This weeks "Cheap and Easy" and blog entry: So, NOW the kid is off for Christmas vacay...

...and I have to figure out some free things to do with him and the baby. After the Turkey Day fiasco(he had a seizure...we were wondering why the dog was all pesty with him as my son's dog is his service/comfort dog..but is such a pest and has been one so it's like the dog who cried wolf) we were handling boo boy w/kid gloves..not being "punny." So, we're going to do things for cheap or almost free...or free like get movies from the library(books too!), riding one of the train lines until the end of the line(like the CTA Brown Line or the Blue Line to O'Hare) or even the holiday train as CTA has a Santa/holiday/Christmas train that rides pretty much on every train line, so if you're in Evanston or near Midway you can ride any of them. Want more info/details? Click HERE for CTA Holiday train info

The Christkindl market is open and ready for business this season in Daley Plaza. This too is free aside from buying the occasional hot chocolate and/or Sternthaler Glühwein(hot wine/cider which reeeeally warms you up if you happen to be freezing and over the age of 21)...and it's so festive! You'll be in the Christmas spirit in no time hanging out there. Want you some more info on this? Well, just click your little finger to this link RIGHT HERE They also have a 'facebook' page.

Another free thing(well, almost free if you're living in Chicago, then it's just a car ride out to Hammond, Indiana) to do is visit the Indiana Visitor's Center in Hammond off I94 and Kennedy Avenue to see a very cool "A Christmas Story" exhibit. They have a pretty cool display of the movable animated window decor from "Macy's" way back in the day as well as showings of "A Christmas Story," contests(Mommy's Little Piggy eating contest, ugliest lamp contest to name a few) and if you're not into "A Christmas Story," there's a very small yet cool Dillinger museum to scope out. That's a fairly low price(about $2 a person) and they have some cool items of his on display(clothing, guns, etc..). More info? Check the link right here Yeah, I know it's not Chicago, but it's nearby, and free/cheap, etc...

Do you have plans for this holiday season w/the kids? Let us know!