At the crack of sparrows on Christmas morning, we were up, showered and breakfasted for our early journey to the northern Chicago suburbs early to celebrate with the American’s family.

After sledding, we returned back to the house to warm up, take a closer look at the Christmas pressies and set about making Christmas cards for the people we’d be enjoying Christmas dinner with in Oak Park.

We headed over to Oak Park and enjoyed cheese, iced tea and good conversation by an open fire. I bonded with their black lab called Pilot, playing fetch with him out in the snow until I couldn’t feel my hand.

Aaaaand then I promptly forgot my backpack there that contained my wallet and house keys. So aside from the frantic ending (and $25 to have the building manager unlock our apartment door), it was a good day.