After spending all morning and afternoon dealing with all the LEAVES, debris and PECANS that absolutely COVERED everything - we were happy when it came time to STOP - clean up and get dressed!
This was our time to 'Christmas' with Summer, Sabrina and Rayne!
That little girl is simply delightful!!
We all loved the beautifully decorated shops!
It's a long standing tradition to go to North Park Mall for Christmas.
North Park was THE very first mall in Dallas and has remained a classy place to shop ever since!
Every single tree - both in the mall as well as in the shops - is REAL!!!
They have elegant shops with clever things!
I LOVE all the unusual gift ideas this shop holds!!
Would you call this a butler chair??
They provided a comfy sofa for the young and the old to have a place to rest - complete with the neatest books!
I think Rayne and Granddad enjoyed this time.
Summer simply GLOWS with the joys of motherhood!
Louis Dean had a knack for finding a place to sit if we wandered off inside a store for too long!
The longer the evening went the better he felt though!
He had every right to be tired after blowing out all the gutters and cleaning up the mess THAT made!
He did that right before he got cleaned up and we left!
Brookstone always has something novel and interesting.
This was THE most POWERFUL shoulder massage contraption I have ever FELT!!
A puppet show......
....and we had front row seats! In the 'balcony!'
We walked all over that beautiful mall!
And enjoyed all the displays!
The reindeer are made with PECANS!!!
Santa is made of marshmallows and strawberry whips!
We retired out to the parking lot at Chili's to give them our gifts.
We're only in town for a few days so we try to visit as much family as possible.
I gifted Summer with two of her beloved Christmas books from childhood!
It was so much fun!!
This magical night was not over YET!!!
For years and years and YEARS Summer's favorite Christmas activity has been driving around and looking at the Christmas lights! Dallas does it in great style!
Sabrina was our gracious driver - stopping for oohs and ahhs as well as photo ops!
We followed a carriage ride for a little while and enjoyed hearing the clip clop of horses feet.
Rayne would call 'Merry Christmas' from the back seat window - and the carriage riders would return her greeting! How could you possibly resist a precious 2 1/2 year old??
This was one of Louis Dean's favorite!
I love the real fruit they used above the door!
Summer and Sabrina with Rayne!
Well, if this doesn't put me in the mood for hauling out my Christmas decorations today I don't know what would!!! I'm letting Louis Dean rest this morning but this afternoon it's going to start looking a lot like Christmas! At least on the front porch! The rest will be packed into the BACK of that great big LOUD diesel TRUCK to be hauled down to Katy and transform our little camper into a cozy Christmas Cottage!
In the meantime......may we wish you......
I loved looking at these pictures on facebook and even more so here with explanations attached. Rayne is adorable! Love the picture of her with the polar bears. And the one of LD reading to her. He does have a knack with children. I'm with Summer -- one of my favorite things to do is drive around looking at Christmas lights. The ones you showed are so beautiful! It must have taken forever to do those gorgeous trees.
ReplyDeleteHave fun with your decorating. Hope to see pictures of that soon.
Great pictures! My favorite part of Christmas is the lights too - apart from the mercury glass ornaments
ReplyDeletenow that was fun...I can't wait to take Hotrod to look at Christmas lights this year...
ReplyDeleteThat mall looks wonderful! It looks like all of you had a wonderful time and LD is so patient! :)
ReplyDeleteI love driving and looking at the decorated homes, too. My parents used to take us kids out in our PJ's at night to do the same...great memories!
That little Rayne is a doll! And you look so pretty and festive in that red sweater! Have a great week, dear!
XO,
Jane
Ahhhh, a lovely evening enjoyed by all. I think your corner really knows how to decorate beautifully for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lively recap of our evening, I was able to enjoy it twice! Love you Mom & glad we carried on our Christmas traditions!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great holiday evening!
ReplyDeleteYour holiday festivities are beginning early. How much fun! That will just extend the season for you. I loved all your pics. You have such a beautiful family. I'm glad you got to enjoy the day/evening with them.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you get to spread out the joy of Christmas from one end of the month to another. Safe journey back to the camper!
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen a picture of Sabrina recently but it looks like she has lost tons of weight! Wish I could do that too! Great pictures and looks like you are all having such a good time.
ReplyDeleteWhat a busy but fun day, and what a little sweetheart Rayne is, she's the same age as Elyssa, or close to it.
ReplyDeleteI love the lights and decorations you've shared with us, for me it seems odd not seeing snow in the photos, I'm just too accustomed to seeing snow at Christmas time is all, I can't imagine Christmas without it.
That's a fantastic photo of you and LD, beautiful way to wrap up your post! :-)
Have a wonderful week!
What a great 'lights tour'! Thanks for including us.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you all had a fun time at the mall...even he who mostly 'sat':)
Linda, Looks like lots of fun..except LD gutter cleaning job. I love the photos of all of you in front of that tree with all the lights.wow. Smiles, Susie
ReplyDeleteYou pack so much in to your life and everyone else's. That is a cool mall. The picture of LD reading to Rayne. We try to go look at lights every year too. I guess we'll wait until the day after Christmas if we want Pamela to go with us.
ReplyDelete