Boredom in Chicago and cookies from the East Coast

Is anyone else still feeling slammed by the time change?  Noah's finally adapted and stopped waking up at the god awful hours before 6 am and is actually napping on schedule again but this getting dark at 5 pm business?  WRONG.  So very very WRONG.  I feel like the hours after he wakes from his nap are never-ending and I've noticed my temper is shorter with him.  We used to hit the neighborhood for a pre-dinner walk and to burn some daylight but now that it's dark so early there is no daylight left to burn.  We're like two marbles rolling around the house, bumping into each other constantly.  By 5 pm we're tired of books and Sesame Street and the choo choo train and puzzles.  Any ideas on what I can do with him that will entertain us both as we stare down the barrel of a long, long winter?

Our neighbors across the street turned on their Christmas lights last night.  They leave them up all year long and I guess they decided it was time to bring out the festive.  They're totally in cahoots with all the stores, I know it.  And I feel myself falling prey to the lure of the twinkly lights and sparkly ornaments.  I'm trying to resist.  I swear.

Noah's room is almost done.  Hopefully, fingers crossed, Tim can put up his drapes tonight and I'll get around to pictures tomorrow.  Which means I'll have to clean his room...I'm really so good to you people aren't I?

In the meantime, head on over to Milkymilk and enter to win a special batch of homemade cookies from her Etsy shop, Buttermilk Bake Shop!  You have until Saturday to enter by leaving a comment.  I've yet to try Mary's delicious looking cookies but they're a hit with Etsy shoppers.  And of course I entered the contest.  I would never ever turn down cookies.  Ever.