Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Christmas 2006

We started our celebration by attending the children's mass on Christmas Eve.

And then, bright and early on Christmas morn...
Noah started getting ready!

"Put down the camera, old man, and help me open some presents!"
Hope all your Christmases were merry and bright!

Cody's 7th Birthday




Playgroup Christmas Party

We had all our friends over for a little party. We had a book gift exchange for the kids and an ornament exchange for the moms.
Thanks for coming everyone!

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Gaylord Texan Resort

We went up to the Gaylord in Grapevine to see the holiday decorations and ICE exhibit.


Here are some reindeer skiing behind Santa's speedboat in the lake out front.Here's part of the atrium in the center of the resort. The balconies all belonged to hotel rooms.


Brad really wanted to ring the bell up in that tower.


A river wound throughout the atruim. There were also all kinds of shops and restaurants.
On the Riverwalk.
We had lunch at the Riverwalk Cafe.

A gingerbread shop.

All the trees, lights, and decorations were really amazing.
We had a great time seeing it all.


Santa and Mrs. Clause made an appearance with a couple of live reindeer late in the afternoon, but by then the kids were so tired, we decided to just wave at them from afar.

Trains at the Gaylord

Ice at the Gaylord

Imagine a 14,000 square foot structure, kept at 9 degrees, filled with two million pounds of hand-carved ICE! The ice will be carved into magical life-sized holiday monuments and sculptures by artisans from Harbin China.

That was taken from the Gaylord's website. And they were right about the temperature...it was cold!


They gave us these parkas to keep warm, and they worked pretty well. Jackson got the smallest size they had, but I think it could have fit me. He looked cute dragging around in it, though.Noah got to stay in his stroller wrapped under a special blanket. I think he was the warmest of us, by far.
We wandered from room to room admiring the sculptures.



That entire sled was made of ice, except for the cushions, thankfully.

Here is an entire ice bridge covered with just a rug for traction.
An ice nativity.

In one large room were four huge ice slides which Brad and Jackson tried out.
I didn't think Jackson would like going down directly on the cold surface, but he kept climbing back up for more.
It was so beautiful. I'm thinking we're going to make this an annual family tradition.