Bright Lights

There is a huge Christmas light display in Springfield called Bright Lights in Forest Park. Apparently it's a huge attraction here, so we went to see what it was all about. It was very impressive! It went on for 2.5 miles and there were lights every where. Some of these pictures aren't the greatest, but you'll get idea. The girls loved it!

Arilyn was so excited to see the Christmas lights. The whole way there she kept saying- where are the Christmas lights? Are we almost to the lights?

We finally made it! They had a nativity scene at the very beginning. The picture of the manger was really blurry, but I got 2 out of 3 wise men!

Of course, since Dr. Suess was from Springfield, they had a big tribute to his characters. The Grinch, The Cat in the Hat and many other characters. It was pretty neat.

Here's Santa!

This was pretty neat- they had a post office box decorated as Santa Clause where kids could drop off their letters to Santa.

More lights!

Addison really liked the lights, too. (Notice that the shoe is coming off.)

They had several displays that went over the road. They had one towards the end that looked like a reindeer was flying over the road.

This display was so neat! From a distance, I really thought it was a real house, but it was just lights. 

I was in Arilyn's way of seeing things. She was not interested in having her picture taken! She just wanted to see more lights.

More lights.

And here we are- almost at the end and Addison has successfully taken off both shoes and socks! I don't know why I bother putting them on her because this is usually how I find her when I go to get her out of the car.

The last display- wishing everyone Happy Holidays! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

I know this is a day late, but I was too busy eating yesterday to blog! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. There is much to be thankful for. Here is a picture of what I'm most thankful for! Happy Thanksgiving!

Our God, we give thanks to you and praise your glorious name.

1 Chronicles 29:13

Build A Bear

My friend Mary and I started a tradition when we had kids of going to Build A Bear Workshop and letting the kids make the Christmas animal. Although we couldn't go together this year, I decided to keep the tradition going. Shawn and I took the girls today to make Christmas Moose and three of us enjoyed it. Addison was not impressed! She eventually came around and loves her moose now. Arilyn did really good, too!

Arilyn was a little shy, but did step on the pedal and never covered her ears!

Addison, on the other hand, wouldn't get close to the pedal. Her big sister had to do it for her.

Each year it seems like they add another thing that you have to do with the heart before you put it in the stuffed animal. I can't remember why they had to put it on their noses, but we did it anyway!

Arilyn took the bath very seriously!

And the brushing, too.

Addison...still looking sour!

Starting to come around. This moose isn't so bad!

The girls with their new pals. The moose are so cute. Their antlers light up and they play 'Jingle Bell Rock.' They did have a boy and a girl moose, but the girl didn't have antlers or anything that lit up. So we decided to get two boy moose so there wouldn't be any arguing later.

Arilyn and Addison getting ready for bed with their new best friends.

I thought this picture was cute because they're both not paying any attention to me and totally into their moose.

Addison is giving him a hug.

Arilyn and her cheesy "cheeeese" smile.

Christmas in Massachusetts!

We were grocery shopping in Walmart two weeks ago and they were playing nothing but Christmas music! My mom works at Walmart and said they started playing it at midnight on Halloween! So on the way home I was in the mood for Transiberian Orchestra, so we were listening to it and Arilyn wants to listen to nothing else now! She loves the song "A Star to Follow" which she calls "The Star that Moves." At one point on the way home I looked back and Arilyn was bobbing her head to the beat and Addison had her hands waving in the air. I was laughing so hard! Arilyn's new favorite is "Mad Russian's Christmas," which is instrumental, but she dances to it and "directs" the music. I got out the video camera and recorded them dancing today. It's about a minute long, but well worth it! I imported it as wide screen so some of Arilyn's head got cut off at some points. But pay close attention to her mouth near the end of the video as she pretends to make the guitar sound! Hilarious!

Miscellaneous Pictures

I was feeling bad that I haven't posted anything in a few weeks, so I put together some random pictures. Enjoy.

I took these in early October when the leaves were starting to change. The colors here were so beautiful. This tree is in our backyard.

This tree is in our front yard and was just starting to change. The picture just doesn't do it justice though.

Arilyn helped carve pumpkins this year and I completely forgot to post them with the trick or treat pictures.

She wasn't too sure at first about getting her hands in the slimy stuff, but then she really liked playing in it.

Arilyn being silly after I carved the mouth out of the pumpkin.

She was looking inside at the candle, but I thought it looked like she was talking to it!

The finished products. 

Addison has figured out how to climb onto the chairs now and constantly climbs into the chair by the computer. She knew exactly what to do with the mouse and was clicking away!

She looks so big sitting there. What happened to my baby??

My in-laws got this hat for Arilyn last winter, I think. She found it in our basket of hats and gloves and hasn't taken it off since! She was playing with it one day in her room. She had one of the strings in her mouth and would jump in her room then get on the floor and start crawling. When I asked her what she was doing she told me it was her swimming hat and she was "screw driving." When I stopped laughing I said- do you mean scuba diving? She said- yes that's what I said. It was hilarious!

What a messy eater, huh? A few weeks ago we went to Walmart to pick up a prescription and they gave the girls dum dum suckers. Addison is hooked. This was their dessert one day after dinner. 

This picture is for my friend Mary. In October, Mary asked me if the squirrels were eating our pumpkins because they were having problems with it in Indiana. I said no- they haven't touched our pumpkins. The squirrels must have heard me and wanted to prove me wrong because they have eaten all of our pumpkins. This one I had put in our backyard by our swamp to see if pumpkins would grow next year. The squirrels have had a hay day with it. It started out as just a little whole and now half the pumpkin is gone. This one kept climbing in, getting a few bites then sitting on top to enjoy it. So yes, Mary, the squirrels are eating our pumpkins!!