Why I Oughta...

That right there is Fozzie Bear, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggie and Gonzo the Great (along with his chickens) in the windows above Liberty Square in Walt Disney World preforming what they call "Great Moments in History....but only the American ones!".  What you don't see is Sam Eagle, who sits in his own window (hole) in an adjacent building. We stopped and watched the show a few times and we heard two different stories:  the Declaration of Independence and Paul Revere's ride.  They were really cute and the Muppets are a PERFECT addition to Liberty Square.  We've always just used Liberty Square as a kind of 'pass through' area of the Magic Kingdom.  Sure, we'd eat up their waffles and stop at the Christmas shop, but it was mostly a way to get to the Haunted Mansion or to the Hub.  Now, there's a reason to hang there. I've stopped taking any sort of videos from Disney World because there are pros out there that get *much* better video than

'Tis the season, right?

Yes, I posted this on the 22nd of December and that's one day early for Festivus, but a lot of you folks seem to read this blog via the email subscription, so I figured I'd author this piece with you in mind:  Happy Festivus! I've written about Festivus before here on the blog.  In fact, back in 2010, there was a house in Elmhurst who used to put up a Festivus pole out front of their house .  I think that place has been renovated and a new family moved in?  But...whatever has happened, there's no pole any more.  Too bad. There's also this post showing off the big "A" that the Atheists put up outside of City Hall where I lamented nobody having the dedication to petition the City or County for a Festivus Pole. And last year, I marked the holiday that Frank Costanza created with a simple post and video clip . This year, I intend to head to our friend Neil and Ashley's (somewhat) annual Festivus gathering where there will be no feats of strength

Last week, I showed off the newest addition to the Mantleburg Line in the Target Launching Balloon car , but it wasn't the only new car we bought at the Christmas Train Show out in Wheaton a few weeks ago.  We also added this car above - that has some action just like the balloon car.  It is called the #3510 Satellite Launching Car and is part of the "Pre-War Celebration Series" of reproductions from some early 1940's cars. That silver/metal-looking satellite launches up in the air when you position the car on on operating segment of track.   You can see it here (I've tee'd up this video to start at the right time) in action . It does a very quick trip to the ceiling then down.  Adds some fun operating concepts to the train that takes it from running around in a oval to something that is a bit more interesting for the kids and makes them last a lot longer down in Papa's basement with their Christmas Trains.

Last Christmas, my parents moved out of their home down in Frankfort that I grew up in and lived all the way through my post-college years.   As part of that move, a bunch of items that my Mom had been 'keeping' for me came out of their attic and closets and ended up at our current place (and some in our storage unit).  Mixed in amongst the youth soccer trophies, press clippings and other artifacts of my childhood were a bunch of my 'wrasslers'.  That guy above - Nikolai Volkoff - is one of them. These were my most favored toys in my entire childhood.  Like....nothing came close to them.  Until the Sega Genesis.  But before that, these things captivated me like nothing else.  More than Legos, more than even GI Joes.   It was these bendable wrestlers from the WWF.  I had so many of them and loved them. And now, they're in the mix there amongst my kids toys.  I stick them in with their toys in their rooms.  The King of the Ball Tossers isn't into them yet a

It has been eight months since the storefronts down at the corner of First and York have sat gutted and boarded up.   I last posted about them here on the blog back in March .  And that's when the rumor mill was saying that it might end up being a Rosebud restaurant going in there.  But, I have no idea if that was real or just idle chatter. Whomever is moving in, there's suddenly progress going on with the building.  In that photo above, you can see a crew working on the exterior installing steel beams that look like they'll be creating an awning/little roof of sorts that sticks out from the brick facade.  Anyone know what's going in this spot?  A guy can keep hoping for retail, right? Update:   Alderman Dannee Polomsky of the 3rd Ward pointed out to me this am via email that this location is for a new craft beer place run by 'Beer Pros' called Beerhead Bar and Eatery .   From the City of Elmhurst's site : The City is excited to announce that Beer

Our little Elf on the Shelf named Goldie gave the little treats that we give Lizzie a try and I don't think he liked them. Naturally, he left the girls a little note with some friendly advice for Christmas Eve and Santa Claus. (To be clear....Nat is the funny one in the family for those keeping track at home.  She continues to impress with her Elf-antics each morning.)