Friday morning, while previously mentioned dedicated shoppers were out, Tim and I loaded up the kiddos and headed to Galena, IL. There we met my brother and his family at a resort for the weekend. The weather wasn't nearly as nice as it had been Thanksgiving day but we still managed to get out hiking with the kids and otherwise enjoyed some warmer indoor activities. (swimming, watching movies, checking out huge gingerbread house in the lobby of the main building!)
We spent one afternoon walking around downtown Galena and then warmed up with hot drinks. 
We also stumbled upon Santa. This may have been Conrad's first real life encounter with the big guy. It was interesting to hear what Conrad told him he wanted for Christmas. And kind of sad, because he wasn't getting either item! A green bike and a train set (he has plenty of toy trains, what he really wants and has been asking for the last 4 years is Lionel trains or the like. Someday, buddy!)
Between meeting a Santa, and spending the weekend with the biggest Santa believers I know (Bri and Sar), Conrad was shifting from not believing in Santa to wondering if maybe there was a Santa. Conrad didn't say much about it, except a week or two later he randomly asked me in the car one afternoon if when we built a house, could we have a chimney? And a coffee table? It wasn't until later, when I was at work, I started wondering WHY he asked those questions. So the next morning I brought it up again and he further explained that if we had a chimney and coffee table someday, he would conduct an experiment for himself and put out cookies and milk to determine once and for all this Santa thing. So logical. And just in case, Conrad did write a letter one morning and addressed an envelope to the north pole, which he had me drop off at the post office for him.
His conclusion? Still undecided. On the one hand, he rolled his eyes at Aunt Holly Christmas eve when she comments about going home to be ready for Santa. On the other hand, he was way excited about some before and after pictures his Uncle Brian captured of cookies, milk, and carrots set out on Christmas Eve in Chicago.
Guess he has another year to ponder this....
