family fun day - christmas lights

I LOVE Christmas lights.  I love to see them sparkling and twinkling.  They make me feel happy!  I have been wanting to go see one or two of the larger displays for a while, but Tim doesn't get thrilled about them, so we've never gone.  Last Saturday we decided it was a "family fun day," and if the kids got their rooms clean and their 30 minutes of housework done, we would go and do something fun as a family.

It took ALL DAY to get those few things done, but finally they were ready.  We had thought about bowling (too expensive on a Saturday night) swimming (the kids love it, but I HATE to be cold and I knew if we did that activity, it would take me DAYS to warm up...) nickle arcade, a movie, etc...  finally Tim suggested going to see the lights. 

It was great.  I think even Tim enjoyed it - a little bit.  The kids and I loved it.  We drove over to Salem Pond, where they had trees set up out on the lake. (in addition to lights around the park)  They were gorgeous!  I loved the trees, and the reflections in the pond.  SO SO beautiful!

the lights on Salem Pond

Cinderella's coach.   And just for the record - we do OWN coats for the kids,but I have given up trying to convince them that it is WINTER and that their coats should be ON their bodies, not just in the van.  I am to the point now where I figure if they choose to be cold - it is not my fault!

Katrina and Bryan, wishing they could teeter-totter with the gingerbread people.

  

Next we drove over to Spanish Fork's Festival of Light. it was $7 to do this loop, but I enjoyed it enough that I would do it again! 

 

There were so many neat displays, and I loved the moving ones.  one of our favorites was the ski-jumper.

 

  Another favorite was the bear, fishing from a stream

and the frog one was great too...

We stopped at McDonalds on the way home for a "treat" and all in all - it was a fun night.

 

all three kids - sitting the front seat while we drove the loop (the second time) so they could see better)

 One last video, and there is a funny story behind this one - The Speed Skater."   He was set up with the other "winter sports people, like the bobsledders, figure skaters, ski jumpers, etc...  We were all oohing and ahhing over the displays, and Katrina asked, 

"what is up with that dancing football dude?"  

Tim and I laughed petty hard over that one, and had to admit we could see where she got that idea...

(You may notice in the pictures that Aaron is missing.  he thought the idea of going to see lights was dumb, so he opted to stay home.)