Leavenworth Lights

Todd and I have both wanted to take the boys to Leavenworth to see the Christmas Lighting there for the past few years. We were planning on going last year and then it snowed so much in Seattle that we couldn't make it. Todd had never been and the last time I was there I was 7 or 8 and have bad memories because my mom made me wear a Scandinavian-style dress my Grandma made that was too small for me! We were very last minute with this trip, booking our hotel only 2 days before leaving! We left Seattle on Saturday morning after taking Bryson into the pediatrician because he needed more medicine for his nebulizer (and they ended up giving him a prescription for an inhaler and tube).
Here are the boys in the village with Father Christmas.

Todd in front of the pretzel tree.
The boys loved watching the birds nibble on the pretzels.
J, B and I in Leavenworth village with the beautiful mountains behind.
After looking around the village for awhile we went back and relaxed in our hotel room. Our hotel (Enzian Inn) offered many amenities perfect for families: indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, raquetball/basketball court, ping pong tables, free rental of cross country skis, and a free buffet breakfast. The kids enjoyed looking around the hotel and were excited to go swimming later.
Bryson wanted a rock star look (i.e. fauxhawk) but his hair was so long for one!
On our walk back to town to see the Christmas Lighting Ceremony.
Todd and Bryson warming themselves by a fire pit in the middle of the street. Leavenworth closes the streets for this festival and there are many of these pits along the street to warm you up.
Jaden excited to see the lighting festival.
It was extremely crowded but we managed to get a spot where the boys could see the stage (while on our shoulders). These pictures don't do it justice of course how beautiful this Bavarian village looks when lit.

Here we are outside of the shops on our way to get dinner after the lighting ceremony.
Todd and Jaden waiting to be seated at a German restaurant in the village.
Todd ordered the BIG beer mug, and got to keep the mug!
Bryson and I at dinner, the food was so good!
After dinner we walked over to a sledding hill to watch the kids sled (we left our sled at the hotel). We admired the lights some more and then walked back to our hotel to take the kids in the pool.

After going in the indoor pool and the indoor and outdoor hot tubs, I gave the boys something that I usually only give them on Christmas Eve every year. Christmas jammies! The boys were so excited about them, they were so happy that they got slippers too! Here is Jaden pretending that he is a candy cane because of his red striped pajamas.
Bryson's the green and white candy cane!
My Christmas candy cane boys.
I bought Todd and I matching Christmas pajamas this year too:)
Before bedtime we snuggled in bed and watched The Night Before Christmas on DVD.
Jaden at breakfast the next morning, we let them go in their jammies.
I was very impressed by the delicious selection of food that they offer and the view from the top floor is beautiful (although it was foggy this morning).
Here is the owner and builder of the Enzian Inn blowing the alphorn which he does twice every morning. He climbed up and stood on the railing of the balcony and I have to admit that I was a bit nervous that he would fall!
A video of the alphorn, Bryson was reassuring himself that he wasn't going to fall. . . Jaden was really nervous that the guy would fall off too!


(also what video would be complete without J touching B causing him to scream at the end;)
A cute picture of Jaden in the lobby right before we left.

A cute thing that Bryson started saying on this trip was calling out hotel a "show 'n tell". He continues to say how much he loved staying in the show 'n tell with the pool and hot tubs.