Christmas Trip....

Every year the weekend before Christmas Grandma will take us on a trip for Christmas rather then buy presents. I love this idea because, my kids get so many presents between Christmas and their birthdays and I love the memories. This year we spent the weekend in Orlando. We stayed at the Seaworld Hotel which was super nice and as it turned out super convenient. Saturday we got up early to head to Seaworld. Dave had been sick all night with a flu bug, so Grandma the kids and I were off, leaving Dave in bed.


The weather was beautiful, 78 degrees! To get into the Christmas spirit we went first to the Polar Express Experience.


Once inside we opted to walk through rather then take the train, it was really fun. The Polar Express always brings tears to my eyes. I still believe in Santa and the movie just releases the kid in me.

Arriving at the North Pole the train conductor directed us to Santa

The Santa was beautiful and so patient with each and every child. Ben said he wanted a Wii and Taylor a Puppy. After taking in a couple of shows we headed back to our hotel which was right through the parking lot. It was SOO nice to walk to our room take a quick nap and head back to the park all without having to shuttle. Daddy was feeling better after the quite afternoon so he was able to come with us in the evening.

After the sun went down it started snowing in Seaworld. It was wonderful, and it really was cold, so it was a great way to cool off and nostalgic for me.

The last show of the day was the Christmas Miracles Shamu show. The funnest event of the day was Caroling with 3000 people in the Shamu theater. At first I thought it was so cheesy, but it was really nice to feel the Christmas spirit with strangers.

Sunday we awoke to Dave's birthday. We went to breakfast and then went to Gaylord Palms for the famous Ice. Ice is an exhibit of all Ice sculptures and it is a blistery 7 degrees! It was so amazing but, super cold and my toes were frozen.

All of these pictures are sculptures in ice!

Walk-thru dripping in ice

Ice Gingerbread House

Ice Nativity

After Ice when had to get Hot Chocolate to warm up for our Gnome Hunt. Gaylord Palms has hidden Gnomes throughout the resort and this was a total crack up. Grandma was so serious and would read the clue and run ahead to find the Gnomes first. She did great finding the most of all of us and she did even let Ben and Taylor find some too. Later when we were driving home sharing our favorite moments Grandma said "Gnome Hunt...I'm 58 and I've never been on a Gnome Hunt!"

There's one!!!

To finish off the day we have to do the Lego Store. Stocking up on Lego's for Bens birthday!

We had a wonderful trip and are looking forward to a nice mellow week....yeah right!