lights, Legos and Santa

Last week we went to the local garden's lighted display.  They run a beautiful event from Thanksgiving to Christmas.  I am a member there, so I go regularly to wander and take pictures.  I was there Wednesday morning for their Bird Hike.  Brrr...  we were pretty cold, but saw quite a few birds.  I'll admit, I am not a serious bird enjoyer, but it is a nice way to start your day - outside in a pretty setting, walking slowly with people who are fairly quiet and get really excited to see the different birds.  Their enthusiasm is fun to be a part of.  We record every bird and how many of each kind are sighted and this is reported to some bird watching agency.  Plus, the people who lead the walk have some cool fancy scope things.  So when we spot a bird, they line him up in the scope and I get to see it closer than my own binoculars get.  Anyway... Wednesday, after the hike,  I got a sneak peek of the Lego display.  Carl was jealous!!  Yeah, I told him. I was getting him excited for the next evening.

They also have a tent set up with a train running and popcorn for sale.  Another tent houses Santa to visit with the kids.  And, all over the gardens, they have beautiful lights hanging from the very tall trees.  Then, of course - the Lego display!   It is amazing.

Here are a few photos from Wednesday morning in the daylight and then again from Thursday night when we were all there at night.

We stopped in to see Santa when we arrived.  The kids thought it was very funny that when they opened the mailbox, there were lit lights inside!

 I love that Santa wears his cool belt when he comes to the garden display!  He is a very sweet man.  Gretchen requested a "blanket with a picture of you and Mrs Claus on it" and he very wisely told her, "Hmmm... I don't know.  I'll see if I can whip something up, but I don't know if I can."  Luckily, I have an in with some elves in a photo department.  Let's just hope that the $10 extra I paid for them to rush deliver this blanket works and it arrives by the 24th.  If not, I can still have Santa give her this gift she is asking for.  See, he always comes to Grammie's house in NY, but then he also stops in NC here at home on his way by.  They find gifts here from Santa when we return from our NY vacations.  It is the only way Santa comes to our home.  My kids have never woken up in their own beds and discovered Santa visited in the night.  We always have to travel.  It's also the reason we have an artificial tree.  Who wants to have to take their Christmas tree down before Christmas?  We couldn't leave it up for more than a week while we're gone and not worry.  So, fake it is.  But, if the blanket doesn't arrive in time, I can be sure it is the present he leaves for her in NC.  It is a photo of the twins with the Clauses from Lew's work party.

It was actually this Santa who, years ago, made sure to let us know that even if they were not home on Christmas Eve that he would stop at our house.  He made sure that we knew what he was telling the kids, too.  He is a wise man.  We have been here almost 6 years, so we have relationships with Santa that we couldn't have if we kept moving every 2 years.

Then, we ran after Carl as he raced to the Lego display!!!

 The train and monorail were running on Thursday.  Some of these shots were from Wednesday when there were no other people there.

 Is this a dream scene, or what???

 The pier complete with fishermen, surfers, and swimmers.

details... tucked into the display - apparently on the wrong side of the tracks.  I think the laser gun is going to triumph over the broken bottle.

 Making snow by the beach

Next, the train display tent.  We grabbed some popcorn and then headed back outside.

Then, just more wandering around.  We actually tossed the popcorn - this may sound hard to believe because we are popcorn fools, but this was actually too salty. I know.  It looks funny to type that, but it was true.