Over The River and Through The Gourge

To Las Vegas we go to find Santa.  Dave wanted to take a day trip to Outdoor World Bass Pro Shop to see the Christmas displays and have lunch.

We made it

Wow the games to play while waiting for Santa.

The red carpet.
The long wait is almost over.

Santa and our Christmas Wishes.
Is this the real Santa???
He asked Rylee if those were her new glasses?  How did he now?
Maybe he is the real deal?

M&M Factory
We finally found it after dealing with all the crowds.  It looks like we forgot NFR was going on .
Too many cowboys to count.

Love those M&M Guys

WOW!!! Look at all the colors and flavors.

Look who we found the dancing Blue M&M Guy.
He stopped long enough to snap this picture.

We tried the Coke Factory but everyone was winding down and ready to call it a day.  We soon headed for home with smiles on our faces and bellies full of our favorite chocolate treat.  The Christmas Season is just starting what magic can we find the rest of the season???

Waters Sport Center.....New Season....New Sport

Christmas is around the corner so it must be time for basketball to start.  Reganne was excited to start playing and even started practicing before anyone else.  The good thing about our neighborhood there are enough girls that want to be play that they have enough for two teams.  The first game of the season what against guess who?  The other team.  All the girls were ready to play.....

Tip Off

Hands up and defense

All Friends

Team Cheer!!!

Good game with friends a great start to the season.  Reganne made a couple of baskets and ended with a smile.

Family Tradition....The Dicken's Festival

This is one thing the kids look forward to each year and can't wait to see Father Christmas and tell him their Christmas wish.  Friday night was a packed house or rather a parking lot.  We finally found a space and eagerly ran inside to all the sights, sounds, and smells of the festival.  As we walked through the crowds they were holding the breath for that first glimpse of the man in red.

SCEEECHING to a halt there was not a line waiting their turn with him.  Instead we were greeted by a sign telling to you take a number and pay for your pictures before entering the line.  

I asked for a number and the cute helper replied that they were sold out for the night.  WHAT!!!!!

We can't visit with Father Christmas?  NOPE!!!!!!  This broke our 12 year tradition.

Instead we walked through the rest of the show trying not to be angry or cry.  The kids were angry and I was ready to cry.

A last ditch attempt to save the night.  How about a visit with Queen Victoria and become a Lady.

What do I do???

I'm a what?

Rylee's turn

Photo with Scrooge
Trying to tell us something?

One last picture for the night.

Quick thinking was necessary to save the night.  How about ice cream at Culver's???  One problem still remained how are we going to tell Santa what we want for Christmas????

Christmas Programs & Show

This was going to be crazy 3 Christmas Programs in two nights.  Rylee's Advanced Theater Class was performing Wednesday & Thursday for friends and family.  Dave had a work party so we headed off to SRIS for the show.  One minor problem discovered as we found out seats.  No camera and my phone was almost dead.  In other words no pictures.  Rylee did an awesome job and aced the performance.

Thursday it was LVE Choir Christmas Program.  The main thing to remember was to get there early and get a seat.  Once again we headed off to school.  Rylee's show would start at 7 so Dave could watch Reganne's show before heading across the street.  Thank goodness that the school as across the street from each other.

Check out these little elves

Wow it is hot in hear.

Our own Christmas Elf...Reganne

They sang great and even did the traditional Hot Chocolate from Polar Express.  The best thing about tonight was not more early morning practices until next year.

What will next week bring for the Christmas Spirit????

Happy Thanksgiving

We love Thanksgiving and this year is no different.  Dave & Ryder got up early to start decorating outside.  I start the turkey and all the treats to go along with it.  This year we had special visitors. 

Ryder the Pilgrim

Red the Indian

What Ryder loves about Thanksgiving

Ryder's class made pies for a Thanksgiving treat and he was so excited to share it with the family.  Armed with the recipe  he begged and begged to make it for dinner.  All through dinner he asked for pie.  After dinner he asked again.  Each time we all put him off since we were stuffed.

Oops!!!
He tried to get it out himself for everyone to try.  He wasn't prepared for how heavy or how weak the pan was.  We had one devastated little boy.  Everyone tried a spoonful of the creamy concoction that hadn't ended up on the floor.  It was yummy and I might even try to make it again before next year.

After all the food, fun, and maybe sleep it was time to start decorating inside.

^Starting with the Upside Down Kids Tree

Ta Da!!!!
All finished with this tree.

Everyone was eager to decorate the rest of house until I asked for help and they all disappeared.  It's going to be a wonderful Christmas season.  I can't wait to get it started.

The Most Wonderful Time of Year

The Jubilee of Trees kicks off our holiday season with a bang.  Last year the kids begged to sign up to decorate a tree.  We thought they forgot all about it until November hit and they were eager to get started.  We all love to shop and Dave loves to decorate.  Getting a tree ready for the show shouldn't be any problem. 

We were ready to roll.

Delivery Day

The Waters Team

The John Deer Tree

What goes along with the show but wonderful Christmas music.  The LVE Choir was ready to perform their magic.

Too many kids for the stage.  So they had to move 2 rows to the front of the stage.

Reganne & Friends
They sang their hearts out and the room went silent as they sang.

The Christmas Village
We wondered through all the trees and each one of us had out favorites.
Some of us more than one.

It was great to be involved in the annual event and help raise money for our local hospital.  Our tree sold for the asking price much to our surprise.  So amazing that Dave signed us up for another tree next year.

Let the holiday season begin.....