Holden's Visit

We had a great visit in early December from Grandma and Grandpa Holden.  Unfortunately the weather was less than understanding as they came smack dab in our most recent 9-day stretch of rainy days.  Luckily we were able to get out and enjoy a day at the Botanical Gardens.  They were setup for the holiday lights at night which also meant model trains.  Carter and Parker were hooked.  Carter literally ran in circles following the trains.

Parker was a bit more sedated, every time the train came by he would get excited, but when it went in the tunnel he would get confused and give his best "where did it go"... only to be equally surprised again when it returned.

The gardens also had a new addition this year during the day, a "real" train that ran on the sidewalks.  This train is most definitely meant for little kids... but we were somehow, after the conductor convinced us and we had paid, that all five of us (Carter, Parker, Grandpa, Grandma, and Dad) could fit in one car.  It was snug, but we were all smiles.

We were at the park pretty early and were one of the first in the greenhouses.  This made for an enjoyable walk as one of the volunteers was able to take special time with Carter and Parker and show us all the rare frogs and the many animals in the greenhouse areas.

Parker initially wanted to keep his distance from the turtle, but slyly moved in a mide circle and popped up to the side of the turtle and became brave enough for a quick touch as well.  He was very proud of himself once he did.

We went through the gardens quickly as the real reason we were there was about to start.  The Christmas Doggy Parade!

There were so many dogs, as many as were in the parade, there were just as many watching.  Carter and  Parker had a blast seeing all the costumes and trying to understand what they were.  They could pick up the Santa outfits quickly but needed help with the others.

Since the weather was less than ideal, we had a lot of "pajama" days.  This meant finding fun activities in the house.  Mario cart with Grandma/Parker vs. Mom/Carter is an event not to missed for its comedic value.  

We also managed to take Grandma and Grandpa to another basketball game.  Luckily, this year the Yellow Jackets had a convincing win.

We had lots of puzzle and game time, not to mention hours of playtime on the train table.  Parker really worked on perfecting his best "all aboard" after he game his trains the "choo-choo" starting whistle.

We had a great time and look forward to seeing Grandma and Grandpa soon, in a slightly warmer and more magical climate...