Christmas Lights

The day after Thanksgiving...the official beginning of the Holiday Season and the turning on of lights all over Salt Lake City.

We started the evening by arriving at the Gallivan Center just before 4:00pm and the evening started at 4:20 with a Children's Choir which was very enjoyable. Then Richard Paul Evans (a well known writer of Christmas fiction from Salt Lake) spoke for a few minutes and then there was a performance by ? Bestor ( a well known musician from Salt Lake, but obviously NOT that well known to me, since I forgot his name). Then Santa pushed an ACME plunger (like from the Bugs Bunny cartoons) and the lights were on at the Gallivan Center.

Waiting for the evening to start, and MeMeMa finding an "owie" on Blade's finger.

Still waiting for the show to start.

The lights are now on at the Gallivan Center and there was a bench so Blade HAD to sit on it.


Blade wanted to see Santa, and did receive a peppermint stick from Santa, but Blade would only go up to him if I was with him and he was holding on to me. So I didn't get a picture of Blade and Santa. This Santa had gone on a diet and was looking quite trim.

We didn't stay for the entire concert because we wanted to see the lights on Temple Square. Dave's Mom has always wanted to see the Christmas lights on Temple Square and today one of her dreams came true.

Our view as we walked the 3 blocks to Temple Square.


There are ponds of water on what was formerly known as Main Street between the Temple and the Joseph Smith building and Joseph, Mary and Jesus were in the center of the middle pond. Very serene even with all the people around.


After reading Angie's blog, I now know that there is "too much ISO" on this picture but, Blade really is that white...




Chay saw the big Temple doors and had to have his picture taken in these pillar things. (Little does he know that he will have his picture taken here again in the future...not with Blade but his wife...)


And who knew they had slides at the Temple? Blade found it! I was a little uneasy because I wasn't sure if that was appropriate on Temple grounds but I had to take a picture. It did look like fun...

We walked around the Temple and found more platforms...


Trying to get "candid" pictures was basically impossible with this group and my "little" camera, as Sheila would refer to it as, but here is a blurry one. Blade was jumping off the wall and so I was surprised that he was even in the picture.


And we headed back to the vehicle at almost 6:30.


Blade saw these curvy benches/art pieces on the sidewalk and again, to him it was the perfect slide. Unfortunately he went down on his stomach and it was a short ride before the up curve and so he had an abrupt stop. He said he was okay and "that was fun!"


Chay found another that was the perfect "lounger" for him.


My attempt at getting another candid shot but everyone but Blade looked away. Papa wore two sweaters instead of his "heavy" coat but when the sun went down, it was colder than we anticipated. It was really a nice night for November and I found it comfortable but when we got in the vehicle, Papa was rubbing his hands, turning the heat up and aiming it towards him so for a North Carolinian, it was a cold night.

Catch up

After we dropped off Nicole and Alana last week, we went to Lowes for their free project for kids but were late but we were able to get the kit and put it together at home.

I was brave and held pieces for Blade so that he could hammer it together. He didn't hit my thumb...he didn't hit the nail every time either but he got the hang of it and got the nails hammered in.

Chay and Blade each made one of these goal posts and there was a folded football that they "flicked" between the goal posts. It was the perfect project for the Utah-BYU game that day. (Utah beat BYU by alot)

Then we piled into the vehicle so that Blade could examine MeMeMa's rings and pick the one he liked, and drove to Crown Burger.

Sorry, AFTER I started eating I thought that I should take a picture to share with those out there that enjoy eating Crown Burgers when they come down here to visit. It was just as good as you remember.

PaPa and MemeMa relaxing watching TV.

Dave and I decided to give Chay and Blade Outdoor Challenge for the Wii so that there would be something for the kids to do when Dave's friend from work came over for dinner with his family. I didn't get any pictures of them playing but I can tell you that Chay broke out in a sweat...

Tuesday it was time to rake up the leaves again, and we recruited more parents to help us with the project.

Blade got a hold of my camera and I was surprised to see this picture of me raking the leaves with his toy rake. Every rake I tried to use, he would take from me, except for the toy rake...he never tried to take that one away.

Then it was a trip to Costco to get things for Thanksgiving dinner.
Blade wants this dinosaur for Christmas and loves to play with it whenever we're at Costco. I'm the type of mother that told him to just enjoy it when we go to Costco (hoping that the novelty will wear off. Now, if that dinosaur could walk around the house while carrying Blade, maybe I could see the fun in it...)

Chay,Blade and Papa went for a walk and Blade found a HUGE leaf that he brought home to share with me. I'm sure he wasn't disappointed with my reaction but it really was huge.

I say "was" because the next day, Blade took things into his own hands and this is what became of his impressively large leaf....

MeMeMa made homemade macaroni and cheese (per Dave's request) and sweet potato casserole for our Thanksgiving dinner. I love sweet potato casserole...

We did have turkey for Thanksgiving but it was cut and on a plate instead of having the entire turkey on the table. It was a great Thanksgiving dinner but we were missing our Nicole sitting at the table.

Papa...

Blade was amazed when he pulled his straw out of his cup and there was an icecube on his straw, AND he could slide it up and down the straw! That kept him entertained for minutes until the ice cube melted too much.

Hawaii

Alright mom so here are some pictures of what i have been up to. i hope that this makes you happy! the message you left on my phone sounded only slightly desperate for me to put pics on your blog.

So Alana and i had a good flight to hawaii! it did not feel like 6 hours at all, maybe 4.





we had to walk outside to get to the baggage claim area and we were so excited and amazed at
how beautiful warm and humid it was. a couple that was behind us when we walked outside said "oh look, now we can can go home."
Then we went to erika's concert and listened to her play songs that sounded like animals. (she was not the only one playing. fyi)Then on angie's birthday we went with a friends of mike and angie and this guy climbed up this huge coconut tree like it was nothing and pulled off coconuts and cut the tops off and we drank the milk and ate the meat, then he went up again and cut off leaves and made a basket.


so i want to go eat and am too lazy to move all of those pics s please see the top for the pictures of this. after doing this i reall have no idea why anyone would want to keep a blog. this is so much work!!

so i will probably not do this again so mom you will just have to wait until i get home to see pictures. i love you guys!! that means everyone.