During this past Christmas week, we have had a lot of fun celebrating in many ways. It was great to spend time with friends, family and sometimes with just our own little family experiencing the Christmas season.
We went to Stanley Park to see all of their magnificent lights and displays as well as ride on their Christmas train. There were lights everywhere. Leah enjoyed seeing all the displays and lights, especially those that moved and twinkled.
We bought tickets for the earliest train we could which was 9:30 pm. We had lots to time to kill so we checked out the petting zoo and found entertainment for Leah wherever we could. Here she is ‘driving’ an antique tractor before checking out the animals.
There were also some animals that weren’t in the petting zoo that Leah enjoyed looking at as well. It was a little scary how not afraid of people these raccoons were.
Though we had to wait a long time, the train was worth it. My favourite part is the lights that reflect almost perfectly onto the pond.
We went with some friends to see the nativity scenes set up with narration at the local Anglican church. They have nine scenes with narration set up in the back property of their church. After hearing the story of Jesus’ birth and life, they treat you to cookies and hot chocolates with live music. They are always so friendly and help bring the first Christmas to the forefront of my mind. Though I didn’t get any great shots of the displays, here is a cute one of Leah while walking to the next display.
Christmas eve we spent with my family at my parent’s house. My sister in law along with her mom visiting from Denmark made us a wonderful, traditional, Danish, Christmas meal. We had pork roast, red cabbage and caramel potatoes with a rice pudding with warm cherries on top for dessert.
In the pudding there is chopped almonds with one whole almond. Whoever finds the whole almond in their pudding gets a marzipan pig. It is so simple but brought many laughs around the dessert table.
Here is Grandpa teaching Leah how to ride her new, red tricycle. It is just like the one I remember having as a kid. She will need a bit of practise before she learns how to make it go on her own but I’m sure it will bring many hours of enjoyment.
This is Leah’s classic move when asked to say hooray. Both hands optional.
The highlights from Grandma and Grandad’s were watching the train go around the track, listening and watching the musical boxes and wearing her fun, new sunglasses for three seconds before taking them off.
