Christmas Outing

Every year I try to plan a Christmas Outing! 

I grew up this tradition and loved getting to spend time with my cousins and friends in Denver, or ice skating, or going to Christmas shows!  So it's only natural for me to want to do the same for my kids.  Well last year's was a total BUST and this year was not much better!  I don't know if its the age of my kids. poor planning or just plain bad luck, but our Christmas Outing - again - this year did not go quite as planned!

It no where near was as bad as last year when I had puke and poop all over me, but it still was not great!

I wanted to take the kids to Zoo Lights, so on Saturday night we headed over to the Ohlheiser's to have pizza and then after we all headed down to the Zoo for a wonderful Christmas Outing!

Well as soon as we got onto I-25 there was a major traffic jam, so we got off the highway and took the back roads to the ZOO.  We finally got there and soon realized the entire state of Colorado was there at the Zoo to see the famous lights - it was CRAZY!  The parking lot was literally closed off and people were looped around the parking lot waiting to get into the Zoo and it was already 7:30pm!

It was CRAZY and very heartbreaking!

Ashtyn could see some of the lights from the truck and got so excited, but when I told her we couldn't go she got VERY upset!  I felt so bad! I too wanted to go, but there was just no way!

Eli was getting very antsy too - after sitting in the truck for an hour, he was done!

So we headed home with our crying and very upset kids!

Another Christmas Outing down the drain...

I was very bummed and just couldn't give up on the evening, so I quickly thought of what we could possibly do...

Well, we headed to Downtown Louisville to do some ice skating!

Again, it was crazy busy, but Ashtyn was happy and excited to try something new and I love ice skating!

It was so cute how they had little ice skates for Ashtyn!

The ice skates for me were less then desirable - but I made do!

 Ashtyn did pretty good - she basically just walked on the ice, but she didn't fall - YEAH!

 They had some sleds too, so when Ashtyn got tired, I pulled her around in that and she LOVED it!

It gave me a quite a work out though...

 Matt kept Eli in the truck, but once Eli saw the sled he had to come out and try it!

Of course he had fun and would giggle when I would swing him around...

The evening did turn out to be fun and I guess I had my Christmas Outing - just not the one I had originally planned.  Ashtyn still wants to see the Zoo Lights, so hopefully we can make it down there before its over.

Maybe I should start planning my Christmas Outing now and hopefully it will go off with a bang in 2012?

Always a fun time with the Trujillo's!