Friday after Thanksgiving was a fun day as well, as a tradition (i think 4 years now) my sisters and I get up at the crack of dawn (actually well before then) and head out with the crazy masses to begin (and sometimes finish) our Christmas shopping! My alarm went off at around 3:3o am, I rolled quietly out of bed to make the most of my appearance for that early in the morning. Once I was ready poor James had to roll out of bed to drop me off at the mall where I was meeting up with my sisters (its only 5 minutes from our house), he proceeded back home and back to bed. Us girls got our traditional free snow globe from JCPenny and then proceeded immediately for COFFEE!!! A must when the clock reads 4:30 am! After we sat and gulped down our caffeine, and munched on some food to give us energy, we began to maul the mall (haha, its a little to funny to be funny)!! We hit quite a few stores and did a great deal of our shopping before we had exhausted every resource we needed there. Then we headed out into the masses and hit several more stores before our stomachs got the best of us around 11am! We grabbed a bite to eat and decided to bring it in for this years shopping extravaganza. When we got back to my parents house it was to find two very happy grandparents and two very happy kidos. They had used our time a way to build the best little gingerbread house ever! It was pretty cute, but I didn't get any pictures, bummer!
This meant it was time for a nap before we all met up again for the Coeur d'Alene Lighting Parade, Fireworks and Holiday Lights! Its so fun to go out in the chilly night air with thousands of other people who are also very excited for Christmas, and ready to begin celebrating the holiday season! I was observing those around me this year it just made me smile, here is what I saw:
~kids bundled to the point they could barely move their arms, with HUGE smiles on their faces
~moms and dads reveling in the magic displayed on their children's faces
~grandparents flashing back to what it means to be a kid again
~couples snuggled together keeping warm and enjoying the show
~the smells of hot chocolate warming drinkers from the inside out
~a community coming together and celebrating a very special time of year!
Holiday lights are one of my favorite displays this time of year, it may be tacky but I love them. I was driving home last night with all the fresh snow on the ground, listening to Christmas music, just praying that I would get home safely, I was going so slow that I decided to peek down side streets as I went for Christmas lights.... I found that now matter how many or how few lights a house had up I just couldn't help but smile, I love the lights! So thanks to those of you who put up lights, I appreciate them very much!
