A Season to Remember

I love December . . . I love all the thoughts, emotions, feelings, and activities there are in this special month. On December 1st, we filled up a paper tree with all the special memories & traditions that we all enjoy during this season of remembering Jesus birth. The tree was full & we were full of smiles & wonderful memories. However, we were touched with some sadness as we realized that many of our "traditions" were packed away in boxes that we couldn't get to. So instead of being sad, we decided to take advantage of our circumstances this year & create new memories & new traditions.

So every day for the month of December we are doing something special to remember this special time of year & why it is we celebrate Christmas. We are creating gifts, crafts, and foods. We are reading special books and devotions. We are watching special Christmas movies. We are attending special events and musicals. We are volunteering to pass out winter clothes with our church. We are giving to the needy. Each day has a special task for us to complete.

One of our first special activities was to go to Silver Dollar City to experience Christmas in a very special way. We attended their production of the Dicken's Christmas Carol - it was absolutely amazing! We also saw their Live Nativity Musical - such an awe inspiring reminder of the true reason of the season.
Here we are waiting for the Dickens Christmas Carol to begin - it was inside where we were warming up, but outside it was under 32 degrees the whole day - CHILLY!!!!

Silver Dollar City has over 4million lights on display . . . here's the tree when we arrived & the tree at night. The tree is set to music & they have a lights show every 15 minutes that the kids thought was great!

It wasn't just the big tree that was part of the lights show - all of their displays everywhere included lights & were choreographed to the music. It was great!

Day one at Silver Dollar City didn't get out of the low 30's, so no rides were open, much to the displeasure of 2 children! However, day two got up to a balmy 43 degrees so the rides were running & packed. The smiles say it all!

The teacups & the bouncy frogs.

The Viking Boats

The ElectroSpin - can you see them right above with their hands up. Isabelle - purple coat & Kevin in the Camo Coat.

The Swings - Isabelle loves, but the rest of us could puke if we ride! JM loves the ball area - these tubes are vacuums that suck up all the balls. . . he loves it!

Here is our little princess with the BIGGEST smile of her life on! She & Kevin waited 30 minutes in a line to ride the Powder Keg - her favorite ride. The ride will not operate unless it's over 42 degrees - well that wasn't happening very well. Isabelle was ready to call it quits when it didn't appear the weather would warm up enough. With big tears slowly streaming down her face, she conceded that we should probably head home. BUT, just was we were about to exit the mile long line (we were in the front), they opened the ride much to the delight of Isabelle. The smile on her face was amazing - it brought such joy to us!! A fitting way to end the trip!

Saying good bye to Silver Dollar City - until NEXT YEAR!!!!!