Have yourselves a Merry Dickens Christmas...

This past weekend the kids and I ran off with my Dad and his friend for what will hopefully be a new Christmas tradition. There's a Church on the way to the kids' school that offers a "Dickens Christmas Village" free to the public two weekends each December. I recall passing it last year and being sad when I realized that we'd missed it. There was NO way the kids and I were missing out on it again this year. It did not disappoint.

 

Crappy picture, but it was so breathtaking.

There were plenty of activities for the kids and plenty of entertainment for the adults, I could have spent DAYS there. You walk into Mr. Scrooge upon entering the "village," but you don't notice him because you are too busy gawking at how insane the set up is. It's your typical town square with a Big Ben replica, sounds of trains and horses clopping, Tiny Tim hobbling around on his wooden crutch, carolers, towns people... just... AMAZING. We circled the square once, but there was a lot of backtracking since the kids were floored by the villagers offering hot cocoa, old timey candy, fresh cookies, hot cider, apples from the "market," spinning tops for the kids at the "toy shoppe..." There was so much to see and do. SO much. I'm super surprised we were in and out of there in less than an hour and a half.

 

Lo got to sit on a horse named Hercules... the other horse was named Pudding.

 

 

Lillie was awestruck by the Carolers. She stopped and watched them for a good 5 minutes. Which is a long time when you're (not quite) 3 years old.

  

Arts and Crafts! The kids got to "make" candles in the Candle Shoppe.

We only got a bad attitude once when they started getting cold and a certain little girl didn't WANT to wait on her Hot Cocoa to cool. Plus, they put a marshmallow in it and she wasn't having that AT ALL.

 

My (naughty) little elves.

Lillie and I had to take a potty break before we reached the end, and they even extended their village "indoors" with a huge train set inside. I don't think either kid had seen anything like it before. Lillie was especially astounded by the little people playing in the "snow" in the little towns spread across the train table. When we were in the bathroom, I could hear a little boy talking about Logan and introducing him to all the "Mommys" in the bathroom. The same little boy would point and introduce Logan to whoever was nearby every time we passed him in the village. My kid? Is Mr. Popular no matter where he goes. I hope he stays that way, or at least is always a quick friend to all who cross paths with him.

Needless to say, once we were back home (not quite an hour past their bedtimes), Lillie was so beat that she started getting fussy with me after I finally managed to wrestle some pajamas onto her. I picked her up and she immediately asked if she could pull the string on her ceiling fan to turn off her light. "What? No book! No song?" She shook her head and said "Goodnight, Mommy!" We will definitely be going back next weekend... maybe all three nights. Plus, Lillie needs another excuse to make sure that the "Widdle Baby Jesus is a REAL baby, NOT a doll." Two words, Living Nativity.