Tag: Christmas
Beautiful Summer Day Visit To Bronners 2019
Bronners really looked different this year as we saw many items that we never saw before including a motion light snowflake that was really cool (but they were out of, only the demo left, but plenty of time till Christmas. We really enjoyed the Santa in the classic car mural and will have to review old pics to see if we just missed that or if that is something new. Regardless its something that is not for sale but it certainly is cool to look at. The day was perfect so we tried to spend as much time as we could outside of Bronners, looking at all their outside decorations as well as the inside decorations.
Taking the back roads from Lapeer to Frankenmuth is a very enjoyable ride, you go around a beautiful lake, and you find all sorts of small ma and pa type stores. However, with a gps its almost impossible to know your way around.
Christmas 2018
What a great Christmas we had this year, we did things a little different with different food, different lighting, and different decorations. Our holiday began with visits to Grandma’s house and then Peg (at the hospital). Our friend Dynamike the magician visited us and we watched a magic movie and exchanged gifts. Dynamike gave James a big old box that had a smaller box, and so on and so on till he finally got to the gift, a penny for his coin collection.
This year we put the snowmen outside but did not turn on the lights in them, that way you could see the laser effect on the house much better.
Christmas day arrived and we began opening presents, all sorts of goodies, too many to name here. We then ate and watched a Christmas movie while playing with our new toys and clothes.
Counting Down To Christmas Vacation
James simply cannot wait till Christmas vacation and is counting down the days till it arrive. As each day passes, Christmas gets closer and closer so James changes the countdown each day to make sure its accurate.
We do not know if this is an official course or if you get any extra credit for counting down the days till Christmas accurately, but at least we are sure that James is having a good time doing it.
Santa’s Magical Forest 2018
Every year we go to this event in Taylor and see all the beautiful Christmas decorations. Mom and Dad surprised James by telling him that we were going to the post office to mail letters and James bought it. We noticed many more items added to the display this year so its great to see it evolve through these pictures as we make a sort of historical record of the Christmas display. Lots of fun and great to see all our friends as well on a beautifully lit December evening.
VIP Camp once again hosted a wonderful event and James got to meet his friends from summer camp before Christmas.
Christmas 2017
What a fun Christmas we had this year, lots of fun, lots of food, and plenty of presents. The day actually started around midnight when we began putting the gifts out. The new “IT” movie was playing and it was dark and snowy outside which created a kind of aura in the house. Breakfast finally came and Mary made her famous chocolate chip French Toast, then we opened gifts and listened to Christmas music on Jame’s new stereo. After eating a beautiful ham dinner we watched movies including “This Christmas” and “Christmas Vacation” while putting together and playing with our new gifts. Many thanks for all the cards and gifts, James has special thanks to Grandma, Aunt Criss, and Uncle Kenny for their gifts through the mail.
Santa’s Magical Forest 2017
Hard to believe its been a year since we last visited this wonderful Christmas display at Heritage park in Taylor. The weather was a balmy 18 degrees and their was about 4 inches of snow on the ground, so the stage was set for a very memorable Christmas visit. James got to see his friends from VIP camp (although one was absent who we all missed, Jame’s friend Sammy who he had known since Hoover Elementary, passed away unexpectedly in late November).
Plymouth Christmas Tree Festival 2017
Plymouth is a fun place to be year round, but it has several reasons for making a winter trek out that way. Not only do they do the ice sculpture in January, but they have the Walk of Trees Festival in December! Tree’s are decorated for the holidays by various persons and company’s and they line the walk way of Kellogg Park in downtown Plymouth. James and his family visited there this day (the trees are constantly lit so if you have a dreary cloudy day they will surely brighten up your day) and had a blast visiting the shops and seeing the trees. James got a miniature Eiffel tower for his French class, Mom got chocolate covered potato chips, and Dad got a realistic battery operated candle that works for both Christmas and Halloween.
After leaving Plymouth we stopped off at one of Mom’s favorite shops, the Town Peddler where James had his picture taken in their new photo op area. To top off the day’s activities we stopped in to see how Aunt Peg was doing. All and all a very active and fun day, although it was a little cold outside in the park.
Hines Drive Christmas Lightfest 2017
Its been awhile since we went to the light fest at Hines Park, but on this day the conditions were perfect. 1st you need a while blanket of snow but 2nd, it has to be no more than an inch or two or the drive to becomes difficult. This day was perfect and was confirmed by the thousands of cars we saw going through. James had a blast and really enjoyed the “time tunnel” concept which dropped us off in a prehistoric time of dinosaurs. Mom and Dad enjoyed the Santa training center where reindeers are trained to fly by running up a ramp, jumping, and coming down softly in a parachute. Everyone enjoyed seeing the life size bumble putting the star on the tree. The Hines Park Light fest features more than 47 giant animated displays and more than one million lights; it is the Midwest’s largest and longest light show. The complete Light fest route is over four miles of Hines Drive.
Christmas 2016
We truly enjoyed a wonderful and blessed Christmas this year, it began with breakfast at Cracker Barrel on Christmas Eve and a trip to Aunt Pegs (Richard was visiting). James opened a present early and we began watching our traditional show which included the movies “Dead End” and “Mothman Prophecy”, and the Xfiles “Post Modern Promethius” & “Ghost Who Stole Christmas”, which created the perfect “ghostly” atmosphere for Christmas eve.
Christmas day James was up before the sun to open his gifts, lots of new clothes and electronic items for the most part. James now has a cell phone and number, which should make the upcoming year interesting for sure. James would like to thank those who sent him money and gift certificates including Aunt Criss, Aunt Peg, and Grandma. James bought Michigan football products, 3 Journals, and rolls of quarters with his proceeds.
Santas Magical Forest 2016
VIP Camp teams up with the city of Taylor for this annual event, and best of all James gets to see some of the VIP Instructors and Campers again, some of them for the first time since August. As usual the staff outdid themselves with another awesome display, some of it Dad might have seen as a child at the old Hudson store in Detroit.
In addition to visiting with friends, James got to sit down with Jolly ol St Nick himself and gave him a list of items he wanted, most being study books for school.
All in all a wonderful day on a cold December night in Michigan, it just doesn’t get any better than this. Big congrats to VIP camp for setting up this marvelous free event for the kids.
