Christmas 2008, Quick Review

I've been meaning to update the 'ol blog, but well, I've been busy darn it!

Doesn't help that my old dial up connection is puttering along just as slow as ever. Certainly not fast enough to keep up with the modern pace of internet life (blogs, myspace, image files...). We're getting a little closer to going to that whole new fangled Satellite Internet thing . Kendal has finally decided that while it will not be nearly as fast at cable or DSL, it will be faster than dial up. At this point, my iphone with full signal strength surfs the net faster than our dial up at home. And I don't have the new 3G iphone either!

Anyway.... I need to get pictures of all the various critters up. It's been pointed out to me that I don't have anything up about my cow and that the other animals have been cheated out of screen time as well.

But first... just a few pictures from Christmas! The kids had a wonderful Christmas and we had a wonderful time with family. I think we saw every major public lights display in Central Texas this year. It was wonderful! I was sad to put away all the decorations... we had 3 trees up this year! But I have grand aspirations for all the wonderful things I want to make and do for next year. Including (finally, for the first time ever!) getting started on everything early enough in the year to be DONE early so I don't have to madly rush around the month of Dec. getting stuff (myseterious unnamed 'stuff' ) done. And I say this every year... but this is the year I will DO IT! I also found a gorgeous 7.5 ft chenile pine on clearance at Target for $29... a $130 tree for $29!! Woo-hooo.... 4 trees next year! I might finally be able to get all my ornaments out of storage!

Ok... I'll shut up... here are the pictures!

The theme of this years Christmas festivites was 'Lines'. Everywhere we went, there were lines. Long ones. Thankfully, fairly festive ones. Here's Bella and Soren jammin to music waiting in line to go see Mainstreet Bethlehem. Which was an awesome permanent display of a Bethlehem era town that covered a full city block! Very much worth the wait. I got to pet a baby camel. There were fully functional buildings with vendors, jails, crofters, a tavern, the infamous inn and of course the stable with Mary & the gang. It was really amazing.

Inside Bethlehem... (not to be confused with Bedlem... though it was thanks to the crowds) That's Magnus in front giving me a 'Go to hell, I don't want another picture taken' look. Good at it isn't he? And Odin in the striped shirt.

We also visited Christmas at Ft. Croghan which was really neat. Ft. Croghan is circa mid 1800s and was set up to defend settlers from Indians and such back in the day. They had all the old buildings opened up and decorated and plenty of folks dressed up in period clothing. Bella and Soren played the bells to live music... Jingle Bells of course! Hey, that's me in the background there. Don't get pictures of me too often. :) We got hot cider, cookies, pop corn and lots of Holiday good will.







Here's the gang at the Trail of Lights in Austin in front of the big Zilker tree of lights. We waited over an hour to see the main lights display. And we even did the park-n-ride deal! Which turned into park, wait in a really long line to get on the bus. Wait in a really long line ON the bus. Wait in a long line at the entrance to the lights... well... you get the idea! But just look at the picture of Soren and Magnus spinning together under the lights! That makes it all worth it. Almost. Next year I think we're going to skip Zilker and stick to the drive-through Nature In Lights display at BLORA. So much more relaxed!

Magnus, Bella and Odin with Great Aunt Jennie on the bus... I think the kids thought the bus ride was cooler than the lights. My little country kids... riding a big city bus was way cool!

We've been really excited that we've gotten some weather cold enough to make it worth building a fire! Here are the kids all ready for Christmas!

Ya gotta love Texas! This little lights display in Marble Falls was great, and there were no lines! Lots of neat lights displays though. Merry Texmas Y'all! :)


And finally... the night before Christmas! All the kids hung up their gorgeous stockings hand knit by Great Grandma Anderson. We didn't leave them out this year because Soren kept wanting to pull them down... heavy stocking holders and all! Ouch!

And of course cookies must be put out and all the kids have to pile on Dad to read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas'... the real one. Not the 'Redneck Night Before Christmas' book. Geez... we may live in the boonies but we are not total rednecks. If you have not read the Redneck book, get it. It's hilarious. Santa travels to the trailer park in an old pickup pulled by possums. Ha!

Then Mom and Dad got to stay up until 1 am waiting for all the little monsters to fall asleep so Santa could come.... and boy did he! A new DS Lite for Odin, a Playmobil Roman Arena for Magnus, tons of dress up clothes for Bella and Batman for Soren! And that wraps up Christmas '08!