Rad Things to do in Springfield, Illinois

For Thanksgiving this weekend, Sierra and I traveled (by bus, mind you, the longest trip EVER) to Springfield, Illinois to see my dad. While we were there, we had a lot of fun getting our homeschooling on, and visiting some local sites. First, after battling early Black Friday shopping crowds, we went to Lincoln's Tomb:
I told Sierra it was lucky to rub Lincoln's nose, not thinking how hard it would be to lift her up high enough to do it:

We also went inside the tomb to see the actual deal, where no flash photography is allowed. Nothing about cell phones though:
Perhaps one of the most undiscovered museums and wierd but cool sites to see is the Museum of Funeral Customs, where you learn about the difference between coffins and caskets, and the history of embalming and the evolution of funeral traditions. Here's some cast iron caskets. My favorite is the one with the window that is finished to look like wood:

The only thing cooler than the exhibits here is the gift shop, where you can buy the most awesome Christmas ornaments ever (if you appreciate irony, that is), and these sweet shirts:
Or you can go across the street to the unofficial Lincoln gift shop, where you can buy all things Abe Lincoln, or a stuffed and mounted Jackalope, with his lady love:On the last full day of our trip we went to the The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, where no photography is allowed, save these freaky, all too real wax sculptures of the First Family in front of the White House:
Hope everyone else had a great Thanksgiving weekend too!!