Christmas Denver Trip!

Sorry about the hiatus from blogging.  Lately I've been ON or OFF w/ keeping it updated.  I just haven't had the time to download pics & upload stories... 'TIS THE SEASON, right?!!

The Sunday we've been anticipating since Thanksgiving... Christmas DENVER trip!  Always the planner, I had our outings arranged around lunch, nap time & dinner:) 

First stop... Red Lobster for lunch, Shawn's request!  For all you southern folk that live near the water & get fresh seafood whenever you please, you just won't understand!  I always 'knocked' Red Lobster when I lived in Florida, but once I tried it w/ Shawn's family in Ohio, I've become a fan!  Don't worry, its not anything like the old run-down building in Tally, it's a big, beautiful, new building w/ a great ambience.  Thankfully, after a little nudging, my cousin (& fellow Floridian) LA & Mike, who live in downtown Denver, met us there!  It was the first time we've seen them since the summer, and OHHH, how a little family time during the holidays feels SOOO GOOD!!

Second stop... Bass Pro Shop!  We've been looking forward to this Santa ever since last year, when we stumbled upon the incredibly decorated 'Workshop' & 'North Pole' they created in the boat area!!  We looked around the HUGE store w/ LA & Mike first, then ventured over to Santa...

...we decided it would probably be best if Elsie Anne play w/ Daddy & I wait in the line?!  Well, after 30min of standing in one place, then the elf telling me I should move to another line that wouldn't block the cash registers... I decided that EA would probably not be seeing Mr. Bass Pro Shop Santa!!  As I walked over to my family rolling my eyes, Shawn knew he needed to lift my spirits & swooped us off to the Aquarium area:)  EA driving the boat like BigDaddy!

EA looking at all the tropical fish, while Momma fantasizes about being @ the beach and swimming WITH these little fishies!!

Third stop... Zoo Lights!  Elsie Anne took a well needed, but short nap, in perfect time to make it before the crowds!!  We didn't mind getting to see a few of the animals before it got dark!!

EA clapping w/ her mittens on!  She loved watching the elephants toss their big barrels around & eat their snacks that came out!  I didn't get many pics of the amazing lights b/c our camera just doesn't capture the magnificence!  There were light tunnels we walked through, light animals, lights everywhere you looked, it was a sight to see:)

And we shared our first experience of the Zoo Train!!!  EA was beside herself w/ excitement, even though this family shot doesn't capture it!!  We sat right behind the engine & after the train conductor said "ALL ABOARD!" Elsie Anne couldn't stop saying it:)  She was waving @ all the people we rode by & bouncing on the seat to the Christmas Music playing!

Then off to the Carousel, "merrygoround" as EA liked to say!  She knew just what to expect, since she got to ride one @ the Cincinnati Zoo w/ her cousins!  And we knew from that experience she couldn't just ride once, so we each took a turn w/ her!  She chose to ride the Giraffe & Cheetah, and loved every minute!  Each time she passed by one of us watching, she'd wave or make 'funny faces'!

After all the family fun, we knew we had an hour & a half drive back to Breck, so we left @ 6:30pm... but not before stopping @ the Zoo Store!  This trip's special animal to come home w/ us was Francis the Flamingo!!!

Thanks to my amazingly good natured husband for keeping me cool when things didn't work as planned!  All in all, we had a wonderful time as a family & shared new adventures with Elsie Anne!  If the bank Santa is all EA gets to see this year, I'm fine w/ that, since she really won't remember this stuff anyway... it's more for the pretty picture, right, hee,hee!:) 

Keep checking past this post... I'll be catching up back to Nov.30th!!!