathering C&E's things to come over and it came back on. I told him he should have called immediately the first day!

I'll call you tomorrow -- tea soon?
-- Noelle

[Julie]

DYING. "Patrick looked at me and said, 'I was being sarcastic. It's abstract.'" That kid cracks me up like nothing else, I swear. Glad you have fun and that Steve survived the twinados powerless.

[lb]

I got sick and tired of crappy advent calendars so....I made my own. There are many different possibilities here. What I did was make 24 little origami boxes in Christmas colours and write numbers on the top of them. I put them under a miniature Christmas tree and we open one per day. I put whatever kind of nice chocolate/candy/treat I want into them. I have also seen fabric ones that hang on the wall and have a little felty pocket for each day. That way, if you stuff it yourself, you can put in things that everybody is sure to enjoy.

Patrick is very funny. Thanks for sharing his worldview with us.

[Kate (Bee In The Bonnet)]

I think Patrick should hang out with me in the modernist section of the Menil in Houston. It's a relatively small museum with a rather nice collection of modernist works. I *love* it, and go there whenever I can (it's across from the Rothko chapel, which, as a non-theist, is about the best kind of "chapel" I've ever been to). Anyhow, I've taken many of my friends, and they all roll their eyes and make fun of me because they don't get why I'm so fascinated by it all. It would be nice to have someone along who might appreciate it!

I keep meaning to post a picture on my blog of the ring Clarity made for me to commemorate (or whatever word I'm looking for meaning 'to mark the occasion of...') the birth of my twins this past June. It is lovely and perfect and not what I imagined I would get with what I asked for, but just exactly what I wanted somehow anyway. It is so full of meaning (from the dual-natured stone she chose, to the tiny gemini sign on the underside of the band), and I just love it. My husband is jealous, and I may have to have one made for him for xmas...

Anyhow, just wanted to share the love for Scrollwork Designs, in case anyone was on the fence about checking her out. Her work is beautiful and she's so kind. Give her ad a click, and check out her jewelry.

[Kate (Bee In The Bonnet)]

Um, I just realized that sounds a little creepy, me saying that your 8 year old should hang out with me. I *really* didn't mean it like that at all, rather that I'm just pleased that there is someone else in the world (eight or eighty) who seems to actually enjoy viewing modernist works, and go figure that an 8 year old is capable of appreciating it while various 30-something friends of mine cannot. Good on Patrick for being able to see the beauty of abstraction. If you ever get the chance to go to Houston, you should check out the Menil. There's a lovely lawn outside where you can sit and read while Patrick checks out the museum (or also a lovely large squishy round sofa in the central lobby that is also nice to read on...).

[Kara]

The advent calendar that we have been getting every year comes from the Vermont Christmas Company. http://www.vermontchristmasco.com/product/727/chocolate-advent-calendars is the non-religious one (there's also a bible verse one) that comes with adorable present wrapped and insanely good very large chocolates. It's not at all pricey, which is a huge bonus.

[Vanessa]

I just went to an art museum with my daughter, and she also wanted to spend much more time in the Asian art section than I did. We had a great time in the modern wing, although I'm afraid we may have gigglesnorted a bit too much at some of what passed for art.

[Christine]

What a great trip! I have an 8 year old boy who is.... quirky? When we went to DC (he was 6, his sister 3), we didn't go to the Smithsonian art museum and for the last two years I haven't heard the end of it. I had no idea art would hold ANY interest for him. So, it's great to hear about Patrick - I think maybe I need to get Joshua into an art museum to see what he thinks. Sadly, am in Atlanta and we don't have much to offer around these parts.

The best chocolate advent calendar I've gotten was from Harry and David. I don't think I"ve seen them online, but we used to have a store nearby that sold them. The ones from Trader Joe's are okay. This year I have the Lego one ready to wow Joshua with and I caved and got a Playmobile one for Anne - was able to choose between Santa and the woodland creatures, Fairies or a Horse Stable collection.

[Esther]

I just got Advent calendars for the kids at Aldi. It's German chocolate, which I think will be good quality. AND, 99 CENTS EACH!!!

[Nancy]

Patrick is excellent at photo composition!

[jana]

This is a cool one: http://www.greenandblacksdirect.com/pages/homepage/side_links/gift_finder/by_occasion/seasonal_gift/product_information/default.aspx?ProdID=267

But I bought a refillable one from Target two years ago. It's a wooden house. I put Lindt truffles in each of the doorways for the kids and then I eat the extras. Holidays!

[deborah]

Okay, so...I am reeeeeally glad to hear that you found Legoland stupider than Chuck E. Cheese. Otherwise I would have to stop reading you.

[Meg]

Maybe not exactly what you're looking for, but Lego puts out a great advent calendar every year!

[Alexicographer]

Please don't tell my child about the chocolate (or lego, it's tough to say which he'd choose) advent calendars. We're sticking with pictures.

The trip sounds fabulous. While Patrick and Kate tour the Menil (which I say like I've heard of it, um, no), you can go with my stepson to the Prado; we took him and his sister there as young adults; split up (she is very arty and there was lots she wanted to see) with plans to meet in 2 hours. In 45 minutes he came to find us because, "I've seen everything in here." And he had.

While I'm no help on the advent calendars, your query reminded me that there is a store my way that you would probably like so much it would be worth driving the roughly 1200 miles it would take for you to get to it: http://www.southernseason.com/ . Or you could just order over the web (though the store has lots that's not on the web, so, again, worth the drive). Fabulous gourmet food. And wine. And kitchen equipment. But no advent calendars, it seems (I searched).

Actually, two days with the twins and no power sounds perfect for Steve, almost (though perhaps not quite) as good as a farm with an old well and assorted other toddler hazards.

[Brigid Keely]

We have a perpetual wooden advent calender that we got at the end of the season and dumped all the crap candy out and now I fill it with quality stuff. When I was a kid, we used to take construction paper and make paper chains for the month of December, with a construction paper bell for Christmas, and we'd pull off one chain each day.

[Jesse]

I agree with Patrick that the photo of him looking at the photo of the people looking at the painting of people not looking at them is pretty hilarious. Add to that the blue and red socks he is sporting and it's a classic photo you should definitely frame, or at least be sure to show at a wedding slide show one day :) I'm with you on stifling a yawn through the abstract art section though. I. Don't. Get. It. Either. Every time I see it, I get angry. If my 5 year old cousin could do it, it's not art. The trick seems to be using an enormous canvas and giving it a really serious name - this distracts people from thinking "Huh, he just splashed some paint on a canvas and called it a day...." There's a piece in our Virginia Museum of Fine Art that is nothing more than burn marks made by an iron an a giant canvas. Seems like someone is having a good laugh at the "art collector's" expense...

[Uccellina]

Since Caroline and my daughter seem to be the secret identical twin each other swapped out for her fraternal brother (parse THAT, if you will), I am willing to bet she will love the art museum as well. Just the other day Wren spent two hours there with her dad. She pronounced the Picasso room "scary" and asked "what's DAT" at every stop.

[Elizabeth]

I bought an Advent calendar on Etsy last year and put good chocolate in it. It's one of these: http://www.etsy.com/transaction/22260572

[Allie]

I am just commenting to say that I love your blog. I followed you over from Redbook and have been enjoying your writing ever since. I forward your blog posts to my husband, who suggests that Patrick is smarter than any kid he's ever met and that he should be tested. We're still laughing about the Sassy the Cat as the letter C costume from last year :P

[Amy]

I am always so happy to see a new post from you.

I know people have already mentioned the Lego advent calendar, we got ours at Toys 'R Us. Also, Playmobile makes an advent calendar that is super cute. You can buy it online at their site, but we also got ours at Toys R Us, and it's age-appropriate for 3yos, but I figured almost-three was close enough, since things don't go in my toddler's mouth anymore.

[Sandi]

So glad you had a great trip! and Patrick sounds like so much fun! :)

Our power was out, too, from the storm but luckily ours came back on after about 10 hours.

[Krissy]

Oh, I'm so irrationally, personally proud that you enjoyed your Chicago trip! And although you did the Art museum instead of the Museum of Science and Industry, I'm thrilled that Patrick got his rueful head-shaking done anyhow.

Excellent post! So glad you had a good time! Come back soon!

Poor Steve. Poor, poor Steve.

[Chris in NY]

Years back we got a lovely wooden Advent calendar that we use every year. You can put yummy chocolate- or whatever. We actually put in names of close friends/ family members too and then when we open the door, we tell a story about that person. Sometimes we even requested a story in advance from that person so we had something to tell (and then store the memories on the computer for future years). It really is easier than it sounds.

[Becky]

Great trip! I love Patrick's sarcasm and have to agree about Pastels!

Lindt has an advent calendar...

http://www.lindt.com/ca/swf/eng/products/christmas/lindt-holiday-specialties/lindt-advent-calender/

[Tine]

Good heavens, what IS that silvery thing? I don't remember that from my Illinois days. It looks precisely like a bedpan, from both perspectives!

That said...I love that you had such a great time! :)

[Shawna]

Have you considered getting a fill-your-own advent calendar and a package of your favourite chocolates? Etsy has a bunch of advent calendars, though none, alas, with chocolate already included.

[Erika]

I want to hang out with Patrick, too. I am a mom of three boys and although I think my boys are the specialest snowflakes that ever sparkled your son has a little something... EXTRA somehow. of course he is brilliant and handsome but his sense of sarcasm and irony and humor just absolutely slay me. I love Patrick stories and would not have enough if you posted a book every single day. Speaking of, are you going to write a book? You are such a wonderful writer, I get so much joy out of your "purple prose" as you say... I bet Patrick disapproves of your writing style though doesn't he?

[allison]

Trader Joe's has an advent calendar for 99 cents! (they are owned by Aldi, no? So might e the same product as mentioned by a previous poster)