Thursday, December 20, 2012

The Trail of Death Strollers


Last Night (despite Sickie McSnottersons having an ear infection), we took the boys to see the Trail of Lights. I know. Seemed like a good plan at the time.
For the record, Sickie McSnottersons is not amused by your antics

The Trail is only on for one week this year (clue to impending doom #1), having taken a hiatus the last two years because the City said they could not afford it. So that means for many parents of young kids in Austin, this is the first time we've gotten to take our kids (clue to impending doom#2).  So what happens when you try to cram in a visit to the Trail of Lights during the only week it's open along with  approximately 350,000 other parents doing the exact same thing? DOOM, that's what. If by "Doom" you mean, being hit repeatedly by a stroller during your 1/2 mile walk that somehow takes almost 3 hours to get through. Still, though, it was pretty.  And since it was EIGHTY-THREE @*#$*ing DEGREES yesterday, It's as Christmas-y as we get around these parts. The boys were not convinced.
seriously, not at all convinced. 

We got there early enough that we didn't really have to wait for a shuttle bus, but I heard that many, many folks waited well over an hour. Judging from the lines we saw on our way back, I believe it. There were SO, so many people.  I ended up letting Hopper ride on my shoulders after he got run over a couple of times.


He's strangling me here. 


dragon tree
A view of the first half.


But yes, it was pretty.  And where else are you going to get funnel cakes in December? Or see the "Elfs" display, which is... Well. Huh.. (Elfa Fitzgerald,  Elf-bert Einstein...).
The Elves
Oh, you probably need to see an enhance. 

oh look, it's Elf-Patcheeno
Yeah. That was odd. As were some of musical accompaniments--it being Austin...  We were very proud when Hopper heard Vince Guaraldi and yelled, "IT'S THE CHARLIE BROWN SONG" And also that he didn't get scared during one of the most horrifying "Carol of the Bells" I've ever heard. Or that he didn't walk off with the stoned guy  who walked up and held his hand for part of our walk back to the bus, a guy that I am pretty sure was pretty much so out of his gourd that he did not actually seem to notice that he was holding hands with a 3 year old  til I said, "Oh, excuse us" and he looked at me sort of surprised to be there and dropped Hopper's hand. I guess in retrospect that might seem a little scary, but a) Sam was walking right behind us b) this guy was my size (I could have taken him) and c) I am pretty sure that he could not have found his own hands if I hadn't pointed them out to him. 

All in all, I'm glad we went. Even if someone I know refused to spin under the tree. ("It's TOO BIG, I WILL FALL DOWN"). Fine kid, I get all the wishes.



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