25 DaYs Of ChRiStMaS - Day 12

Day 12 - Holiday In The Park

Our family loves to go to Holiday In The Park at 6 Flags!   We don't do it every year, but we do it as often as we can.  Last year at this time, we got season passes for the 2008 season (which included Holiday In The Park 2007), and we have really enjoyed them.  Tonight while Corey & Jack were away on a hunting weekend, I took Allie & Cooper to try to squeeze another trip to 6 Flags out of our passes before the year is over and to take in the sights, sounds, and smells of Holiday In The Park.  We got there shortly after they opened at 4:00, and we stayed until closing time at 10:00.  I wasn't sure if we would make it the entire time without Daddy and in the cold, but we had a blast!  It was very relaxing and fun to spend time with 2 of my kiddos tonight while doing something festive and Christmassy.

Allie was so kind to repeatedly take Cooper down the snow sledding hill.  (the only snow we have seen in this part of Texas so far this year) I think he might have dragged her up and down that thing all night if I had not stopped him.

Cooper loves hugging and taking pictures with all of the characters that he sees at amusement parks, and we got Allie to take this picture with him with Frosty tonight too.  How could anyone resist Frosty The Snowman?!?

I was so pleasantly surprised that 6 Flags has not decided to overlook the reason that we celebrate Christmas.  There was this nativity and many, many Christmas songs playing on the speakers and being sung by performers that talked about Jesus' birth.  I was kind of shocked how it caught my attention every time I heard phrases like, "The Lord has come" or "O Holy night".  I am sad to say that I think that it is becoming very uncommon to recognize Christ at Christmas time anymore.  It was good to see that in some public places, this "holiday season" is still Christmas.

We came across Mrs. Clause having story time, and Cooper got a front row seat.

~ Mrs. Clause & Cooper ~

Love this sign!

~ Allie waiting for one of her favorite rides to start ~

~ Cooper & Mommy waiting for Allie ~

(Finally, it got cold enough to bundle up!)

~ Meeting Santa ~

Cooper has been VERY excited about Santa this year, so he was thrilled when we happened upon him at 6 Flags tonight.  When it was his turn to visit, I was not sure what he would do.  Would he get cold feet and become shy?  Would he wish that his older siblings were with him?  Nope - not at all!  He RAN to Santa, jumped into his lap, and gave him a great big "Cooper Hug".

~ Telling Santa what he is wishing for for Christmas ~

"A Lego Batman Video Game"... coincidentally, that is exactly what his big brother is hoping for.  ;)

We rode every ride that we wanted to tonight, we saw a few shows, and we even stayed for the parade and the grand finale... it was really great!

~ Tired Girl ~

(at the end of the night)

~ Really Tired Boy ~

(He didn't quite make it to the end of the festivities, but he loved all that he did and saw.)