Wednesday, December 23, 2009

It's Christmas Time in the City

Since the kids are getting a little older, we decided to do a fun Christmas outing with them this year and take them downtown.  We live in the suburbs now, but my husband and I both used to work downtown and live just a short drive from there.  For a while, we worked in buildings across the street from each other so we carpooled to work and met for lunch sometimes.  We both love the city and would love to move back someday, but it's not really the greatest place to raise a family.  So we have to get our fill of the city life in short little day trips.  Our daughter was really excited to go to the "big city" as she kept calling it for some reason.  I think she was comparing it to an episode of Curious George. 

We started off our day by ice skating on Fountain Square.  This was the first time skating for both my kids.  Here's my son standing up in them for the first time.  He did great!

My daughter was so excited.  Love her pose here.

Here's my little wall huggers.  They actually did much better than I expected.  We had to hold my son up by the armpits, which let me tell you is an amazing workout!

Standing in front of the fountain.  Trying to squat to get the top of the fountain in the frame while wearing ice skates with other skaters zooming by is much harder than you'd think!

She did not want anyone to touch her.  She can skate all by herself, thank you.

I think this may be one of the only photos my husband has ever taken.  He is afraid of my camera.

I completely love this picture.  I think it's the way your eye is drawn straight to her face.  And the beautiful snow falling around them.

He got tired of skating (well, we got tired of trying to hold him up), so we went walking around the outside of the rink with our skates still on.  I love his little pouty face.  He just wears his emotions right on his face and I love that.

That's better!  Poor little red nose.  I think his fair skin just gets red quicker than the rest of us.

While we were waiting for sissy and daddy to finish skating we bumped into Santa!  He was posing for pics and passing out candy canes.

I think my daughter would've skated all day if we'd have let her, but luckily the zamboni had to do it's thing so we were able to move on, but not before she got a pic with Santa!


After skating we had worked up an apetite so we headed over to our favorite diner, Hathaway's.  My husband and I used to eat there when we worked downtown.  They have great food and the same waitresses were there that worked there over 7 years ago!  It's such a great little place and I'm so glad we were able to take the kids there and eat at the counter.  We even ran into a friend of ours who was there with her kids for a Christmas outing as well.  She worked with me at the newspaper years ago and we used to lunch there too.  What are the odds that in a city full of people I'd see someone I know?!    

After lunch we headed out to see Santa again.  My daughter was anxious that she hadn't yet sat on his lap and told him what she wanted for Christmas.  The Macy's store downtown had a Santa that you could bring your own camera to.  While we waited in line they had paper where you could write to Santa and then put it in their giant red mailbox. 

Here's my daughter showing me her letter.  Luckily, I happen to know that Santa is bringing her one.  Phew!


While waiting in line my son saw a humongous monster truck that was remote control and cost $80 that he decided he had to have. So, he pretty much just talked about it, whined about it, looked at it and cried when we didn't take it home. I happen to know that Santa is not bringing him one, so I'm hoping he forgets about it in the next 36 hours.

Finally...on Santa's lap.  Wow, Santa really aged after coming in from the ice rink!

After we saw Santa we walked a few blocks over to the Gas and Electric Company Building to see the holiday train display.  They have been doing it for years, I even remember going to see it when I was a kid.  I didn't take any pics there or at the diner.  I have a philosophy about putting the camera away and taking time to savor the moments as they happen without having to worry about snapping a great photo.  So those moments will just stay tucked in my memory. 

I feel like I am really ready for Christmas now.  The kids are over the top excited and we had such a great time just enjoying one another's company.  Hopefully, this will become a new holiday tradition for us.  Merry Christmas!

2 comments:

  1. i love your matching scarves! ~jen b.

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  2. Great post Shawna! Love seeing the pictures of the kids :) And, I loved the picture of her wanting the american girl doll, she is going to be so excited!!

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