fun in Huntsville

One more big Christmas activity--a visit to Nana Gaynell and Papa Jim in Decatur, supper from Big Bob Gibson's, and a tour of Christmas stuff in Huntsville. We saw the Galaxy of Lights at the botanical gardens, a drive-through tour of a spectacular display of lights that Dennis loved. He rode up front in Nana's lap and pointed out things to her and Papa Jim. There were lots of nursery rhyme themed displays and we had fun trying to remember our Mother Goose rhymes! Our resident librarian Gaynell was proud of us! After the gardens, we rushed downtown to catch Santa's Village, which is in Constitution Village and is SO CUTE! All the buildings have assumed Christmas identities (i.e. Elves' Candy Kitchen, Night Before Christmas Reading Room, Santa's Blacksmith Shop, etc.) and Dennis met Santa and Santa's cousin and especially enjoyed getting to drive the sleigh. Mommy really enjoyed meeting Dancer and Prancer and all of us loved getting to see actual reindeer! Back to the Kings' place for pie and Dennis' gift opening after that. He got two VERY special presents from them, ones I might not mention for a while because he has cousins that might get similar things, but just know that they were a ten on the gift-o-meter. We were spoiled rotten tonight, all three of us, with a superb dinner and great entertainment and WONDERFUL company with some very special people. They are my sister-in-law's parents and we have loved them since meeting them years ago. Their grandchildren are far away in Washington and we aren't all together this Christmas as we have been for some of them, so we wanted to share Dennis' holiday excitement with them. He very much loved seeing all of the Santas on display at the house and was so cute watching Jim's dancing Santas. Nana Gaynell showed him each of the Santas and he commented on them to her. The funniest thing he said was when he was opening his first gift and I asked him what it was. He said "I don't know, but I'm working on it!". Dennis even loved their Christmas china--each piece contains a scene and a line from Twas the Night Before Christmas. It was a very very special evening and we thank them for a great experience and Dennis' first pop-gun, a souvenir he picked out at the gift shop along with a very cute t-shirt. The Kings are such wonderful grandparents-in-law and we are so glad that they love Dennis and that he loves them. You just can't have too many wonderful people in your life!